YuGiOh! Soul of Silicon
by Cyber Commander
Summary: At last! The conclusion of Yu Gi Oh! Soul of Silicon! Please R&R!
1. Prologue

Hello. It's Tuesday, February 26th, and it's 39 degrees.

Welcome to my latest, and final fanfic.

I know I wasn't going to start this until April, but the preparation is all done, and I'll get too far ahead of myself if I wait another month.

Some words:

This fic follows the rules of the TCG and OCG to the letter, with the exception that some cards which are illegal in today's game are legal in this world. The most broken cards are still illegal. (For instance, Pot of Greed is legal. Raigeki is not.)

Second, the Spell Card which players in the anime use to allow each player to draw until their hands consist of six cards will be referred to as "Coins from Heaven" (which is actually the Japanese name for "Card of Sanctity") From now on, Card of Sanctity will have its true effect, if I ever need to use it. Keep in mind that I'll try my hardest not to use this card at all unless I must. That card has always been a cop-out.

This fic will use American names in most cases. I emphasize the word _most_. If I feel that the translation truly went too far and gave a card a name that robbed it of its dignity (the Destiny Heroes are an example of this), I'll use the Japanese name. Most of the time, however, I'll use American names, due to the fact that I am American.

As always, when I use an OCG-only card, an anime-only card, or a card of my own design, the vital stats for it will appear at the end of the chapter, along with notes as to where it originally appeared.

With that in mind, I would like to make a statement, if I may. If I use an anime-only card, and you find a source that says I got the effect wrong, _especially_ if the source in question happens to be Yu-Gi-Oh Wikia, please keep your information to yourself, because my source is most likely better. Wikia is not a very reliable source. Wikia does not actually read the Japanese text on the cards in the original version, as my source does. I will not even bother responding to people who believe I got effects wrong due to what Wikia says.

This fic is a sequel to "Yu-Gi-Oh! The Legend of the Sorcerer Kings". That story took place in July of 2053. This one takes place two months later, in September of the same year.

Also, this fic was partially inspired by the original anime's Virtual Nightmare arc and partially by _Code Lyoko_ (a cartoon that can't rightfully be called an anime, since it is produced in Europe, but was made in the tradition of one). Fans of that show will see references that will seem familiar. A very important name in this story borrows a name from "Garage Kids", that show's trailer. (No, this is not a crossover, if that's what you are thinking. I simply was inspired.)

The action of this story mostly takes place in a realm that is reachable only from Domino City. A few chapters actually take place in Domino itself. Thus, the characters, whether native to Japan or not, are speaking Japanese unless otherwise noted.

One final thing. I do not own any rights to the Yu-Gi-Oh! TGC, OCG, anime, or Manga, which are registered trademarks of Konami. I am an independent author not affiliated with Konami, and am not an employee or representative of them

So… It begins…

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_The beginning of the following story was discovered in a musty old tome in the libraries belonging to the Pharaoh Atemu, shortly after he ordered his sages to search its volumes, after his alchemist attempted to take the life of a favored slave._

_The rest was recently added:_

_In the beginning, and even before, before the birth of mortals, the terms Good and Evil were not yet defined. The opposing forces that defined the universe were Law and Chaos._

_From the Chaos in which the universe was created came the demons, the living embodiments of Chaos. Hideous beings of pure madness, they were terrible, ravenous creatures._

_The Archlords, divine beings who acted as intermediaries between the Almighty and the rest of Heaven, saw the demons as threats to their grand plan, their plan to create mortal life, and bring the universe to a perfect state. So they formed an army of Law to oppose the hordes of Chaos._

_At the head of this great Army of Law was the mighty seraphim who would one day be known as Lucifer. His true name is forgotten, as it was eventually purged from the records of Heaven. In better times, he was one of the strongest, wisest, and most beautiful angels in the celestial realms, with eight glorious wings and skin of pure gold. His voice was a dictum that no lesser being could ignore. _

_Along with other dedicated generals, such as Dispater, Mephistopheles, and others whose names are lost to antiquity, he bravely marched into battle against the demonic army, showing no quarter and expecting none in return. Time and again, the armies of Chaos fell under his mighty sword, and were sent fleeing back to the Abyss._

_But these battles slowly started to take their toll…_

_The demons kept advancing, suggesting that their numbers were infinite. Lucifer and his army suffered wounds with each battle, and each one slowly started to poison them with a strange essence that they had not experienced before. It was not Chaos. Chaos had no way of infecting one so dedicated to Law. This strange toxin that Lucifer and his army was succumbing to was something else entirely._

_Eventually, Lucifer became violent and fearsome, a strange reflection of the enemies he was fighting. Anger started to cloud his judgment in the heat of battle, and his flawless form became marred._

_Finally, the great general decided that he would rather rule than serve. He rebelled against Heaven, and a war erupted on its sanctified fields._

_Lucifer's army and the defenders of the divine realm clashed. And Lucifer was defeated. The Archlords were forced to admit to a truth that they had suspected for a long time: Law and Chaos were not the only defining forces in the universe. Good and Evil were natural forces as well. The demons were beings not just of Chaos, but of Evil. And the prolonged exposure had created Evil in Law._

_Having no choice, they banished the rebellious angels to an uninhabited realm that was then called Baator. Ages later, mortals would refer to it as Hell. There, Lucifer would increase the ranks of his fallen army by seducing mortals to the side of Evil that he was now as much a cause of as the demons._

_In order to cope, Heaven formed new armies. They experimented with allies from the Elemental Planes, creatures whom were experts at survival and adapting. Using recruits, they formed new soldiers of Law. These elemental warriors, who formed groups like the powerful Wind Dukes of Aaqa, could safely battle the demons without succumbing to the Evil venom that had befouled Lucifer and his men, as they could quickly develop a spiritual vaccine to the foul energies of the Abyss._

_As Lucifer's power grew in Hell, so did his ambitions. He was now an enemy of Heaven, but even more so, he was still an enemy of the Abyss. As armies of devils began to form, the new Lord of Hell put Heaven secondary, and set about defeating the fiends of Chaos first. The Blood War began, a war of genocide… Evil against Evil…_

_The Blood War has predated the birth of the first mortal… Some say it will last until after the last one breathes his final breath…_

_But deep in a foreboding layer of the Abyss, one ancient demon has other plans…_

_His followers are few, but his might is great. If the Great Helm can be constructed and used at a certain aligning of the stars, he can enact the Grand Rebirth, a terrible ritual that will revert the universe back to the Chaos that it once was, and make it again as one where Law does not exist. The Blood War would end, and Chaos would be victorious…_

_But there is a flaw in his plan…_

_A prophesy states that when this happens, he will be opposed by a young mortal woman, with fair skin and golden hair. _

_He identified his foe long ago… After his first attempt to capture her soul failed, he kept careful track of her, every time she died and her life started again… He knew that she would be given a new life until the time came for their battle…_

_His second attempt at capture failed…_

_But in this universe, things often come in threes…_

_Now, there is a curiosity about the Blood War. Most sages believe that the demons are infinite in number, seeing as Chaos spawns more of them with each passing second. The devils, who follow strict laws, are certainly finite in number. And yet, the demons have not won the war after eons of trying. One would think then, that their incompetence is also infinite._

_Well, many demons are incompetent, if not mindless, but some are incredibly clever… _

_And when the times change, they change along with the times…_

_Chaotic doesn't mean stupid._

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**Yu-Gi-Oh!**

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**Soul of Silicon**

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**A fanfic by Brian "Cyber Commander" Corvello**

_**Yeah-ah-ah-ah-ah!  
I'm unbeatable!  
Walking down this road of life,  
My Disk and my friends beside me,  
Never give in, we'll never rest…  
Heading for the ultimate test!  
From the earth, the land, the sea, and sky,  
Every challenge that comes, we'll get by! **_

Yeah-ah-ah-ah-ah!  
I'm unbeatable!  
Yu-Gi-Oh!  
Yeah-ah-ah-ah-ah!  
I'm undefeatable!

It began in dark of the ancient past,  
We can be sure that it will last!

Yeah-ah-ah-ah-ah!  
I'm unbeatable! 

_**Yu-Gi-Oh!  
Yeah-ah-ah-ah-ah!  
I'm undefeatable!  
You think you're tough,  
But soon you'll see,  
You have to be tougher to beat me! **_

I'm undefeatable!

He once was living deep inside me,  
Once he was there to guide me,  
He was in my heart and in my soul,  
He pointed me to my ultimate goal.  
Before he left, he knew not what would be… 

_**But he did say,**_

_**He did have trust in me. **_

Yeah-ah-ah-ah-ah!  
I'm unbeatable! 

_**Yu-Gi-Oh! **_

Yeah-ah-ah-ah-ah!  
I'm undefeatable!

Every move  
You attack and choose,  
I'll take you on and I won't lose!

Yeah-ah-ah!  
I'm unbeatable! 

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**Prologue**

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Thunder rumbled over Domino City. Rain came down in sheets.

It was Saturday, September 13th.

Actually, that would only be the case for one more hour, since it was eleven PM.

It was just over two months since Yumi Mouto's victory in Duelatopia, and the Pharaoh's departure.

Most folks were asleep, trying to find warmth from the dreary weather, but in the high-tech computer lab in KaibaCorp's subbasement, the host of that tournament was hard at work.

She sat at a screen, looking at what appeared to be a landscape. She studied it intensely, looking at a Renaissance village with a palace on a hill.

As she typed, five Duel Monster cards were superimposed over the screen: Dark Magician Girl, Crescent Moon Queen, Vampire Genesis, Dark Ruler Ha Des, and Toy Emperor.

"Coffee," she said to a woman on the other side of the room.

"Look at you, Ms. Arachne," said the aide, coming up to her. "You should take a break. You have bags under the bags under the _bags_ under your eyes!"

"And I'll get bags under them too if I have to!" shouted Sheena, taking the coffee. "The last dry run is almost complete… Soon we'll be ready to test KaibaCorp's grandest project with real people…"

The aide sighed.

"I swear," she said. "I've been your assistant for as long as I can remember… You're the CEO of this company, and yet you work late more than any other employee. I can't remember the last time you took a vacation."

"If I took a vacation, I'd only be bored," mumbled Sheena. "Bored and worried about how this place was doing without me."

She leaned back on her chair.

"Noriko," she said. "Question… How is KaibaCorp different than Disney?"

"Uhm…" replied Noriko. "One is a movie studio, and one is a gaming company?"

Sheena nodded. She sipped the coffee. It tasted terrible, but at least it had caffeine.

"True," she said. "But they have more in common than one might think.

"Both are companies that are worth billions. Both deal with entertainment…

"And both companies run a chain of theme parks worldwide.

"Unfortunately, ever since the first Kaibaland opened, we've been second to the Happiest Place on Earth… Despite the fact that we're not as pricy.

"But not for long…

"I know Disney's plans. They're planning to build a new ride in Anaheim called Space Mountain – Light Speed. The greatest roller coaster in the world, for those with a sense of adventure and a strong stomach – and willingness to wait in line for hours, most likely. Disneyland was built on a strange principle… Tearing down California's real mountains, building fake ones, and charging admission to see them."

She chuckled.

"Once duelists around the world learn what the newest attraction will be at each and every Kaibaland, they'll consider Disney's new ride just another roller coaster…

"Even better… With my attraction, unlike Space Mountain, the lines will move very quickly…"

A message beeped on her screen.

"What the heck?" she said. "Are we logged on to the internet?"

A question appeared on the screen.

_What has four wheels and flies?_

"Is someone trying to hack into my system?" shouted Sheena. "Who would dare…"

She started to input the security code, but before she finished, the message vanished.

"Noriko, scan the whole system for intrusions!" ordered Sheena.

"On it, boss," said Noriko.

"We're on the verge of the greatest contribution to dueling since the invention of the Disk," said Sheena. "There will be no-one to stop us this time!"

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Two hours later.

Yumi Mouto was dreaming…

She dreamed she was dressed in futuristic armor that was covered with circuitry. And she was driving a vehicle resembling a cross between a motorcycle and a golf cart at high-speed across a landscape that looked like a digital grid…

…and two similar vehicles were hot on her tail.

She changed gears, and shot ahead. She was about to lose them…

Then she saw that another enemy was heading straight for her. She was about to crash…

She woke up with a gasp.

She held her chest. She sighed and got up.

"Note to self…" she thought, "never watch _Tron_ right before going to bed…"

She walked into the kitchen and opened the door to the refrigerator.

"That is the last time I let Ren pick the movie…"

She poured a glass of milk.

"Evil computer programs threatening the world… As if my family doesn't already get enough of that…"

She looked in the mirror in her room.

She had changed since Duelatopia. She had lost the fat she had put on from the vacation, and had put on some muscle after using the local gymnasium and switching to a better diet. She figured that when the time finally came to face Shogarr, as the prophecy said she would, she'd best be in top physical condition.

Her hairstyle had changed too. Her long hair was now tied in a long braid, worn down her back in a ponytail.

She sighed.

She looked at her Duel Disk on the bureau, along with her deck of cards.

It had changed a little, and she had learned to duel alone, something she needed to do now that [Ihe[/I was gone. She hoped he had finally found peace…

She was now worried about the future. Unus had been defeated, but Shogarr was still watching, most likely. The prophesy stated that she would oppose him when his plan of Armageddon was initiated. He was determined that his plan would go off without a hitch, and had made two attempts to capture her soul – one in this life, and one in a previous life.

Yumi had a sinking feeling that he wouldn't give up…

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Ten AM the next morning.

The rain continued to pour. It was a good day to stay inside.

In Yumi's room, Princess Peach walloped Yoshi with a tennis racket. Yumi grinned and Chelsea frowned.

Most of the money that Yumi had won in the Duelatopia tournament had been put in a trust fund. But her parents had allowed her to use some of it, within reason. She had recently spent some of it on a special modem for her Nintendo Quasar that allowed access to the Nintendo Classics Downloads on the internet.

"So, Yumi…" muttered Chelsea, working at the controls. "Just how many games can you get with this thing?"

"Hundreds," replied Yumi. "Anything from Gamecube to the previous system. Super Smash Bros Brawl is just a sample."

Peach butt-slammed Yoshi, knocking him down.

"Ha, ha!" laughed Yumi. "What every good warrior needs is a decent set of buttocks."

"Oh yeah?" said Chelsea. "Well, Peach's big behind gives her a big disadvantage… The bigger it is, the easier it is to _kick_!"

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Meanwhile, Ren and his little sister Connie were watching television.

KaibaCorp TV was showing footage of Kaibaland, were a duel was about to begin. One of the duelists was a typical male teenager. The other was a teenager girl who was clearly Native American from the look of her features.

"She's beautiful," said Connie.

_Strange…_ thought Ren. _I never saw her at Kaibaland before…_

"So… Sahkyo, was it?" said the male duelist. "It seems a crime to muss up something so pretty…"

The Disks activated and they drew their first hands.

"Don't be so sure," said Sahkyo. "I predict this duel will end before I reach my second turn."

"How?" asked her opponent. "You're going first, and you can't attack on your first turn."

"You'll see," said Sahkyo, quietly, making her first draw.

She played three cards.

"I play a facedown card, a Monster in Defense Mode, and the Field Spell, Canyon."

Two facedown cards appeared, one vertical and one horizontal, and then the whole room changed. Kaibaland faded away, and the slopes of the Grand Canyon rose around the two duelists.

"I end my turn."

Then watch out!" said her opponent.

He drew, and then played a card.

"I summon Gene-Warped Warwolf," he said.

He played a card, and the four-armed Beast-Warrior appeared with a roar. (2,000/100)

"Next," he said. "I play the Spell Card, Ancient Rules. Now I get to Special Summon a high-level Normal Monster. Like my Frostosaurus!"

With a roar, a huge Dinosaur made entirely of ice appeared, looming behind him. (2,600/1,700)

"You think that's big? It'll be small compared to what I've got next. I play a second Ancient Rules to summon Gogiga Gagagigo!"

He played the card, and another huge Monster appeared. It suggested Godzilla with scaly, dull, red skin, and sharp horns jutting from each joint, towering twenty feet high. (2,950/2,800)

"Oh, she's done for…" said Ren.

"I know what your Field Spell does, by the way," said the duelist. "If I attack a Rock Monster in Defense Mode, and I can't beat its Defense, the damage I take is doubled…

"But seriously… No Monster you could have set with no sacrifice could have a stronger Defense than 2,600!

"Frostosaurus… Attack with glacial rampage!"

Frostosaurus roared, and prepared to attack…

Stone Statue of the Aztecs appeared on the facedown card. (300/2,000)

"Not even close!" laughed the duelist.

"Activate Trap," said Sahkyo, quietly. "Fairy Box."

Her facedown card lifted, and a loony contraption that looked like a whack-a-mole appeared next to her.

"Listen closely," she said, holding up a coin. "I toss this coin and call it. If I call it right, your Frostosaurus's Attack Score falls to zero."

"WHAT?" shouted the duelist. "But… I'd lose… 4,000 Life Points!"

"No…" said Sahkyo. "You'd lose 8,000. The damage is doubled by my Field Spell, and doubled again by my Monster's effect.

"Heads."

She tossed the coin. Everyone gasped as the camera zoomed in on it.

The coin fell the ground and spun. It came to a rest…

It was heads.

Frostosaurus's attack hit the Statue, and the duelist screamed as the incredible backlash hit him, and his Life Points fell to nothing.

Ren's eyes opened wide.

"Uh, big brother?" said Connie. "Did she win?"

Ren didn't answer. He was too amazed. He had never seen a _defensive_ OTK before.

And she had been so calm… So calm for someone who would have been facing two powerful direct attacks if that coin flip had failed.

They would have to keep an eye out for this Sahkyo. It seemed they had competition…

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Somewhere else in Domino…

An elf maiden dressed in a halter and a brief tunic, with red and blue lines painted on her face, bent over an ancient chest.

She hesitated. She muttered some strange words, and some strange clicks came from the mechanisms.

She smiled. Her spell had disabled the trap on the chest.

She slowly lifted the lid of the chest, and gasped in delight at the glowing, golden treasure inside…

Then she frowned. A shadow fell over her.

She turned her head, and saw a hulking man dressed in furs and chain mail, holding a battle axe.

"Step away from that chest, or face my wrath, puny elf!" he shouted.

She frowned at him.

Then a volley of lightning bolts flew from her hands, and the warrior was thrown backwards.

Erik sighed as he watched the scene on his computer. Sam was watching over his shoulder.

"I dunno, Sam," he said. "Maybe I'm just more intimidating at Duel Monsters than I am at interactive online RPGs."

His girlfriend giggled.

"It would help if that barbarian of yours learned how to say 'please'," she said.

She looked at the screen.

"And he's going to need to learn how to say 'I surrender' in a minute, if you don't do something!"

"Speaking of interactive," said Erik, starting to type, "what is this computer thing that your mother is working on that she wants us for?"

"All she'll say is," said Sam, "it will put Kaibaland ahead of Disney in popularity."

"A bold claim…" said Erik. "I'm certainly looking forward to it…"

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At six AM the next morning, the start of a new week, Yumi woke up as her radio alarm went off.

"Good morning Domino!" said the voice of the female DJ. "This is Live Wire, and to all you teenagers out there, this is your wake-up call!"

Yumi yawned and stretched.

"Seriously," said Live Wire's voice, "I know it's all a drag for you kids… Summer is over, school has started, but what are you gonna do, huh?

"Well, as you're wiping the sleep dust out of your eyes, let's all listen to the latest single by America's newest sensation…

"Here's White Rain!"

Music on the radio started to play:

_**Woo-hoo! **_

Got all of my friends, a teacher, okay,  
But why do we really have to study all day?  
Well see, I'm on to your scam, and I'll tell you how  
We ended up with a Fall that we know of now.

A time was invented to keep the kids in the hall,  
They gave it a name and we now know it as Fall.  
The line of the story that I have presented:  
Fall is just something that grown-ups invented.

Though some things in Fall are just too good to pass,  
Jumping in leaves, and Halloween is a gas,  
But I'd rather see to it that the truth be told,  
So I better do it now, before I grow old.

They wanted a break after the summer disarray,  
To rest up, then handle the stress of Christmas day,  
So the grown-ups got together and made up the rule,  
That kids shouldn't be playing,  
No, they should be in school!

A time was invented to keep the kids in the hall,  
They gave it a name and we now know it as Fall.  
The line of the story that I have presented:  
Fall is just something that grown-ups invented.

Kick it!

A time was invented to keep the kids in the hall,  
They gave it a name and we now know it as Fall.  
The line of the story that I have presented:  
Fall is just something that grown-ups invented.

Fall is just something that grown-ups invented,  
Fall is just something that grown-ups invented,  
Fall is just something that grown-ups invented,  
Fall is just something that grown-ups invented! 

The radio shut off as Yumi's shoe hit it.

"Not the song I wanted to hear, Live Wire," she grumbled. "I hear you duel… Well, if you're ever at Kaibaland when I'm there… I'll show you no mercy…"

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After getting through trigonometry, literature, and chemistry, Yumi made her way to the library.

Ren and Chelsea were sitting underneath a large screen used to send messages (the loudspeaker had long since grown obsolete), and since she had some time before her next class, she guessed she'd ask them what was up.

"You look happy," she said to Ren, who obviously wasn't very happy.

"Ugh…" said Ren. "I had the worst nightmare last night. I dreamed that Japan was struck by a deadly, crippling epidemic that was spread though tomatoes, making it impossible to get pizza or pasta with marinara sauce."

"You have crazy dreams," said Chelsea.

"Hey, we're duelists," said Yumi. "When a tomato can be one of the most dangerous Dark Monsters in the game, I'm not surprised."

She looked at them. They had changed too. Both of them had put on as much muscle as she had, if not more. Chelsea had changed her hair to a pigtail style, while Ren had simply let his grow a little longer.

"By the way," said Chelsea, "steer clear of Haruhi. Word is that her most recent _omiai _was a disaster."

"Let me guess," said Ren. "He went to kiss her, but he got lost in the cigarette smoke and missed?"

The three laughed. The fact that the principal was a chain-smoker was the worst-kept secret in the school.

At that moment, the screen flashed, and the woman in question's face appeared on it.

"Attention," she said in a stern tone. "Would Yumi Mouto, Chelsea Ramset, and Ren Marris please report to my office on the double?"

The three teenagers gulped.

"That is all," said the principal. Her face vanished.

"Did we do something wrong?" asked Chelsea.

"I swear," said Ren, "The cook _offered_ me that extra rice cake at lunch on Friday!"

Yumi looked at the blank screen.

Being sent to the office was every students' nightmare…

Being _called_ to the office was little better. You never knew what to expect…

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Principal Haruhi was smoking her third cigarette since making that announcement. She was nervous. And the guidance counselor standing next to her was downright angry.

"You cannot let them do this!" he said with a scowl. "I do not see any educational value in this whatsoever!"

Haruhi crushed out the cigarette.

"Fine!" she said to him. "Fine… When she calls back, _you_ can tell her that we don't approve!

"Are you willing to do that?"

The counselor was silent.

"That's what I figured," she said. "We're a public school, my friend, one that's steadily losing more and more students each year to private schools, including the one that this woman's company owns. When we want more money, we have to make a request to the taxpayers, and they usually turn it down.

"When we actually convince them that it's for the best and they _don't_ turn it down, we have to pray that the quality of this school improves by at least three-hundred percent, or they won't even listen to our next five requests.

"Compare that to this woman, whose resources are practically infinite. Most of the members of the school board work for companies that ultimately answer to her, I should remind you, just like half of this crazy city does.

"I don't like it any more than you do. But we can't afford to make someone with this much power angry. If we make her mad, she can make our lives miserable.

"So, no matter what she says, and no matter what these students say, you do nothing but smile and nod. That's an order…"

She hit a button, and then placed the ashtray in her drawer.

"Send them in," she said into the speaker.

Yumi, Ren, and Chelsea walked into the office.

"Good day, ma'am," said Yumi. "Uhm… Are we allowed one phone call?"

"Just sit down…" ordered the principal.

As they did, she stood up.

"As you three know," she said, "you are all in your third year. You were on the honor roll last year.

"Your graduation seems imminent… I trust you are all looking into college?"

"We've sent in some applications," said Yumi. "No responses yet, but we guess that's normal."

The principal nodded.

"I trust you're also looking into possible student internships?" she asked.

"Yeah, we're looking," said Chelsea. "We…"

"Stop looking," said the principal.

"Huh?" said Ren.

She sighed.

"It isn't often that the CEO of a company comes to me offering internships for my students," she said. "But one did this morning…

"And she requested you three specifically…"

A light flashed under a screen on the wall.

"That would be her now…"

A familiar face appeared on the wall.

"SHEENA?" shouted Yumi, Ren, and Chelsea at once.

_They're on a first-name basis with her,_ thought the principal. _Terrific…_

She wanted to light up more than ever now, but she didn't dare do so when three students were right in front of her.

"Hello, children," said Sheena. "Gosh, we haven't seen each other since…"

"Last week," answered Yumi.

"Yes, yes…" said Sheena. "I lose track of time.

"Anyway, I have an offer for you three… One that I don't think you'll say no to…"

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The rest of the day passed without much incident.

At six PM, Yumi sat at the bar in a local sushi restaurant. As she spread wasabi on her mirugai, she heard two familiar voices.

"Yumi!" shouted Ren.

"Guys," said Yumi, and he and Chelsea came up to her, "can't you see I'm eating? You two don't have to follow me everywhere… We aren't joined at the hip, you know."

"Did you get your parents to sign those papers?" asked Ren, disregarding the comment.

"They're still in my backpack," said Yumi. "And my parents are away until tomorrow night. Besides, I'm not sure if I want to do it."

"WHAT?" said Chelsea.

"Yumi," said Ren. "What teenager in the entire world would not _kill_ for the opportunity Sheena is giving us?

"We get to miss half of school, three days a week. We're excused from monthly exams. And she pays us fifteen-hundred yen an hour!

"And what do we have to do in return? We have to playtest her new video game! Sure we have to work with Sam and Erik, but this job is Shangri-La!"

Chelsea chuckled.

"It must have been agonizing for Haruhi to give her approval," she said. "She once called Duel Monsters, and I quote, 'the biggest waste of technology since the 8-track cassette player'."

"She's a coward," said Ren. "She's afraid to say no to Sheena. Course, I wouldn't blame her…"

Yumi sighed.

"Yeah," she said. "Who would say no to Domino's most powerful resident?

"Guys, listen… I know it sounds like a dream job.

"But one, it isn't a 'video game', quote-unquote. It's KaibaCorp's new virtual world.

"And in the past, when you add the word 'virtual' and the word 'KaibaCorp', it equals the word 'trouble'!"

She shoved a piece of sushi into her mouth and chewed.

Chelsea looked at her.

"Okay, point taken," she said. "But who are you worried about? The Big Five? Noah? Gozaburo?"

She sat down next to Yumi and put her arm around her.

"Yumi… For almost six decades, ever since Gozaburo's virtual world self-destructed, both KaibaCorp's computers and government computers have kept an eye out for them on the off-chance that they survived. Search engines are run through the worldwide web every year looking for them. Every time a card that one of them used is played by anyone, an automatic program kicks in to check it out. An alarm would sound if the duelist were identified as one of them.

"In all that time, nothing. You should face facts… They're all dead."

Yumi sighed.

"I'll think about it," she said. "Now let me finish dinner. I'm meeting with someone in an hour."

Chelsea giggled as she and Ren walked away.

"Yumi seems to have a thing these days for British bad boys," she said. "Maybe we should rent some old 007 movies…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As this was happening, Sam was riding an elevator down to a subbasement of the KaibaCorp building.

Sam had already graduated from high school last year, as did Erik. She had already enlisted in a major college in the States. But she wouldn't be starting until next Fall. She had debated about spending a year backpacking across Europe, until her mother offered her this job as a beta tester for this strange project.

She exited the elevator, and saluted to two armed guards as she passed.

She approached an iron door.

"**Voice identification, please,"** said a computerized voice.

"Samantha Arachne," she said.

"**Confirmed,"** said the voice. **"Hand print identification, please."**

Sam put her hand on a panel on the wall. It glowed.

"**Confirmed,"** said the voice. **"Retina scan identification, please."**

Sam looked closely at another screen. A soft, green light scanned her eyes.

"**Confirmed,"** said the voice.

The door swung open.

"Whatever mom's working on," muttered Sam, walking in, "it's something _big_…"

The room beyond housed not one supercomputer, but a set of them, linked together. Sheena was working on them with a team of technicians. She was currently looking over some figures on a clipboard.

"No…" she said to a technician. "I don't think Fortress Whale is a blue whale… I think it might be a sperm whale…

"Well, I might be wrong… Why don't we go back to that later…"

"No problem," he replied.

"What can I do for you honey?" she said, as Sam walked in.

"I was just wondering," muttered Sam. "Just what is this Dueltasia thing I've been hearing so much about?"

Sheena looked at her.

"Okay, Sam," she said. "Here's what I'm willing to say.

"Dueltasia is a fantasy world, where everyone is a duelist. Like your standard MMORPG, it's full of locations, characters, and the like. But it's a virtual world.

"Humans will be able to enter Dueltasia from Kaibaland…

"However, while Kaibaland has many locations, there will only be one Dueltasia. It will be accessible from each of Kaibaland's locations across the globe.

"You progress in this… game via dueling, of course, meeting new challenges, and gaining access to better locations. You can duel both the natives of Dueltasia, and your fellow players. Duelists can meet each other from opposite sides of the globe! And the game remembers you if you leave and come back, so there's no need to start over if you get tired and have to go home."

Sam thought for a minute.

"Is Princess Edina still the ruler?" she asked.

Sheena smirked.

"She's _Queen_ Edina now, and she's grown up," said Sheena. "She's a duelist herself, one of the most skilled in Dueltasia. Of course, she won't duel just anyone. A guest has to prove herself worthy for her to accept a challenge. And that will take a good deal of dedication to the game."

"What's the reward for beating her?" asked Sam.

"Ah, that's a secret," said Sam.

"Anyway, glad you're here. It came, and it's official. Of course, it won't be available to the public for two more months…"

She handed Sam a card.

Sam looked at the card with wild eyes. She had been waiting for this since Duelatopia…

She was speechless. She could be the Consort of Ha Des more than ever with this card…

"Ms Arachne!" shouted a technician. "Come look at this!"

"Huh?" said Sheena.

She ran to a screen he was looking at.

A message was on the screen:

_What time is it when the clock strikes thirteen?_

The message vanished again.

"Another one?" shouted Sheena. "Find out who's sending these!"

"On it…" said the technician.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Underneath the towering KaibaCorp offices, a sixteen-year-old with definite Western features was waiting.

He was nervous. He had been expecting Yumi to dump him all these two months. He wouldn't blame her if she had changed her mind and decided to take back her forgiveness. He had never held her to it.

He felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Huh?" he said, turning around.

As he turned around, Yumi grabbed him and planted a deep kiss on his lips.

Nicholas didn't resist. He put his arms around her, and the kiss lasted for a minute or two.

Yumi backed away a bit, and smiled.

"Whoa," said Nicholas. "This means you're serious, right?"

She nodded.

"So, I hear that Domino City has a new Samurai Master," said Yumi. "Jade would be jealous."

Nicholas chuckled.

"Yeah, the deck is working out well," said Nicholas, "I try to go to Kaibaland as often as I can.

"So what happened to the Puzzle?"

"Huh?" said Yumi. "Oh, that… Well, I stashed it somewhere. I don't really need it any more. Now that he's gone, the Millennium Items are powerless. They aren't worth the gold they're made of."

She giggled.

"Say," said Nicholas. "Olga says she wants to try a two-on-two duel one of these days. Would you and Sam be interested?"

"Well…" said Yumi, "I'll ask her, but we're both probably going to be busy."

She looked up at KaibaCorp.

This wasn't the original KaibaCorp building. Jaden Yuki had once thought that his most dangerous enemy was the Light of Ruin. But after it had been defeated, Nightshroud decided to prove that Darkness could be just as bad. Nightshroud's invasion made its beachhead on Domino, and while he was ultimately defeated, the KaibaCorp building was destroyed in the process.

You couldn't keep Seto Kaiba down, of course. He rebuilt. KaibaCorp had a new structure to replace the old one. And maybe he couldn't help but think that Darkness had done him a favor. After all, with the destruction of the old building, along with Alcatraz Tower that he himself destroyed in the first Battle City, nothing more remained to remind him of his stepfather.

Yumi sighed.

Chelsea was right. Gozaburo had been a snake with no morals. When this company was a military firm, it thrived on suffering and bloodshed. Where people saw tragedy, Gozaburo saw business opportunities.

When a war broke out in a foreign land, his company would use intermediaries to sell armaments to both sides of the conflict. It would mean more profit for him, and he didn't care who won, so long as each of them kept paying for weapons until one of them did. Only the winning side would learn who their supplier ultimately was, and the winning side never found out that he had also supplied their enemies.

This evil strategy would have remained a secret if Dartz hadn't revealed it to Alister, a victim of one of these conflicts. Unfortunately, Alister blamed Seto Kaiba for what his stepfather had done, even though it was something that Seto was completely innocent of.

Oh course, even though this revelation was new to Seto, he wasn't surprised. He knew his stepfather was a creep. That's why he seized control of KaibaCorp in the first place, and disassembled it in order to remake it, changing it from a military firm that caused death to a gaming company that caused joy.

Yumi sighed.

Maybe she would accept Sheena's offer…

It was time to forge ahead…

…and leave Gozaburo buried.

"Nicholas," she said, "my parents are out of town until tomorrow night, and my homework is done. How daring are you?"

"Uh… What did you have in mind?" he asked.

She put her arm around his shoulder, and they started to walk away from the building.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Eight PM

Sheena sighed. She was tired.

"Ma'am," said an aid, "you really should get some sleep."

"Maybe you're right," said Sheena, as she started to type. "I'll just complete the last log entry."

She started to type in the password.

She hit enter.

The computer buzzed.

"ACCESS DENIED," said the message.

Sheena sat up straight.

"What the Hell?" she said.

She typed in the password again.

"ACCESS DENIED," it said.

"Denied access to my own system?" she said, angrily, standing up.

"Ma'am!" shouted a technician. "I can't access my console either! Something's happening!"

"Override it!" shouted Sheena.

Then a new message flashed on the screen:

_What sort of salute does an overachieving U.S. President get?_

Then the lights went out…

And all over Domino City, the lights went out…

Blackout.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Coming up next:**

**Your appetite has been whetted. What strange force has cut the power to Domino, as well as hijacked KaibaCorp's computers? A force that can bypass this company's security is surely a force to be reckoned with. Terrorists perhaps? Or something that defies definition?**

**More revealed soon, in Chapter One, "City Under Siege". Don't miss it.**


	2. City Under Siege

**_Domino's history dates back almost as far as that of Edo, now known as Tokyo. And in its long history, the city has been very lucky as far as disasters, both manmade and natural, have been concerned. _**

****

**_Despite being a port city, no tsunami has ever hit. No serious hurricane has ever struck. _**

****

**_When the United States decided to use the atomic bomb to end World War II, Domino wasn't even on the list of possible targets. The citizens mourned for the lives lost in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but they said prayers of thanks that they were spared. _**

****

**_The only major incident that might have been called a terrorist attack was Nightshroud's invasion several years ago. KaibaCorp's offices were destroyed, but Nightshroud had the decency to take the populace hostage before destroying anything. So when Jaden sent him packing and the dust cleared, everyone had survived. _**

****

**_Our luck may change… _**

****

**_For the first time in our history, a potentially deadly terrorist attack has paralyzed our city. It came without warning, and we had no defense. Nor do we have any way to fight back or escape. Jaden isn't here any more, and even if he were, he couldn't duel his way out. _**

****

**_This terrorist has one demand, and it concerns me… _**

****

**_One thing for certain… _**

****

**_If I survive this, I'm never leaving the house again. _**

**0 0 0 0 0 **

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

**CHAPTER ONE **

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

**City Under Siege **

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

**0 0 0 0 0 **

Nicholas lay on his back, sighing.

Who would have believed that the Queen of Games was both a lover _and_ a fighter?

It was funny. Just two months ago he was fully prepared to force himself on her if she refused him. That wicked succubus had promised her to him as a reward for some favors.

He should have realized that the promises weren't worth a thing. Shogarr had nothing planned for Yumi except a lonely prison made of gemstone. He likely had the same thing planned for him as well.

He was thinking right now of asking her to a proper date this weekend… The old dinner and a movie standard. The allowance he got from Scotland Yard to support himself wasn't near as much as Rasputin gave him, but it was enough. He wondered if Yumi would go for that new all-cheese restaurant that just opened.

He chuckled. He wondered how hard it was for the guys who washed the dishes in that place.

He opened his eyes.

Strange… The lights from the kitchen where Yumi had had gone were off… So were the lights from the buildings outside. The only sources of light came from the scented candles in the room…

"Nicholas!" shouted Yumi's voice.

"What?" he asked with a start.

"Get dressed," she said. "We've lost power… I think the whole city has lost power…"

"What?" said Nicholas. "That's impossible… Domino's power is supplied by the hydroelectric plant outside of town. We have subterranean power lines, and they're made of titanium-alloy steel. The only way we could have a blackout is if the dam or the plant itself were destroyed."

Yumi sighed.

"Something's up…" she said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

At the headquarters of the DCPD, Chief Yamaguchi was thinking that this crisis couldn't have come at a worse time.

He was due to retire in a month. With full benefits. He and his wife were booked to tour France and Italy to celebrate…

His station couldn't restore its own power, not even with the backup generators, and to make matters worse, even battery-powered radios weren't working. The only light in the room he was in came from an old-fashioned flashlight that he had found with some difficulty.

"Chief," said someone walking in.

"What is happening out there?" demanded Yamaguchi.

"We're trying to maintain order," said the officer. "But reports are coming in, slowly. It seems that it isn't just electric power that's been shut down.

"Cars and other vehicles have lost power. Battery-powered appliances won't run… Basically anything with moving parts that you don't pedal or crank has lost power."

"So everything in the city is paralyzed?" asked Yamaguchi.

"Almost everything," said the officer. "From what we can garner, a few buildings still have power… Hospitals, retirement homes, the airport… Basically, anywhere where a loss of power would cause death."

"So we're dealing with _considerate_ terrorists?" he asked. "This is crazy…"

Then the television next to him flashed on.

All over Domino, every other television turned on.

"HELLO, Domino City!" said a cheery female voice. "You're all probably wondering, what the Hell is going on, and who cut the power in the middle of primetime?

"Well, I'm not shy… I'll let you see me…"

The screen flickered, and a young woman appeared on the screen, reclining on a couch. She looked about seventeen to twenty years old, with short, black hair, and was wearing a green halter that revealed her cleavage, and a matching miniskirt.

"Hi, everybody!" she said, waving. "You can call me Daala for now, if you must. Now, let me explain what's happened, in as simple terms as I can…

"Using KaibaCorp's computers as a focus – and thanks for the help, Ms Arachne, by the way – I'm now able to control anything within a twenty-mile radius of the KaibaCorp building that has computer circuitry inside it.

"That's a lot. In fact, it's almost everything. You'd be amazed at how many things rely on computers to function these days. That's why so many people were scared of the Y2K problem so many years ago. Heck, I'll bet that in a thousand years, people will be scared of something that they'll call Y3K. Go figure.

"Now… Since I've used this incredible power to practically take Domino City hostage, you might consider me a terrorist…

"Hmm, let me think…

"Well, I guess that fits the description of what a terrorist does, doesn't it? So I won't deny it. But admit it… Have you _ever_ seen a terrorist who was this beautiful?"

She stood up and made a sexy pose, and then blew a kiss at the camera.

"Anyway…" she said, sitting back down, "you might try to find me, but don't think you'll succeed. I'm not even in Domino, and you can't reach me. The United States Army couldn't reach me, in fact. Even if they knew where I was, they couldn't take me out even if they used a nuclear missile! The place where I am simply can't be reached by a method that a law enforcement agent or soldier can get to. And any attempt to lure me to you will fail. This place keeps me in as well as it keeps you out. I'll tell you right now, I don't represent any nation, religious group, or political faction, so you have nothing to use to bargain with me. I'm calling all the shots.

"Well, since I've admitted to being a terrorist, you likely expect me to make demands. Well, I only have one… But I won't make it to any cop or any official. I want to make it to the winner of last summer's Duelatopia Tournament.

"That's right… Yumi Mouto, if you are listening, come to Kaibaland's movie studio at eight in the morning. If you hear my demands and agree to them, I'll happily restore power to Domino and leave the city alone for now.

"If you don't… Well, remember, I control everything in this city with computer circuitry. So unless you want me to make a gas main explode right under Domino Children's Hospital…

"Show up… I mean it.

"After all… I just admitted to being a terrorist… And terrorists rarely have any concern for civilian life, right?"

The screen went dark.

"Any chance you were able to trace that transmission?" asked Yamaguchi.

"Using what?" asked the officer.

Yamaguchi sighed.

"Send someone to Ms. Mouto's apartment," he said. "See if she'll cooperate. I don't like giving in to a lunatic, but it's our only chance right now. And see what Arachne is doing while you're at it."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

One hour later…

In her apartment, among more lit candles, Yumi and Nicholas were eating from pint containers of ice cream. They had little choice, seeing as it would melt anyway.

They were well aware that this strange woman would only deliver her demands to her.

Yumi was nervous. Was this Daala another follower of Shogarr? Was she going to demand her life in exchange for Domino?

It didn't make sense though… If Daala controlled every computerized system in the city, why couldn't she simply take her out by taking out this building?

There was a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" shouted Yumi.

"It's us, Yumi," said Ren's voice.

Yumi sighed, and went to the door. She opened it, and sure enough, Ren and Chelsea were there.

"You two walked up ten flights of stairs in the dark just to comfort me?" she asked.

"Well, it was good exercise," said Ren, as they walked in. "And we might have a clue. Hi, Nicholas."

Chelsea shined a flashlight inside, as Ren put a very large book on the coffee table.

"I knew that the name 'Daala' sounded familiar," he said, "and I found a reference to it in this book."

Chelsea shined a light on the cover, and Yumi looked at it. It was a book called _Monsters, Martians, and Madmen: An Encyclopedia of Science Fiction Villains. _

"Is Darth Vader in there?" asked Nicholas.

"Are you kidding?" asked Ren. "He has a six-page entry. But I found a reference to someone named Daala…"

He opened to the D section. The picture accompanying the entry didn't look like the woman who had been on the TV. It was an older woman, coldly beautiful in her own way, dressed in a futuristic outfit.

"Admiral Daala," said Ren. "One of the most notorious villains in the _Star Wars: Expanded Universe _novels. Remember Moff Tarkin from the first movie?"

Everyone nodded.

"Well, although he was married, this was his lover and the woman he truly loved," said Ren. "He promoted her to Admiral, and put her in charge of the Maw Installation, a place where the Empire's most powerful weapons were designed, including the Death Star."

"She probably only got that position because she was sleeping with him," said Nicholas.

"That what's a lot of Tarkin's men believed," said Ren. "One of them dared to actually say it, and when he found out, he put the man in a space suit, and threw him out of an airlock, with the communicator in the suit turned on, so everyone could hear him scream as his air ran out."

"That does sound like something he'd do," said Yumi.

"Anyway," continued Ren, "Daala was just as cruel as her lover. She survived the fall of the Empire, and joined a group of warlords who gave the New Republic trouble for a long time. She had designed even deadlier weapons than the Death Star while at her position, such as the Sun Crusher, a craft that had the power to destroy a star.

"Anyway… Daala was eventually defeated, but never for good. Most assume that she simply retired after deciding that there was no way to rebuild the Empire."

"And now someone has named herself after her," said Yumi. "A cyber-terrorist who's named herself after a villain who could design weapons that could destroy planets…

"Just great…

"Listen everyone… I'd best try to sleep. And I'm going to Kaibaland alone tomorrow."

"Yumi…" said Chelsea. "But…"

"No buts, Chelsea," said Yumi. "If I need your help this time, I'll ask for it…

"If Shogarr is making his move, we'd best prepare for war…

"We must stay on our guard, or innocents will suffer the same sad fate as Rasputin…"

There was another knock on the door.

"Better wait…" she said. "That would be the police…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

At six AM, Yumi unlocked the chain on her bicycle in the parking garage of her apartment building. It would take a while to get to Kaibaland.

The police saluted her as she rode down the street, past stranded cars towards the large amusement park. No-one impeded her, but several folks watched from buildings where they were hiding.

At seven-fifteen, she reached her destination.

As Yumi expected, Sheena met her at the gates. She looked almost dead, clearly having gone without sleep for a long time.

"I'm so sorry about this, Yumi," muttered Sheena. "We're trying our hardest to regain control of my computer system. But I'll take note of anything said. Hopefully, we can help any way we can."

"Understandable," said Yumi. "Let's get this over with…"

They walked towards the large movie theater, which now had police officers at every entrance point. Sheena led Yumi into the main theater.

"I guess now all we can do is wait…" muttered Yumi.

The screen flashed to life.

"No need, Yumi," said Daala's voice. "I don't mind you coming early. I did have to leave my book club meeting, but… I hadn't read it yet anyway, so I was looking for an excuse to leave. Don't tell anyone, 'kay?"

Daala appeared on the screen, still reclining on her couch. Two men dressed in clothing that suggested Arabian were fanning her with large fronds.

Yumi noticed something about her that she hadn't noticed before. Daala's head was wreathed in dark flames, like some sinister halo.

"Have a seat, Yumi," she said.

"I'd rather stand, if it's all the same with you," said Yumi.

"Suit yourself," said Daala. "So, how has the Queen of Games been?"

"Let's cut to the chase, Daala!" shouted Yumi. "Just what are you?"

"There are some things in this world that you are not meant to understand, Yumi," said Daala. "Suffice to say, I'm complicated.

"But, I will tell you one thing… While you are the Queen of Games in your world, I'm the Queen of Games in mine. Like you, Duel Monsters is my life. So you might say I kind of feel like a kindred spirit to you, Yumi."

"Your world?" said Yumi. "What are you talking about?"

"I'll get to that in a minute," said Daala.

"Fine," said Yumi. "What do I have to do for you to spare Domino?"

Daala chuckled.

"Okay, Yumi, it's rather simple," she said. "I want you to turn down Sheena's offer to playtest her virtual world…

"…and instead, playtest _mine_."

"Yours?" said Yumi.

"My home," said Daala. "A realm that I've created, and that I rule as queen. Not only the Queen of Games, but the actual ruler. It's called Xanadu. And like Sheena's Dueltasia, it's a place where duelists are everywhere.

"Now, when I took over Sheena's computer, I made a little adjustment to her project. The devices that Sheena intends to use as entrances to Dueltasia now lead to Xanadu."

"You miserable…" shouted Sheena.

"Pipe down!" laughed Daala. "Don't get your panties in an uproar. I didn't destroy Dueltasia. It's quite safe. You just can't reach it until I'm done with Yumi.

"Of course Yumi, my world is… far more dangerous than Sheena's. Let's just say that it's a video game with _very_ high stakes.

"But don't worry… I promise to give you a fighting chance.

"Now, you can choose to come alone if you want… But, if you want to bring your henchmen with you, that's fine too."

"Henchmen?" asked Yumi.

"Those four guys who helped you take down Unus," she said. "Bring them too if you want. The more, the merrier, I always say.

"But no-one else! I mean that. Xanadu isn't quite ready to handle an influx of tourists yet. Our chamber of commerce isn't even built yet.

"Anyway, Yumi, you have until two this afternoon to decide. I'll restore the power to Kaibaland so that Sheena can use her equipment.

"If you're in Xanadu by then, Domino gets its power back…

"If not… Well, you know the answer to that…

"Any questions?"

"One…" said Yumi. "Exactly why is your head on fire?"

Daala looked at her.

"Oh, uh that…" she said. "Well… That's one of the things you aren't supposed to understand…"

She looked nervous.

"No more questions!" she shouted. "You have a choice…

"Good luck, Queen of Games… If you ask me, you're gonna need it…"

Daala vanished.

Yumi frowned.

"I'll bet she just doesn't want to tell me," she muttered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

It was now noon.

Chief Yamaguchi was now speaking to the town officials in a conference room.

"So, it's official," he said. "We will start the process of evacuating Domino City…"

"And just how will you do that, Chief?" said Sheena's voice.

She walked in.

"Daala can control every car, plane, boat, and train in a twenty-mile radius of my building. The only way out of this city is to walk out. What's more, she can raise the bridge if she doesn't want people to cross it."

"Can't you do something, Arachne?" he shouted.

"I've tried!" she shouted. "For sixteen straight hours, I've tried to reestablish control over my computer. I can't. Daala may look and talk like a party girl, but she clearly must be the greatest computer genius on the planet in order to hijack KaibaCorp's system.

"Three hours ago, I made a terrible decision. I decided to pull the manual kill-switch, which would have destroyed the computer by melting its central processor. I knew that doing so would likely cripple my company for years, but I was willing to do it to save Domino.

"I thought that I was the only one who knew about this kill switch, but I was wrong. Daala had somehow found out about it, and had disabled it.

"I wouldn't give up! I went to grab the fire axe in order to destroy the computer the old fashioned way! Then Daala herself appeared on the screen, telling me in no simple terms that if I didn't drop it and leave at once, she'd activate my counter-terrorist system.

"My deadliest defense in that building… It can seal the room and flood it with nerve gas in case of a terrorist attack. And she was going to use it against me… Ironic.

"I was forced to flee for my life. Soon after that, I collapsed from exhaustion. I woke up in time to come here."

"So there's nothing we can do?" asked Yamaguchi.

Sheena nodded.

"And it's going to get worse…" she said.

"Worse?" shouted everyone.

Sheena nodded again.

"Communications may be shut down," she said, "but it won't be long before the military realizes that there's something wrong, and sends some people to check on us. And as soon as their vehicles enter the twenty-mile radius, Daala will seize control of them too."

"Military vehicles carry weapons!" screamed someone from across the room.

"We're doomed…" said someone else.

"Daala doesn't need them," said Sheena. "She now has dozens of ways to reduce the city to slag. She can rupture gas mains, electric generators, or simply smash everything to pieces with large vehicles. Worst case scenario, she might use my computer to increase her power and range, and start to spread her influence to other supercomputers in other cities. With each one, she would gain more power, and her influence would spread like a cancer.

"She wouldn't stop after taking control of Japan. She might eventually gain control of the computers belonging to the Chinese military. Then the Korean military… Then the Russian military! Before long, she'd have access to arsenals of nuclear or even biological weapons capable of wiping cities off the map…

"We can try to run… But soon, there'll be no place to run to…"

There was dead silence in the room.

"But there is one small bit of good news…" said Sheena.

She paused.

"Yumi has agreed to her demand…

"May God have mercy on us all…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

Alone in her room, Yumi sighed.

She moved aside a picture of Yui Maki (a Japanese pop star that she admired) revealing the wall safe behind it. Fortunately, this was an old-fashioned safe with a simple combination lock, unlike the high-tech one that her parents had in their room.

She opened it, and took out a large envelope that was sealed.

On it was printed:

_Do not open until the death of Yumi Mouto, or her unexplained disappearance for longer than six months, or in the event that she enters a comatose state that she cannot be awakened from for longer than six months. _

She hadn't told her parents that she had written a will. But since she knew that she was still a target for a demon lord, she had done so.

She tossed it on her bed. Then she started to undress. She tossed her school outfit aside.

Then she chose a far more fitting outfit. She pulled on a black leather skirt, and matched it with a leather, strapless halter, which she covered with a jacket made of the same material. Then she put on a pair of black, fingerless gloves, and a pair of boots.

She strapped a belt around her waist that had two pouches. One held her regular deck, the other her side deck.

Finally, she placed her Duel Disk on her arm.

"No tournament this time…" she muttered. "This time… it's real…"

She walked out of the apartment.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

It was one-thirty as Yumi was back at Kaibaland, walking into a very large building where the entrance was blocked by a sign that said "Under Construction".

As she walked inside, she was surprised as both Ren and Chelsea ran up beside her.

"What are you two doing here?" she shouted.

"We were invited, remember?" said Ren, lifting his Disk.

"We can't let you go in there alone, Yumi," said Chelsea.

"Guys…" said Yumi. "I don't think this is a good idea…"

"Hey, no problem," said Ren. "We're not gonna let you down. We'll show this Daala bitch just like we showed Unus!"

Yumi sighed.

"You aren't asking me, are you?" she said.

"Nope," said Chelsea.

"Fine," she said. "Then let's go. And by the way, I won't say 'I told you so' now, but that doesn't mean I won't later."

They entered a large chamber full of monitors and consoles. As they expected, Sheena was working on one of them…

But they didn't expect Sam and Erik to be there.

"What?" said Yumi. "You guys too?"

"I tried to talk them out of it…" muttered Sheena.

"Hey, listen Yumi," said Sam, pointing, "if you're gonna go in there to save Domino, there's no way I'm letting you go without me. No way I'm letting you take all the credit and all the reward."

"And I'm with Sam," said Erik. "Where she goes, I go."

"I warn you guys," said Yumi, "the danger is great, and the rewards may be slight to none."

"Understood," said Erik. "Now if we can just be shown to the virtual pods…

"Uhm, check that… Maybe we should use the bathroom first…"

"No pods, Erik," said Sheena.

Everyone looked at her.

"No pods?" asked Ren.

"This system uses a new technology called virtualization," said Sheena. "I've spent billions of yen and years of work perfecting it. It doesn't just send your mind into the virtual world. It transports your entire body there, by transforming it into a virtual construct. In a sense, your human body made of flesh is transformed into an avatar made of ones and zeroes.

"Think of it as kind of like the teleporters on _Star Trek_. The reason I invented this system is simple – if pods were used, guests at Kaibaland would have to wait forever for them to become available."

"So this thing can actually transform matter into energy?" asked Chelsea.

"Well, no…" said Sheena. "Your virtual forms won't truly be made of energy, per se. The best way to explain this is, it lets humans assume an incorporeal form that can exist in the virtual reality. In a sense, it turns matter into… phantoms."

"You know…" said Ren, nervously. "This might explain why you wanted our parents to sign all those forms…"

"The forms are invalid now," said Sheena. "I will take complete responsibility for anything that happens.

"Even if that means going quietly to jail."

"Have you even tried this on a human yet?" asked Chelsea.

"No…" said Sheena. "I was planning on sending a well-paid and well-insured volunteer to Dueltasia a few times before sending you guys. But I assure you, the cats and monkeys that were sent there and brought back are still alive and healthy.

"Now listen…

"I don't know what to expect. However, when I designed Dueltasia, I designed its entry point around a town called Gateway. This town would act as a way of getting to all other locations in Dueltasia, by using both roads and portals. Not all portals would be available right away, of course. You'd have to progress in the game to unlock many of them. Just like completing quests in most video games unlocks additional parts of it.

"I don't know how Xanadu works, but I can only assume that its entrance has a similar system.

"One other thing you should know…

"Dueltasia would be exited via means of a password. I would tell each participant to choose a password, and they only had to say it in order to leave, and reassume corporeal form. I would tell them to choose something that they were sure to remember, which wouldn't likely come up in casual conversation.

"But from what I can tell, Xanadu does not have this feature. Once you go in there, you'll most likely be Daala's prisoners until I figure out a way to get you out."

There was a long pause.

"Understood," said Yumi.

A door in the back of the room opened.

"All you have to do is walk into that room," said Yumi. "Just relax, and breathe normally."

"Okay," said Erik. "But try not to make any mistakes, okay? I don't want to end up with my arms where my legs should be, and my eyes on my chest. Can you imagine that?"

"No," said Ren. "Let's go…"

They walked into the room, which seemed to be a perfect cube, with mirrored panels on the walls and ceiling.

Sheena looked at them on her screen.

"Here goes," she said, as she input the commands. "Don't worry children… While you're in there, I'll be working on a way to regain control of my computer system… I promise, I won't abandon you…"

She watched, as the five duelists started to glow with energy…

Then they simply dissolved into grains of light and vanished.

Sheena collapsed in her chair. Tears ran down her face.

"Until then…" she said, "you're on your own… Be careful… please…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

At that moment, Domino came back to life. The lights went back on, and everything that was once halted started moving again.

"She kept her word," muttered Yamaguchi. "Unbelievable…"

"Should we try to evacuate the city now?" asked an officer.

Yamaguchi held his chin as he thought.

"Let's not tempt fate," he thought. "Keep everyone on yellow alert for now, and increase patrol. Impose a midnight curfew.

"We won't hide like scared rodents… We'll try to move the city along… Life will go on.

"But if Daala tries something again, we're going to be prepared…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

**_Coming up next: _**

****

**_Yumi and company arrive in Daala's Xanadu, only to find a place that's almost deserted… Almost that is. The first challenge appears, but what is the purpose? _**

****

**_The intros are over… They say a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Step one now begins. _**

****

**_Coming up next, "Standing at a Crossroads"._**


	3. Standing at a Crossroads

_**We've taken the first step into Xanadu, and so far, we haven't seen much.**_

_**Daala hasn't led us right into a trap. She hasn't deposited us in a hazardous location or a nest full of monsters. And she hasn't greeted us with a squad of soldiers sent to capture us.**_

_**She has, however, apparently sent a challenge, and she expects me to accept it. Well fine… This is what I do best. **_

_**I just hope I'm not in over my head…**_

_**I have a feeling that in this video game, the opportunities for save points are few and far between.**_

_**Ready… DUEL.**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

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**CHAPTER TWO**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Standing at a Crossroads**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

For a minute or two, Yumi and her four friends were falling through a void…

Then, they were unceremoniously dropped on a grassy surface.

They quickly got up, and looked around.

They were surrounded by a system of pathways around grassy knolls. Around them were ruins made of marble… ancient temples and statues, most of them depicting women, all crumbling and broken into pieces.

"Ah," said Erik, looking at himself. "Two arms, two legs, ten fingers… I think everything's here…"

"Whoa," said Ren, looking around. "Kinda… Greco-Roman…"

They looked up at the sky, which was blue with thick, puffy clouds.

Yumi looked at her Disk.

"Everyone," she said, "double-check your decks. Make sure your cards are all there."

Everyone took their decks and started to go over the cards.

"And keep alert!" she warned. "If there's one thing I know about video games, it's that enemies lurk everywhere."

She was only partially right. Only two enemies were watching right now, on the top of one of the ruined temples.

One of them was a rotund man with hair that was bright green, worn in a humorous style. He was dressed in an orange and black harlequin outfit.

The other was a young woman with richly tanned skin, and long, dark, straight hair. She was dressed only in a leather bikini top and loincloth, with bare feet, and carried a leather pouch around her hip. Her face was decorated with red and black paints.

Both of them wore Duel Disks on their arms.

"So that's the famous Queen of Games, huh?" said the harlequin. "Eh… She looks like no more than a hundred and twenty pounds soaking wet."

"You think the talk about her is exaggerated?" asked the woman. "Why don't you go down and deal with her?"

"ME?" said the clown, clearly offended. "Why not you?"

"Because, Eddie," she replied. "I have a Lord, and you don't. And since they don't either, me dueling them right now would be a colossal waste of my time."

"Now look here, Tara!" snarled the clown. "I've taken down as many members of the resistance as you have. Just because you got lucky and managed to take down an important one, and got a Lord because of it, doesn't make you better than me!"

"Care to put that theory to test?" asked Tara, lifting her Disk.

Eddie sighed.

"I'll go deal with her…" he muttered.

He looked to his sides.

"Stuck-up snob…" he muttered. "Okay… How do I get down from here?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the real world, back at Kaibaland, Sheena was sobbing softly.

She had likely sent five innocent children, one of them her own daughter, to their dooms. But their decisions couldn't be swayed.

She would have gone herself if Daala had allowed it. She could still duel. She was no slouch.

Suddenly, an "ahem" roused her from her crying.

She looked up, and saw two other teenagers: Nicholas, and his surrogate sister, Olga. She knew both of them… And she remembered how they once worked for Rasputin. She didn't know how much she could trust them.

"How long were you two there?" she asked.

"Too long," sighed Olga.

"How much did you see?" she asked.

"Too much," sighed Olga.

"Who let you in here?" asked Sheena.

"Two guys," said Nicholas. "Where's Yumi?"

"Xanadu," said Sheena. "Likely fighting for her life…"

"Then send us there too!" he shouted. "We aren't going to let them…"

"Out of the question!" interrupted Sheena. "Daala said only them. No-one else. If you try to go there, there's no telling what she'll do."

"There must be something we can do," said Olga.

Sheena looked at them.

She thought for a minute. She was in for a hard task trying to regain control of her computers. She could always use two duelists who were Duelatopia finalists…

Not to mention ones who would be willing to work completely off the record…

"If you two are willing to do everything I say," she said, "you can help.

"But keep this in mind… If you two are captured or killed, or arrested, for that matter, I'll deny that I even know you."

"The old _Mission: Impossible_ routine?" asked Olga. "Okay, I can live with that. Do we get cool spy gear?"

"We'll see," said Sheena. "I'm not sure what we'll need at this point."

She took a cell phone out of her pocket. She hit a button on it.

"Noriko?" she said into it. "I take it all the power is back on? How are the streets?

"Good… Send the limo."

"The limo?" asked Nicholas.

"We're going home," said Sheena.

"Home?" asked Olga.

"_My_ home," said Sheena. "I'll explain when I get there."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I don't get it," said Chelsea, as they wandered around the ruined buildings. "This whole place seems deserted. No instructions, no opening sequence… Not even a tutorial section to start us off. This is a strange way to start a game."

"I seem to remember an old game that the recently re-released with improved graphics and sound," said Erik. "It was called _Myst_. It was a good game, but it also started out on a mysterious, deserted island, and you had to figure out what to do on your own."

"We're playing by Daala's rules," said Sam. "I'm sure she'll strike when she's good and ready…"

"You'd think that you'd encounter a few monsters in a video game," muttered Ren. "Especially one that had something to do with dueling."

Then there was a low roar coming from the ruin ahead of them. They froze.

Slowly, a very large beast lumbered in front of their path. It looked like an elderly dragon, its wings withered and eaten away, with earthen-brown scales.

It glared at them.

"Does that qualify as a monster, Ren?" asked Chelsea, nervously.

The creature took a deep breath…

"Scatter!" shouted Sam.

They dodged, as it breathed a cone of corrosive gas in their direction.

"Hold up!" shouted Yumi. "I recognize this thing… It's a Crawling Dragon…"

She activated her Disk, and drew a card from her deck.

"Let's see if the rules for Duel Monsters apply for non-duel situations in Xanadu…"

The Crawling Dragon roared as she stepped up to face it. (1,600/1,400)

"I summon Skilled Dark Magician!" she shouted, as she threw a card on her Disk.

In a burst of darkness, a Spellcaster with bulky, dark robes, wearing a skullcap and holding a metal staff appeared in front of her. (1,900/1,700)

"Attack!" shouted Yumi. "Black magic blast!"

Skilled Dark Magician cast a bolt of burning, black flames at the Dragon. It groaned, and then shattered into pixels.

"All right!" shouted Ren. "Two points!"

"Unfortunately," said Erik, "there doesn't seem to be any tangible reward… It didn't turn into coins, and if there is a score, we can't see it."

"Like I said," said Sam. "Daala is setting the rules. I'm pretty certain that hazardous wildlife is only part of Xanadu. Actual duels might be another part."

Laughter started to fill the air around them. Skilled Dark Magician nodded, and then disappeared.

"Speak of the devil…"

"Show yourself!" shouted Yumi.

The portly jester leapt down in front of them, landing on his hands, and then springing to his feet.

"Who are you?" demanded Yumi.

"Man, I hate clowns…" said Ren.

"They call me Easy Eddie," said the harlequin. "But if you think that means I'm a pushover, you're dead wrong.

"Welcome to Nexus, the central point of Xanadu. Here is where every road in this land meets, where paths exist to every other Realm."

"I suppose the Dragon was your doing?" asked Yumi.

"Naw," said Eddie. "There are no Monsters native to Nexus, but sometimes they wander into here from the other Realms. That one likely came from the Burnt Paradise. The less intelligent Monsters usually find their way back once they realize there isn't much to eat here and all the potential prey fights back.

"As that one learned… The hard way."

He chuckled.

"So where do we go from here?" asked Yumi.

"Uh, uh, uh," said Eddie. "You'll soon learn, Yumi, that nothing here is easy except my name."

He lifted his Disk.

"Duel me… If you win, you'll find out where to go."

"And if I lose?" asked Yumi.

Eddie smiled in a way that they did _not_ like.

"I guess there's no avoiding it," said Yumi.

She shuffled her deck, and then loaded it into her Disk.

"Fine, I'll be your opponent."

"Then prepare for a duel of the most fantastical, spectacular, amazing type!" shouted Eddie. "It's showtime!"

The two Disks activated.

"Game on!" they shouted.

**(Yumi: 8,000) ------------------- (Easy Eddie: 8,000)**

"Prepare to have that smile wiped off your face, Easy Eddie," said Yumi.

"You ever hear of the healing powers of laughter?" asked Eddie, making his first draw. "It's done wonders for me.

"Anyway… I'll set a Monster in Defense Mode, and I think I'll leave it at that."

In a burst of light, a facedown Monster appeared on his side of the field.

_Pretty standard opening move,_ thought Yumi. _He's keeping everything secret for now…_

She drew a card and looked over her hand.

"I summon… Magician's Valkyria!" she shouted.

She played the card, and an attractive female mage in blue clothing, with brown hair and a fancy staff appeared in a burst of light. (1,600/1,800)

_Okay,_ she thought. _It could be something with high defense or something with a nasty Flip-Effect, but…_

…_I think he's bluffing._

"Go defensive if you want," said Yumi. "To me, the best defense is an aggressive offense.

"Attack! Magic illusion!"

Valkyria shot a blast of light from her scepter at the facedown card…

The facedown Monster exploded, sending flames twenty feet into the air. Both Yumi and Valkyria shielded themselves from the shower of ash.

"What was THAT?" shouted Yumi.

Easy Eddie chuckled.

"Something called a Rough Exploder," he said. "It was a real _blast_ wasn't it?

"But don't worry, it can't hurt you… yet!"

"I'm not amused," said Yumi. "My turn is over."

Easy Eddie drew a card.

"Heh, heh…" he said, turning the card forward. "Just the card I needed…"

"Polymerization?" said Ren. "This could be bad…"

"You got it," said Eddie, holding up two Monster cards. "I'm gonna use it to fuse together my Dream Clown and my Crass Clown…"

Two clowns appeared on the field. One was tall, thin, and wore a red and blue outfit covered with stars. The other was short, fat, ugly, and wore a green outfit covered with polka-dots.

The two of them swirled into a multicolored vortex of light…

Then a large box appeared in front of Eddie. It was covered with stars, and had a hand crank. The crank started to turn, and "Pop Goes the Weasel" started to play…

Then the lid opened, and an evil-looking jack-in-the-box with a sinister grin popped out. (2,300/2,000)

"That's one toy I'll never have in my deck," said Erik.

"Bickuribox," ordered Eddie, "give Magician's Valkyria a trim."

The Fiend laughed hysterically. Then it reached into its mouth and pulled out a huge scythe…

With one slash, the Spellcaster was blown to pieces.

"First blood to you," said Yumi.

"Heh, heh," chuckled Eddie. "To end my turn… I'll play the Spell Card, Branch!"

He fit a card into his Disk, and a Continuous Spell Card appeared. It was a spooky picture of three facedown Duel Monsters cards in front of a tombstone in a cemetery.

**(Y: 7,300) ------------------- (EE: 8,000)**

"My move," said Yumi, drawing a card.

She looked at the Spell Card:

"I summon…" she said, "my Gemini Elf!"

She played the card, and in a burst of energy, a pair of elf twins appeared, their arms around each other's waists. (1,900/900)

"Heh, heh," said Eddie. "Gonna take more than that."

"How about this?" said Yumi. "I activate the Spell Card, Rush Recklessly, which gives them a little boost."

She played the card, and the two elves glowed, rising to an Attack Score of 2,600.

"Destroy his Bickuribox! Dual lightning!"

The two elves shot a pair of lightning bolts from their free hands, and the demented toy's grin quickly changed to a look of fright. It shuddered as it was electrocuted, and then exploded into shards.

"Oop, too bad," said Eddie. "But I can still activate the effect of my Spell Card. When one of my Fusion Monsters gets totaled, Branch! lets me bring back one of the Monsters I fused to summon it. Now isn't that hilarious?"

In a flash of light, Dream Clown appeared on the field, in Attack Mode. He raised his gloved fists in a fighting stance. (1,200/900)

"Oh no!" shouted Chelsea. "Dream Clown's effect… Bickuribox was just Easy Eddie's way of summoning that guy to use his effect!"

"Huh?" said Ren.

"If Dream Clown is switched to Defense Mode," said Chelsea, "he can destroy one Monster. And Yumi will be wide open. Eddie _wanted_ Yumi to destroy Bickuribox!"

_Chelsea is right…_ thought Yumi. _Easy Eddie may seem like a joke, but he's actually a clever duelist. _

_And since all the other cards in my hand are Monsters, I can't even set a bluff!_

"I have to end my turn…" she said.

**(Y: 7,300) ------------------- (EE: 7,700)**

"Oo-kay, let's see here…" said Eddie, as he drew a card.

"As Chels said, all I need to do is move Dream Clown to Defense Mode to activate his effect…"

Dream Clown knelt, and crossed his arms. His eyes glowed with fiery light, and Gemini Elf exploded into shards.

"Now that they're out of the way," said Eddie, "meet Peten the Dark Clown."

He played the card, and a dark shadow crept across the field. It formed into another jester, dressed in yellow and green with a cavalier hat, wearing black and white makeup. He casually palmed a dagger. (500/1,200)

"Don't you just love this guy?" asked Eddie. "He's such a card!"

Yumi glared at him.

"Get it?" said Eddie. "I said…"

"You know," said Ren. "I once read this article. It said that more than seventy percent of people surveyed don't think clowns are funny."

Peten vanished into shadow.

"Eh, tough crowd…" said Eddie.

Yumi felt a chill down her spine as the Dark Clown appeared behind her…

"YUMI!" screamed Chelsea.

Before Yumi could react to the warning, Peten drove his dagger between her ribs. Yumi fell to the floor with a gasp.

**(Y: 6,800) ------------------- (EE: 7,700)**

"I probably should tell you, Yumi," said Eddie, as Peten materialized back in front of him, "because you'll find out eventually…"

Yumi glared at him.

"You haven't traded in your true body for a virtual avatar… You're truly here, in the flesh. You're very real, very solid. In Xanadu, you can be hurt just as much as you would be as on Earth."

"And if I die here?" asked Yumi.

"Then you disappear forever," said Eddie. "No-one truly knows the fate of unfortunate individuals who suffer from fatal injuries in Xanadu. But to keep the corpses from littering the landscape, they just vanish, much like that Crawling Dragon did.

"Some people think that there's an undiscovered Realm… A Graveyard of sorts where Xanadu's dead goes… However, no-one is willing to test this theory.

"But don't worry yourself. A duelist only dies by accident, or if Daala orders her death. And she hasn't ordered yours. At least not yet."

"How thoughtful," muttered Yumi.

"Well, I think that's enough for one turn," said Eddie.

Yumi quickly drew a card.

"Well I have plenty to do for my turn…" she said.

"First, I summon Skilled Dark Magician."

In a burst of shadow, Skilled Dark Magician appeared once again. (1,900/1,700)

"Now… I play Premature Burial."

She played the card she had just drawn.

"It may cost me 800 Life Points, but now my Gemini Elf comes back."

The ground in front of her burst open, and Gemini Elf burst out. They frowned at Eddie and his Monsters. (1,900/900)

"Gemini Elf… annihilate his Dream Clown!"

Gemini Elf shot a volley of lightning at the Warrior, and Dream Clown was blown to pieces.

"Skilled Dark Magician, take out Peten the Dark Clown!"

Easy Eddie cringed as Skilled Dark Magician cast his spell, and Peten was blown to shards.

"Oh, pooh…" he chuckled. "But Peten has a special ability. If he bites the dust, I can remove him from play, and bring out another one."

A second Peten materialized, crouching in Defense Mode. He stuck out his tongue and blew a raspberry at Yumi. (500/1,200)

"You are really trying my patience, Easy Eddie," said Yumi. "Make your move…"

**(Y: 6,000) ------------------- (EE: 6,300)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Tara was sitting on the edge of the roof of the temple and watching the duel.

"Boy, the Queen of Games being trashed, and I've got the best seats in the house," she thought. "I'd kill for a bag of peanuts right now…"

Then there was a ringing sound in the pouch by her side. She sighed, and took out a device that looked like a cell phone.

"Yeah?" she said into. "Milady?"

"Tara," said Daala's voice. "My readouts say that the latest Battle Phase in a duel happening in the Nexus right now involved Skilled Dark Magician and Gemini Elf on one side, and Dream Clown and Peten the Dark Clown on the other. I take that to mean Eddie's dueling Yumi?"

"Can't you see?" asked Daala.

"That accursed Fairy is jamming my transmission again," said Daala. "Who's winning?"

"Still too close to tell," said Tara. "But I can take out Yumi if Eddie fails. I realize you probably want her taken out before you-know-who finds her…"

"Actually, no," said Daala. "I _want_ you-know-who to find her."

"Pardon?" said Tara.

"It's too complex for me to explain, Tara," said Daala. "And I can't risk telling you on the off chance that you're captured. They've cracked tougher wills than yours.

"So listen… If Eddie wins, I plan to let Yumi alone. If that happens, summon your Lord, grab him, and both of you fly back to Tzimisce before the enemy shows up.

"If he loses… fly back on your own. I promise you, you'll get a chance to take one of them down soon."

"Understood," said Tara.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"My move!" laughed Eddie.

He quickly drew a card.

He looked at the two cards in his hand. Then he set one on his Disk. A defensive Monster appeared.

"That'll do," he said.

Yumi drew a card.

"I summon… Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer!" she shouted.

A dark shadow appeared on the field, and a new Spellcaster appeared. It was a bald monk, with one side of his face horribly scarred, clutching a set of prayer beads. (1,800/700)

"Skilled Dark Magician, attack his facedown Monster!"

The Dark mage cast his spell again. Sangan appeared on the card, and exploded.

"Thanks!" laughed Eddie. "Now I get a Monster from my deck, so long as its Attack Score stinks."

A card slipped out of his deck, and he quickly took it.

Yumi raised an eyebrow. He didn't have to look through the deck at all – the deck simply gave him the card.

"I'm not done with you," she said. "Gemini Elf, blast the second Peten!"

The two elves cast their burning lightning, and the second Peten was incinerated.

"Once again," said Eddie, "I activate Peten's effect…"

"Actually, you don't," said Yumi, closing her eyes.

"Huh?" said Eddie.

"When Kycoo is on the field," said Yumi, "you aren't allowed to remove the cards in the Graveyards from play. So Peten's effect can't be used."

"Uh… oh…" said Eddie.

"Looks like you aren't laughing any more, Easy Eddie," said Yumi. "Kycoo, attack him directly! Spell of banishment!"

Kycoo called lightning to his hand, and then hurled it forward. Easy Eddie screamed as he was knocked over.

"All right!" yelled Ren. "Way to go!"

**(Y: 6,000) ------------------- (EE: 4,500)**

"And then there's Kycoo's other effect," said Yumi. "You may not be able to remove your Monsters from play, but now I get to remove two of them. I choose Bickuribox and Dream Clown."

The two cards appeared behind Eddie and vanished into grains of light.

Eddie frowned as he got up.

_This is getting less funny by the minute,_ he thought. _If this keeps up, I'm gonna have to start practicing my Emmett Kelly routine…_

He drew a card.

"Okay, I'm gonna play Pot of Greed," he said, as he played it. "I'm sure no one needs that one explained."

The evil symbol of Greed in Duel Monsters appeared, and he drew two cards.

He chuckled again.

"Perfect," he said. "First, I'm gonna play Fusion Recovery. Now I can get back a Polymerization card and a Monster that I used in a Fusion. And since my Dream Clown is gone, I think you can guess who that is."

Polymerization and Crass Clown slipped out of his discard slot, and he took them.

"Now I'm gonna use Polymerization to summon someone new. I'm gonna fuse Lord of the Lamp, and Invader From Another Dimension…"

The two Monsters appeared on the field. One was a genie with red skin, wearing a turban. The other looked like a big preying mantis.

They both swirled into a vortex of colors…

"Let's bring out Soul Hunter!"

A large creature stepped out of the vortex. Actually, it could best be described as two creatures, a mount and a rider. The mount was a fierce-looking, fiendish dragon. The rider was a jester holding a scythe. (2,200/1,800)

"Okay…" muttered Sam. "I think this whole clown motif has gone a little too far..."

"Well, isn't that too bad," said Eddie. "I'll set this in Defense Mode too."

A facedown Monster appeared.

"Attack Skilled Dark Magician!" he shouted.

A blast of purple flames shot from the dragon's maw, and Skilled Dark Magician was burned to a crisp.

_He's smarter than I thought,_ thought Yumi. _I could have brought out Dark Magician next round if he had still been around…._

_Damn…_

**(Y: 5,700) ------------------- (EE: 4,500)**

"My move…" she said.

She drew a card and looked at it.

"I move my two Monsters to Defense Mode, and set one card facedown."

A facedown card appeared in a flash of light, and both Gemini Elf and Kycoo knelt and shielded themselves.

"That's all."

"That's all?" asked Eddie. "I expected more from the Queen of Games…"

He chuckled as he drew a card.

"I set a new Monster in Defense Mode," he said.

A new facedown Monster appeared.

"Next," said Eddie, "I flip my Crass Clown into Attack Mode."

The card turned, and flipped up, and the fiendish clown appeared, holding a staff and balancing on a ball. (1,350/1,400)

"By the way, this lets me send one of your Monsters back to your hand."

Gemini Elf vanished into grains of light, and their card appeared in Yumi's hand.

"Next up…" he said. "I Equip my Soul Hunter with Fairy Meteor Crush…"

He played the card, and an aura of fiery energy surrounded Soul Hunter.

"Now I'll…"

"If I may interrupt here…" said Yumi.

Her facedown card lifted.

"Ergh, a Trap!" growled Eddie.

"Threatening Roar!" shouted Yumi.

A loud bellow echoed over the field, and the two clowns cowered in fright.

"Ooh!" growled Eddie. "I end my turn!"

Yumi drew a card, and then looked over the eight cards in her hand.

"First, I'll summon Gemini Elf again," she said.

Gemini Elf appeared once again. (1,900/900)

"Then," she said. "I play Magical Dimension! By sacrificing Kycoo, I can summon Chaos Command Magician to the field."

Kycoo vanished, and a powerful-looking mage in glossy, black robes appeared, holding a rod. (2,400/1,900)

"Then I get to destroy one Monster on the field," continued Yumi. "Guess which one…"

Soul Hunter exploded into shards.

"Good thing I've still got Branch!" said Eddie. "I'll use it to summon Lord of the Lamp in Defense Mode."

The red-skinned genie appeared again, crouching down and shielding itself. (1,400/1,200)

"Fine," said Yumi. "Gemini Elf… Destroy it."

Gemini Elf cast their lightning bolts, and Lord of the Lamp exploded.

"Now, Chaos Command Magician… Attack Crass Clown with chaos magic!"

The chaos mage shot a blast of multicolored light at the clown, and it burst into dark residue.

**(Y: 5,700) ------------------- (EE: 3,450)**

"I throw down a facedown," said Yumi, "and end my turn."

A new facedown card appeared.

Easy Eddie angrily drew a card.

He snarled. He placed a card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared next to the other one.

He glared at Yumi.

"I take it that means you want me to move," she said, drawing a card.

She made a draw.

"I activate Call of the Haunted," she said, as her facedown card lifted.

A black coffin appeared on her side of the field. It opened, and Skilled Dark Magician stepped out of it again. (1,900/1,700)

"Now, take the one on the left!"

Skilled Dark Magician cast his spell.

A ceramic jar appeared on the card. A dark, snaky shadow with one eye and a toothy mouth lurched out of it and cackled before the dark spell blew it to pieces.

"A Morphing Jar!" shouted Yumi.

"Uh huh," said Eddie. "That means we have to ditch all the cards in our hands and draw five more."

Yumi snarled, and discarded her five cards. Eddie, on the other hand, didn't have any to discard. They both drew five.

"Gemini Elf…" said Yumi.

Gemini Elf cast their burning lightning again…

Another fiery explosion ripped through the field. Clearly, the Monster had been another Rough Exploder.

"Are you gonna tell us just what those things do?" shouted Sam.

"You're just going to have to wait," said Eddie.

"We'll see about that," said Yumi. "Chaos Command Magician… Attack him directly!

"Aim for his gut… It's an easy target."

Chaos Command Magician cast his bolt of raw energy, and the portly clown hollered before tumbling over.

**(Y: 5,700) ------------------- (EE: 1,050)**

Slowly, he got up.

"You have made me one very sad clown!" he shouted.

"Make your move…" said Yumi. "This is your last turn."

Easy Eddie drew a card.

Then he laughed out loud.

"My last turn?" he laughed. "Hardly! Take this…

"Swords of Revealing Light!"

He played the card, and a blizzard of shimmering swords shot at Yumi, forming a cage around her and her Monsters.

"Crud…" said Yumi.

"Now, I'll play a facedown of my own, and play a Spell Card…" said Eddie. "The Shallow Grave."

A facedown card appeared, and then a Spell Card appeared.

"This requires both of us to Special Summon a Monster from our Graveyards in facedown Defense Mode."

"I know that," said Yumi.

A facedown Monster appeared on each side of the field.

_Everything's almost in place,_ he thought. _Soon I'll be laughing all the way to victory!_

Yumi drew a card.

She smiled when she saw who it was.

_Well, hello there,_ she thought.

"I sacrifice Gemini Elf…" she said.

Gemini Elf faded into grains of light.

"To summon Dark Magician Girl!"

In a flurry of hearts and flowers, Dark Magician Girl flew onto the field. She spun around in a pirouette, and gave a sweet smile to everyone watching. (2,000/1,700)

_Yumi's ace Monster?_ thought Eddie.

He grinned.

_It will make victory all the sweeter when she's obliterated…_

Then Dark Magician Girl glowed, and her Attack Score went up to 2,300.

"Huh?" said Eddie. "How'd she get more points?"

"Because your Morphing Jar sent my Dark Magician to my Graveyard," said Yumi. "Next, I flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode."

The facedown Monster flipped up. Magician's Valkyria appeared in a flash of light. (1,600/1,800)

"I'm ending my turn, Easy Eddie," said Yumi. "Two turns to go."

Eddie drew a card.

"I summon… Fool Clown," he said.

He played the card, and a very strange clown appeared. Actually, it looked more like a large toy top shaped like a clown. It spun on its base, and let out a silly laugh. (0/0)

"Talk about dumb," said Chelsea. "Summoning a Monster with zero Attack Points when your Life Points are so low."

"If you think that's stupid," said Eddie, "wait until you hear about its effect. Now I have to send every card in my hand to the Graveyard."

He discarded his three cards – a second Fool Clown, a third Rough Exploder, and a Ryu-Kishin Clown.

"I'm guessing it has _some_ benefit," said Yumi.

"Yeah, it does," said Eddie. "And we'll get to that in a second. But first, since I'm _not_ stupid, I was quite prepared. I Flip-Summon the Monster I brought back with The Shallow Grave. You remember my Morphing Jar, right?"

His facedown card flipped up, once again, the shadowy, one-eyed creature with a toothy mouth inside leapt out with a cackle. (700/600)

"Now we have to…"

"I know!" said Yumi. "We both toss all our cards, and draw five more."

Yumi discarded the five cards in her hand, and they both drew five cards apiece.

_At least it wasn't his Crass Clown,_ she thought.

Eddie looked over his five cards. He grinned.

"Now…" said Eddie, "I'm gonna take a big chunk out of your Life Points. I play Meteor of Destruction!"

He played the card, and the sky turned red. A meteorite fell from the clouds.

"Look out Yumi!" screamed everyone.

The missile exploded on impact. Yumi glared at Eddie as smoke rose from her hair and clothing.

"Now…" continued Eddie, "you were wondering about my Rough Exploders?"

Fool Clown glowed with dark energy. The three Rough Exploders fell out of Eddie's discard slot…

Then, three bombs rolled towards Yumi, past her Monsters. She tried to shield herself as they exploded around her.

"Ergh!" she groaned.

"When Fool Clown is on the field," chuckled Eddie, "I can remove them from play, and deal you 500 points of damage for each one!

"I just love comedy…"

"Throwing bombs at people is not funny," snarled Yumi.

"Oh?" said Eddie. "Well, in that case, I just love drama."

His facedown card lifted, revealing Burial From a Different Dimension.

"Now I can return those three Exploders to my Graveyard. And that means I can do it again!"

Yumi sighed as the bombs rolled towards her again…

She cringed as they exploded around her again.

"Yumi!" shouted Ren.

"I'm all right…" said Yumi, panting for breath.

"My turn is over," said Eddie.

**(Y: 1,700) ------------------- (EE: 1,050)**

Yumi looked up, and saw Dark Magician Girl looking at her with a look of concern.

"Seriously," she said, "I'll be fine…

"I… hope…"

She drew a card.

"I activate Skilled Dark Magician's effect," she said. "Since he has now absorbed the energy from three Spell Cards, I can sacrifice him…"

Skilled Dark Magician nodded, and then vanished.

Dark Magician appeared on the field in an aura of energy. (2,500/2,100)

"You're in trouble now, Easy Eddie!" laughed Ren.

"Your jar may have sent him to my Graveyard," said Yumi, "but he's back, and he's mad."

Dark Magician Girl smiled, and her Attack Score fell back down to 2,000.

"Oh, I'm so scared," said Eddie, sarcastically.

"Next," said Yumi, "I play Monster Reborn to bring back someone else you made me toss."

She played another card, and the golden ankh of life appeared in front of her. Another Magician's Valkyria appeared. (1,600/1,800)

The five Spellcasters glared at Eddie.

"Man, that's an impressive front line!" shouted Erik.

"Not only that," replied Sam, "with two Valkyria on the field, Eddie can't attack them or any of Yumi's other Spellcasters!"

"I end my turn, Easy Eddie," said Yumi. "One round to go. After that, your Swords wear off, and my army of Spellcasters will be more than ready to take you down."

Eddie drew a card.

_Whoo-hoo!_ he thought. _I drew Spell Reproduction! I could use this to reuse Burial From a Different Dimension, and use my Rough Exploders again!_

_Uhm… Only one small problem…_

He looked at his hand.

_To play it, I need to toss two Spell Cards, and the only one I've got here is Giant Trunade…_

He thought for a few seconds.

_Why of course! It could not be simpler!_

"I play… Giant Trunade!" he shouted.

He played the card, and a wind tore across the field. The Swords vanished.

"Crud!" shouted Ren. "He sent Swords of Revealing Light back to his hand so he could reset it!"

"Nope!" chuckled Eddie. "I sent Swords and Branch! back to my hand so I could toss them to play Spell Reproduction."

He played the card, and discarded the two Spell Cards.

"Now, I play Burial From a Different Dimension once more…"

He played the card, and then the three bombs rolled towards Yumi again.

This time, the blast was so intense, she fell over.

**(Y: 200) ------------------- (EE: 1,050)**

"I set a new Monster in Defense Mode," said Eddie, "then set a card facedown, move Fool Clown and Morphing Jar to Defense Mode, and end my turn."

Fool Clown scrunched down, and Morphing Jar retracted into its vase. A facedown card appeared.

_Little does she know, I have surprise for her that will be a real showstopper,_ thought Eddie. _My facedown Monster is a special Monster called a Mad Bomber. When she attacks it, the Fool Clown that I sent to my Graveyard when I summoned the one on the field will destroy all Monsters on the field._

_Then, I can activate Call of the Haunted to bring back Soul Hunter. Along with the Crass Clown in my hand, this duel will be mine._

Yumi drew a card.

"You're strategy seems good on the surface, Easy Eddie," she said, "but your deck has one fatal flaw…"

She played a card.

"I play… Double Spell. Now, for the cost of one other Spell Card…"

She tossed her Sage's Stone.

"…I get to use one Spell Card in your Graveyard. And the one I think I'll use…

"…is your Fairy Meteor Crush."

Easy Eddie's eyes bugged out, as the card appeared in Yumi's hand. She played it, and Dark Magician Girl was surrounded by an aura of flames.

"Hey, wait!" shouted Eddie. "This isn't supposed to happen! Stop!"

"Attack his Fool Clown!" shouted Yumi. "Dark burning attack!"

Dark Magician Girl fired a blast that looked like a blazing meteor. Fool Clown exploded into its component parts like a broken toy.

Easy Eddie fell to his knees.

**(Y: 200) ------------------- (EE: 0)**

"And that's that," said Chelsea.

"That's one clown that's crying on the inside AND on the outside," said Ren.

The Monsters vanished, and the duelists all surrounded Eddie.

"Okay, Easy Eddie," said Yumi. "You lost… so tell us where to go!"

"Can't…" muttered the clown. "The rules of Xanadu are quite strict…

"As you'll find out for yourself eventually…"

He grinned a grin at them that made their blood run cold…

And then, he simply dissolved into grains of light, and vanished.

"Huh?" said Sam. "He… Disappeared?"

They all looked around.

"More bad news," said Yumi. "We're no closer to finding out what we have to do than we were before…"

There was a long pause.

"Maybe we should find a library," muttered Erik. "That's what you had to do to get anywhere in _Myst_…"

Yumi wasn't quite right. They actually were a little closer.

A new spectator had been watching them during the last few minutes of the duel, from a grassy hill above. He was a young, teenage boy, his outfit consisting of a blue, above waist length jacket with darker blue outlines, white sleeves with frilled cuffs at his wrists, a lavender shirt, and black pants. His aquamarine hair jut backwards and down.

He took a device out of his pocket, similar to the communicator that Tara had used, but a different design.

"Yeah, it's me," he said into it. "I found them. They're all right, thank goodness. And Easy Eddie has been taken out.

"Uh huh? Mmm? You want me to what?

"Okay, sure, why the heck not? But I can't promise it'll be quick."

He put the device away, and looked down at them again.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Back in Domino City, Sheena led Nicholas and Olga into the lounge in her manor house.

This mansion had a long history behind it. Its original owner was Gozaburo Kaiba. Seto Kaiba took it over after he disappeared. Siegfried inherited it from him, and likewise, Sheena inherited it from Siegfried.

"So what are we gonna do, exactly?" asked Olga.

Sheena opened up the top of a roll-top desk, revealing a laptop PC.

"Daala has control of my company's supercomputers," she said, turning it on, "but not my home computer.

"At least I… hope not…

"Hell, I truly doubt that even with the power she has using the supercomputer, she has the capacity to eavesdrop on the activities of every single computerized system in the city at all times. That would be impossible. And this home computer is protected not only by firewalls and virus shields, but by dummy codes that hide the user's identity. Anyone who successfully infiltrated this computer would believe it belonged to Percival Jenkins."

"Who's that?" asked Olga.

"A name I made up," said Sheena. "Who'd name their kid that?

"Anyway, while she may have changed the codes, she didn't install a new security system.

"Daala must be a good hacker to take over KaibaCorp's computer, but I'd be a pretty sorry excuse for a computer programmer if I couldn't hack past a security system that I myself was responsible for.

"I doubt that I'll be able to regain control of KaibaCorp's computers this way… This computer's power is pitiful compared to the one that Daala has hijacked. But at the very least, I'll be able to spy on Daala, and gain some information that will lead us to a solution.

"So, let's cross our fingers and hope for the best…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**FOOL CLOWN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Spellcaster/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 1  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description:** When this card is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned, discard all cards in your hand to the Graveyard.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ROUGH EXPLODER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Pyro/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level:** 1  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description:** When there is a "Fool Clown" face-up on your side of the field, you may remove this card in your Graveyard from play to inflict 500 points of direct damage to your opponent.

_Note: "Fool Clown" and "Rough Exploder" were first used by Masked Knight of Laughter in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Triple Play (Part One)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**MAD BOMBER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Pyro/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level:** 1  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description:** This card's effect activates when it is destroyed as a result of battle and you have at least one "Fool Clown" in your Graveyard. Destroy all Monsters on the field.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**The heroes are lost in enemy territory, but all is not as it seems. From out of nowhere, a figure from the past appears to inform them that they do have allies in Xanadu. However, this figure wishes to test their worth, and Ren must face a deck full legendary creatures which he's only heard references about in stories.**_

_**Coming up next: "Pilgrim in an Unholy Land". Coming soon.**_


	4. Pilgrim in an Unholy Land

_**Several decades ago, the dueling world suffered a great tragedy. A team of heroic duelists, still in the primes of their lives, chartered a private plane to New York City to attend a convention. The plane crashed in the Rocky Mountains. When a rescue team found the plane, only the pilot was there. He claimed that his passengers had wandered off. Search parties were mounted, but the duelists were never found. It was assumed that they got lost in the wilderness and starved.**_

_**The dueling community mourned, not only for the loss of life, but for the fact that some of these duelists had incredibly rare, and in some cases unique cards, that were now lost forever.**_

_**The years have gone by, and all that remains of these heroes is their legacies…**_

_**Until now.**_

_**One of them, or someone who looks just like him, has appeared before us in this place. He claims to be an ally, but he wants to duel just the same.**_

_**And if the stories about this member of that group are true, I may be in over my head. **_

_**But I've never turned down a challenge, and I'm not about to start.**_

_**Let's duel…**_

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**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THREE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Pilgrim in an Unholy Land**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

"Nothing…" said Yumi.

She and her friends looked around, but all they saw were more hills, more ruins, and the roads that didn't seem to go anywhere.

"Daala is sure taking her sweet time deciding what to do with us," muttered Erik. "Maybe she's lulling us into a false sense of security… And just when we least expect it, a squad of troops is going to come out of nowhere."

Then they all heard a ringing.

"What is that?" said Chelsea.

"I don't believe it…" said Yumi.

She reached into her pocket. Her cell phone was still there, and it was ringing.

She carefully answered it.

"Uhm… Hello?" she said.

"Hi!" said a cheery voice. "Is this Yumi Mouto?"

"Who is this?" demanded Yumi.

"Easy, Yumi," said the voice. "I assure you, I'm someone you want to get to know. Not everyone in Xanadu works for Daala.

"In fact, Daala has enemies in Xanadu. And I also assure you, any enemy of Daala is a friend to yours.

"The enemy of my enemy… That sort of thing."

Yumi paused. Her eyes narrowed.

"Who is this?" she asked again.

"Take a gander at the big ruin on the hill to your right," said the voice.

Yumi looked up, and saw a figure up at the ruin, waving to her.

"As you can see, I'm all alone," said the voice. "You outnumber me five to one. So why don't y'all come up here and I can explain things, okay?"

Yumi took a long look.

"Okay, we're coming," she said. "But no tricks, got it?"

She hung up.

"Everyone, be ready to summon a Monster in case this is a trap," she said.

She started to walk up the hill, and her friends followed. The figure slowly came into view.

Everyone was somewhat startled when they saw who it was.

"Hey, y'all," he said.

"Jesse Anderson?" said Ren, in disbelief.

"Yep," said the youth. "See…"

"That's impossible…" said Ren. "He's… well, he's dead…"

Yumi was quiet.

She alone knew that Jesse Anderson and Jaden Yuki's other allies, along with Jaden himself, had faked their deaths. They were all now in Neo-Space, where they were the rulers. The Neo-Spacians had granted them immortality, among other powers.

But that didn't explain why one of them was here.

"Strictly speaking," said Jesse, "I'm not the real Jesse. You see, someone that wants to meet you used advanced virtual technology to create a virtual construct…

"A program, given intelligence, emotions, and all the memories of the real Jesse Anderson…"

"And when he hit the Run command, you came out," said Ren.

"That's it!" said Jesse, with a laugh. "This person has done it several times, creating lots of great duelists from the past."

"Why?" asked Sam.

"All for the cause," said Jesse. "The rebellion."

There was a pause.

"Rebellion?" said Yumi.

Jesse gave a sad look.

"Daala rules Xanadu with an iron fist," he said. "It's said that she created this place from her dreams, but beyond Nexus, it's a land of nightmares. We know she has terrible plans for your world too, even though we aren't sure what they are. Our goal is to take her down. Make Xanadu a better place.

"Unfortunately, we haven't made much headway. Like I said, I'm only a program, as are most of the members. Daala has a great army, and it has people like me, along with several living creatures.

"And duelists who truly possess life… They have an advantage over ones whose life is artificial."

"And who's heading this rebellion?" asked Chelsea.

"I'll show you to her soon," said Jesse. "But first…"

He lifted his Disk.

"She wants me to duel one of you first."

Ren gave him a strange look.

"You want to test us, don't you?" he said. "You want to make sure that we're worth your time."

Jesse just shrugged.

"Or maybe you want to make sure we can be trusted, huh?" asked Ren.

"It isn't my place to question," said Jesse.

"Fine," said Ren. "Yumi just dueled, so I'll duel you."

"Hold it," said Jesse.

He took something out of his pocket.

"Hang onto this."

He handed him something. It was a feather.

"What's this for?" asked Ren.

"Remember what happened to Easy Eddie?" asked Jesse. "There's a rule in Xanadu that even Daala has to follow. So long as a duelist never loses a duel, she can't use her executive powers as queen to apprehend him, no matter what crime she believes – or claims – he has committed. That's how members of the resistance can move about reasonably safe.

"But once a duelist does lose, if Daala doesn't want him wandering her lands anymore, her hand swoops down on him quickly and grabs him. He vanishes."

"What… What happens to them?" asked Sam.

Jesse shrugged.

"We know that they aren't dead," he replied. "But that's all we know. We assume that they're either prisoners or slaves somewhere.

"But anyway, those feathers have a special power. If both duelists are holding one, Daala has no authority over the duel. I've already got one. If you hold that, it's safe to lose."

Ren quickly tucked the feather into his pocket.

"Ren," said Chelsea, running up to him. "Be careful with this guy… You remember the stories… Jesse's Monsters… They… weren't garden variety..."

"I know…" sighed Ren. "I'll just have to be really careful…"

Both Disks activated.

"Game on!" they shouted.

**(Ren: 8,000) -------------------- (Jesse: 8,000)**

"Let's go!" said Jesse, drawing a card.

He added it to his hand, and looked them over.

"I'll set this, and end with that."

A facedown Monster appeared in front of him.

"Okay…" said Ren, drawing a card.

_Perfect!_ he thought, looking at his hand. _This will do to start off…_

"I play Graceful Charity!" he exclaimed, playing a card.

In a burst of light, the beautiful angel of charity appeared over him. She closed her eyes, and three feathers fell from her wings, falling on Ren's deck.

Ren drew three cards. He quickly made two discards, already knowing what he had wanted to toss.

"Now I summon… My Dark Blade!"

Out of a shadow, a dark knight in black, spiked armor, wearing a red cape and holding two swords, appeared on the field. (1,800/1,500)

"All right!" he shouted. "Attack his Monster! Dark sword slash!"

Dark Blade leapt at the facedown card and swung his sword down…

And then he was thrown backwards in a burst of energy.

Where the card had been was now a very large turtle shell, with green crystals protruding from the top. Two glowing eyes peered out from the front. (600/2,000)

Jesse laughed.

"Sorry, Ren," he said. "My Crystal Beast Emerald Tortoise's shell is a little too tough for that guy to crack."

**(R: 7,800) -------------------- (J: 8,000)**

Then, to everyone's surprise, a voice came out of nowhere.

"Jesse?" said the voice, that sounded somewhat nervous. "What's going on? I thought we weren't going to deal with any more of Daala's men again so soon."

"These aren't them, pal," said Jesse. "These are the guys I told you about, remember?"

"Oh…" said the voice, nervously. "Is my shell on straight? I'd hate to look unpresentable…"

"You look fine!"

Ren realized where the voice was coming from… It was coming from the Emerald Tortoise.

"Your Monsters talk?" asked Ren.

Jesse nodded.

"The same program that created me can program virtual Duel Spirits too," he said. "It isn't nearly as easy, of course, but the leader insisted that the Crystal Beasts in my deck work with me just as well as the real ones did for the real Jesse. So she pretty much broke the bank when she programmed my deck."

Ren looked hard at the Monster.

"Uh…" he said, looking at his hand. "Yeah… uhm… I'll play a facedown, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared behind Dark Blade.

_Nutrient Z should help if he summons something strong,_ he thought.

Jesse drew a card and looked at it.

"Time for more bling," he said. "I summon Crystal Beast Amethyst Cat! Come out!"

He played the card, and a huge, purple gemstone appeared in mid-air. It shattered, and a large, pink she-panther appeared next to the Tortoise. On her chest was a golden brooch with a large amethyst. (1,200/400)

She looked at Ren and licked her lips. Ren was nervous. She was looking at him the way he usually looked at a prime rib…

"Feeling frisky today, old girl?" said Jesse.

"Purr-fect," said the Cat.

"Uh, I hate to tell you this," said Ren, nervously, "but her Attack Score is 600 points lower than Dark Blade's."

"He's not the target," said Jesse. "She can attack directly, so long as cut her Attack Score in half."

Ren gulped as Amethyst Cat's Attack Score fell to 600.

"Go!" shouted Jesse. "Amethyst power pounce!"

Amethyst Cat leapt at Ren and tackled him, knocking him over. Ren looked up, just in time to see her bearing her claws.

He screamed as she raked them across his face.

He groaned as she leapt back to her position.

"I'm not done, Ren," said Jesse. "Now I can use Emerald Tortoise's effect, which can switch one of my Monsters into Defense Mode."

Emerald Tortoise glowed with green energy, and Amethyst Cat sat down in a defensive position.

"I'll set a card facedown, and end my turn," said Jesse.

A facedown card materialized behind the two Crystal Beasts.

**(R: 7,200) -------------------- (J: 8,000)**

"Jesse two, Ren zero," sighed Sam.

"This guy certainly has the dueling skills that the real Jesse had," said Chelsea. "I don't even know if Ren stands a chance."

Ren made a draw.

_We'll soon see…_ he said. _Time to go on the offensive…_

"I summon… Getsu Fuhma!" he shouted.

He played another card, and a female, redheaded Warrior wearing an armored battle dress and holding a katana appeared. She and Dark Blade nodded to each other. (1,700/1,200)

"Now, I play Rush Recklessly, which gives her more Attack Points."

He played the card, and Getsu Fuhma glowed with energy. Her Attack Score shot up to 2,400.

"Time to do some gem cutting! Attack the Emerald Tortoise! Whirlwind blade!"

Getsu Fuhma leapt at the Tortoise, and with one slash, it exploded into shards of green rock.

"Dark Blade, attack the Amethyst Cat!"

Dark Blade slashed with his sword, and the panther shattered into purple shards.

"Looks like I took out your two pets," said Ren.

"Don't be so sure," said Jesse.

Two glowing lights appeared on Jesse's side of the field…

Then, a large green gemstone, and a large purple one appeared in front of him.

"What the heck?" said Chelsea.

"Crystal Beasts _can't_ be destroyed," said Jesse. "If that would ever happen, they can retreat to my Spell Zone, where they transform into precious gems."

"So… what do they do there?" asked Ren.

"Well, by themselves, nothing," said Jesse. "But if I were to use other cards…

"Well, allow me to demonstrate…"

He drew a card.

"First, I play the Spell Card Crystal Beacon," he said. "Since I have at least two Crystal Beasts in my Spell Zone, this lets me summon another one from my deck.

"And I think I'll summon Crystal Beast Topaz Tiger!"

A huge, yellow gemstone appeared on the field. It exploded, and a large, white, Bengal tiger appeared where it had been. He had huge fangs, and a single horn on the top of his head. (1,600/1,000)

"All right…" said the Tiger, in a gruff voice. "Let me at him, Jesse…"

"In a minute, old pal," said Jesse, taking a card from his hand. "Next, I play Rare Value. Now, you have to pick one of the Beasts in my Spell Zone, Ren, and it goes to the Graveyard."

"Then I choose your Cat," said Ren.

The purple gem dissolved into light.

"Now I get to draw two cards," said Jesse, making two draws.

He looked them over.

"That was pointless," said Ren. "Your Tiger only has 1,600 Attack Points."

"Only when he's not attacking," said Jesse. "When he actually attacks a Monster, he gains 400 more Attack Points."

"Great…" said Ren.

"Attack his Getsu Fuhma!" ordered Jesse. "Topaz incisor shred!"

"Right," said the Tiger. "Tallyho!"

He pounced at Getsu Fuhma, and the Warrior exploded. Ren cringed.

"I'll set this facedown, and end my turn," said Jesse.

Another facedown card appeared in front of him.

**(R: 6,900) -------------------- (J: 8,000)**

Ren drew a card.

_Just who I wanted to see,_ he thought, looking at it.

"All right, Jesse," he said, taking another card from his hand. "First, I summon Familiar Knight."

He played a card, and a knight in shining armor, holding a sword and shield with a red cape appeared. (1,200/1,400)

"Now, in order to summon this next lady, I have to remove one Dark Warrior from play…"

Getsu Fuhma slipped out of his discard slot, and he pocketed the card.

"I summon… La Sombra!"

With a cry, a new female Warrior appeared. It was a brunette and busty young woman with tanned skin, dressed in a low-cut leather leotard with boots, gloves, and a mask over her eyes. She carried a long bullwhip. (1,800/1,000)

"You triggered my Trap!" shouted Jesse, as one of his facedown cards lifted. "One of my favorites, too…"

Ren had never seen this Trap Card before. It bore the image of Celtic Guardian fighting Battle Ox in close combat.

"Triggered Summon?" asked Ren. "What does that do?"

"Since you just Special Summoned a Monster, now we both get to Special Summon another one… So long as each of them is Level Four or less.

"So let's see what else you've got."

"Fine," said Ren, taking another card from his hand. "I summon Double Pinaska."

In a burst of dark energy, another Warrior appeared. It was a bandito in a leather jacket and pantaloons, with dark hair and a slim moustache. He carried a pair of rapiers. (1,500/1,500)

"And I'll summon this guy," said Jesse. "Crystal Beast Amber Mammoth!"

A round, orange gemstone appeared on the field. It exploded, and a huge mammoth towered over the field, with four huge tusks, and an orange crystal embedded in its forehead. (1,700/1,600)

"This is one of the ones who's going to help us against Daala?" said the voice of the new Monster. "He looks pretty scrawny to me…"

"Come a little closer and say that, hose-nose!" shouted Ren.

"Uh, Ren…" said Chelsea. "I don't think it's wise to yell at big, talking elephants…"

Ren sighed.

"Anyway," he said, "La Sombra's effect still activates. You have to draw one card. What happens next depends on the type of card.

"If it's a Spell Card, she can destroy one Monster. A Trap, and she can attack directly. A Monster… well, then she's destroyed.

"So draw."

_Lovely…_ thought Jesse. _This is the downside of using a deck that doesn't use many Monsters…_

He drew a card.

He showed it to Ren. Ren grinned.

"Well, Jesse, I've never heard of Counter Crystal… But since that's clearly a Trap Card…

"La Sombra…"

La Sombra gave her whip a crack, and grinned at Jesse.

"Trap activate!" shouted Jesse. "Last Resort!"

His other facedown card lifted.

The whole arena was engulfed in light.

Ren looked around. Then were standing in the center of a huge Colosseum, with a rainbow in the sky.

"What happened?" asked Ren.

"Since you declared an attack," said Jesse, "my Trap Card let me play the Field Spell Ancient City – Rainbow Ruins. Welcome to Rome!"

"Yeah, well…" said Ren. "Unless it can block direct attacks…"

La Sombra leapt at Jesse and lashed downward at him with her whip. He staggered backwards.

"About time," said Chelsea.

"Dark Blade…" ordered Ren, "attack his Tiger!"

Dark Blade looked at Topaz Tiger. He paused…

Then he charged at Amber Mammoth. He made a swipe with his sword, and the huge pachyderm burst into shards.

A large, orange gemstone appeared next to the green one.

"I told you to attack the Tiger!" shouted Ren. "Not _that_!"

"Don't blame him," said Jesse. "Amber Mammoth can draw any attack on a Crystal Beast to him."

**(R: 7,000) -------------------- (J: 6,100)**

"My move…" said Jesse, drawing a card.

"I summon Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus!" he shouted.

A brilliant, blue sapphire appeared on the field. It burst, and a gorgeous stallion with a unicorn horn and huge, feathered wings appeared. (1,800/1,200)

"Now I get to take one Crystal Beast from my hand, deck, or Graveyard, and place it in my Spell Zone," he said. "And I think I'll go with my Crystal Beast Cobalt Eagle."

He played the card, and a large blue gemstone appeared next to the orange and green ones.

"Just how many of these things are there?" shouted Ren.

"Next," said Jesse, "I play the Spell Card, Crystal Promise! This lets me summon Cobalt Eagle from my Spell Zone onto the field."

He played a new card. The blue gem burst, and an eagle with golden feathers and blue gems on its chest flew out. (1,400/800)

"Okey-doke!" said a voice coming from Sapphire Pegasus. "Let's take them together, guys!"

"You said it!" said Jesse. "Topaz Tiger, attack Double Pinaska!"

The Tiger leapt towards the Spaniard.

"I activate Pinaska's effect!" shouted Ren. "Once per duel, he can negate one attack!"

Double Pinaska crossed his rapiers, and he swatted the Tiger aside.

"So he can," said Jesse, with a shrug. "Sapphire Pegasus, attack Double Pinaska with Sapphire cyclone!"

Sapphire Pegasus's horn glowed with blue energy. A blast of wind shot towards Double Pinaska, and he was blown to shards.

"Cobalt Eagle, take down Familiar Knight!"

Cobalt Eagle screeched, and swooped on Familiar Knight. The Knight tumbled over and shattered.

"I activate his effect!" shouted Ren. "Now we can each Special Summon a Level Four Monster from our hands."

A second Dark Blade appeared on his side of the field. (1,800/1,500)

**(R: 6,500) -------------------- (J: 6,100)**

"Well, I'm afraid that's all I've got," said Jesse.

"Then look out!" said Ren, drawing a card.

"I play The Warrior Returning Alive," he said, playing a Spell Card. "I'll bring back someone who I discarded with Graceful Charity."

A card slipped out of his discard slot.

"Now, I'll sacrifice one Dark Blade to summon her. I summon Penumbral Soldier Lady!"

One of the two Dark Blades vanished, and another female Warrior appeared. She was tall and blonde, wore armor that was shaped into a skirt and halter, and carried a longsword and a very large shield. (2,100/1,400)

"Attack his Sapphire Pegasus!" he shouted. "Sword of shadows!"

Penumbral Soldier Lady hollered a war cry, and slashed at the Pegasus. The winged horse shattered into blue shards, and a large, blue gem formed in Jesse's Spell Zone.

"Dark Blade, attack the Tiger!"

Dark Blade struck with his sword, and Topaz Tiger exploded. A yellow gemstone formed next to the others.

"La Sombra, destroy the last one."

La Sombra lashed with her whip, and Cobalt Eagle shattered. A blue gem formed in the last space in Jesse's Spell Zone.

**(R: 6,500) -------------------- (J: 5,300)**

"Huh?" said Ren. "5,300 Life Points? You should have 5,100…"

"My Field Spell has five abilities, Ren," said Jesse. "How many it has depends on how many Crystal Beasts I have in my Spell Zone. Since I had four when you attacked Cobalt Eagle, I was able to use the second effect, and reduce the battle damage from one attack by half."

"Wait a second…" said Chelsea. "He has five Crystal Beasts there now… That means…"

"That Rainbow Ruins is at maximum power…" muttered Sam.

"At least his Spell Zone is full," said Erik. "That means his Beasts have nowhere to retreat to if they're destroyed now. I suppose that means they'll go to the Graveyard."

Jesse chuckled.

"Maybe so," he said. "But not in the way you think. It's my turn…"

He drew a card.

_Well, hi there,_ he thought, when he saw who it was.

"I activate the fourth effect of my Field Spell," he said, "which lets me draw an extra card."

He made a second draw.

"Next, I activate the fifth effect, which lets me summon a Crystal Beast from my Spell Zone to the field."

The orange gem glowed, and then burst. Amber Mammoth appeared, looming over the field again. (1,700/1,600)

"Now I have a free space," he said. "And I'm gonna use it.

"Uhm… Now, Ren… The card that I'm about to play… The real Jesse had it, sure… But he usually kept it in his side deck. Cards with this much destructive power, well, they just weren't his style."

He placed the card in his Disk.

"But Ren… This is Xanadu… And we're at war. And in war, you can't give quarter, because you can't expect any.

"I play Crystal Abundance! Since I have four Crystal Beasts in my Spell Zone, I can send all four to the Graveyard…"

All four of the gemstones vanished into grains of light...

"I would cover your eyes if I were you, people…"

The warning came too late. In the next instant, the whole arena was consumed by an explosion of colors.

When Ren could look again, he was shocked. The Spell Card had apparently wiped out the whole field. His three Monsters, Jesse's Monster, his facedown Nutrient Z, and the Rainbow Ruins Field Spell itself had all been vaporized.

"Destroying every card on the field?" said Ren with a laugh. "That was really smart…"

"Actually, it is," said Jesse. "Because, for each one of your cards that I destroyed, I get to summon a Crystal Beast from my Graveyard."

Ren stopped short…

Four flashes of color appeared on the field, and Sapphire Pegasus (1,800/1,200), Amber Mammoth (1,700/1,600), Cobalt Eagle (1,400/800) and Topaz Tiger (1,600/1,000) appeared in front of him.

"And since I haven't Normal Summoned yet," said Jesse, "I'll bring out my old friend Crystal Beast Ruby Carbuncle too!"

He played the card, and a large ruby appeared on the field. It burst, and a small, blue kitten with a ruby orb at the tip of its tail appeared. She let out a cute meow. (300/300)

Ren started to sweat…

"So, tell me, Ren," asked Jesse. "How good are you at math?"

"Uhm…" said Chelsea. "1,800, plus 1,700, plus…"

"It's a grand total of 6,800," said Yumi. "I don't think Ren will be winning this one…"

"Well, it was fun, Ren," said Jesse, "but it's time to end this…

"Sapphire Pegasus, you first."

Sapphire Pegasus neighed, and his cyclone shot towards Ren…

All of a sudden, a dark figure sprang up behind Ren. It was a fiendish-looking Warrior with studded, spiked, armor, and a mane of white hair.

He put his arms around Ren, and the blast was blocked.

"Huh?" said Jesse.

"That was my Necro Gardna," said Ren, as the strange Warrior vanished. "He was the other card I discarded when I played Graceful Charity. By removing him from play, your Pegasus's attack is negated."

Jesse looked at him.

Then he laughed out loud.

"Looks like you're full of surprises Ren!" he laughed.

He chuckled.

"Everyone else… Get him."

Ren braced himself as the Eagle, Tiger, and Mammoth rushed at him. Cobalt Eagle scratched at him with his talons, Topaz Tiger made a savage slash with his claw, and Amber Mammoth made a mighty stomp with his front leg. If he hadn't been a phantom created by whatever system controlled the duels in Xanadu, Ren would have been smashed flat.

Finally, Ruby Carbuncle shot a beam of pure, red energy from her mouth, striking Ren in the chest.

**(R: 1,500) -------------------- (J: 5,300)**

"He's still standing!" shouted Chelsea.

"But for how long?" asked Sam. "He has no cards on the field, none in his hand, and he's facing five Monsters! It's gonna take a miracle to win now…"

Jesse placed a card in his Disk.

"I'll set this facedown, and end my turn," he said.

A facedown card appeared.

Ren gasped for breath.

"Well…" he said. "Okay… I've been clawed, scratched, stepped on, and blasted… But you gotta give me credit… I still haven't lost my sense of humor!

"Draw!"

He drew a card.

"I play… Card of Demise!" he shouted, playing it. "Now, I get to draw until my hand consists of five cards."

He made five draws.

Then he was startled as a shadow loomed over him. He turned around and saw an intimidating guillotine, its blade held up by five ropes behind him.

"I should have warned you, Ren," said Jesse. "Folks in Xanadu don't use that card very often. Never mind the side effect… The visual effect is kinda scary."

Ren nervously looked at his five cards.

He smirked.

"First up…" he said, "Mystical Space Typhoon!"

He played the card, and the cyclone tore across the field. Jesse's facedown Trap Card lifted up and shattered.

"Rainbow Path?" asked Ren. "What the heck is that?"

"Uhm… Nothing…" muttered Jesse, nervously.

Ren looked at him for a few seconds.

"Continuing…" he said, "Since you outnumber me five Monsters to none, I can Special Summon The Fiend Megacyber!"

In an explosion of energy, a hulking, cybernetic Warrior in bronze armor, with blades on his gauntlets, appeared in front of Ren. (2,200/1,200)

"Next," he said, "I'll play Premature Burial, to bring Penumbral Solider Lady back to the field."

He played the card, and his Life Points dipped. Penumbral Soldier Lady appeared in a flash of light, looking a little pissed. (2,100/1,400)

"I'm not half-done!" he said. "Next, I summon New Moon Princess!"

He played the card, and a new Warrior appeared. It looked like a young girl, about fourteen years old, with glossy-black skin and dark hair. She wore leather armor and held a wooden practice sword. (1,300/1,200)

"But she isn't staying," said Ren, taking the last card in his hand. "I can sacrifice her to summon her big sister…"

New Moon Princess vanished.

"The queen of my deck… I summon Crescent Moon Queen!"

In a burst of shadow, she appeared on the field. She also had glossy, black skin and dark hair, but she was tall and powerful, with silvery armor, and a cape the color of the night sky. She wore a crown set with a single white gem. Her eyes were pools of silvery light.

She looked at Jesse, and drew two crescent-shaped scimitars. (2,600/1,700)

"Three heavy hitters in one turn," said Jesse. "Nice…"

"I'll show you nice…" said Ren. "Fiend Megacyber, attack his Mammoth with mega slash!"

The Fiend Megacyber skid towards Amber Mammoth, and made a swipe with his gauntlet. The huge Beast trumpeted, and then burst.

"Crescent Moon Queen, you're up. Attack his Eagle! Crescent sword slash!"

Crescent Moon Queen made a fierce cut with her left blade, and Cobalt Eagle exploded.

"And by the way… My Queen gets a double attack!"

The Queen slashed with her right blade, and Topaz Tiger shattered too. Jesse cringed as pieces of crystal flew at him.

**(R: 700) -------------------- (J: 2,600)**

"Time to end this," said Ren.

"End it?" said Jesse. "How? Even if you attack Ruby, I'll still have Life Points left…"

"No you won't," said Ren. "Ruby Carbuncle is a Light Monster, which means Penumbral Soldier Lady gains 1,000 more Attack Points when she attacks it."

Penumbral Soldier Lady charged at the small Fairy. Her Attack Points shot up to 3,100…

She gave it a kick, and Ruby Carbuncle was thrown backwards like a football before shattering into pieces.

"RUBY!" screamed Jesse.

He fell to his knees.

**(R: 700) -------------------- (J: 0)**

Ren panted for breath.

Jesse chuckled as the remaining Monsters vanished.

"Boy, Ren," he said, "I'm glad you don't work for Daala… If you did, it would have been all over… I'm one of the most wanted men in Xanadu, after all…"

"Well, Jesse?" said Ren.

"Yeah," said Yumi. "Well? Are you going to show us to this mystery figure who's behind this rebellion? Assuming that there truly is one?"

Jesse chuckled.

"Of course," he said. "Just take a gander over there…"

He pointed behind himself.

On the largest hill was a building that none of them had seen yet…

They couldn't believe it. It looked exactly like The Sanctuary in the Sky. If it had been perched on a cloud, it would be an exact match. None of them knew how they could have missed it.

"Any questions?" asked Jesse.

"Yeah…" muttered Ren. "Does the owner stock anything to drink? Because my mouth just went dry from the shock…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

With Jesse leading the way, the duelists entered the huge temple. The inside looked like a palace, with gold furniture, marble statues, and elaborate tapestries. They all felt a warm feeling that could best be described in one word – security.

"Joan?" called out Jesse. "I've brought them."

"Joan?" said Yumi.

Then, a tall, radiant form appeared on a dais above them.

It was the most beautiful woman they had ever seen. A woman with unearthly beauty and a flawless form, which the average supermodel would sell her soul for. She was dressed in a flowing, white robe. She had beautiful, white, feathered wings growing from her back.

"Guardian Angel Joan?" asked Yumi.

"Greetings, children," said Joan. "Please have a seat…"

They sat down on the splendid furniture (which they didn't like doing, seeing as it looked like it belonged in a museum).

"So… are you a virtual construct too?" asked Chelsea.

She was very nervous. She remembered her duel with Olga where Olga summoned Joan, and her Vampire Genesis destroyed her.

"No, Chelsea," said Joan. "I'm very real. To explain, I'd best explain the nature of Xanadu."

"Is this where you offer us a blue or red pill?" asked Erik.

Joan shook her head sadly.

"I'm afraid it isn't that simple," she said. "Unlike Neo, you have very little choice. Your only choice other than joining me is to take your chances in Xanadu alone, and I doubt you'll last very long if you do.

"Before I go further, let me assure you that this temple is the one location in Xanadu where you are completely safe from Daala. Her minions cannot enter, and she cannot eavesdrop on conversations within."

"Good to know," said Sam.

"You see," said Joan, "as Jesse told you, it is believed that Daala created Xanadu from her dreams. However, it began as a virtual reality world, created by a computer. I don't know the computer's location or its manufacturer.

"But somehow, Daala was able to combine the technology of virtual reality with true magic, expanding Xanadu, as well as her power."

"That's impossible," said Erik. "Magic and technology don't like each other."

"Then how did Marik, Dartz, and all of those other loonies create Shadow Games using Duel Disks?" asked Sam.

"Hold it…" said Yumi. "Sam is right, and it's not necessarily true all the time. Arthur C. Clarke had three laws of prediction, and the most famous one is, any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

"In other words, if the average person from five-hundred years ago saw the modern world, and saw us using computers and airplanes, would he not think that we were capable of performing magic?"

"Exactly," said Joan. "Science and magic can thus combine well when one knows how to do it. One must simply approach magic as one would an advanced science.

"Daala was able to use this combination to draw materials and energies from other dimensions that are populated by Duel Spirits. Not only was she able to expand Xanadu, but she was able to populate it with actual Spirits.

"Some of them went willingly, desiring to serve Daala… Others were dragged here. And with no way to get back, they suffer under her rule.

"Soon, this had a strange effect on Xanadu. It eventually broke apart, and developed new rules.

"I don't want to scare you children, but…

"Xanadu is no longer solely a virtual world. It is truly a dimension onto itself."

"Too late!" said Chelsea. "You already scared us!"

"Wait…" said Yumi. "Then… Sheena's equipment is now functioning as… a portal?"

Joan nodded.

"And despite the fact that Xanadu is its own dimension now," said Joan, "Daala's virtual reality equipment still works in its maintenance. By running programs, she can build structures, buildings, and whole landscapes. She has godlike power here.

"A dimension built using her dreams… Dreams of a young woman who likely suffered nightmares. Evil pollutes this land like a virus.

"And she continues to both recruit and kidnap Duel Spirits from other dimensions.

"Neither was the case with me…"

She sighed, and looked behind her.

Yumi took notice of the structure behind Joan. It seemed to be a throne of some sort. An incredibly beautiful piece of furniture, made of marble with silk cushions, with gemstones set in intricate patterns all over the surfaces. Clearly, it was a chair designed for royalty…

But the strange part was, it was huge. No human could possibly sit in it. From the look of the immense chair, it was built for someone who stood thirty feet tall.

_I'd hate to see whoever that belongs to,_ thought Yumi.

After a short pause, Joan continued.

"I was approached by someone who wanted Daala stopped. I do not know his identity for certain. But I accepted the responsibility, and used the opportunity he gave me, and some help from… allies, to come to Xanadu undetected.

"I got right to work, and worked quickly. I am immortal and tireless… I don't need rest or food. I built this temple, and then usurped Daala's technology, using it to create virtual duelists. Soldiers who could fight via dueling. Dueling, after all, is the favored method of combat in dimensions where Duel Spirits live. It's how things are done in most of their cultures.

"I am the one who protects them from Daala. So long as I live, she is bound by the condition that she cannot apprehend anyone who doesn't lose.

"As you might imagine, Daala has ordered my death…"

"She can never leave this temple to go into Xanadu," said Jesse. "It's far too risky. If she were to be defeated, the whole rebellion would fall in an instant."

"So where do we come in, Joan?" asked Yumi.

Joan gestured, and a large, 3-D map appeared in front of them.

"Xanadu has six main Realms," she said. "Each one represents one of the six Attributes of Duel Monsters. Nexus has pathways leading to all of them.

"Each Realm is under the control of one of Daala's top lieutenants. They are the Realm Lords. So long as their presence is maintained in each Realm, the power generated by the individual Realms is Daala's alone to command. She alone can control the energies of Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Light, and Dark in Xanadu, due to her control over these Realms.

"But if the Realm Lords were defeated, if I could assert my own control over them, I could gain the power that the lands themselves generate. The powers of the elemental forces would be transferred to me… Duel Spirits of those Attributes would quickly find that there was no longer any benefit to serving Daala. My own hold on Xanadu would be strengthened.

"There is a seventh Realm of Xanadu. A mysterious seventh Realm, where Daala's fortress presumably lies. This seventh Realm is the core of Xanadu, where the evil magic is the most powerful. We simply call it the Core. We believe that no Attribute rules this land… It is dominated by Chaos."

Yumi jumped a little when she said this. Chaos? Maybe Daala was indeed working for Shogarr…

"It's far too risky to try to go there now, if it is even possible," said Joan. "If anyone tried, my protection over them would quickly be overridden, they'd be at Daala's mercy. She simply cannot be defeated when challenged at the source of her power.

"But if all six of the other Realms were under our control, it would create a full circle that would tip all of Xanadu's power against her. With most of the population of Xanadu on our side, and all six Attributes under our control, our power just might exceed that of the Core. In theory, it would be possible for us to enter this den of evil, defeat Daala, and be victorious.

"And if I could possibly gain control of the energies of the Core after that…"

She paused again.

"You could turn Chaos into Order," said Yumi. "You could end the whole nightmare."

"Our ultimate goal," said Joan. "Our task is difficult, but we may try. Unfortunately, the resistance has tried, but we have yet to secure even one of the Realms. All of the duelists who have made it as far as the Lords' fortresses have not returned. We do not even know the Lords' identities.

"My men try hard, but for each of Daala's men that we defeat, more of them surface, and more and more of mine fall as well. Almost no headway has yet been made. The Realm Lords' authority is still strong."

"I've volunteered to try to take them down," said Jesse, "but she won't let me…"

Joan sadly sighed.

"As I've explained to Jesse several times," she said, "I can't risk my most powerful soldiers against such foes. They may well be able to win, but what if they don't?

"The upper echelons of the resistance have powers to manipulate the magic of the spiritual world that Daala is trying hard to discover how to do herself. If my chief lieutenants were captured while trying to defeat a Realm Lord, vital information would fall into her hands."

"So that's why you need us," said Chelsea. "We don't have those powers… But we're strong enough to make the attempt."

"We hoped," said Joan, "that you, being fully human, possessing true life and more soul than anything I could program, might stand a better chance. For the most part, all I can create are imitations. Duelists like Jesse know feeling and emotion… But inside each of them, no matter how much they try to hide it, is a sorrow that they are not truly human."

They all looked at Jesse, and he shook his head.

"I wish that I could give them true life," said Joan, "but as any practitioner of either science or magic would tell you, that is impossible.

"But you five… You do have life. I'm hoping it will give you an edge. The power to succeed where so many have failed."

"I dunno…" said Ren. "I never imagined myself as part of some revolutionary army."

"Ren, you can do anything you set your mind to," said Chelsea. "Well, except cook. You stink at that."

Yumi sighed.

"One question," she asked. "Do you know why Daala forced us to come here?"

Joan sadly shook her head.

"I have no idea," she said. "I can only assume she will try to capture you for some dark purpose that is known only to her. But at least she must give you a fighting chance, so long as I live.

"I'm afraid that I cannot control the portals back to your world as of yet. Daala's equipment that is controlling KaibaCorp's computers serves as the only path from Xanadu to Earth. No transport between the two worlds will occur unless she desires it… Or if, by some miracle, someone else gains control of the system."

"Then we're trapped here…" muttered Sam.

"Well," said Yumi. "If it's true that our only other choice is to take our chances alone… I'd rather not take that risk."

Everyone else nodded.

"So… you don't mind working with a Fiend duelist?" asked Sam.

Joan sighed, and bowed her head.

"Let us keep no secrets from each other, Samantha," she said, slowly.

As she said this, a dark, phantasmal form appeared behind her. It was a fiendish-looking woman, with black skin, blonde hair, and black, feathered wings.

"Marie the Fallen One?" asked Sam.

"This is a shadow of my former self," said Joan. "What I became after I was expelled from the Higher Plane. I won't claim that it was anyone's fault but mine. I wanted power that wasn't mine to take, and my greed for it led me to steal it, corrupting me with evil. For this, I was cursed and cast out.

"And it was only through years of excruciatingly hard work that I was able to climb back to the lofty heights."

The phantom vanished.

"I won't criticize you for using Fiends, because I know more than ever that just using them does not make one evil. You must admit Samantha, towards the master of your deck, you show a trait now that Evil does not understand – loyalty."

Sam paused. She shook her head, remembering her promise to Ha Des never to stray again…

"Tell us what we have to do," said Yumi.

Joan beamed.

"Then I will give you each a gift," she said. "Daala possesses the power to give her most favored duelists a Deck Lord…

"I can do the same…"

Then the five duelists were shocked, as their decks started to glow.

"What's happening?" asked Chelsea. "Deck Lords?"

"Let me explain," said Joan. "Daala has created a system similar to Noah's Deckmaster system.

"The Monsters in your decks are now discussing the matter among themselves. By the time you need to use a Deck Lord, one of them will be chosen.

"You only use your Deck Lords when confronting duelists who also use them. In a duel, they can't do anything except use their ability, unless you choose to summon them. And I implore you to do that only if there is no other option."

"Because if it's destroyed, the duelist loses automatically," said Ren.

"Yes," said Joan. "Now listen closely, there's more.

"Deck Lords have four types of powers: Minor, Intermediate, Greater, and Extraordinary.

"I'm afraid you can only start with one Minor Power. But your Deck Lord can evolve by defeating other duelists with Deck Lords, and absorbing their power.

"How much power they get is measured in points, depending on the powers that the opposing Deck Lord had. For each Minor Power it had, yours gains one point. For each Intermediate Power, two. For each Greater Power, four. And I believe, for each Extraordinary Power, eight.

"You may spend two points for a new Minor Power. Also, you may sacrifice three Minor Powers for one Intermediate Power. And you may sacrifice two Intermediate Powers for one Greater Power."

"And Extraordinary Powers?" asked Erik.

Joan sighed sadly.

"I don't know," she said. "Only Daala herself and her most trusted followers know how to obtain them. I'm trying to figure that out."

"Looks like we'll be at a disadvantage," said Sam.

"I believe in you," said Joan. "I believe they will get stronger.

"As far as summoning your Deck Lord goes, there are some rules you must follow should you decide to take such a risk. Doing so is considered a Special Summon that can only be done during a Main Phase.

"However, it only does not have a cost if the Deck Lord is a Monster who could be, under normal conditions, Normal Summoned with no sacrifice. If the Deck Lord would ordinarily need one sacrifice to summon, you must pay 1,000 Life Points. Two sacrifices, and you must pay 2,000 Life Points.

"If the Deck Lord is a kind that cannot be Normal Summoned at all, Fusion Monsters, Ritual Monsters, and NOMIs of all sorts, you must pay half your remaining Life Points."

"That might be less than paying 2,000 of them," said Erik.

"True," said Joan. "But once you summon it, your Life Points rarely matter any more. Once again, I stress that this is the riskiest option, and you should do so only if you have no option left."

"Swell," said Sam. "So where do we start?"

"Well," said Joan, "all six of the Realms have evil auras hanging over them. But the aura is the least intense over the Tzimisce Woods, the Realm that is the source of the power of Earth. It might be a good place to begin."

"Tzimisce?" said Ren.

"I recognize that name," said Chelsea. "In an old RPG called _Vampire: The Masquerade_, that was the name of Dracula's clan."

"I don't get the connection," said Ren.

"You know what the literal translation of 'Transylvania' is?" asked Chelsea. "It means 'through the forest' or 'beyond the forest'. I take it to mean the forest is cursed with evil magic."

"Yes, Chelsea," said Joan. "But your Monsters are not guaranteed safe passage. And remember, the fates of five members of the resistance who successfully breached the walls of its Lord's fortress are not known. If you find them, try to rescue them."

She gestured, and a map appeared in Yumi's hand.

"That will help you navigate around Nexus," she said. "And it will help you get to Tzimisce. I've given you all the help I can give for now.

"Remember, I can only protect you from Daala's clutches so long as you don't lose. Daala's men wouldn't dare carry my feathers. She knows their power, and has publicly stated that being caught with one will result in being marked as a traitor. None of her servants will risk that, as it is one of the few crimes in Xanadu punishable by death.

"Should you lose… I'll pray for you."

"We'll do the best we can, Joan," said Yumi.

She turned to everyone else.

"Ready people?" she asked.

They nodded.

"Let's go kick some tail…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In another chamber, the polar opposite of Joan's, Daala was reclining on her couch as her servants continued to fan her.

She glared at Joan's temple, a place she hated among all else. Its existence, and Joan's existence defied her rule, and it drove her mad.

She long ago discovered that an outright attack was pointless. Barrel Dragons, Blowback Dragons, Gatling Dragons, and even XYZ-Dragon Cannons couldn't scratch its walls. (She once tried a VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon, but the temple's defenses blew it to pieces before it could fire a single shot. The risk of losing another Spirit that powerful kept her from trying it again.) Blaze Accelerators, Wave-Motion Cannons, and Mega Ton Magical Cannons couldn't break down the gates, and trying to just gave its defenses time to attack you.

She had tried numerous ways to bypass the front doors – Dimensionholes, Interdimensional Matter Transporters, and the like… Such Spells seemed to backfire and deposit the user in a random Realm of Xanadu (which could be incredibly dangerous if that Realm happened to be the ocean).

She had tried infiltration. Duel Spirits had been sent to approach the place, saying that they wanted to join. It was pointless. The temple's magic could detect lies.

At one point, Daala thought up what seemed to be a great idea. A lot of captured members of the rebellion had been brainwashed – dealing with obedient slaves was easier than ones who wanted to hurt you, after all. She thought she could order one of them to go to the temple under the presumption that he had escaped, and bring Joan down himself.

She thought that the plan worked when the temple let her slave inside… But then, to her shock and anger, the temple's magic quickly undid the brainwashing. There was nothing Daala could do about it. A prisoner had escaped for real, and he was taking down her duelists with renewed fury the very next day.

She tried this plan several times, strengthening the brainwashing effect, implanting layer after layer of counter spells and resistances. It was no good. There was no magic that she could do that the temple couldn't undo. So that plan was scraped.

She wasn't going to give up… She was going to get into that temple and bring down Joan… And hopefully, Yumi and her friends would help.

She couldn't spy into the place, but she was keeping a close eye on the outside. And she saw the group leave.

Then she saw as they took the path to Tzimisce.

She waved her hand, and another screen appeared in front of her. A face appeared on it.

"They're coming," she said. "Best start preparing. If they get to you, handle Yumi before anyone else."

"It would be my pleasure," said a voice. "After what her accursed grandfather did to me, I'm looking forward to it."

"Don't let personal vendettas cloud your judgment," said Daala. "Or your ego. That's the mistake you made the last time."

"Understood," said the figure. "But don't worry… I've more than matured since then."

"We'll soon see…" said Daala.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The change was gradual for Yumi and her friends, and then became quicker.

As they walked, trees became more and more prevalent. As they continued, they became thicker, and very large thorn bushes appeared by the paths.

Then, by some apparent spatial oddity, the sparse forest suddenly became a very think one. All around them, they were surrounded by twisted trees that blotted out the sun overhead. Think vines and creepers studded with thorns were everywhere. From beyond the path, eyes glowed, and strange noises clicked.

"Stay on the path," said Yumi. "If we stray from it, odds are we'll never find it again…"

"Hey, look…" said Erik, pointing up ahead.

In front of them was a very large skeleton that seemed to have once belonged to fiendish dragon or dinosaur. It was entangled with vines.

"What is that?" he asked.

"I think a better question is," said Sam, "what _was_ it?"

Chelsea felt an odd sensation. Someone's hand was caressing her buttocks.

"Ren!" she scolded. "This is hardly the time."

"What?" said Ren.

She looked at him.. Neither of his hands were touching her.

"Everyone… freeze…" she said.

She turned around…

It wasn't a hand. It was a vine.

She quickly lifted her foot and stomped on the vine. Girlish laughter echoed around them.

A very large, blue flower with large, thorny vines rose up in front of them…

Then a sinister-looking nymph with green skin emerged out of the flower's blossom. It looked like she was growing out of it from the waist. (800/1,000)

"Good lord…" muttered Chelsea.

Then three more of the flower creatures rose up around them.

"I've heard of these Monsters," said Yumi. "They're called Arlownay."

"Well, let's do some pruning," said Chelsea, activating her Disk. "Go, Vampire Lady!"

"Opticlops!" shouted Sam.

"Dark Blade!" shouted Ren.

"Toy Magician!" shouted Erik.

They each threw cards on their Disks, and four Monsters appeared. Ren's Dark Blade took the forefront. (1,800/1,500) A sultry female vampire appeared beside him. (1,550/1,550) Then a hulking, muscular ogre with one eye and a horn on its forehead appeared. (1,800/1,700) Finally, a comical wizard that looked like it was made of plastic appeared, holding a scepter. (1,600/1,500)

"GO!" they all shouted.

Dark Blade slashed with his swords, and one of the Arlownay burst. Vampire Lady made a swipe with her claw, and another one exploded.

Opticlops charged and rammed one of them, blowing it to pieces. Finally, Toy Magician fired a blast of pure light, incinerating the last one.

"Escarole, anyone?" asked Erik.

"Well…" said Chelsea. "Wasn't so hard…"

She was cut off as an even bigger vine grabbed Vampire Lady. Vampire Lady screamed as the Monster lifted her off her feet. It was an even bigger flower nymph, with a red flower and blue skin on her human half. (2,000/1,800)

The nymph smiled evilly as she crushed Vampire Lady in her coils, until Vampire Lady gave one final gasp, and shattered.

"That's a Rose Spectre of Dunn!" gasped Sam. "And she doesn't look too happy that we just killed her sisters…"

"Leave it to me…" said Yumi, drawing a card.

She looked at it.

"I sacrifice Toy Magician and Opticlops…"

Sam and Erik's Monsters vanished.

"…to summon Dark Magician!"

In a burst of light, Dark Magician appeared. (2,500/2,100)

Dark Magician and Rose Spectre of Dunn frowned at each other…

"Dark… magic… attack!" shouted Yumi.

Dark Magician cast his powerful spell, and Rose Specter of Dunn exploded into shards.

Dark Magician and Dark Blade faded away.

"Look!" said Chelsea.

The deaths of the flower Monsters had apparently revealed another pathway, one sloping downwards.

"Hmm…" said Yumi. "Which road is the right road?"

"Maybe we should split up," suggested Sam. "I mean, we know our cell phones still work. We could call each other if we get in trouble."

"Okay, I'm fine with that," said Yumi. "Sam, Erik, you two take the high road, and the rest of us will take this low road."

Ren chuckled.

"You take the high road, we'll take the low road," he hummed, "and we'll get to Scotland before ye…"

They didn't know that they were being watched. Tara had been perched in a tree, watching their battle with the nymphs.

She spoke into her phone.

"They're splitting up," she said. "Who do you want me to follow?"

"Follow the larger group," said a voice that clearly wasn't Daala's. "I have someone else who can deal with Sam and Erik."

Tara nodded, and put the phone away.

She leapt to the next tree, and started to trail Yumi, Ren, and Chelsea.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Five minutes later, Yumi and her two friends trudged out of the brush into a wide clearing.

In the clearing was a set of standing stones. They reminded the teenagers of Stonehenge, only much smaller.

"So what do you suppose these are for?" asked Yumi.

"Mokey Mokey," said a voice next to her.

"Huh?" said Yumi.

She turned her head and saw an odd creature. It looked like a marshmallow with wings, stubby limbs, a face, and a question mark on its top.

"Anyone know what this little guy wants?" she asked.

"Who knows?" said Ren. "The flavor text on Mokey Mokey's card says that nobody knows what he's thinking at all."

"Mokey Mokey," said the little Fairy.

"Yeah, well he's annoying," said Yumi.

"Be careful," said Ren. "Take it from someone who went up against a Human Wave strategy… It isn't wise to make a Mokey Mokey mad."

Then a bellowing roar echoed through the forest. The Mokey Mokey's eyes popped out, and it flew away as fast as it could.

A shadowy, hulking form lumbered out of the forest in front of them. It was fully fifteen feet tall, resembling nothing less than a giant ape with green fur. It carried a large wooden club. (2,600/1,800)

"People…" said Yumi. "I think this video game's difficulty setting has just gone up a level…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DOUBLE PINASKA (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,500  
**DEF:** 1,500

**Card Description:** When this card is face-up on your side of the field, you can negate one attack made by your opponent. This effect can only be used once per duel.

_Note: "Double Pinaska" first appeared in "Legacy of the Duelist"._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**CRESCENT MOON QUEEN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,600  
**DEF:** 1,700

**Card Description:** This card can attack twice in the same Battle Phase. If this card attacks twice in the same Battle Phase, move it to face-up Defense Position at the end of the Battle Phase.

_Note: "Crescent Moon Queen" first appeared in "City of Souls"._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**LA SOMBRA (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 5  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card can only be Special Summoned by removing one DARK Warrior-Type Monster in your Graveyard from play. On the round this card is Special Summoned, your opponent draws one card. Enact the one of the following effects depending on the type of card drawn:

Monster: This card is destroyed.

Spell: You may destroy one opposing Monster.

Trap: This card may attack your opponent directly this round.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**NEW MOON PRINCESS (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,300  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description:** By offering this card as a Tribute, Special Summon one "Crescent Moon Queen" from your hand.

_Note: "La Sombra" and "New Moon Princess" first appeared in "Legend of the Sorcerer Kings". _

**0**

**0**

**0**

**CARD OF DEMISE (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** An executioner about to chop a deck of cards in half with a guillotine.

**Card Description:** Draw cards from your deck until your hand consists of five cards. On your fifth Standby Phase after this card is activated, send all cards in your hand to the Graveyard.

_Note: "Card of Demise" was used by Kaiba several times in the original anime, originally in "Clash in the Colosseum (Part Four)"._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**The heroes at least know where to start, but they are off to a rough start, as the horrors of the Tzimisce Woods try their hardest to block their advance.**_

_**Coming up next, Tara appears, and challenges Chelsea to a duel. Eddie's assumption that she isn't better than him may be challenged. One thing is for sure – Tara is experienced using a Deck Lord, while Chelsea is a beginner.**_

_**Don't miss "On Feathered Wings".**_


	5. On Feathered Wings

_**Harpie duelist… Duelist Kingdom finalist… Battle City finalist… Soldier of the Orichalcos… These are some of the phrases that describe Mai Valentine. Someone once called her the 'greatest duelist who was never successful', but whatever faults she had, she ultimately was someone that could be relied on.**_

_**She's retired now, her once-blonde hair grey with age, but her children and grandchildren have kept her legacy alive, in more ways than one. Jade still teaches martial arts in Domino, while Amber works as a defense attorney for a law firm in America. We even met Jade's daughter in Duelatopia last year, where she had become an Eliminator, using the playing card Knight Warriors.**_

_**Still, this family all goes back to one woman with a badass attitude and a deck of female Monsters who, while beautiful, would tear you to shreds if you so much as looked at them wrong.**_

_**Why do I bring this up?**_

_**Well, I'm in the middle of a duel, and while my opponent is a far cry from Mai, I can't help but think that this is how her opponents felt when they were on the receiving end of her Monsters' claws…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**On Feathered Wings**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

"So, Ms. Arachne," asked Olga. "How are you going to do this again?"

"Okay, let me explain this in simple terms," said Sheena, as she typed.

"The security system of KaibaCorp's main computer could best be described as a fortress of sorts. It not only had a powerful defense, but if it were attacked, it could mount a counterattack with powerful counter-viruses, destroying the online intrusion before it even reached its walls.

"From what I can gather, what Daala did was make an outright attack with some sort of security breaker so powerful, that the fortress couldn't destroy it, and its walls proved ineffective against it. This same… weapon, if you will, is also what enables her to control the system now. In other words, what she used to break into the fortress is now inside the computer, allowing her to control it.

"It also repaired all the damage it did, in order to keep others out. Which makes sense, because if someone else broke in, they could use it as a bridge to access Xanadu's secrets.

"However… I know a little secret of my own… And I'm wagering that Daala doesn't know it.

"Siegfried programmed a sort of private entrance to this fortress, to be used in dire emergencies. Its security was comparable to the Pentagon's. The only way into it, or to change it, was by using the password.

"And only two people in the world knew the password… Siegfried, and me. It wasn't written down anywhere. We only knew it by memory. The password is a pet name he used to call me when we were alone. No-one else ever heard it.

"Daala must have learned a lot to discover how to break into my defenses, but in order to have disabled this part of it…"

"She'd have to have been spying on the two of you when you were…" said Nicholas, slowly.

"Exactly!" said Sheena. "And since I never used this entrance before, there's no record of its existence anywhere.

"Now, once I use this entrance, I won't be able to do much except look around.

"I'll be like a thief lurking around in my own house, as pathetic as that sounds…

"But maybe, just maybe, we'll discover a weakness that we can use to mount our own attack, and take back the computer another way."

She typed in some words, and an image came up on her computer's screen. It looked like a spider web made of digital ones and zeroes.

"There's the entrance…" she said. "Both of you, close your eyes… This is one secret I'd like to keep to myself… And cross your fingers."

They closed their eyes as Sheena typed in the password.

"Bingo!" laughed Sheena.

A menu appeared on the screen.

"We're in, people. And Daala is none the wiser…

"Now, Daala… Let's see what we can find out about you and your kingdom…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi, Ren, and Chelsea stepped back as the huge ape loomed above them and roared, waving its club threateningly. (2,600/1,800)

"Lovely…" said Ren. "A giant, green gorilla…"

"That's no gorilla," said Yumi, drawing the top six cards off her deck. "That's Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest."

She looked at the six cards.

"And I don't have anything that can deal with it!"

"Don't worry," said Chelsea, looking at her own cards. "If we can use Monsters to fend off danger in this world, I'm betting Spells and Traps work too…"

She threw a card into her Disk.

"I play Call of the Mummy! And I'll use it to Special Summon Vampire Lord!"

In a burst of shadow, the exotically dressed vampire appeared. (2,000/1,500)

"Nice try, Chels," said Ren, "but he's not gonna cut it…"

"Then I'll trade him in for Vampire Genesis!" shouted Chelsea.

Vampire Lord vanished into grains of light. Lighting flashed, the sky darkened, and the hulking, muscular creature that seemed as much demon as he was vampire appeared in the spot. (3,000/2,100)

Green Baboon roared.

"Attack!" shouted Chelsea. "Crimson shroud!"

Vampire Genesis burst into a cloud of blood-red vapor, and shot at the Green Baboon. The Beast howled, and then exploded into pixels.

A flock of birds flew from the trees overhead. Numerous pairs of glowing, red eyes peered out of the underbrush.

Chelsea shuffled her cards back into her deck nervously as Vampire Genesis vanished.

"Someone's coming…" said Yumi.

Someone did come, sooner than they thought. Tara leapt from the tree above, and she was clearly angry.

"Well, well, well," she said, crossing her arms. "Not in Tzimisce for an hour, and you guys have already gotten into trouble…"

"Trouble?" said Chelsea. "Who are you?"

"Tara," she replied. "I'm the warden for the Realm Lord. But enough small talk.

"First you folks slaughter a grove of flower nymphs. Then you not only kill the Defender, but you do so in the sacred arena."

She pointed to the standing stones.

"Sacred arena?" asked Chelsea.

"A spot where the most vital duels in this forest take place," said Tara. "And I'm using its powers to enforce the rules of the Realm Lord. None of you are leaving until one of you duels me. It will be your punishment for what you did."

"Huh?" said Chelsea.

"Try to leave if you want," said Tara. "But the forest itself will force you back into this shrine if you do.

"I'm giving you a fair chance. You win, and you can leave. Lose, and Daala takes you."

"Wait a minute!" shouted Chelsea. "How do we know _you_ weren't the one who sicced those Monsters on us?"

Tara's only reaction to this was a slight smirk.

"Guys…" muttered Yumi, "I have a feeling that Daala's rules only apply when they benefit her."

"Who is this Realm Lord anyway?" demanded Chelsea. "Green Phantom King? Fairy King Truesdale? Lord Poison?"

"First," said Tara, "I'm not allowed to say. Second, Green Phantom King and Fairy King Truesdale aren't welcome here, and we have orders to apprehend them if they show up. Them, Doriado, Queen of Autumn Leaves, and the Charmers. They'd all try to drive out the Lord's influence if they came here.

"Third, Lord Poisons are hardly unique Monsters, and they all work for the Realm Lord.

"And fourth, you still aren't leaving until one of you duels me."

"All, right!" said Chelsea, walking forward. "I knew I'd have to risk my neck in this place eventually… There's no sense in putting it off…"

"Very well…" said Tara. "I promise you a painful, merciless duel. Present your Deck Lord. I assume you have one…"

"Uhm…" said Chelsea. "I haven't chosen one yet…"

"Fool," said Tara. "Your Monsters choose one for you. Don't tell me they were too slow to make up their minds."

Then a burst of energy appeared behind Chelsea, and Vampire Genesis appeared again, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Not a bad choice," said Tara, with a laugh. "Now meet mine…"

An explosion erupted on her side of the field, and a Monster even bigger than Vampire Genesis appeared. It was clearly a Dragon, with rust-red scales, large wings, a jeweled tiara, and a collar with a golden chain serving as a leash.

"Harpie's Pet Dragon?" laughed Chelsea. "Why don't you just put a tattoo on your stomach that says, 'I'm using a Harpie Deck'?"

"Trust me, Chelsea," said Tara, "you may have discovered the bare basics of my strategy, but enough of it remains hidden to catch you by surprise."

She smiled again.

"Do you know the legend behind this creature?" she asked.

She started shuffling her deck.

"Legend?" asked Chelsea.

"Why, yes," said Tara. "This is the fabled Dragon That Never Sleeps."

There was a long pause.

"The dragon that guarded the Golden Fleece?" asked Yumi.

"The one and only," said Tara. "Don't you remember the other creatures that Jason and the Argonauts fought on their quest?"

There was another long pause.

"They fought Harpies…" said Yumi slowly.

"Makes sense, doesn't it?" said Tara.

"So does that make you Medea?" asked Chelsea. "I think she tended to dress more decently."

Tara closed her eyes.

"If I'm anything like Medea," she said, somewhat irked, "that would make me a witch who knew powerful black magic, so making fun of my fashion sense wouldn't be a good idea!

"Enough talk… Let's duel…"

The Disks activated. They both snatched five cards off their decks.

"And mythology aside, my Deck Lord is more experienced than yours. That oversized Zombie has, at most, one Minor Power. I guarantee that mine benefits me more."

"Game on!" they shouted.

**(Chelsea: 8,000) -------------------- (Tara: 8,000)**

"Chelsea," said a deep voice.

"Huh?" whispered Chelsea. "Vampire Genesis?"

"She's only partially right," said the vampire. "The tiers of Deck Lord abilities only measure raw power. My ability is incredibly useful, if incredibly situational."

"Okay…" said Chelsea. "So what is it?"

"Should you lose a Monster with the word 'Vampire' in its name via battle," said Genesis, "discard one card from your hand, and I can resurrect it in Defense Mode.

"Good luck."

"I insist," said Tara. "You go first."

"Thanks," said Chelsea, drawing a card. "Don't mind if I do…

"I throw two cards facedown, and then summon Zombie Werewolf."

Two facedown cards appeared, and then a vicious werewolf appeared, wearing only torn trousers and broken shackles on its wrists. He lifted his head and howled. (1,200/1,200)

"I end my turn."

_If she attacks,_ she thought, _my facedown Rush Recklessly will boost his Attack Score to 1,900. Even if she attacks with Harpie Queen, she'll only manage a draw. And even if she does beat my Werewolf, his effect will let me summon an even stronger one._

"My draw," said Tara, drawing.

"I play the Spell Card, Summon Storm. I simply have to give up 800 Life Points, and I get to Special Summon a Wind Monster from my hand that's Level Four or less.

"So I'll summon the enchanting Harpie Lady."

A burst of wind blew over the field, and the lovely, female Winged Beast appeared. Chelsea and her two allies were somewhat shocked by her appearance… Especially since her upper body was only covered by a pair of cloths resembling suspenders. This was the one with long, straight, red hair. (1,300/1,400)

"Why Special Summon a Monster that you could just have easily Normal Summoned?" asked Chelsea.

"So I could play this," replied Tara, holding up a Spell Card. "Inferno Reckless Summon. Now I get to bring out two more Harpies."

In another burst of wind, the Harpie's two sisters appeared: one with short, red hair with bangs, and one with bushy blue hair. The three of them looked at Chelsea with evil smiles.

"Fine!" said Chelsea. "Maybe you forgot, I get to summon two more Werewolves."

Two more Zombie Werewolves appeared in two more bursts of shadow.

"I didn't forget," said Tara, "and they'll be all the more fun to destroy."

"Hey…" said Ren. "Shouldn't those Harpies have gained some Attack Points?"

Tara chuckled.

"You make the mistake of thinking that these girls are the Effect Monster versions of the Harpie Ladies, Ren," she said. "Harpie Lady 1 of that flock does indeed have the ability to increase the scores of Wind Monsters. These aren't them… These are just the old-fashioned non-Effect variety.

"You're likely asking, 'Why is she only using weak non-Effect Harpies? Well, remember when I said that my strategy would take you by surprise?"

She played another Spell Card, one with a picture of three Fiend Scorpions arranged in a triangular pattern.

"I play… Delta Attacker. I can only use this when I have three Normal Monsters on the field with the same name. It lets all three attack directly."

"Wait a minute!" shouted Chelsea.

"GO!" shouted Tara, as the Harpies flew into the air. "Triple dive bomb! Chew Chelsea to pieces!"

Chelsea remembered what happened next for a long time afterwards, although what she remembered was vague. It was mostly the three Harpies swooping down on her, followed by a multitude of claws raking against her arms, legs, belly, and face.

She collapsed.

**(C: 4,100) -------------------- (T: 7,200)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In Sheena's house, Nicholas walked into the lounge carrying a soda. He sighed. It seemed that Sheena only had regular Coke instead of Diet, and she didn't have any Gatorade. But it wasn't like he could complain.

"Any progress?" he asked.

"Like the tortoise, slow but steady," said Sheena. "I never thought I'd be sneaking around my own system…

"I'm getting a little information about Xanadu… Basically, if it were a true video game, I'm getting the stuff you would find in the instruction booklet…

"From what I can see, it's not a very pleasant place… And there are house rules for some of the duels that I can't seem to access yet…

"A major difference between Xanadu and Dueltasia seems to be that Xanadu's population consists of both humans and intelligent Duel Monsters…"

"Strange…" said Olga. "It's like Daala has created her own alternate dimension… A dimension of Duel Spirits…"

Sheena sighed.

"Duel Spirits," she muttered. "Very difficult to deal with…"

"You've dealt with them?" asked Nicholas.

Sheena nodded.

"Well, maybe," she said. "One of the Eliminators currently working in Duelatopia is a guy who calls himself the Midnight Caller. He claims to be a vampire, although I'm not sure I believe him… But he's one of the most mysterious employees I ever brought into KaibaCorp.

"The thing is, he has a retinue of five servants… Five women… And either by some power that he or they have, they're able to turn themselves into five of the cards that he uses in his deck.

"It leads me to think that they may be Duel Spirits. Where they came from, I have no idea… Maybe he made some sort of deal with them.

"By the way, if you tell anyone, I'll deny ever having said that, and no-one will ever be able to prove it, I guarantee."

"Hey, we can keep secrets," said Nicholas. "He doesn't drink blood, does he?"

"According to him, that's a myth," said Sheena. "He says vampires don't need sustenance at all. The curse that they use to spread vampirism is simply that – a curse. They don't drain a victim's blood to do it.

"He's not interested in telling me the details, but he's not interested in creating more vampires either, so I don't pry."

There was a beeping noise on the screen.

"What's this?"

She looked at something that she had just come across.

"Nicholas… Olga…" she said. "I seem to have uncovered something by accident… A private e-mail that Daala is sending to someone…

"And its title reads: 'Top Secret'."

She punched in a command.

"What are you doing?" said Olga.

"A special hacker trick," replied Sheena. "If this works, a copy of Daala's e-mail will be sent to me, without her even knowing it.

"If this works, we may discover something vital we can use."

"Let's hope it's not just a letter to her boyfriend," said Olga.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"That hurt, Chels?" asked Tara. "Well, shucks… You want my Harpies to kiss it?"

Chelsea looked up and saw the three of them grinning with sinister smiles.

"I'll pass," she groaned.

"Chelsea…" said Ren.

"Uh, uh, uh," said Tara. "You try to help her, Ren, and she's disqualified."

Then Vampire Genesis reached down and offered his hand.

Chelsea took it, and struggled to her feet.

"Show off," said Tara. "It's still my turn. First I'll play a facedown…"

A facedown card appeared behind the Harpies.

"Next I'll play this… Winged Repayment. This Spell Card lets me pay 600 Life Points to draw one card for each Winged Beast I have on the field."

She drew three cards. She looked them over.

"Thing is, I'm not allowed to use them until my next turn. So I'll end my turn now."

**(C: 4,100) -------------------- (T: 6,600)**

Chelsea slowly drew a card.

"I really hope that facedown card isn't Mirror Wall," she whispered.

"Hard to tell," said Genesis. "It's hard to say how many of her cards are the ones that Mai Valentine used…

"And furthermore, Mai hated seeing her Harpies die. This duelist may not be so sentimental. She might be willing to sacrifice them without a second thought. So while Mai would never have used Icarus Attack, Tara likely doesn't have such qualms."

"Good point," said Chelsea. "But if she uses another Delta Attacker, this is gonna be over very quickly…

"I sacrifice one Werewolf to summon Vampire Lord!"

The Werewolf in the middle vanished, and the tall vampire appeared. (2,000/1,500)

"Attack the Harpie Lady in the middle!" she shouted. "Children of the night!"

Vampire Lord's eyes glowed. He lifted his cape, and a swarm of bats shot at the Harpie Lady. She covered herself with her wings and staggered back as the swarm hit her, but when the onslaught subsided, she was still standing.

"Huh?" said Chelsea, opening her eyes wide. "How did she survive?"

Tara chuckled.

"I have no idea…" she said with a laugh. "Wait… Could it have something to do with this big Dragon behind me?"

She pointed at her Deck Lord.

"Her Deck Lord ability is called Harpie Bodyguard. When a Harpie Lady is summoned, she gains a Protection Counter, and if she would be destroyed, I can protect her by removing the Counter."

Chelsea's eyes narrowed.

"I see you still lost Life Points!" she shouted. "That means Vampire Lord's effect activates. I declare Spell Card."

"Whatever you say…" muttered Tara, taking a card from her deck.

She discarded a copy of Elegant Egotist.

"And I'm not done," said Chelsea.

One of her facedown cards lifted.

"Go, Rush Recklessly!"

The Zombie Werewolf to Vampire Lord's right rose to an Attack Score of 1,900.

"Attack the Harpie without the Counter!" she shouted. "Terror claw!"

Zombie Werewolf lunged at the Harpie and slashed with his claw. Harpie Lady screeched, and shattered into bits.

"Now I'll move my other Werewolf to Defense Mode…"

The other Werewolf crouched down and crossed its arms.

"I'll throw two more cards facedown, and play Mirage of Nightmare."

Two new facedown cards appeared, and the Mirage of Nightmare card materialized.

Ren and Yumi grinned. Chelsea was so good at this combo…

"I end my turn," said Chelsea.

**(C: 4,100) -------------------- (T: 5,300)**

"Then it's my move," said Tara.

She drew a card.

_This will do…_ she thought, looking at the Monster.

"Hold up," said Chelsea. "Thanks to my Mirage card, I get to draw four cards."

She made four draws.

"Uh huh," said Tara. "And one of those facedown cards is clearly Emergency Provisions, right?"

Chelsea frowned. Her facedown Emergency Provisions flipped up. A large mouth appeared, and chomped down on the Mirage card, devouring it.

"Whoa…" muttered Chelsea. "Realistic…."

"Well, I'll activate my own facedown card," said Tara. "Call of the Haunted."

Her Trap Card lifted, and a wicker casket appeared on her side of the field.

It opened, and the Harpie Lady stepped out. (1,300/1,400)

"Not so fast!" shouted Chelsea, as another of her facedown card lifted. "Go, Dust Tornado!"

A tornado shot across the field, and the Call of the Haunted card was blown to pieces.

However, the Harpie just grinned wickedly at Chelsea.

"What?" said Chelsea. "She should have been destroyed…"

"My Deck Lord can protect them from being destroyed by anything," said Tara. "Not just battle."

"Oh, this is not fair!" shouted Chelsea.

"Hey!" said Tara. "I started out with a weak Deck Lord, and I worked my butt off to get her to earn an Intermediate Power. And before that, I worked my butt off before Daala recognized my talent and awarded me the right to even use a Deck Lord.

"Unlike you, who was given one by Joan as a gift. Deny that…"

"Okay, I won't deny it," said Chelsea. "But was your hard work honest work, or was it all crimes committed in Daala's name that resulted in the citizens of Xanadu suffering?"

Tara frowned, and put a card on her Disk.

"I summon Hunter Owl!" she shouted.

A new Winged Beast appeared. It was definitely an owl, humanoid in shape, carrying a pike. (1,000/900)

"That's weak," said Chelsea.

"Weak?" asked Tara. "I'll show you weak. Hunter Owl gains 500 more Attack Points for each Wind Monster on my side of the field. My Deck Lord doesn't count, but I have four of them."

All four of Tara's Monsters glowed with green energy, and Hunter Owl grew to an Attack Score of 3,000.

"How's THAT for weak?" asked Tara. "And it has another effect, by the way. You can't attack it so long as I have at least one other Wind Monster on my side of the field. But for now…

"Hunter Owl… Attack Vampire Lord with night predator slash!"

Hunter Owl rose into the air. It swooped at Vampire Lord, and with one swipe of its pike, the Zombie was cut down.

Chelsea grit her teeth.

"You aren't the only one who can use her Deck Lord, Tara!" she shouted. "I'm tossing one card in my hand to do so, and bringing Vampire Lord right back."

She discarded her Axe of Despair into her Graveyard, and Vampire Genesis glowed. Vampire Lord burst out of the ground, kneeling and covering himself with his cape. (2,000/1,500)

Tara took a card from her hand, and placed it in her Disk. A facedown card appeared.

"I'll set a facedown card, and that will be all," she said.

**(C: 4,100) -------------------- (T: 5,300)**

_Huh?_ thought Chelsea. _Why didn't she have her Harpies attack my Werewolves?_

She drew a card.

_Oh yeah…_ she thought.

"I move Vampire Lord to Attack Mode," she said, "and summon Vampire Lady."

Vampire Lord stood up, and then the dark, female vampire appeared. (1,550/1,550)

"Vampire Lord, attack…"

"I activate… Windstorm of Etaqua!" shouted Tara, as her facedown card lifted.

A wind that could best be described as hurricane-force blew through the forest. All four of Chelsea's Monsters strained, and both vampires knelt in Defense Mode, as did the Werewolf in Attack Mode, while the Werewolf in Defense Mode moved into Attack Mode.

Chelsea sighed. She turned the card on her Disk, and he moved back into Defense Mode.

"I'll play a facedown of my own, and that's all," she said.

A facedown card appeared next to her other one.

"Then I'll move…" said Tara, drawing a card. "And you're about to lose…

"I play my deadliest Spell Card…

"Harpie Lady – Phoenix Formation!"

"NO!" screamed Yumi and Ren at once.

"Since I have at least two Harpies on the field," said Tara, playing the card, "I can destroy one Monster for each one, and the total attack points of the destroyed Monsters come out of your Life Points!

"Go!"

Chelsea looked up in panic, as the three Harpies became surrounded in auras of flames and flew skyward…

_My Spell Card!_ she thought.

"I activate… Mystik Wok!"

One of her two facedown cards flipped up, revealing a Quickplay. Vampire Lord vanished into grains of light, and a huge wok with a fire underneath it appeared behind Chelsea. Energy started to flow from the wok into her.

"My little stir-fry lessens the effect of your barbecue," said Chelsea, "letting me sacrifice Vampire Lord before he's destroyed, and giving me 2,000 Life Points as a buffer!"

"Yeah?" said Tara. "Your other three Monsters won't be so lucky…"

Flames fell from the sky, and Vampire Lady and the two Zombie Werewolves were incinerated.

Chelsea held her chest in pain…

**(C: 2,150) -------------------- (T: 5,300)**

The three Harpies landed.

"Hang in there, Chelsea!" shouted Ren. "Her Harpies can't attack after she uses that Spell!"

"Oh, sure," said Tara, with a laugh. "_They_ can't…"

She pointed to Hunter Owl.

"Remember him? There's nothing that says I can't attack with Hunter Owl.

"Hunter Owl, attack Chelsea directly and finish her off!"

Hunter Owl flew into the air… It swooped at Chelsea.

"Go, Trap Card!" shouted Chelsea, as her last facedown card lifted. "Widespread Ruin!"

Hunter Owl exploded, and feathers filled the air around the arena. Tara scowled.

"I end my turn!" she shouted.

Chelsea drew a card.

"All right!" she said. "I play… Pot of Greed!"

The evil jar appeared in front of her with a chuckle. She made two draws.

"Time to turn this around," she said. "I play Book of Life. It's called that because it gives life to creatures that formerly didn't have any.

"So, I can Special Summon a Zombie from my Graveyard, like my Vampire Lady."

Vampire Lady appeared in a burst of shadow. (1,550/1,550)

"Of course, to do something like that, a sacrifice has to be made. So I'll remove your Hunter Owl from play so I won't have to worry about it again."

Hunter Owl fell out of Tara's discard slot.

She took a card from her hand.

"But my vampire's not staying long… You say your Dragon has a legend behind it? So does the guy I'm about to summon…

"Long ago, there was a powerful wizard who sought the secrets of the universe. He studied forbidden magic, secrets that most feared, and mastered them on all levels. He cheated death by transforming from living to undead, and grew in might and power. He became the master of all secrets, and the lord of darkest arcane power.

"So terrifying were the powers he practiced, only the very brave or the very foolhardy ever spoke his true name aloud… The name… Vecna.

"Those who weren't so brave spoke of him by his many titles. The Master of the Spider Throne, The Whispered One, The Maimed Lord…"

Vampire Lady vanished, and a creeping shadow appeared.

"Or… Lich Lord, King of the Underworld!"

The shadow formed into a skeletal creature in a tattered, crimson sorcerer's robe, clutching a golden staff, with black, feathered wings on its back. (2,400/1,200)

"Ugh!" said Tara.

"Attack the Harpie without the Counter!" shouted Chelsea. "Cursed magic!"

Lich Lord chanted, and cast a bolt of flaming black magic at the Harpie. The Harpie Lady screamed and fell backwards before she shattered.

Chelsea looked Tara in the eye.

"Your move," she said.

**(C: 2,150) -------------------- (T: 4,200)**

Tara drew a card.

"I'll simply move my two Harpies to Defense Mode, and that will be all," she said.

The two Harpies landed, and covered themselves with their wings.

Chelsea drew a card and looked at it.

"I set a new facedown, and summon a second Vampire Lady," she said.

A facedown card appeared, and another vampiress appeared, standing under the larger Zombie. (1,550/1,550)

"Both of you," said Chelsea, "attack the Harpie Lady on the right!"

Vampire Lady flew at the Harpie, and slashed at her with her claw. Then Lich Lord cast its dark spell, and the Winged Beast shattered.

"Looks like Chelsea found a way to defeat this Deck Lord," said Ren.

"Yeah," said Yumi. "Take down the Harpies one at a time…"

Tara frowned as she drew a card.

_Perfect!_ she thought. _I've got just what I need to play Phoenix Formation again._

_The only problem is, I need at least two Harpies on the field… But that's easily taken care of…_

She fit a card into her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"Your move," she said with a cheery smile.

Chelsea drew a card.

"I summon… Blood Sucker," she said.

She played the card, and a new Zombie appeared. It looked like a fiendish bat, with horns and wing-like membranes under its arms. (1,300/1,500)

"Lich Lord… Vampire Lady… Finish the job…"

The two Zombies rushed at the last Harpie Lady, and with two attacks, she was blown to pixels.

"Blood Sucker… Attack directly!"

Blood Sucker flew at Tara, and clawed at her torso with its claw. She gasped and fell over.

"And then there's Blood Sucker's effect," said Chelsea. "You lose the top card from your deck."

The top card flew off of Tara's deck and vanished.

_I'll still have the last laugh…_ thought Tara.

**(C: 2,150) -------------------- (T: 2,900)**

She got up.

"My move…" she said. "Time to fry…"

She drew a card.

Her facedown card lifted.

"I activate… Hysteric Party!

"I just have to toss one card, and all three of my Harpies come back."

She discarded the card she had just drawn, and funky music started to play, and colored strobe lights covered the arena. All three Harpie Ladies appeared in front of her. (1,300/1,400 x3)

"And guess what?" said Tara. "They all have Counters again. Not like it will matter…

"I play Spell Reproduction! I toss two other Spell Cards…"

She discarded her Pot of Avarice and Harpie's Hunting Ground.

"…and I get my Phoenix Formation back."

She took the Spell Card from her discard slot.

"So this duel is over…"

She played the card.

"Don't think so…" said Chelsea.

Her Trap Card flipped up.

"I play Spell Shield Type-8!"

"Huh?" said Tara.

Chelsea discarded the Symbol of Heritage in her hand, and a strange machine appeared in front of her. As Harpie Lady – Phoenix Formation appeared on the field, the machine spun, grinding it into confetti.

"Damn you!" shouted Tara.

"Since you have no more cards, it's my move…" said Chelsea, drawing a card.

"And I got just what I needed. Go, Mystical Space Typhoon!"

She played the card, and the cyclone tore across the field, blowing the Hysteric Party card to bits. The music cut short, and the lights died.

"Normally, that would have destroyed all three Harpies," said Chelsea. "So now all of them lose their Counters.

"Blood Sucker, you attack first."

Blood Sucker bore its fangs. It flew and tackled the first Harpie, and both Monsters exploded.

"Vampire Lady!" shouted Chelsea.

Vampire Lady clawed at the second Harpie, and she shattered.

"Lich Lord!"

Lich Lord cast its spell at the last one, and she burst.

**(C: 2,150) -------------------- (T: 1,550)**

"Your move," said Chelsea.

Tara drew a card.

She simply set a card on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"Lose the attitude, huh?" said Chelsea.

She made a draw.

"Well, that's usually what happens when people like you realize that they're finished."

She pointed, and Vampire Lady pounced. A Harpie Girl appeared on the card and was blown to pieces.

Lich Lord, the King of the Underworld cast the cursed magic one more time, striking Tara directly. She cried out in pain.

Chelsea breathed a sigh of relief.

**(C: 2,150) -------------------- (T: 0)**

Vampire Genesis started to glow with energy. Then Harpie's Pet Dragon roared. The Dragon shattered into particles, and Vampire Genesis glowed even more intently.

"What happened?" asked Chelsea.

"We won," said Genesis. "Harpie's Pet Dragon's power is now mine… Next time, I'll be even stronger.

"You're off to a good start, Chelsea. Whether your next duel requires me as a Deck Lord or a normal card, I have high hopes."

He vanished.

Chelsea walked up to Tara, with Ren and Yumi behind her. Tara was chuckling.

"What's so funny?" asked Chelsea.

"You're so naïve, Chelsea," said Tara. "The Realm Lord was using divide and conquer tactics against you. I was supposed to handle you while someone else disposed of Sam and Erik.

"You beat me… But will they be so lucky?

She started to fade away.

"Daala might lock me away for failure… But who knows… Once someone defeats you, she might make us share a cell…

"I'll be happy to see you…"

And then she was gone.

"Don't count on it," said Yumi.

She took out her cell phone, and dialed a number.

She listened to the dial tone.

"**The person you are trying to reach is currently dueling,"** said the message at the other end. **"Please call back later."**

Yumi gave a strange look. That was _not_ the message Sam had recorded.

Clearly, in Xanadu, the cellular service was pretty good…

And Sam was likely in trouble…

"Ow!" she shouted.

Something had hit her on the head.

She looked up.

Then an acorn hit her in the face. Then one hit Ren, and then two hit Chelsea.

"HEY!" shouted Chelsea. "Who's the wise guy who's throwing nuts at us?"

They shielded themselves as the barrage of nuts continued to fall.

"Look…" said Yumi.

They saw the creatures in the trees. They were odd looking animals, resembling hedgehogs at first glance, but with bat-like wings and single horns on their foreheads.

"Archfiend Marmots of Nefariousness," said Ren. "And they just got on my bad side…"

He went to draw a card.

"NO!" shouted Yumi. "It's a trick! Someone wants us to waste our cards fighting a flock of weaklings. The Realm Lord will likely send something just as strong as that Baboon after us after we've used all our Monsters fighting these dumb squirrels."

"So what do we do?" asked Ren. "OW! That one hit me in the eye!"

"This way…" said Yumi, pointing to the path they hadn't taken.

"We're gonna run from a bunch of chipmunks?" shouted Ren. "This is embarrassing…"

"We're not running…" said Yumi. "We're… making a strategic retreat."

They backed away from the onslaught of nuts, and ran down the path.

"Okay, strategic retreat," said Ren. "I can live with that…"

On the other side of the forest, someone was watching them.

"Seems you have some brains in that head of yours, Yumi," he said. "You'll be a worthy foe… should you manage to get here…

"You'll… Huh?"

He paused. He noticed something.

"Oh… drat… They're heading right for my private orchard… That's all I need… Who have I got guarding it today?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Good news, people," said Sheena. "We've gotten a copy of the e-mail…

"Now… Let's see what message Daala was so intent on keeping secret…"

She clicked on it.

Her eyes narrowed.

"Well, this e-mail wasn't sent to one person," she said, "but to _four_."

"Who?" asked Olga.

"The recipients are AGoW, DoP, LLoA, and FOM," said Sheena. "Who they are, I have no idea…

"But let's read this…"

They read the message.

_To the Four Elite Bodyguard,_

_This message is to let you know that the cards have been completed. They have been added to the decks designed to your specifications._

_I have sent each of you a messenger to deliver your decks. I won't say the species name here, but they are Dark Machine-Types that are Level Four. I chose these Machines to deliver them because such creatures are incredibly loyal and do not ask questions. They do not know the contents of their cargo. They have been instructed to deliver their parcels to you, and nothing else. They have been given several Limiter Removal Spells to use in case someone tries to rob them, but if that happens, they should survive long enough to get the decks to you._

_Remember the instructions you were given at the time you volunteered. The resistance must not know of the existence of these cards until the time has come to use them for the duels they were created for. Do not let anyone else so much as look at them. And if you use these cards at any time other than the designated time, I will consider it an act of treason._

_Good luck._

_Power Comes in Combinations_

Sheena, Nicholas, and Olga looked at the screen for a minute.

"That's heavy," said Nicholas. "She's created some super-weapons to use against this resistance…"

Sheena smiled.

"But…" she said, "at least now we know that there IS a resistance! Maybe not everyone in Xanadu is an enemy!"

"So what do we do?" asked Olga. "We can't get to Xanadu with Daala controlling your things… Even if Yumi and the others have allied themselves with this resistance, there's very little that we can do to help… We have no way to warn them."

Sheena sighed.

"True…" she said. "We'd best get back to working on regaining control of my computer.

"But now we do know that there's a resistance in Xanadu. That means that, no matter how cruel Daala is, there exists one driving force in Xanadu that may be her undoing… Something that is created whenever someone decides to take a stand against evil… A powerful force that has sent so many dictators to ruin…

"That thing… is Hope…

"And children… Hope is a tyrant's deadliest enemy…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ZOMBIE WEREWOLF (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Zombie/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,200  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description:** When this card is destroyed as a result of battle and sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon one "Zombie Werewolf" from your hand or deck. The Special Summoned Monster's base ATK becomes 500 more than the one that was destroyed to activate this effect.

_Note: "Zombie Werewolf" was first used by Camula in the multi-part "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Field of Screams". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**BLOOD SUCKER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Zombie/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,300  
**DEF:** 1,500

**Card Description:** When this card damages your opponent's Life Points as a result of battle, your opponent discards the top card from his deck.

_Note: "Blood Sucker" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SUMMON STORM (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A ninja in the center of a glowing tornado.

**Card Description:** Pay 800 Life Points. Special Summon one WIND Monster that is Level Four or less from your hand.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**WINGED REPAYMENT (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** The image on this card was not clear.

**Card Description:** Pay 600 Life Points. Draw one card from your deck for every Winged Beast-Type Monster face-up on your side of the field. The card(s) drawn by this effect cannot be summoned, set, or activated during the turn you use this card.

_Note: "Summon Storm" and "Winged Repayment" were first used by Harpie's Brother in the Yu-Gi-Oh GX episode "A New World Order". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**HARPIE LADY – PHOENIX FORMATION (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A blue, flaming bird inside a rune-covered circle.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when you have at least two Monsters named "Harpie Lady" face-up on your side of the field. Destroy one opposing Monster for each "Harpie Lady" face-up on your side of the field. Inflict direct damage to your opponent's Life Points equal to the combined ATK of the destroyed Monsters. Monsters named "Harpie Lady" on your side of the field cannot attack on the round you use this card.

_Note: "Harpie Lady – Phoenix Formation" was first used by Mai in the original anime episode "My Freaky Valentine (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**Chelsea's Deck Lord: "Vampire Genesis": "Vampire Regeneration":** When a Zombie-Type Monster with the word "Vampire" in its name is destroyed as a result of battle, you may discard one card from your hand to Special Summon it from the Graveyard in face-up Defense Position. (Minor Power)

**0**

**0**

**0**

**Tara's Deck Lord: "Harpie's Pet Dragon": "Harpie Bodyguard":** When a "Harpie Lady" is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned, place one Protection Counter on it. If a Monster with a Protection Counter on it would be destroyed, you may remove the Protection Counter to prevent it from being destroyed. (Intermediate Power)

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**One of the best things about computer programs is, it's possible to upgrade them without having to replace the whole system. By doing so, the program improves.**_

_**In the next chapter, Sam meets a virtual construct similar to Jesse, modeled after a duelist from the past. Unfortunately, this one isn't nearly as friendly as Jesse was, nor is he working for Joan. Even worse, Daala has upgraded his strategy, making him far more deadly than the original was – even if his ego is the same.**_

_**Don't miss "Pest Dilemma". It sounds confusing, but it will all come together.**_


	6. Pest Dilemma

Some folks go from humble beginnings to greatness

_**Some folks go from humble beginnings to greatness. Such was the case of Yumi's grandfather, and my great uncle. Both went from rags to riches.**_

_**Such is NOT the case with the guy I'm facing here. He was the opposite.**_

_**He was a big shot in the early days of Duel Monsters. He was the national champion of Japan, in fact. So Pegasus delivered his invitation to Duelist Kingdom to him in person, and he went there with V.I.P treatment.**_

_**However, he turned out to be a big cheater, and he paid dearly for an act of foul play. The victim of said act defeated him soundly in the first round, and he was forced to go home in disgrace with the others who had lost their first duels.**_

_**He had plans for revenge in Battle City. He would lure that duelist to him by defeating his best friend. Again, he tried to win by cheating, but the plan backfired, and the friend defeated him, eliminating him from that tournament too.**_

_**The once champion of Japan became a nobody. No respectable tournament would invite him any more. Destitute, he tried to get back in the saddle by making a deal with the ultimate evil, selling his soul for power. But he failed there as well.**_

_**He's dead now, and nobody really misses him. The world should be glad he's gone…**_

_**But this bad memory has been reborn…**_

_**And I have a feeling that this has-been might be hiding something… Something big…**_

_**It's time to duel…**_

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**CHAPTER FIVE**

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**Pest Dilemma**

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**0 0 0 0 0**

As Chelsea was dealing with the Green Baboon, Sam and Erik were walking through a part of the Woods that seemed to be part forest and part cavern. The overhanging branches didn't let much sunlight onto the path.

"Pretty dark," muttered Sam.

"I can't say for sure…" replied Erik. "But I think it's gonna get darker before it gets lighter…"

Then they were startled as a group of glowing eyes appeared in front of them.

Sam and Erik stood their ground, and their Disks activated.

With a cacophony of squeaks and squawks, a flurry of black shapes flew from above them and flew overhead.

"Bats?" asked Erik.

"Dark Bats," said Sam. "Rather weak Monsters. But stay on your guard…"

"Hey…" said Erik. "There's a signpost up ahead…"

There was indeed. A wooden signpost pointed ahead, and the words "Paradox Grove" were printed on it.

"Paradox Grove?" said Sam. "What the heck is that?"

They walked forward, and the path opened up into a clearing.

Chills went down the spines of the two teenagers. The clearing was bordered by frightening-looking, twisted oak trees, who all had fiendish-looking faces on their trunks, with mouths full of sharp teeth.

"Don't go near them…" muttered Sam. "I saw _The Wizard of Oz_…"

"These are _not_ apple trees, Sam," said Erik. "They might do something other than pelt their victims with fruit…"

"Hey," said a deep voice.

They turned. It was one of the trees that had said it.

"What's the sound of one hand clapping?" asked the tree.

"Huh?" asked Sam. "Uhm, uh…"

"How many angels can stand on the head of a pin?" asked another of the trees.

"What?" said Sam. "Slow down!"

"Do humans have free will?" asked a third tree.

"What's your favorite color?" asked a fourth.

The other trees joined in, asking a barrage of questions, all of which seemed to have no simple answers.

"Sam!" shouted Erik, covering his ears. "Run!"

The two ran for the path, but a branch crashed down, blocking their advance.

"What would happen," asked the tree that the branch belonged to, "if an unstoppable force collided with an immovable object?"

"Hey, bark-brains!" shouted a voice.

Everyone was stunned. Sam and Erik looked up at the path they hadn't taken yet, and saw a figure standing there.

"What time is it?" asked the figure, in a high, nasally voice.

"It's four thirty-two PM and twenty-nine seconds," said one of the trees.

"No," said another tree. "It's four thirty-two PM and thirty-one seconds."

"No," said another. "It's four thirty-two PM and thirty-four seconds."

Then the trees started to argue. Sam and Erik looked at each other with confused looks.

"This way, you two!" shouted the figure. "That will keep them occupied for about a minute!"

Sam and Erik weren't about to ask questions. They ran out of the clearing, towards the figure, who was chuckling in that high, nasally voice.

"Stupid paradox trees," he chortled. "They fall for that trick every time…"

"Well, thanks a bunch, buddy, we…" said Erik.

Then he stopped short.

He recognized who it was.

It was a youth who was rather short, about five-foot-four, wearing an odd outfit – a closed green jacket with a black design on the front and back resembling a beetle. What truly made him recognizable was his hair – green and cut into a bowl-style – and his large, yellow-rimmed glasses. He wore a Duel Disk on his left arm. He also had a machete strapped to his side.

"Weevil Underwood…" muttered Sam. "I thought you were dead."

Weevil chuckled.

"The real Weevil is," he said. "Joan isn't the only one who knows how to make virtual constructs, you know.

"The real Weevil is rotting in his grave, but Daala has made me… A copy that's just as good."

"Or just as bad," said Sam. "Why'd you save us, bug-brain?"

"I'd say I haven't yet," said Weevil. "You two had best follow me…"

"Why should we trust you?" asked Sam. "You're not only a copy of one of the most untrustworthy duelists that Yumi's two grandfathers had the pleasure of beating, but you just admitted you work for Daala!"

"Why am I untrustworthy?" asked Weevil.

Sam sighed. She started counting on her fingers.

"You destroyed Yugi's Exodia cards," she said, "you sabotaged Joey Wheeler's deck, you sided with the Orichalcos, you stole the God Cards… Need I go on?"

"You want my professional opinion?" asked Weevil.

There was a pause as he looked at them.

"I'm not a professional!

"But I do know that you two have found your way into one of the deadliest parts of Tzimisce. If you wander into another grove of those trees, they'll badger you with questions until they drive you mad.

"I know how to get to the other end of Paradox Grove without running into them. Let me put it this way… What choice do you have?"

He started to walk ahead.

"Just stick close to me, and it'll be like a walk in the park."

"We're gonna regret this…" muttered Erik. "Somehow, I just know it…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Weevil slashed through the vines in front of him with his machete.

"Soon this will all just be a happy memory," he said. "The Tzimisce isn't a very pleasant place for most duelists… But when you run a deck full of Monsters that benefit from the Forest Field Spell, like yours truly, it's actually rather nice after a while.

"Occasionally, I even find some powerful Insect Duel Spirits, and convince them to join my deck… It's gotten better by leaps and bounds since I was first programmed…

"In fact… I think I may be a better Insect duelist than the original Weevil Underwood ever was…"

He turned to Sam and chuckled.

"Maybe I'm even better than your mom, Samantha."

Sam fumed with anger.

"She'd be more than willing to come here and duel you," she growled.

"That's the idea!" laughed Weevil.

They walked into a clearing. In the center was a giant cocoon.

"That's a Cocoon of Evolution!" shouted Sam.

Weevil chuckled.

"That's right, Samantha!" he laughed. "And it's been there much longer than the equivalent of six rounds. I can bring out Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth and have it crush you any time I want.

"You didn't really think I was going to lead you to safety for free, did you?"

"What do you want, Weevil?" asked Sam, now getting angry.

"Here's the deal…" said Weevil. "The exit to Paradox Grove is right behind it. If you want out, you're gonna have to duel me. Win, and you two can pass."

"And if I lose?" asked Sam.

"Then when Daala takes you, you get marked prisoner status," said Weevil. "Meaning I'm free to use you for one endeavor."

"Bait to lure my mother into a duel when Daala finally lets her come here…" growled Sam.

Weevil laughed.

"You catch on fast!" he chortled.

"All right!" shouted Sam, "I'll duel you. Just give me a minute."

She took her deck out of her Disk and started looking through the cards.

"What are you doing?" asked Weevil.

"Checking to make sure my deck doesn't have any cards that I didn't put in it!" snapped Sam.

Weevil laughed out loud.

"You think I'm going to resort to foul play?" he asked. "Bah… Even without cheating… Even without cursed magic… I'll wager I'm still a far better duelist than you are! Like I said, Daala made me even better than the real Weevil."

"I'm not sure if that's much of an improvement," said Sam.

"You'll be a believer soon," said Weevil. "Now… Let's see you bring out your Deck Lord…"

"Huh?" said Sam.

Then her deck started to glow…

In a burst of shadowy energy, a powerful figure appeared behind her. It was a fiendish man wearing leather armor and a mask, with blades on his wrists. Strapped to his back was a huge sword – a zanbatô.

"Gors?" whispered Sam.

"Indeed," said the Fiend's powerful voice. "As the Dark Ruler's right-hand man, he has given me the task of acting as your Deck Lord.

"Do not fear, Samantha. We will vanquish this fool…"

"Okay…" said Sam.

She shuffled her deck thoroughly and turned to Weevil.

"Messenger of Hades – Gors is my Deck Lord," she said. "So what's yours?"

"Fool…" said Weevil. "It's right in front of you!"

The Cocoon of Evolution burst open in a spray of slime and other nasty residue, and a moth the side of a small bus crawled out. It shook the gunk off of its wings, and then rose into the air.

"Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth was once the real Weevil's trump card," said Weevil, "but in today's game, it's almost worthless. Way too hard to summon. However, as a Deck Lord, it's incredibly useful.

"That's often the case in Xanadu… Monsters that are often useless in a regular duel make powerful Deck Lords."

"We'll soon see…" said Sam.

"Game on!" they both shouted.

**(Sam: 8,000) -------------------- (Weevil: 8,000)**

"You think you can beat me, Weevil?" asked Sam. "I've studied all your duels. I know all your moves. I can predict every move you could make."

"Oh, is that so?" asked Weevil, angrily, making his first draw.

"Well then, see if you can 'predict' what this facedown card is."

A facedown card materialized.

"And while you're at it, see if you can 'predict' the identity of the Monster I'm putting in Defense Mode."

A facedown Monster appeared.

"It's your move…"

Sam drew a card.

_No problem… _she thought. _The facedown card is probably DNA Surgery. And the Monster is clearly a Pinch Hopper…_

She paused.

_Wait… No… No… It could be Parasite Paraside… Or Parasite Caterpillar… Or Kiseitai… Man, that thing isn't even an Insect, why'd he even have it? Or it could be a… Argh!_

"Heh, heh, heh…" chuckled Weevil. "See? It isn't as easy as you think, Samantha."

Sam started to sweat.

"I… uh… I summon Opticlops…" she said.

She played the card, and a one-eyed, one-horned, muscular ogre appeared. (1,800/1,700)

"Now… Uhm… Uh…"

"Take as long as you like," said Weevil. "I'll just take a nap while you're deciding…"

Sam turned red with anger.

"I'm not scared of your Monster!" she shouted. "Opticlops, attack!"

"Sam! Wait!" shouted Erik.

Steam blew from the ogre's nostrils. It charged at the facedown Monster. A large, black beetle with a skull imprinted on its back appeared on the card. Opticlops squashed it flat.

"Thank you," chuckled Weevil, as he glowed with golden energy.

"A Skull-Mark Ladybug?" said Sam, putting her hand on her hip. "You got me riled up over that?"

"Scared you, didn't I?" chuckled Weevil.

_Laugh it up,_ thought Sam, looking at her cards. _I'll have the last laugh soon…_

She had a Monster in her hand that had replaced Lesser Fiend as her secondary one-Tribute Monster (the primary one, naturally, being Ha Des). Once she summoned it, she could take this duel by storm.

"I end my turn," she said.

**(S: 8,000) -------------------- (W: 9,000)**

Weevil drew a card.

"Hee, hee…" he chuckled. "I summon… Chainsaw Insect!"

A roar of chainsaws sounded over the clearing, and a huge beetle with wicked, serrated mandibles burst out of the ground. (2,400/0)

"Scared yet?" asked Weevil.

"Feh," said Sam. "_No_. It may be incredibly powerful, but I happen to know that whenever it fights a Monster, I get to draw a card."

"Actually," said Weevil, "the rules say you _must_ draw a card. You have no choice in the matter…"

As Sam was trying to figure out what he meant, his facedown card lifted.

"I activate… Greed!" he chuckled. "If either of player draws any cards outside of their Draw Phases, this Trap Card makes them regret it, inflicting 500 points of damage for each one!

"Chainsaw Insect, cut her Opticlops in two!"

The Insect scurried at Opticlops, and grabbed it with its mandibles, graphically slicing the Fiend apart at the middle. Fortunately, its remains shattered before much more gore could be seen.

"Well?" asked Weevil. "Draw a card…"

Sam growled, and drew.

A dagger appeared in the air in front of her, and then stabbed into her chest. She grunted in pain.

"I'll end with one more facedown card," said Weevil, as a facedown card appeared. "Over to you."

**(S: 6,900) -------------------- (W: 9,000)**

"Hang in there, baby!" shouted Erik.

"I'm trying!" said Sam, who was getting a little annoyed.

She looked over her cards. The Monster she had been intending to summon was no good now..

"Any ideas, Gors?" she asked. "What's your Deck Lord ability, anyway?"

She listened as he started to explain it.

"Wonderful…" she said, sarcastically.

She played a card.

"I set a Monster in Defense Mode," she said.

A facedown Monster appeared.

"That's all I can do," she said.

Weevil made a draw.

He looked at the powerful Monster on the card.

_I'll save this for when I need it,_ he thought.

"Chainsaw Insect, wipe out her facedown Monster!" he shouted.

Chainsaw Insect scurried towards the facedown card. A sinister looking wooden puppet holding an axe appeared on the card. Chainsaw Insect sawed it in half.

"So much for Malice Doll of Demise…" muttered Sam.

"Forget?" asked Weevil. "Draw!"

Sam drew again. Again, the dagger appeared, and plunged into her stomach this time.

Sam gasped, and looked at the card she had drawn.

_Hey…_ she thought.

"Trap activate!" shouted Weevil.

"Huh?" said Sam, as the facedown card lifted.

"It's called Null and Void," said Weevil. "It sends that card you drew straight to the Graveyard!"

Sam growled as the card vanished.

_He wasn't kidding…_ thought Sam. _He is better than the real Weevil ever was…_

_However… A key part of his strategy seems to be that Chainsaw Insect. Maybe if I take it out, I can turn this around._

"Your move," said Weevil.

**(S: 6,400) -------------------- (W: 9,000)**

Sam made a draw.

It was Pot of Greed.

_Eh, this is going to cost me,_ she thought, _but I really don't have much choice._

"I play Pot of Greed," she said, playing the card.

The evil jar appeared with a laugh, and she drew two cards.

Then she shrieked as two daggers appeared and she was stabbed twice.

She gasped for breath as she looked at the cards.

"I play Monster Reborn, to summon Opticlops in Attack Mode," she said.

The holy ankh appeared, glowing with golden light. Opticlops appeared, none the worse for wear. (1,800/1,700)

"Next, I summon The Bistro Butcher."

With a cackling laugh, a new Fiend appeared. He had blue skin, and was dressed in a stained chef's outfit and hat. His right hand was replaced by a hook, and his other hand held a cleaver. (1,800/1,000)

"I'll play a facedown, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared.

**(S: 5,400) -------------------- (W: 9,000)**

Weevil chuckled as he drew a card.

"Nice try," he said. "You obviously think I'm going to fall for that trick because the real Weevil fell for it in his duel with Wheeler… Twice.

"Well, let me tell you something Samantha. I doubt that even the real Weevil would have been dumb enough to make that mistake again, and I certainly wouldn't."

"Okay, we get it!" shouted Erik. "Daala upgraded you! Don't make me downgrade you…"

"Just make your move, Weevil," said Sam.

"I will," said Weevil, smugly, "but I'm not dumb enough to attack. I'll summon Neo Bug in Attack Mode."

He played the card, and a new Insect appeared. This one resembled a cross between a wasp and a large scorpion, with a green exoskeleton. (1,800/1,700)

"I end my turn."

"Then I draw!" shouted Sam.

She looked at the card. Then she played it.

"First, I summon Archfiend Soldier."

She played the card, and a bonfire appeared out of it. A tall Fiend with mauve skin, armor, a green cloak, and ram-like horns stepped out of the flames. (1,900/1,500)

"Now…" said Sam. "Bistro Butcher… Attack his Chainsaw Insect!"

"Huh?" said Weevil.

The Butcher raised his cleaver, and rushed at the huge bug.

"And to help him, I activate… Bark of Dark Ruler!"

Her facedown card lifted, and the intimidating form of Dark Ruler Ha Des appeared in a burst of fire and smoke.

"I'll pay 2,400 Life Points," said Sam, "and your big bug's Attack Score is reduced by the same amount. That means it falls to nothing."

Chainsaw Insect glowed with dark energy, and then fell to an Attack Score of zero. The Bistro Butcher slashed with his cleaver, and it shattered into bits.

"Of course, since your Insect still did battle," said Sam, "I have to draw a card."

She made a draw, and the dagger stabbed into her chest again. She winced in pain.

"However, due to my Butcher's effect, _you_ have to draw _two_ cards. So your own Trap works against you!"

Weevil cursed and made two draws. Two daggers appeared and stabbed into his chest. He grunted.

"And my Battle Phase continues," said Sam. "Archfiend Soldier, destroy his Neo Bug! Sword of Perdition!"

Archfiend Soldier drew a long, sharp blade. He rushed at the large Insect, and with one slash, cleaved it in half.

"No fair!" shouted Weevil.

"Opticlops… Attack him directly!"

Opticlops roared, and charged at Weevil, slamming its horn into his chest. He tumbled over.

**(S: 2,500) -------------------- (W: 4,300)**

Sam sighed.

"I play a facedown, and then I end my turn," she said.

A new facedown card appeared in a flash of light.

"All right, Samantha," said Weevil, getting up.

He drew a card.

"I was going to be nice about this… But you're starting to bug me…"

He placed a card into his Disk.

"I play Nightmare's Steelcage!"

The ground around Sam burst in a series of fiery explosions, and an iron, domed cage studded with spikes formed around her and her Monsters.

"Now your Fiends can't attack me for two of your turns," said Weevil.

"Hang in there!" shouted Erik. "He can't attack you either!"

"Look who knows so much," said Weevil. "I'll summon Flying Kamakiri #1."

He played the card, and a huge, green and yellow mantis appeared in front of him. (1,400/900)

_Lovely,_ thought Sam. _Even if I manage to destroy that, he'll use its effect to summon a Wind Monster._

_Which could be trouble… He might have mom's Flying Scorpion somewhere in his deck. I wouldn't be surprised._

"I'll end my turn there," said Weevil. "Go ahead."

Sam made a draw.

_Dust Tornado_ she thought, looking at the card. _Hmm, I could tear down his cage with this…_

_But…_

_It would be destroyed after I ended my next turn anyway… and if he's planning to bring that Chainsaw Insect back, that Trap Card of his is the bigger problem._

_Besides, the only high-level Insects I can think of that only need one sacrifice that are worth using are Insect Princess and Saber Beetle. And neither are anything I can't handle._

"I set one card facedown," she said.

She set the Dust Tornado, and a new facedown card appeared.

"Now…" said Sam, "I sacrifice my Butcher…"

The Bistro Butcher shattered into shards.

"To call forth Gaap, the Divine Soldier!"

With a roar, a new Fiend appeared on the field. It looked more or less like a humanoid bug, but much more diabolic than any of Weevil's Insects. Most remarkably, in addition to its normal arms, two huge claws that were almost the size of its body grew from its shoulders. (2,200/2,000)

"Interesting…" said Weevil, with a chuckle.

"That's it for me," said Sam.

Rust started to cover the Nightmare's Steelcage, and it started to chip.

"Then I draw," said Weevil.

He drew, and looked at the card.

"Hmm," he said.

"Go, Dust Tornado!" shouted Sam.

The facedown card lifted. The tornado tore across the field, and the Greed card blew to pieces.

Strangely, Weevil didn't seem very upset. He just made a slight smirk.

"Tell me, Samantha," he said, adding the card to his hand, "how computer savvy are you?"

"Pretty much," said Sam. "Why?"

"Here's a question…" said Weevil. "How many bytes in a gigabyte?"

"Easy," said Sam. "One billion."

Weevil nodded.

"Well…" he said. "I doubt that a Gigaplant is a billion time as strong as the average plant, but it's still pretty strong."

"Gigaplant?" said Sam. "What the heck are you talking about?"

"Gigaplant!" said Weevil. "One of my most powerful Monsters… And I'm going to sacrifice my Kamakiri to summon it…"

Flying Kamakiri #1 vanished, and the ground started to shake…

A mass of vines and tendrils shot out of the ground, and then a gigantic creature rose to the surface. It was a huge, hulking plant, twenty feet tall and ten feet wide, with dozens of pods and even more vines serving as limbs, and a huge maw full of sharp teeth. A deep, throaty laugh echoed over the field. (2,400/1,200)

_Don't panic,_ Sam, thought Sam to herself. _Sure, it's big, strong, and hideous, but you've taken down worse…_

"A big man-eating plant…" she said. "That's corny even for you, Weevil. So what does your big Plant do?"

"Why nothing," said Weevil. "Not yet, anyway!"

"I don't understand…" said Sam.

"Oh, but you will…" said Weevil. "Be glad the cage is still there, so it can't attack. Make your move…"

Sam drew a card.

_I don't know what he plans to do with his oversized eggplant,_ she thought, _but it can't be good…_

_And I can't move my Monsters to Defense Mode! Gaap's effect prevents both players from defending, damn it…_

"All right, Weevil," she said, "I summon Gil Garth in Attack Mode."

She played a new card, and a metal, armored Fiend carrying a scimitar appeared. (1,800/1,200)

"So now what?"

The Nightmare's Steelcage completely rusted over, and collapsed into a pile of dust.

"Now what?" asked Weevil, drawing a card. "Well, the first thing I'm gonna do, is summon my Gigaplant."

"Summon your Gigaplant?" asked Sam. "But… It's already on the field. How can you summon it?"

"Gigaplant is a Gemini Monster," said Weevil, raising a finger.

Sam just stared at him.

"You lost me," she said.

"Okay, I'd better explain it," he said. "Gemini Monsters were a passing fad in Duel Monsters several years ago. They never really caught on as a group, and only the most useful ones, like this one, are still used. And even then, they're only good in the right decks.

"A Gemini Monster has an effect that might seem too powerful for its Level… However, when it is first summoned, and when it's in the Graveyard, it's considered a Normal Monster. In order to use its effect, it has to be summoned twice. You have to Normal Summon it a second time.

"So… I'll Second Summon my Gigaplant, to awaken its effect!"

Gigaplant laughed again, as it glowed with a sickly green aura…

"What's this effect, you may ask?" he continued. "Once per round, I'm allowed to Special Summon any Insect or Plant from either my hand or my Graveyard. So I could bring Chainsaw Insect back…"

He took a card from his hand.

"But I've got a better one right here… Meet Brain Crusher!"

Gigaplant dropped one of its huge pods. Then the pod hatched, and a huge form rose out of it in a burst of slime. Sam couldn't believe it… This was an Insect that she had never seen her mother use.

It was as big as Insect Queen, and resembled, bluntly, a cross between a giant hornet and a dragon. It had large insect wings, a large abdomen, a blue and red exoskeleton, and a dragon-shaped head on a long neck. (2,400/1,500)

"By the way," said Weevil. "This is where my Deck Lord can do its thing…"

Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth shook its wings, and odd pollen fell on Brain Crusher. It glowed with energy, and its Attack Score went up to 3,150.

"WHAT?" shouted Sam.

"It's called Strengthening Spores," said Weevil. "My Deck Lord can increase the Attack Score of an Insect that's Level Five or greater by half of its Defense Score."

The Field Slot on his Disk snapped open.

"And I'm going to make it even stronger… I play the Forest Field Spell."

He played the card.

"The change it actually makes to our surroundings will be slight, because we're already in a forest," he chuckled, "but in this Field, Insects gain 200 Attack and Defense Points. Plants too, by the way…"

Brain Crusher grew to (3,350/1,700), while Gigaplant grew to (2,600/1,400)

"Enough chit-chat," he said. "Brain Crush, attack her Divine Soldier with sonic scream."

Brain Crusher let out a terrible sound, that could best be compared to the drone of a wasp amplified a thousand times. Gaap groaned and covered its ears before it exploded into shards.

"Erk…" muttered Sam. "Now I know why it's called a Brain Crusher… It gives you a splitting headache!"

Her Trap Card flipped up.

"I activate Option Hunter. Now, for each Attack Point Gaap had, I gain one Life Point."

"Big deal," said Weevil. "Gigaplant, attack Gil Garth. Tendril tangle!"

Gigaplant let out its deep laugh, and a swarm of vines shot at the metal Fiend. They grabbed it, and crushed it like it was made of tinfoil.

Weevil chuckled.

"I move to my End Phase," he said. "And that means Brain Crusher's effect activates. I get to Special Summon another Monster, and I think it will look familiar to you."

A tall creature rose out of the ground.

Sam couldn't believe it. It was Gaap. It was covered with a gossamer film of webbing, but there was no mistaking that it was the Fiend. (2,200/2,000)

"My Divine Soldier!" shouted Sam.

"When Brain Crusher kills a Monster, it becomes mine," said Weevil. "Be thankful I can only Special Summon it during the End Phase."

**(S: 2,750) -------------------- (W: 4,300)**

Sam fumed with anger as she drew a card.

_I gotta do something,_ she thought, _or I'm gonna be bug food, plant food, AND Fiend food!_

She looked at the card.

She had drawn her star – Dark Ruler Ha Des.

He was the key to using Gors's ability. And she could use him to destroy Gigaplant…

But if she summoned him, he would be defeated on her next turn by Brain Crusher. Weevil couldn't Special Summon him from the Graveyard, but nonetheless, she couldn't risk that yet.

She fit two cards into her Disk, and two facedown cards appeared.

"That's all," she muttered.

"My move…" said Weevil, drawing a card.

"And the fun just continues! I summon Insect Knight!"

He played the card, and a much more familiar Monster appeared, the mantis fighter carrying his sword and shield. (1,900/1,500) –) (2,100/1,700)

"Now… I use Gigaplant's effect again…"

Another pod fell from the huge Plant.

"I summon Insect Queen!"

The pod burst open, and Weevil's signature Monster appeared, the Monarch of Insects that resembled a cross between a demonic woman and a huge beetle. She roared with bloodlust. (2,200/2,400)

"Let's see…" muttered Weevil, scratching his head. "Anyone here have a calculator?"

"Calculator?" asked Sam.

"Wait…" said Erik. "She gains 1,200 Attack Points from his Deck Lord… 200 more from the Field Spell… And 600 from her own effect… Carry the one…

"Good lord, that's 4,200 Attack Points!"

"Exactly!" laughed Weevil. "Time to finish you off!

"Gaap… Attack the Archfiend Soldier!"

Gaap's eyes glowed. It leapt at Archfiend Soldier, and made a slash with its right claw, tearing it to shreds.

"Insect Knight, destroy Opticlops!"

Insect Knight flew at Opticlops, and slashed at it with its sword. The ogre shattered into pixels.

"You're out of Monsters!" shouted Weevil. "And now I'm going to sacrifice your Divine Soldier so that my Queen can attack.

"Dinner time, your majesty…"

Insect Queen seized Gaap, and then chomped her jaws down on its torso, causing a spray of blood to spurt from it. Sam forced herself to look away, not willing to watch her Monster be devoured.

She only opened her eyes when she heard Weevil give the command.

"Attack Samantha directly!" he shouted. "Queen's Hell breath!"

Insect Queen drooled. Then a blast of venom mixed with energy shot at Sam…

"I activate my Trap Card!" shouted Sam. "Draining Shield!"

"Curses!" shouted Weevil, as the facedown card lifted. A dome of force formed around Sam, and the blast hit it, feeding energy into Sam.

"You have nothing left to protect you…" said Weevil with a scowl. "Brain Crusher, you attack!"

Brain Crusher let lose its sonic scream again.

"Go, Kuriboh!" shouted Sam, throwing a card into her discard slot.

A wall of Kuribohs sprang up, and the blast plowed into them. They burst, but the blast was halted.

Weevil grinned.

"Now you _really_ have nothing left to defend yourself with," he said. "Gigaplant… Get her."

Gigaplant's vines shot at Sam, and she screamed again as they wrapped around her and lifted her off her feet. She closed her eyes as they squeezed, and the horrible laughter echoed through the air.

Finally, they dumped her back on the ground. She gasped for breath.

"Your move…" said Weevil. "Heh, if I had summoned my Deck Lord to the field, this duel would have been over… Too bad there's no way to have six Monsters on the field."

**(S: 3,750) -------------------- (W: 4,300)**

Sam got to her feet, breathing hard. She sweat heavily. She felt her ribs, hoping that they were only bruised and not broken.

_Could_ her bones be broken in a duel in this world? How much of the duels in Xanadu were illusions, and how much was real? She didn't know, and she didn't want to find out.

She knew what Weevil was referring to in that last statement. This guy had all of the real one's memories all right. And he hadn't changed a bit.

_Man…_ she thought. _Starting college next year is suddenly starting to look so appealing…_

She looked at Weevil and his army.

_No way I can survive another onslaught like that…_

She looked at her deck.

"Come on, Sam!" shouted Erik. "Do something! Weevil might choose something different for that one endeavor than using you as bait."

Sam's eyes opened wide…

He was right. The rights that someone working for Daala had over a prisoner that was marked for his use could be vast…

She wasn't about to lose…

She drew a card.

"I play… Pot of Avarice!" she shouted.

The ridiculous pink jug appeared on the field, and Opticlops, Malice Doll of Demise, Kuriboh, Archfiend Soldier, and The Bistro Butcher slipped out of her discard slot. She shuffled the five Monsters into her deck, and then drew two cards.

She looked at them.

"Hey, Weevil!" she shouted. "Guess what? I'm gonna take down your Queen, AND your big Plant!"

"I'd like to see you try it!" he replied.

"All right, fine," said Sam. "First, I play Silent Doom. This lets me bring back Gil Garth in Defense Mode."

The metal Fiend holding the scimitar appeared again, kneeling and holding the sword in its lap. (1,800/1,200)

Her last facedown card lifted.

"Next, my Call of the Haunted brings Gaap back, all in one piece."

A stone casket burst out of the ground, and it opened. Gaap the Divine Soldier crawled out, looking angrier than he had been before. (2,200/2,000)

"Then… I sacrifice Gil Garth…"

Gil Garth vanished, and the sky darkened. Thunder rumbled.

"To summon the King of the Underworld… Dark Ruler Ha Des!"

A black bonfire appeared on the field. The dreaded ruler of Fiends stepped out of it, dressed in his long, rich robes with a skull on the chest and bejeweled helmet. He clutched a wine goblet full of smoking, green liquid in his clawed hand. (2,450/1,600)

"Ah, Ha Des, Shma Des," laughed Weevil. "He's no match for my Queen or my Plant!"

Both Ha Des and Gors gave Weevil a dirty look.

"You'll soon learn otherwise, Weevil," said Sam. "My Deck Lord's ability works in synchronization with Ha Des.

"It's called Summon Servants. While Ha Des is on the field, I can pay 800 Life Points to Special Summon a Fiend-Type Monster that's Level Four or less from my Graveyard."

Gors started to glow with dark energy.

"So say hello… To Winged Minion!"

A small creature appeared next to Ha Des. It was an imp the size of an infant, with blue skin and bat-like wings, wearing only a ragged pair of shorts. (700/700)

"Hold on!" shouted Weevil. "I never sent THAT to your Graveyard!"

"Yes you did," replied Sam. "Remember a little thing called Null and Void?"

Weevil stopped short.

"See?" said Sam. "What helped you so much before is going to hurt you now. Because by sacrificing Winged Minion, I can increase the Attack and Defense Scores of any Fiend by 700 points!"

Winged Minion vanished, and Ha Des flexed his muscles. (3,150/2,300)

"You might be able to destroy my Plant," shouted Weevil, "but my Queen will still devour your Dark Ruler!"

Sam grinned, and took one of the two cards she had just drawn.

"I play… Hellfire Flame!" she shouted.

"What?" said Weevil.

Ha Des chanted in an ancient language… The ground rumbled…

Then flames burst out of the ground. The trees around them started to catch fire.

"What's happening?" shouted Weevil.

"Hellfire Flame is a Spell Card that channels the fires of the Underworld for a devastating effect," said Sam. "I can only use it when I have at least one Fiend on the field. When I do, then the current Field Spell is destroyed."

Weevil cringed, as the trees around him were reduced to ash, and all four of his Monsters lost 200 Attack and Defense Points.

"Then, both players lose 1,000 Life Points," said Sam.

Weevil groaned as a flaming aura surrounded both him and Sam.

"Then," said Sam, "all Monsters on the field except for Fiends lose 1,000 Attack Points."

Weevil's four Monsters groaned as the fiery aura surrounded them as well. Insect Knight fell to an Attack Score of 900, Brain Crusher fell to 2,150, Insect Queen fell to 3,000, and Gigaplant fell to only 1,400.

"No…" said Weevil.

"Ha Des…" ordered Sam. "Wipe out Insect Queen! Stygian blast!"

Dark Ruler Ha Des formed a ball of black flames in his hands. He hurled them forward. Insect Queen screamed as she erupted in fire, and then she exploded into ash.

"Try to laugh this off! Gaap, destroy his Gigaplant! Terror rend!"

Gaap bore its two larger claws. It leapt at the gargantuan vegetable, and made a large slash down the center of it. The Gigaplant moaned, and then collapsed before exploding into green shards.

**(S: 1,950) -------------------- (W: 2,350)**

"By the way," said Sam, "with Gaap on the field, neither player can put Monsters in Defense Mode."

She placed a card on her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"It's your move, Weevil, and the tide of this battle is turning."

Weevil glared at her.

He drew a card.

He played it, and the Pot of Greed appeared. He drew two cards.

"We'll see about that!" he shouted. "I sacrifice both my Monsters…"

Insect Knight and Brain Crusher dissolved into grains of light.

"…to summon Metal Armored Bug!"

With a burst of dirt and dust, a huge beetle with a metal exoskeleton burst out of the ground. Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth shook its wings, and it glowed with energy. (2,800/1,500) –) (3,550/1,500)

"Woo-wee," said Sam. "You're a big one, aren't you?"

Her facedown card flipped up.

"Go, Shadow Spell!"

Weevil gasped, as a mass of chains shot out of the ground. Metal Armored Bug roared as it was seized by them, and its Attack Score fell to 2,850.

Weevil growled. He placed another card in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"Make… your… move…" he hissed.

"I draw one card…" said Sam, drawing.

"Trap activate!" shouted Weevil. "Call of the Haunted!"

His facedown card flipped up, and the ground rumbled. Insect Queen burst out of the ground, now angry. (2,200/2,400) –) (3,800/2,400)

"Sorry Weevil," said Sam, taking the card she had just drawn, "but I'm gonna swat your Queen again.

"I play Mystical Space Typhoon!"

Weevil screamed as the cyclone tore across the field. The Call of the Haunted card was blown to bits, and Insect Queen burst along with it.

"Time to end this," said Sam. "Ha Des, destroy his Bug!"

The Dark Ruler cast one final Stygian blast, and cracks formed all over Metal Armored Bug's shell. It exploded into shards.

"Gaap… Finish him."

The Divine Soldier leapt at Weevil, and the Insect duelist screamed as he was slashed with the huge claw. He fell on his back.

**(S: 1,950) -------------------- (W: 0)**

Gors's eyes began to glow with fiery light. The Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth screeched, and then shattered into pixels.

"Curse you, Arachne," growled Weevil. "You may have escaped from Paradox Grove… But getting out of Tzimisce Woods once you're in is almost impossible… The Realm Lord will never let you leave alive…"

"Who is this Realm Lord?" demanded Sam.

Weevil cackled, and then vanished into grains of light.

"Fear not, Samantha," said Gors. "I'm more powerful than before, thanks to the energy I got from that moth. When you need me again, it will be a much easier time."

He vanished in a dark shadow.

Sam turned to Erik.

"I vote we try to find the others," she said.

"I second the notion," he replied.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Ugh!" groaned Sam, as they pushed their way through some weeds. "You don't suppose that there's poison ivy in this forest, do you?"

"Probably," said Erik. "But poison oak and poison sumac is much worse."

"You aren't helping…" she muttered.

They heard a rustling from the bushes ahead of them.

"Oh no…" said Sam. "Another enemy?"

The two of them stood their ground to face the new foe. Three forms leapt out of the bushes…

Five Disks activated at once. On one side, Opticlops and Toy Magician appeared. On the other, Getsu Fuhma, Magician's Valkyria, and Vampire Lady appeared.

The five Monsters stopped short, as did their owners.

"Sorry guys," said Yumi, as the five allies called back their Monsters.

"This Woods in dangerous," said Chelsea. "The Realm Lord wanted us to split up. He was trying to lure us to our dooms."

"Then let's not do so again," said Sam. "United we stand, divided we fall. Who said that, anyway?"

"I think it was Patrick Henry," said Ren.

"Actually, Henry borrowed it from Matthew Walker," said Yumi, "who first used it directly in the fable _The Four Oxen and the Lion_ and indirectly in _The Bundle of Sticks_."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In a castle in the center of Tzimisce, of gothic design, made of stone and covered with moss and vines, the Realm Lord was listening.

"Yes, quite a useful proverb, Yumi," he said. "One that I can't agree with more…"

He looked at his Duel Disk, and drew off the top card.

"As Daala is quite fond of saying," he said, as he looked at the diabolic Monster on the card, "Power Comes in Combinations…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I don't get it," said Olga, as Sheena worked on the keyboard. "What is meant by 'Power Comes in Combinations'? Fusions?"

"Well, it basically defines what Duel Monsters is about, Olga," said Sheena. "Every deck strategy needs cards that work together. Every card in a deck needs to combine its power with the other cards if it hopes to be a winning deck.

"But I'm sure there must be a deeper meaning…"

She paused.

"Oh, it's no good…" she muttered. "We've been at this for hours, and I'm still no closer to getting anything good about Daala.

"Seems the only clue we have are these three silly riddles that appeared on my system before Daala struck…"

She hit a key, and the three odd questions came up.

"_What has four wheels and flies?"_

"_What time is it when the clock strikes thirteen?"_

"_What sort of salute does an overachieving U.S. President get?"_

"Uhm…" said Nicholas. "A garbage truck, time to get the clock fixed, and uh, I would say he would get a 22-gun salute."

"Yeah…" muttered Sheena. "Childish riddles…

"But there must be more to them than that…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MESSENGER OF HADES – GORS (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,700  
**DEF:** 2,500

**Card Description:**If you have no cards on your side of the field, and you receive damage to your Life Points from a card controlled by your opponent, you may Special Summon this card from your hand, and activate one of the following effects depending on the type of damage you received:

Battle Damage: Special Summon one "Messenger of Hades – Kaien Token" (Fairy/Light/Level Seven/? ATK/? DEF). The ATK and DEF of a "Messenger of Ha Des – Kaien Token" are both equal to the amount of damage taken.

Effect Damage: Inflict damage to your opponent's Life Points equal to the amount of damage you received.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GAAP, THE DIVINE SOLDIER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 6  
**ATK:** 2,200  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description:**When this card is face-up on the field, all Monsters are switched to Attack Position and cannot change their Battle Positions (Flip-Effects are not activated at this time). Once per turn, by showing one Fiend-Type Monster in your hand to your opponent, you can increase the ATK of this card by 300 until the End Phase of your turn.

_Note: "Messenger of Hades – Gors" and "Gaap, the Divine Soldier" are Japanese cards that have not yet been released in the United States._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**HELLFIRE FLAME (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A diabolic-looking fiend in a bonfire.

**Card Description:** You may only activate this card when a Field Spell is face-up on the field and you have at least one Fiend-Type Monster face-up on the field. Destroy the current Field Spell, inflict 1,000 points of direct damage to each player's Life Points, and deduct 1,000 points from the ATK of all face-up Monsters except Fiend-Type Monsters.

_Note: "Hellfire Flame" was first used by Yugi in the "Yu-Gi-Oh R" issue "Dweller of the Deep Darkness!!". Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**Sam's Deck Lord: "Messenger of Hades – Gors": "Summon Subjects":** When you have a "Dark Ruler Ha Des" face-up on your side of the field, you may spend 800 Life Points to Special Summon a Level Four or lower Fiend-Type Monster from your Graveyard. You may use this effect once per turn, during your Main Phase. (Minor Power)

**0**

**0**

**0**

**Weevil's Deck Lord: "Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth": "Strengthening Spores":** The ATK of all Level Five or higher Insect-Type Monsters on your side of the field is increased by half of their base DEF. (Intermediate Power)

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**While Sheena and her two helpers try to figure that out, her five interns in Xanadu come across that private orchard that the Realm Lord mentioned earlier, one whose trees hold something that the one guarding it calls Devil's Fruit. Any fans of **_**One Piece**_** here? If you are, then you might know why the Realm Lord is guarding it. The heroes sure realize why, and Erik decides to duel the guard to get the powerful fruit. However, the guard is both duelist and Duel Spirit, an opponent unlike any whom Erik has faced. **_

_**Coming up next, "Guarding the Garden". It's gonna be something else.**_


	7. Guarding the Garden

**_Joan says that Daala built Xanadu from her dreams. It's clear that she was a duelist._**

**_And as we explore this cursed forest, bits and pieces of her dreams, and possibly nightmares, come to life. _**

**_We've stumbled across a treasure that the Realm Lord is trying to protect. Not gold and jewels, but stuff that, according to an old Manga, could grant great power. Maybe Daala was a fan of this old Manga, and dreamed this up. _**

**_Can this stuff grant us powers? Make us stronger? I'm betting it can… _**

**_But to get it, I'm going to have to defeat the guy guarding it. And I've never faced a duelist like this before. _**

**_But I'm more than willing to try. _**

**_Ready… DUEL. _**

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**CHAPTER SIX **

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**Guarding the Garden **

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

**0 0 0 0 0 **

_"What has four wheels and flies?" _

_"What time is it when the clock strikes thirteen?" _

_"What sort of salute does an overachieving U.S. President get?" _

Sheena sighed.

"This reminds me of how Batman always had to decipher the Riddler's dumb clues," she said.

Her two helpers looked at each other.

"You have a point there," said Nicholas.

"Pardon?" said Sheena.

"The Riddler always left these riddles for Batman that were never simple," said Nicholas. "He was crazy, but he was a genius at creating puzzles and conundrums. Quite often, there were riddles hidden _within_ his riddles."

He thought for a minute.

"Hold on…" said Olga. "All three of these riddles have numbers in them. Four… thirteen… and if that answer you gave is right, twenty-two."

"Yeah…" said Sheena. "And maybe if we were to convert the numbers into letters in the English alphabet. Four is D, thirteen is M, and twenty-two is V…

"DMV…"

There was a pause.

It came to them all at the same time, seeing as English was the native language for all three of them.

"Department of Motor Vehicles!" they all said at once.

They paused again.

"I always knew that they were evil," muttered Nicholas. "They make you wait in line, give you bad service, the pictures they take of you are terrible… You should see the learner's permit they gave me in London…" 

"Be serious!" said Olga. "What the heck could the DMV have to do with this?"

"Saki," said Sheena, with a frown.

"Who's that?" asked Nicholas.

"Saki Masato," said Sheena. "He was a computer programmer for me who used to tell everyone who'd listen that he got his start as a pencil-pusher at the DMV in Tokyo before his big break…

"He worked on the Dueltasia project. But for some reason, he quit two months ago. Didn't even give a reason – just gave me a two weeks notice. And he wasn't even eligible for early retirement yet. It puzzled me. Working at KaibaCorp is too good a job for you to just quit."

"Could he be working for Daala?" asked Olga.

Sheena thought for a long time.

"Maybe you two could find out," she said.

"It's against company policy to find people and shake them down for information, but without proof, that's what I need to do. And that's why I was willing to… employ you two.

"Saki's family are all lifetime members of Diners Club International, and his rich relatives pay the dues, so he can go to places to eat that most folks on his salary can't afford. He likes to spend evenings in pricy nightclubs. His favorite is the Jade Dragon. At eight, you two will likely find him there.

"Remember you two… If you're captured, I don't know you."

"Don't worry," said Olga, "those are actually better terms than what the European mob gives its members. 

"Oh, and Sheena? While we're doing that, try to get a few hours of sleep. This has taken its toll on you. We can plainly see it."

Sheena sighed.

"My daughter is probably fighting for her life…" she said. "I might sleep… How soundly is another question entirely…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

On a pathway deep in Tzimisce Woods, a strange-looking rabbit hopped onto the pathway. It looked like any other rabbit, except that its two front teeth were sharp daggers, and it had an eyepatch over one eye.

A blast of energy shot from ahead, and it was blown to pieces.

Magician's Valkyria and Getsu Fuhma floated down the path, followed by the five duelists, who were at this point taking no chances.

"A Blade Rabbit," muttered Chelsea. "Is there anything in this forest that _isn't_ dangerous?"

"Not likely," said Ren.

"So who do you guys think the Realm Lord is?" asked Erik.

"Most likely a powerful and evil Duel Spirit who's also an Earth Monster," said Sam. "Maybe… a Dark Lucius LV8."

"I hope not!" said Ren. "I dueled someone once who used him… That guy is a tough customer."

Chelsea let out a long sigh. She sat down on a stump by the side of the road.

"Want to take a break, Chels?" asked Yumi.

"I miss them, Yumi," she said.

"Them?" asked Yumi. "Them who?"

"You know…" she muttered. "The ghosts that always hang around me… There aren't any in Xanadu, apparently…"

"Oh yeah…" said Yumi. "The old ghost whisperer thing…"

"Ever since the Midnight Caller helped me see their problems," said Chelsea, "they've been lining up for me to tell them the answers. They aren't in Domino for two days before some ghost who doesn't want to leave tells them, 'Go see Chelsea, she'll tell you what to do.'

"Never thought I'd miss them so much…"

Yumi sighed.

"Chels, my family deals with demons and cursed magic," she said, "but this is out of my league… At least we're helping… other Spirits. Even if they aren't dead ones."

Chelsea sighed. She got up.

"Problem is," she said, as they started to walk forward, "these Spirits can hurt you, unlike the ones I'm used too…"

There was no talk for about five minutes. Then Yumi stopped short.

"Guys," said Yumi, "I hear water up ahead. There's something up there…"

They slowly approached the end of the path and entered a very large clearing.

The source of the water was a large fountain in the center. It was a pool, in the center of which was a tall stone, on top of which was a statue of a woman with feathered wings. They recognized this – the Spring of Rebirth.

But that wasn't the most surprising thing in this clearing.

Around the edges were clusters of trees that looked like they belonged in a tropical region. They were small, each about eight feet tall, and each one bore odd fruits. They resembled all forms of tropical fruits, such as guavas, mangoes, kumquats, strawberries, and pomegranates.

However, they all had odd colors, and each had strange swirl designs on their skins.

"Fruit?" said Sam.

"Don't even think of touching them," warned Yumi. "I'd be wary of eating anything that grows in this cursed forest."

"You're damn right, you won't touch them," said a surly voice.

Everyone turned and saw a muscular figure who had stepped out from behind the Spring. It was an android in silvery armor, with a gear on his left shoulder, one on his back, and some sort of weapon mounted on his right shoulder. 

"Gadget Soldier?" asked Ren.

"A Duel Spirit?" said Chelsea.

"You guys had better take a hike," said the Spirit. "This here is the Realm Lord's private orchard. No one is allowed to take the Devil's Fruit unless they have his okay, and I know you don't got it!"

"Devil's Fruit?" said Erik, surprised.

Gadget Soldier frowned at him.

"I probably shouldn't have told you that," he said. "But yeah. So you guys have a choice. You can get lost or try to take me down…"

He gestured, and an extension opened on his left arm with an audible sprong. It quickly unfolded into a Duel Disk.

"Why are _you_ of all people guarding it?" asked Sam.

"Because he's a Machine," said Yumi.

"What does that have to do with it?" asked Sam.

"Machines don't eat organic food," said Yumi. "They have no use for fruit. You use them to guard it, and there's no danger of them stealing it for themselves."

Gadget Soldier nodded.

"Maybe we should just leave…" said Ren. "A bunch of fruit isn't worth a fight. It's not like any of us are desperate for smoothies."

"Uh, guys?" said Erik. "A word… Huddle…"

They all huddled.

"People," he said. "If this is truly Devil's Fruit, it may indeed be worth dueling him to get it. I read about this stuff in an online Manga collection."

"What does it do?" asked Sam.

"Well, it gives the one who eats it a superhuman ability," said Erik. "Not always a useful ability, but sometimes an _incredibly_ useful one.

"Funny thing is… It was supposed to be incredibly rare and always found singly. There were never whole orchards of it."

"Erik," said Yumi. "You do realize that dueling this guy is taking a risk."

"One that we'll all have to take sometime," said Erik. "I'm more than willing to try if winning will give us an advantage over Daala. And frankly, we may need all the help we can get."

Yumi sighed.

She looked at the strange fruit trees. Since it was Devil's Fruit and not Demon's Fruit, she guessed it might help in the long run… And she figured it must be very potent if the Realm Lord was guarding it.

And it wasn't like it was the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge either.

"Okay, Erik," she said. "If you say so… Good luck…"

Erik stepped up to the Machine.

"Okay, Gadget Soldier," he said. "I accept your challenge."

"You just got on my bad side," growled the Soldier. "Prepare to lose!

"And send out your Deck Lord while you're at it. I might as well get something out of this…"

Erik's deck glowed…

Then, a bulky form appeared behind him. It looked like a stout man, made out of Legos. 

"Blockman?" said Erik. "How come?"

"All of your more powerful Monsters decided they were better staying in the deck," said a gravely voice coming from Blockman. "But don't worry, I have a useful ability…"

He whispered it to Erik.

"No kidding?" he said.

"Okay pal, Blockman is my Deck Lord. What's yours?"

"Open your eyes, pal!" said Gadget Soldier. "I'm a Gadget Soldier! I'm both the duelist AND the Deck Lord. Double the threat."

"Works for me," said Erik. "Game on!"

**(Erik: 8,000) -------------------- (Gadget Soldier: 8,000) **

_Be careful Erik,_ thought Sam. _No duelist in his right mind would use Gadget Soldier these days… It's a plain vanilla Level Six Monster with less Attack Points than some Level Fours… _

_And if what Weevil said about useless Monsters having powerful Deck Lord abilities is true, this might be trouble… _

"Here we go!" shouted Erik, making a draw.

He looked over his cards.

"I'm summoning this in Attack Mode," he said. "My Toy Tank."

He placed a card on his Disk, and the Monster that appeared was… a toy tank. It was a comical army tank, with a turnkey on top. (1,300/1,100)

"A new one, Erik?" asked Ren.

Erik nodded. Gadget Soldier looked at him funny.

"Heh, heh," chuckled the Machine. "A Toy Tank. Oh look, it's gonna attack me!"

_That's it,_ thought Erik. _Assume it's a weak Monster, pal… Go ahead and take the bait… _

"That's all for me. Your move, Spectre Gadget."

"Very funny," said Gadget Soldier, drawing a card.

He played it, and it glowed with golden light.

"I play Graceful Charity," he said. "I'm sure everyone knows how this works. I get to draw three cards, so long as I toss two…"

He made three draws.

"And just 'cause I'm such a nice guy, I'll show you what I'm tossing."

He held two cards forward. They were Acrobat Monkey and Giant Soldier of Stone.

"I'd remember them, if I were you…"

He slipped them into his discard slot.

"Next up, I play a facedown, and summon Hunter Dragon."

A facedown card appeared in a burst of energy, and then a Dragon appeared in front of him. For a Dragon, it wasn't very big, but it was covered all over with sharp blades. (1,700/100)

"Question," said Gadget Soldier. "You've got a Hunter Dragon staring you in the face. What do you do?"

"I don't do anything," said Erik. "I've seen worse."

"Yeah?" said the Soldier. "Well it's about to go ballistic on your Toy Tank!"

Three slashing blades shot at the Toy Tank, and it exploded into shards. Erik cringed.

**(E: 7,600) -------------------- (GS: 8,000) **

"Thank you," said Erik, with a grin. "I activate Toy Tank's effect. When it gets trashed, I get to summon another Toy from my deck, so long as it's Level Four or less."

He went to reach for his deck, and was surprised when a card simply slipped out of it. He took it, and was surprised again to see that it was exactly what he had wanted.

_How'd it know…_ he thought.

"Don't worry, Erik," said Blockman. "In Xanadu, a surprise lurks around every corner, but many of them make the duel easier."

"Right," said Erik. "I summon Toy Soldier!"

In a burst of energy, a small figure appeared. It was definitely a toy soldier, made of wood, dressed in the uniform of the soldiers of Revolution-eraFrance. He held a musket that was apparently a pop gun. (800/300)

"How cute," said Gadget Soldier. "I end my turn."

Erik drew a card.

"I activate my Toy Soldier's effect," he said.

"I love this part," said Chelsea, with a giggle.

"When one member of my mini-militia is on the field," said Erik, "I can summon all other members that I have in my deck. So here come two more!"

In two flashes of light, two more Soldiers appeared. 

"That's hardly an improvement," said Gadget Soldier.

"I'm also playing a Spell Card," said Erik, holding up a card. "It's called Fife and Drum Corp."

As he played the card, music started to fill the air. A parade of Toy Soldiers marched into the clearing, playing drums and flutes.

"Don't you just love a parade?" asked Erik. "My Soldiers do, because this music doubles the Attack Scores of all my Monsters with Attack Scores that are 1,000 or less."

The three Soldiers glowed with energy. (1,600/300)

"Unless you can make one of them even stronger," said Gadget Soldier, "that still ain't gonna be enough."

"I'm not gonna make them stronger," said Erik. "I'm gonna make your Dragon weaker. I play Shrink!"

He played another card, and Hunter Dragon shrunk to half its size. (850/100)

"Toy Soldier number one," said Erik, "attack the Hunter Dragon!"

The first Toy Soldier aimed its musket and fired, blowing Hunter Dragon to pixels.

"You two… Attack directly!"

Gadget Soldier grunted as two more corks hit him in the chest.

"I suppose you think you're so hot?" he said.

"I try to be," said Erik. "My turn is over, so the scores of my Soldiers return to 800. It's your move."

**(E: 7,600) -------------------- (GS: 4,050) **

"Erik is winning!" cheered Sam.

"Don't celebrate so soon," said Gadget Soldier, drawing a card.

He played it.

"I play Desperado Manager. I can use this when I have at least one card in my hand. First, I get to draw two cards…"

He made two draws, and looked at them.

"Then I take three cards from my hand, and put them on top of my deck."

He chose three of his cards, and placed them on his deck.

"Next," he said, "I'll drop 800 Life Points to play Enchanting Fitting Room. This lets me look at the top four cards on my deck. And if any of them are Normal Monsters that are Level Three or less, I get to Special Summon them."

Yumi's eyes opened wide.

_This guy is no rookie,_ she thought. _He's guaranteed at least three Monsters, because he just put three on top of his deck! _

A white curtain appeared in front of him, and four cards flew out. Three of them were Monster Cards, and one was Heavy Storm.

"Well, Heavy Storm doesn't fit the bill," said the Machine, as the Spell Card vanished, "but say hello to Mad Lobster, Jerry Beans Man, and Dragon Zombie!"

Three Monsters appeared in flashes of light. One was a huge lobster with a skull for a head. (1,700/1,000) Another was a green jelly bean with arms, legs, and a smiling face, holding a toy sword and shield. (1,750/0) The third was a rotting and decayed dragon, its yellowing rib bones sticking out of its flesh. (1,600/0)

"Ho boy…" said Erik.

"Before I attack, I'm gonna activate this," said Gadget Soldier, as his facedown card lifted up. "Gift of the Mystical Elf."

The gentle form of Mystical Elf appeared behind him, and cast a spell.

"Now I gain 300 Life Points for each Monster on the field. And I count six.

"Now… Dragon Zombie, noxious breath!"

Dragon Zombie shot a blast of toxic smoke from its jaws, and one Toy Soldier rotted and turned to dust.

"Jerry Beans Man, attack with Good 'n Plenty pummel!"

Jerry spit a barrage of candy from his mouth with the force of a machine gun, and another Soldier shattered.

"Mad Lobster, attack with vice grip!"

Mad Lobster grabbed the third Soldier in its pincer and squeezed, until it shattered. 

"I throw one card facedown, and that's all!" he said with a chuckle.

A new facedown card materialized.

**(E: 4,950) -------------------- (GS: 5,050) **

_Okay…_ thought Erik. _Now when exactly did I lose the advantage here? _

He had almost considered using his Deck Lord ability at that point. But he would have used up all of his limited uses if he saved all his Soldiers, and he would have given too much advantage to his opponent if he had.

And now he could get the most use out of something else.

Yumi looked at the three Monsters.

_Odd,_ she thought. _All of his Monsters seem to be Normal Level Threes. I can't shake the feeling that he's building up to something big…_

Erik drew a card.

"I play Toy Memorial," he said, playing a Spell Card. "I have to skip my Battle Phase to play this, but I get to draw one card for each card in my Graveyard with the word 'Toy' in its name.

"I have four, three Toy Soldiers and Toy Tank."

He drew four cards. He looked them over.

"I'll summon Card Blocker."

He played the card, and a new toy Warrior appeared. He was dressed in blue armor with a rounded helmet, and carried a shield and a short sword. (400/400)

"And as soon as I summon him, he moves to Defense Mode."

Card Blocker knelt, pointed his sword down, and held his shield up.

"And I'll call it a turn."

"Was that the best you can do?" asked Gadget Soldier, drawing a card. "This is too easy…

"I activate my facedown card."

His facedown card lifted up, and a figure appeared on the field. It was the youth from the Heart of the Underdog card, holding a glowing light in his hands.

"It's called Common Charity. This lets me draw two cards."

He made two draws.

"Of course, if I don't want to lose my whole hand after I do that, I have to remove a Normal Monster in my hand from play. So I think I get rid of this one."

He held up a card – it was D.D. Trainer – and it vanished.

He looked over the two new cards.

"Now, I summon Clown Zombie."

A cackling laugh sounded over the field as he played the card. The Monster that appeared was a rotting, undead version of Crass Clown, balancing on a colored ball and holding a staff. (1,350/0)

"You're finished," said Gadget Soldier. "Clown Zombie, destroy his Card Blocker!"

Clown Zombie laughed, and bounced forward on its ball.

"Not so fast, rust-bucket!" said Erik, taking three cards off the top of his deck.

He quickly discarded them.

"Card Blocker has a special effect. For each of these discards, he gains 500 Defense Points."

Card Blocker glowed with energy. (500/1,900) As Clown Zombie tried to strike him, he struck back, and the Zombie tumbled backwards.

"You little punk!" shouted Gadget Soldier. "Now you _really_ made me mad!"

**(E: 4,950) -------------------- (GS: 4,500) **

"You really need to find a way to relax, pal," said Chelsea. "Maybe you should try yoga or something."

"Hardy, har, har," said the Soldier. "I end my turn!"

Erik drew a card.

"Just what I needed…" he said.

He opened his Field Slot.

"I play ToyTown!"

There was a flash of light…

When they could see again, the orchard was gone. They were standing in the streets of a fairy tale town, with gingerbread houses and sugarplum trees. A castle was on a hill in the background, and a rainbow was in the sky.

"I don't even know what this Field Spell does," said Gadget Soldier, "and I already hate it."

"Well, it does three things," said Erik, "as far as Monsters with the word 'Toy' in their names are concerned. First, it increases their Attack Scores by 300. Second, it lets them dodge any targeting Trap Cards. Third, if one is destroyed outside of battle, I get to pull another one from my deck that has less Attack Points.

"So… I summon Toy Magician!"

In a burst of light, the plastic sorcerer that he had used against the Arlownay appeared, holding his glowing staff. (1,600/1,500) –) (1,900/1,500)

"Destroy his Clown Zombie!" shouted Erik. "Sparkle blast!"

Toy Magician shot a blast of glowing motes at the undead clown, and it burst into a cloud of dust. 

"Punk…" said Gadget Soldier.

**(E: 4,950) -------------------- (GS: 3,950) **

"Your move," said Erik.

"Don't tell me what to do," said Gadget Soldier, drawing a card.

"I set a new Monster in Defense Mode, and move everyone else to Defense Mode."

A facedown Monster appeared. Mad Lobster shielded itself with its claws, and Jerry Beans Man just sat down. Dragon Zombie just collapsed in a heap.

"I may not be able to attack, but I'm still gonna get rid of that Card Blocker," he said. "I play Shield Crush!"

He played the card, and a blast of energy shot out of it, blowing Card Blocker to bits.

"Well, so much for that," muttered Erik.

"Your move," said the Machine.

Erik drew a card.

_This might be useful,_ he thought, adding it to his hand.

"I summon a second Toy Magician," he said. "Double the pleasure!"

A second of the toy Spellcasters appeared. (1,600/1,500) –) (1,900/1,500)

"All right, attack his Mad Lobster and Jerry Beans Man!"

The two Magicians cast their spells, and the two Monsters burst into pixels.

_This punk may not know it,_ thought Gadget Soldier, _but the more of my Monsters he trashes, the deeper he's falling into my trap… _

He looked at his deck.

_Once I draw both the right cards, it's gonna be all over for him… _

"My move," he said.

He drew a card, and looked at it.

"I set a facedown, and that'll be all."

A facedown card appeared.

Erik drew a card.

_No problem,_ he thought. _I have Mystical Space Typhoon right…_

"Go, Trap Card!" shouted Gadget Soldier. "Threatening Roar!"

His facedown card lifted, and the intimidating form of Behemoth, the King of All Animals appeared behind him. It roared, and Erik staggered back.

"Afraid your attacks this round are called off," he said.

"Then I'll just end my turn…" muttered Erik.

Gadget Soldier drew a card.

"Okay, pal, I play Pot of Greed," he said.

The evil jar appeared, and he drew two cards.

"Heh, heh, perfect…" he said. "First, I flip my Sonic Duck into Attack Mode."

His facedown Monster flipped up, revealing a comical-looking green duck the size of a horse with a scarf around its neck and a pail on its head. (1,700/700)

"Now… I'm giving it something extra… The Equip Spell, Amulet of Ambition."

He played the card, and a glowing aura appeared around Sonic Duck's neck. It formed into a glowing amulet with an eye on the setting.

"I'll explain this as simply as I can," he said. "This can only be Equipped to Normal Monsters. And when the Equipped Monster battles a Monster that's a higher Level, the Equipped Monster gains 500 Attack Points times the difference. 

"So…

"Sonic Duck, attack the Toy Magician on the right with supersonic dash!"

Sonic Duck squawked and sped towards Toy Magician in a blur. Its Attack Score rose to 2,200, just as it collided with the Spellcaster, blowing him to pieces.

"Wait a second," said Ren. "This means…"

"This means that the higher the Level of Erik's Monster, the stronger Sonic Duck will be," said Chelsea. "Even Erik's Puppet King would be outclassed… If he tried to attack with him…"

"Sonic Duck would gain 2,000 Attack Points," said Yumi. "And I don't think Erik even has a Level Three Monster that can beat these low-level beatsticks."

_True…_ thought Erik. _But I have something else…_

"I'll move Dragon Zombie to Attack Mode while I'm at it," said Gadget Soldier, as Dragon Zombie picked itself up. "I'll set a Monster in Defense Mode, and end my turn."

He played his last card, and a facedown Monster appeared.

**(E: 4,650) -------------------- (GS: 3,950) **

He drew a card.

"I play Mystical Space Typhoon!" he shouted. "Say goodbye to that Amulet!"

He played the card, and the cyclone tore across the field, blowing the Amulet of Ambition off the Duck's neck.

"That was pointless," said Gadget Soldier. "That card has another effect. If it's destroyed, I get to put it on top of my deck, and I don't have to pay a dime."

He placed the card on the top of his deck.

Erik frowned. He looked at the card he had just drawn. 

"I play… Symbol pf Heritage," he said. "Since I have three of the same Monster in my Graveyard, this Spell Card lets me bring one of them back to the field."

He played the card, and Toy Soldier appeared on the field. (800/300) – (1,100/300)

"Next," he said, "I play a powerful Spell called Crowning of the Emperor! This lets me sacrifice him…"

Toy Soldier saluted, and held his musket by his side. He vanished in a sparkle of light.

"Come on out, Toy Emperor!"

With a galloping of hooves, a mounted figure rode onto the field. It was another wooden soldier, this one dressed in Napoleon's military uniform, holding a saber and riding a wooden horse. His eyebrows were narrow, and his mouth was carved into a frown.(2,300/800) –) (2,600/800)

"First, Toy Magician, destroy his Sonic Duck!"

Toy Magician cast his spell, and Sonic Duck exploded in a burst of feathers.

"Second, I have a feeling I know what that set Monster is, seeing as you used up every card in your hand. Let's see if I'm right…

"Toy Emperor, attack his facedown Monster!"

Toy Emperor gave his mount a kick, and he galloped towards the facedown Monster. A ceramic jar appeared on the card, and a dark shadow with a mouth and one eye appeared out of it. It let out a cackling laugh before Toy Emperor slashed it to bits with his saber.

"Yep, I was right," said Erik. "Morphing Jar…"

He discarded the one card that was left in his hand, and drew five cards. Gadget Soldier simply drew five cards.

"And Toy Emperor has a powerful effect," said Erik. "Now I get to take any Trap Card from my deck that I want."

A card slid out of his deck. Erik gave a puzzled look, and took it.

It was the one he wanted again, all right. Xanadu had strange laws.

He placed it in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"That's all for me," he said.

**(E: 4,650) -------------------- (GS: 3,750) **

"Draw," said Gadget Soldier.

He drew a card.

"I Equip Amulet of Ambition on Dragon Zombie," he said.

The Amulet appeared on the Zombie's neck.

"Go, Dust Tornado!" shouted Erik.

His Trap Card flipped up, and the tornado tore across the field, blowing the Amulet to pieces.

"Talk about a dumb move," laughed Sam. "He told you he could search for _any_ Trap Card… Every duelist and his brother uses Dust Tornado."

"Okay, change of plans!" growled the Machine. "It's about time I brought out my key player anyway…

"I use my Deck Lord ability, which I can do three times per duel total. I get to Special Summon any Normal Monster from my deck that I want. And I choose Summoned Skull."

In an explosion of lightning, Yugi Mouto's signature Fiend appeared on the field. There was no mistaking him… The horns, claws, and bony carapace. (2,500/1,200)

"Of course, there is a catch," said Gadget Soldier. "It can't attack, and it will be destroyed when I end my turn."

"Meaning you're gonna sacrifice him, right?" said Erik.

"Watch your mouth!" said Gadget Soldier. "I play the Ritual Spell Card, Synthesis Spell."

Summoned Skull vanished, and a cylindrical tank with a man inside, floating in liquid and hooked up to odd hoses and paraphernalia appeared.

"By sacrificing six Levels worth of Monsters, I can bring out the ultimate beast…"

The man inside the tank changed. He transformed into a more bestial shape…

Then he smashed his way out of the tank, and roared in anger.

Standing in front of Erik was a vicious-looking wolfman, with razor-sharp teeth and claws, dressed in ragged trousers, with odd wires on its chest. (2,400/1,800)

"Whoa," said Chelsea. "It looks like someone gave my Zombie Werewolf a makeover."

"This werewolf ain't a Zombie," said Gadget Soldier. "It's a Beast-Warrior called Lycanthrope, and it's about to go postal on your Toy Emperor!"

"Let him try!" laughed Erik. "My Field Spell makes my Emperor stronger!"

Gadget Soldier played another card.

"I Equip him with Ritual Weapon!" he shouted.

Lycanthrope's right wrist glowed, and a golden, glowing crossbow appeared on the back of its claw. (3,900/3,300)

Erik turned to Blockman.

"Now?" said Blockman.

"Now," said Erik, nodding.

"Attack his Toy Emperor!" shouted Gadget Soldier.

Lycanthrope howled. It pointed with its weapon, and a volley of sharp, glowing spires shot towards the toy monarch.

Erik cringed, but Toy Emperor stood fast.

**(E: 3,650) -------------------- (GS: 3,750) **

"My Emperor isn't ready to leave yet," said Erik. "I used my Deck Lord ability. I can also use it three times.

"You get to draw one card, but I can make any Toy Monster withstand any attack."

Gadget Soldier grinned as he drew a card.

"But you still lost Life Points," he said. "So Lycanthrope's effect activates, and you lose 200 Life Points for every Normal Monster in my Graveyard. In case anyone here lost count, I've goteight of them there."

Erik screamed as Lycanthrope's eyes glowed, and a fiery aura surrounded him. He fell to his knees.

**(E: 2,050) -------------------- (GS: 3,750) **

"Crud," said Ren. "And with that extra draw, he likely drew Amulet of Ambition again."

Gadget Soldier looked at the card he had drawn.

_He's wrong,_ he thought. _When I used my ability to bring out Summoned Skull, my deck was shuffled. What I actually drew was Frostosaurus, an incredibly powerful Level Six Monster. _

_He won't be dumb enough to keep his two Monsters in Attack Mode in order to attack my Dragon Zombie, so I'll easily be able to summon it next turn. _

Erik looked at the field.

"Your move," said Gadget Soldier.

_Let me think,_ thought Erik. _If I attack Dragon Zombie with Toy Emperor, I'll be able to get Mirror Force from my Deck… But if he's somehow able to destroy it, I'm a gonner… _

He drew a card. He looked at it.

_Nope, I got a better idea… And to think Sam thought this card was a dumb idea… _

He added it to his hand and chose another one.

"First I summon… My third Toy Magician!"

He played the card, and yet another of the plastic, colored mages appeared. (1,600/1,500)

"Eh?" said Gadget Soldier. "Attack Mode?"

"Now," said Erik. "I play Heavy Storm!"

He played the card, and a fierce wind tore across the field. ToyTown vanished, and the Ritual Weapon crumbled to dust.

"Big deal!" said Gadget Soldier. "You took out your own Field Spell, so he's still stronger than any of your Monsters.

"And even if you can make your Emperor stronger, you'd best make it count, because I have _this_."

He turned one of his two cards in his hand forward. It was Fulfillment of the Contract.

"Oh, but I _am_ going to 'make it count', as you say," said Erik. 

He placed a card in his Disk.

"I play… Autonomous Action Unit!"

"Say WHAT?" shouted Gadget Soldier.

"This card may cost me 1,500 Life Points," said Erik, as he glowed with red energy, "but it's worth every one to resurrect one of your Monsters and recruit him to my side."

A pair of space-age doors appeared on Erik's side of the field, and they opened with a burst of steam…

Summoned Skull stepped out, but he was different. Apparently, he had been reborn using cybernetics. His left arm and right leg were bionic, metal plating was on his chest, and a helmet covered the right half of his head, giving him a glowing red optic sensor for a right eye. An odd metal pack was strapped to his back. He glared at Gadget Soldier. (2,500/1,200)

"Oh, crap…" said Gadget Soldier.

"Summoned Skull…" ordered Erik, "atomize Lycanthrope with electromagnetic cyber lightning strike!"

Two protrusions resembling lasers unfolded from the pack on Summoned Skull's back, and twin volleys of lightning bolts shot from them, reducing Lycanthrope to a pile of ash.

"All right!" shouted Erik. "Toy Emperor, destroy Dragon Zombie!"

Toy Emperor charged at Dragon Zombie, and with one slash of his saber, the dragon corpse was ripped to shreds.

"Toy Magicians… Finish him off!"

Both Toy Magicians shot their sparkle blasts at the Machine. Gadget Soldier fell to his knees.

**(E: 550) -------------------- (GS: 0) **

Summoned Skull gave Gadget Soldier an angry look.

"Don't look at me like that!" he shouted to the Fiend. "Yeah, I lost, but keep in mind… You still couldn't beat me when you…"

Before he could say anything else, Blockman's eyes glowed. Gadget Soldier fell to his knees, and shattered into pixilated remains, that evaporated.

Blockman gave a thumb's up to Erik. He slowly vanished.

Summoned Skull turned to him. The Fiend smiled before he vanished as well.

"What was that all about?" asked Sam.

Yumi rubbed her chin.

"Maybe Summoned Skull was a Duel Spirit too, and he wasn't serving in Gadget Soldier's deck willingly," she said. "Maybe they dueled in the past, and Skull lost…"

"And he became Gadget Soldier's slave…" said Chelsea. "If Daala's men can enforce their will like that, I just want to overthrow her more…"

"Well, it seems that Skull is a free Monster now," said Erik.

He looked at the fruit trees.

"And the Devil's Fruit is ours."

"Erik, are you certain this stuff is safe?" asked Yumi. "There must be a reason why it's called Devil's Fruit and not Angel's Fruit."

"Well, in the Manga there is one known side effect," said Erik. "Hear this before you decide.

"Devil's Fruit was supposed to be the fruit of the Sea Devil, whatever that means. And whoever eats it… Well, that person will never be able to swim again.

"The sea itself rejects those who have eaten it. Thus, anyone who has eaten it is helpless in water. If we eat this, and then fall into a large body of water, we'd likely drown."

They all paused for a while.

"Heck with it," said Sam. "I never learned to swim anyway…"

"We'll just stay away from lakes and the beach," said Chelsea.

"Anything else we should know?" asked Yumi, nervously.

"Well…" muttered Erik, "there was a rather… ghoulish rumor that said that the powers inside them didn't like each other too much, and that if someone ate more than one, they'd war with each other, and kill the one who ate them. This was never proven, because no-one was known to be dumb enough to test it."

"Okay…" said Chelsea. "Good safety tip…"

"So, which ones do what?" asked Ren, looking at one of the trees.

"You never know until you eat it," said Erik. "The Manga said at various times that several catalogues of them existed, but none were ever actually seen."

Sam picked one. It was pear-shaped, and colored turquoise.

"Now _there's_ a color found in nature," she said sarcastically.

"Maybe we should each choose a different one," said Yumi. "Then, the chances of at least one of us getting a useful one improve."

Eventually, they all picked one from a separate tree.

"Uhm, one final thing," said Erik. "I should warn you, these taste pretty bad…"

Ren bit into his. He made a face as he forced himself to swallow it.

"Ugh!" he gasped. "You weren't kidding!"

Chelsea cringed as she bit into hers. She swallowed hard.

"That tastes like moldy Play-Doh!" she shouted.

Sam took a bite of hers. She simply frowned.

"I've eaten worse," she said, tossing the rest of the fruit aside. "Not as bad as some of the stuff they serve at the Centurion's barracks at Duelatopia."

Erik bit into his. He cringed. He knew it was his idea, but that didn't make it any less disgusting.

Yumi looked long and hard at her piece. She wondered if she was feeling the same way as Alice felt after she had just arrived in Wonderland, and found a bottle with a label that read "Drink Me".

Secretly, she hoped that they all weren't being played for suckers.

She took a bite.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

Daala sighed as she watched something on a screen.

She had watched this duel so many times. Yugi Mouto Sr.'s victory over Marik in the final round of BattleCity.

Every time she watched it, she couldn't help but think what an egotistical idiot that Marik was.

Standing behind her was one of her chief enforcers, a Skull Knight. Everyone in Xanadu knew about him. With the exception of Daala herself, he was the best duelist in Daala's army.

"Question," she asked him. "What was Marik's problem?"

"Overconfidence?" he asked.

"No," she said, "it was…"

She stopped short.

"Actually, yes," she said. "That, and ego.

"He thought that Yugi couldn't have possibly beaten Ra without a God Card of his own. So, to defeat him, and prove with his over-inflated head that his God Card was superior, he attacked Obelisk instead of attacking Dark Magician Girl, who would have been the easier target. 

"How little did he know that she was the one whom Yugi truly needed to defeat Ra. That mistake not only proved that his God Card wasn't superior, but it let Yugi prove that _he_ was superior to _all three_ of the God Cards!

"Anyway, there's a lesson in there somewhere, but I kinda forget what it is."

"I take it this is why you turned down the request to create a virtual version of Marik?" asked Skull Knight.

Daala nodded.

"Rule number one of amassing minions," she said. "Never try to recruit anyone who's stronger than you are. And rule number two, which pertains to this case, is never create anyone who's crazier than you are."

A beeper on the screen went off.

"Hmm," she said waving her arm.

The screen changed, and a scene of Yumi and company wandering through the forest came up.

"They're almost there…" she thought. "Maybe one more small hurdle…"

The screen changed, and a face appeared on it.

"They'll be there in about twenty minutes, give or take," she said. "Tell whoever is at the gates to challenge Ren. I want to see him at his full capacity."

"As you wish," said the figure.

She leaned back on the couch.

"Hopefully, we'll get what we want from Yumi soon," she said. "Then we won't need our friends any more… And we can take them out and any other annoyances with one swift stroke…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

**TOY SOLDIER (Monster Card) **

**Card Specs **

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 800  
**DEF:** 300 

**Card Description:** If this card is face-up on your side of the field during your Standby Phase, you may Special Summon up to two "Toy Soldiers" from your hand or deck.

**0 **

**0 **

**0 **

**TOY EMPEROR (Monster Card) **

**Card Specs **

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 6  
**ATK:** 2,300  
**DEF:** 800 

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card must first be Special Summoned via the effect of "Crowning of the Emperor". When this card destroys an opposing Monster as a result of battle and sends it to the Graveyard, you may search your deck for one Trap Card and add it to your hand.

**0 **

**0 **

**0 **

**FIFE AND DRUM CORP (Spell Card) **

**Normal Spell **

**Image:** A parade of Toy Soldiers with drums and fifes.

**Card Description:** During the turn you activate this card, the ATK of all Monsters on your side of the field whose ATK is 1,000 or less is doubled until the End Phase of the turn.

**0 **

**0 **

**0 **

**CROWNING OF THE EMPEROR (Spell Card) **

**Normal Spell **

**Image: **An elaborate crown, with a spotlight on it.

**Card Description:** Offer one "Toy Soldier" on your side of the field as a Tribute. Special Summon one "Toy Emperor" from your hand or deck.

_Note: "Toy Soldier", "Toy Emperor", "Fife and Drum Corp", and "Crowning of the Emperor" were all first used by Bonaparte in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Dormitory Demolition". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

**0 **

**0 **

**0 **

**TOY MEMORIAL (Spell Card) **

**Normal Spell **

**Image:** A group of Toy Soldiers standing around a broken one of their own.

**Card Description:** Draw one card for every card in your Graveyard that has the word "Toy" in its name. You must skip your Battle Phase on a turn in which you use this card.

_Note: "Toy Memorial" was created by Man Called True for his fanfic "Yu-Gi-Oh! Tilting the Balance". Creative credit goes to him. _

**0 **

**0 **

**0 **

**TOY TOWN (Spell Card) **

**Field Spell **

**Image:** A colorful toy village with a toy castle on a hill overlooking it and a rainbow in the sky.

**Card Description:** Monsters with the word "Toy" in their names gain 300 Attack Points. Negate the effect of any Trap Card that specifically targets a Monster with the word "Toy" in its name and destroy it. If a Monster with the word "Toy" in its name is destroyed outside of battle, the owner may select one Monster from his deck with the word "Toy" in its name that has a lower base ATK than the destroyed card and add it to his hand.

_Note: " ToyTown" first appeared in "Legend of the Sorcerer Kings". _

**0 **

**0 **

**0 **

**TOY MAGICIAN (Monster Card) **

**Card Specs **

**Type:** Spellcaster/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,600  
**DEF:** 1,500 

**Card Description:** This card can be treated as a Spell Card and set facedown into your Spell/Trap zone. When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard by the effect of an opponent's card while set in the Spell/Trap zone, Special Summon this card onto your field during the next End Phase. In addition, when this card is successfully Flip-Summoned, destroy a number of Spell and Trap cards up to the number of face-up "Toy Magicians" on the field.

**0 **

**0 **

**0 **

**CARD BLOCKER (Monster Card) **

**Card Specs **

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 400  
**DEF:** 400 

**Card Description:** When this card is successfully Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned, it is switched to face-up Defense Position. When a face-up Monster you control is targeted by an attack, you may switch the attack target to this card. When this card becomes the attack target, you may send up to three cards from the top of your deck to the Graveyard. For each card sent to the Graveyard in this manner, increase this card's DEF by 500 until the End Phase of the turn.

_Note: "Toy Magician" and "Card Blocker" are Japanese cards that have not yet been released in the United States. _

**0 **

**0 **

**0 **

**TOY TANK (Monster Card) **

**Card Specs **

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,300  
**DEF:** 1,100 

**Card Description:** When this card is destroyed as a result of battle and sent to the Graveyard, you may search your deck for one Monster that is Level Four or less with the word "Toy" in its name, except for a "Toy Tank", and Special Summon it in Attack Position.

**0 **

**0 **

**0 **

**DESPERADO MANAGER (Spell Card) **

**Normal Spell **

**Image:** A burly biker crackling with electricity, with a seedy agent standing behind him.

**Card Description:** You can activate this card when you have at least one card in your hand other than this card. Draw two cards from your deck. Then, choose three cards from your hand and place them on the top of your deck in any order.

_Note: "Desperado Manager" was first used by Chazz in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Head in the Clouds (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

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**Erik's Deck Lord: "Blockman": "Toy Blocker":** Three times per duel, you may negate a "Toy" Monster's destruction as a result of battle (damage calculation still applies). If you use this effect, your opponent may draw one card. (Minor Power)

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**Gadget Soldier's Deck Lord: "Simple Summons": **Three times per duel, during your Main Phase, you may Special Summon a Normal Monster from your deck. The Special Summoned Monster cannot attack, and is destroyed during the End Phase of the round it is Special Summoned in this manner. (Intermediate Power)

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**_Coming up next: _**

**_Here's a question to think about: Did the elves in _Lord of the Rings_ have pointed ears? Despite depictions in various media, Tolkien's descriptions never addressed that one way or another. But you can't deny one thing… Tolkien's elves were tough. _**

**_In the fantasy world of Xanadu, races from several dimensions come together, and one from an elven land stands in the heroes' path. To get into the Realm Lord's fortress, Ren must get past one of them and her legions of elven warriors. _**

**_Coming up next, "The Empress Elf". It sure isn't Galadriel._**


	8. The Empress Elf

_**What do you think of when you think of the word "elf"?**_

_**Small children usually think of Santa Claus. Older folks usually think of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Whether it's fairy tales or more mature works of fantasy, elves have been a part of many cultures since ancient times, when men thought them up in the legends surrounding their mythologies.**_

_**There are elves in Duel Monsters too. Yumi's grandfather used two of them – Mystical Elf and Celtic Guardian, later replaced by his retrained form, Obnoxious Celtic Guardian (whatever he did to be called "obnoxious", I have no idea). There's also Mystical Elf's sister, Dark Elf (who's offensive where her counterpart is defensive), Ancient Elf, a guy who's only a fan card these days, and, of course, Gemini Elf, the Level Four vanilla beatstick of Spellcasters who Yumi uses.**_

_**I never dreamed there were more than that…**_

_**I'm facing someone who's debunking the myth that elves are lightweights…**_

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**CHAPTER SEVEN**

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**The Empress Elf**

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"So…" said Chelsea, as they walked down the path. "Anyone feel any different?"

"I still have a really sour aftertaste in my mouth," said Ren, "but offhand, no."

"The Realm Lord wanted it guarded," said Yumi. "Unless he somehow gets his kicks by eating fruit that tastes like old gym sneakers, that stuff must do something."

They walked on in silence for a few minutes, their Disks ready to summon a Monster should a new threat appear…

Then the strange spatial effect of the Woods occurred again, and suddenly, they were in a new location.

They were in a huge clearing, standing before a large, stone castle of gothic design. Gargoyles were perched on the roof, and moss and vines covered the whole structure.

"The Realm Lord's castle!" exclaimed Ren. "We've made it!"

"Careful!" warned Yumi. "We'd be fools to think that there are no guards…"

Almost on cue, three frightening forms burst out of the ground. They were tall, blocky, humanoid creatures made of wood. Their faces had mouths that were sideways, hinged at the top and bottom instead of the left and right, and a series of beady knobs on each side of it. They carried scythes. (1,600/100)

"Rigras Leevers," said Yumi. "This guy is creative, I'll give him that…"

Yumi, Ren, and Sam threw cards on their Disks, and Skilled Dark Magician (1,900/1,700), Getsu Fuhma (1,700/1,200), and The Bistro Butcher (1,800/1,000) appeared. The Leevers were apparently too dumb to know that they were outclassed. They lifted their scythes and charged, only to be blown apart by a blast of dark magic and slashes from a katana and a cleaver.

"Talk about dumb," said Chelsea.

"They had wood for brains, what did you expect?" asked Sam.

"Says the duelist who has a demented puppet carrying an axe in her deck," muttered Ren.

"Uh…" said Sam.

She didn't know how to reply to that.

"Is this all?" shouted Ren. "Are you in there? Are you going to give us something more than just weak Monsters?"

As if to respond, the front gates slowly opened…

A feminine form slowly walked out. She was smallish, best described as petite. She had a delicate face, sea-green eyes, tanned skin, long, chestnut hair, and ears that tapered to points. She was dressed in a leather halter and miniskirt, and had bare feet. She also wore a Duel Disk.

"Will I do?" she said, in a haughty voice.

A set of portcullis bars slammed down behind her, blocking the way she came out.

"This is it?" asked Sam, almost laughing. "The Lord's front guard is some elf maiden?

"She doesn't even have a weapon…"

"How little you know," said the elf. "Some say that a Duel Disk is like a sword to a duelist."

Sam chuckled.

"You don't look so tough," she said. "Anyone say we just tackle her and force our way past?"

At this, the elf tapped her Disk, and a blast of energy shot from it, striking Sam in the chest and knocking her over.

"Ow!" she shouted.

"I wouldn't listen to her," said the elf. "One of you will duel me if you want to get inside… Or I'll set it to something stronger than stun."

"You do have a weapon," moaned Sam, clutching her chest. "My mistake…"

"Guys…" said Chelsea. "I don't think our Disks can do that… In fact, I think against a duelist with an actual weapon in Xanadu, we're unarmed…"

The maiden smiled.

"And I think I want to duel Ren," she said.

Ren frowned.

"So, what are the stakes?" he said, stepping up.

"Simple," she replied. "You win, then you all get to go in to see the Realm Lord. But if I win, you won't be joining your friends when they do."

"Any hints as to who this guy is?" asked Ren.

"An exceptional person," said the elf. "He likes to make his own introductions."

"Fine," said Ren. "Do you have a name? And where did you come from, anyway?"

"Call me Gallah," she said. "I was once a citizen in a dimension where elves had a vast empire. But given some… circumstances, I had to leave and migrate to Xanadu."

"You were a wanted criminal, right?" asked Ren.

Gallah frowned.

"You make it sound so… common," she said. "I was known as the Bandit Queen, the greatest thief of my time."

"You were that good, huh?" asked Ren.

"Ever hear of the Dark Scorpions?" asked Gallah.

Ren nodded.

"Morons," said Gallah. "Even my apprentice could have bested them.

"There was no vault I couldn't break into, no safe I couldn't crack. I once snuck up on a party of the Elite Guards of Empress Elf when they were toasting mutton around a campfire… I picked their pockets, took their watches, filched the golden royal badges off their uniforms, and took ale they were drinking, and got away long before they realized I had been there.

"I could take anything that wasn't nailed down, and take the nails along with what was. But unfortunately, the price on my head became too high, and the Empress stated publicly what my fate would be if I was caught… I fled rather than take further risks.

"And by working for the Realm Lord by dueling… Well, if you meet my best Monster, you'll see why I like Xanadu better."

"Lovely," said Ren, shuffling his deck.

"Now meet my Deck Lord!" exclaimed Gallah.

In a flash of light, a humanoid appeared behind her. It was an elf, similar to herself, only male, dressed in an exotic, purple costume that seemed to be a cross between armor and a wizard's garment. He held an odd staff.

"Meet Ancient Elf," she said. "Now let's see yours."

"Well, uh…" said Ren.

His deck glowed, and then, to his surprise, Penumbral Soldier Lady appeared behind him, in a burst of dark energy.

"Uhm…" said Ren. "Gee… No offense, not that I'm ungrateful or anything, but I kind of expected the Queen…"

"Fret not, Ren," whispered the Soldier Lady. "She wanted to… But I insisted. She's the most powerful Monster in your deck, and she'd be better off staying there. We all agreed to that."

"I guess so," said Ren.

"And listen close," she continued. "My ability is useful, if costly. You can spend 800 of your Life Points for me to strengthen one of your Dark Warrior-Type Monsters by the same amount until the End Phase of your turn.

"However, once you have used it, you may not do so again until three of your Standby Phases have passed."

"Okay…" said Ren. "I guess that's good enough…"

He spoke up.

"Ready?" he said to Gallah.

"Oh yeah…" she said.

"Duel!" they both shouted.

**(Ren: 8,000) -- (Gallah: 8,000)**

Gallah made her first draw, and looked at her hand.

"Let's see," she said. "Think I'll summon this lass… My Learning Elf."

She played the card, and a new elf appeared in front of her. It was another female, this one with long, blonde hair, dressed in a green halter, skirt, a long cape, and sandals. She carried a leather-bound tome under her arm. (1,400/1,500)

"And I think I'll end my turn there."

"Huh?" said Ren.

_Oh, be careful, Ren,_ thought Yumi. _If she summoned a weak Monster in Attack Mode with no facedown cards to protect her, it can only mean one thing…_

_She _wants_ you to attack._

"I don't know what you're up to," said Ren, "but I can still beat you…"

He made a draw. His eyes opened wide when he saw what the card was..

_Hey…_ he thought. _I haven't had a chance to use her yet…_

He thought for a minute.

_Think I'll save her for later…_

"I summon a charming lady of my own," he said. "Go, Getsu Fuhma!"

In another burst of shadow, the armored, redheaded, female ronin holding a katana appeared. (1,700/1,200)

"Attack her elf!" he shouted. "Whirlwind blade!"

Getsu Fuhma leapt up, and slashed at Learning Elf with her sword. The elf maiden screamed before she was blasted into shards.

However, Gallah smirked.

"Thank you," she said. "Learning Elf has a special effect. When she goes to the Graveyard, I get to draw one card."

She made a draw. Ren frowned.

"I set this facedown, and end my turn," he said.

A facedown card appeared.

_Should have known she was up to something…_ he thought.

**(R: 8,000) -- (G: 7,700)**

Gallah drew again.

"Time to show you what my deck lord can do," she said.

"Huh?" asked Ren.

"Ever read the flavor text on Ancient Elf's card?" she asked. "It says that he's lived for thousands of years.

"That's supposed to be true with all elves, at least the ones in the place where I come from. Elves are as immortal as the forests that we live in. In my home country, most of my people are at least three-thousand years old, and many are much older that. The only way for an elf to die is through violence…"

"Omigod…" said Chelsea.

"What?" asked Gallah.

"You weren't just a thief…" she said. "You were a murderer, weren't you? And I'll bet that murder is thought of as even worse among elves than humans think of it, because they think of it as a great tragedy when an immortal life is cut short.

"That's why you fled your world… The punishment for murder is so horrible, you chose not to take the chance of facing it."

Gallah closed her eyes.

"I don't have to answer that question, and I'm not going to," she said.

"Anyway, my Deck Lord can make any Monster with the word 'Elf' in its name truly immortal. During my Standby Phase, f I have no Monsters on the field, I can summon one from my Graveyard without having to pay a copper..."

Ancient Elf glowed with radiant light, and Learning Elf appeared on the field again. (1,400/1,500)

"Next," she said, "I'll summon Thoroughbred Elf."

Another female elf appeared on the field. This one was tall and muscular, dressed in a leather jacket-skirt combination. (1,800/1,500)

"Attack Getsu Fuhma! Fey fist fury!"

Thoroughbred Elf rushed Getsu, and slugged her with her bare hands. Getsu gasped and then shattered into shards.

"Now, Learning Elf, attack him directly!"

Learning Elf lifted her free hand, and shot a volley of lightning bolts, similar to Gemini Elf's attack. Ren strained under the blow.

"I'll set a card of my own facedown, and that will be all."

She fit a card into her Disk, and a facedown card appeared in a flash.

**(R: 6,500) -- (G: 7,700)**

"And to think I didn't believe in elves," said Sam.

"That's hardly gonna help Ren," said Erik.

"My move," said Ren.

He drew a card.

_That's it,_ he thought.

"I play Premature Burial," he said. "I'll give up 800 Life Points, and Getsu Fuhma comes back."

He glowed with a red aura as he played the card, and the ground burst open. Getsu Fuhma emerged. (1,700/1,200)

"Next, I summon my Dark Blade."

He played another card, and the dark, armored Warrior with his twin swords appeared. (1,800/1,500)

"Now, I play the Field Spell, Mystic Plasma Zone!"

He slid the card into his Field Slot, and an aura of darkness, crackling with energy, covered the whole field. Getsu Fuhma rose to (2,200/800), while Dark Blade rose to (2,300/1,100)

"Now my knight is gonna go medieval on Thoroughbred Elf! Attack with dark sword slash!"

Dark Blade lifted his swords, and rushed at the elf.

"That's just what I wanted you to do," said Gallah. "I activate the Trap Card, Wonderworker!"

Her facedown card flipped up, and an elven sorcerer in exotic clothing appeared on the field.

"It works as follows," she said. "I take a Field Spell from my deck and remove it from play."

A card slipped out of her deck. She held it up, and it vanished.

"And for as long as Wonderworker is on the field, the effect of your Field Spell becomes that of the Field Spell I just removed."

"Say WHAT?" shouted Ren.

"By the way," continued Gallah, "the Spell I removed was Gaia Power. So now, your Mystic Plasma Zone powers up Earth Monsters instead of Dark ones."

The darkness faded away, and the clearing around them grew into an even thicker forest. Ren's two Warriors returned to their previous stats, while Learning Elf rose to (1,900/1,100) and Thoroughbred Elf rose to (2,300/1,100)

"By the way, it's too late for you to call off your attack," said Gallah.

As Dark Blade charged at Thoroughbred Elf, she kicked him in the groin. He collapsed to his knees, and then shattered.

"She's gonna pay for that," said Ren, angrily. "I'll give up 800 Life Points to use my Deck Lord ability, and strengthen Getsu Fuhma."

Both Penumbral Soldier Lady and Getsu Fuhma glowed with dark energy, and Getsu's Attack Score rose to 2,500.

She leapt at Thoroughbred Elf and slashed with her blade. Thoroughbred Elf fell over and was blown to bits.

Ren took some deep breaths.

"I end my turn," he said.

**(R: 4,400) -- (G: 7,500)**

Sam nudged Yumi on her shoulder.

"What is it, Sam?" said Yumi. "Can't you see that Ren's in trouble?"

"We seem to have gained a spectator," whispered Sam.

She nudged her head to the side.

Yumi slowly looked in that direction.

Someone was indeed watching from the bushes. It was a young woman, dressed entirely in tight, black spandex that covered all of her body except her hands and head. Covering her face was a white mask that made it look like a china doll. She had long, dark hair that was worn loose and fell to her waist.

Yumi's eyes narrowed.

_Curiouser and curiouser…_ she thought.

Gallah smiled as she drew a card.

"I summon Wonderbeat Elf," she said.

As she played the card, a new elf appeared. This one was male, dressed in a leather jerkin and cap. He held a decorated hand axe in each hand. (1,700/1,600) –) (2,200/1,200)

"And I'm gonna make him even stronger," she said. "I Equip him with Invigoration."

She played a card, and Wonderbeat Elf glowed with golden energy, and his muscles bulged. (2,600/1,000)

"By the way, Wonderbeat Elf has a powerful effect. He gets an additional attack for every Elf on the field, other than himself."

"No!" gasped Chelsea.

"If all three attacks go through…" said Yumi, "Ren loses…"

"Learning Elf," ordered Gallah, "destroy Getsu Fuhma!"

Learning Elf shot her bolts of lightning, and Getsu Fuhma was blown into shards.

"Wonderbeat Elf, attack him directly! Swift slash!"

Wonderbeat Elf flew at Ren, and the axe in his right hand slammed into him. Ren staggered backwards.

"Now finish him off! Second swift slash!"

Chelsea hung her head sadly as the left axe slammed into Ren…

Wonderbeat Elf looked a little confused. His second blow hadn't seemed to have hurt Ren as much as the first one did…

"What's wrong?" shouted Gallah. "Why is he still standing? He should have no more Life Points!"

Wonderbeat Elf shrugged.

"Maybe he didn't notice my Trap Card," said Ren.

Then everyone saw it. He had activated Nutrient Z.

"Since that last attack was strong enough to deal at least 2,000 points of damage," said Ren, "I gained 4,000 Life Points right before it hit."

Everyone started to cheer.

**(R: 3,000) -- (G: 7,500)**

"So you did," said Gallah. "Well, my turn is over… So what now? Next round, I'll simply summon another Elf, giving me five attacks total."

Ren took another deep breath. He drew.

"I play… Pot of Greed!" he said, playing it.

He drew two cards.

_Perfect!_ he thought.

"First thing's first," he said. "Feel the wrath of… Heavy Storm!"

Everyone braced themselves as a furious windstorm struck the clearing. Wonderworker, Invigoration, and Ren's own Field Spell were blown to bits. Wonderbeat Elf fell to (1,700/1,600) and Learning Elf fell to (1,400/1,500).

"Now," he said, holding up a card. "I'm going to introduce one of my newest girls…"

"I see five stars on that card," said Gallah. "How are you going to summon that Monster with no sacrifice?"

"Due to her effect," said Ren, "I can summon her by sacrificing a Monster from my hand instead of the field, so long as that Monster is a Dark Warrior. So I'll sacrifice Familiar Knight…"

He discarded the card.

"…and let's all welcome… Black Lotus!"

In another burst of shadow, another female figure appeared. She was dressed in a low-cut, black leotard, with matching gloves and boots. A mask covered the lower part of her face, and her long hair was tied in a braided ponytail. She held a long, sharp sai in each hand. (1,300/1,400)

"Heh, heh," chuckled Gallah. "She isn't very strong…"

"She's an assassin, not a fighter," said Ren. "So her brute strength is limited… Unless I play Rush Recklessly."

He played the card, and Black Lotus's Attack Score rose to 2,000.

"Attack Wonderbeat Elf!" he shouted. "Strike of the shadow!"

Black Lotus pounced, and stabbed Wonderbeat Elf in the stomach. He dropped his weapons and fell to his knees before shattering.

"By the way," said Ren, "every time Black Lotus kills an enemy Monster, her Attack Score goes up by 200 points.

"I'll end my turn there."

Black Lotus fell back to 1,300 Attack Points, and then rose to 1,500.

"He might have turned it around!" said Chelsea, getting excited.

"Yeah, well, he used every card in his hand," said Sam. "He's gonna need a lot of luck from this point."

**(R: 3,000) -- (G: 7,200)**

Gallah frowned.

"Draw…" she said, drawing a card.

She looked at it.

"Pass…" she said, adding it to her hand.

_Figures,_ thought Yumi. _Learning Elf is the only available target now, and she would have been safe from Black Lotus if she moved to Defense Mode… But Gallah wants her to be destroyed so she can use her effect._

Ren looked at his deck.

_C'mon,_ he thought. _Baby needs a new Duel Disk…_

He drew.

"Sweet!" he said. "I play… Card of Demise!"

He played the card. He looked up nervously as the guillotine rose behind him again.

He had a feeling he might find out this time how the effect would be carried out if this lasted the full five rounds. But he couldn't worry about that now. He drew five cards.

He looked them over.

"I summon Double Pinaska," he said.

With a flourish, the mustachioed Spaniard somersaulted in front of Ren, holding his rapiers dramatically. (1,500/1,500)

"Attack Learning Elf again!" he shouted.

Double Pinaska slashed with his two rapiers. Learning Elf fell over, and shattered again.

"I get to draw one card again," said Gallah, drawing.

"Fine," said Ren. "And by the way, Black Lotus has another effect, to make up for being a Level Five Monster with such low Attack Scores. If she attacks directly, she gains 500 more Attack Points."

Gallah's eyes opened wide…

And then she screamed as Black Lotus stabbed her directly in the navel with her sai.

Gallah looked at Black Lotus angrily. The assassin casually wiped her weapon clean on her leotard.

**(R: 3,000) -- (G: 5,100)**

"I'm not done," said Ren. "Next, I Equip Lotus with Necro Shot."

He played a card, and Black Lotus lifted her arm. A glowing, black bat appeared on her wrist.

"This lets her remove from play up to three Monsters in your Graveyard. So your Deck Lord won't be able to bring any of them back on your next turn."

The bat flew at Gallah, and struck her Duel Disk. Three cards, Learning Elf, Thoroughbred Elf, and Wonderbeat Elf appeared behind her and dissolved into grains of light.

"Of course, now Necro Shot is destroyed too…"

The bat shattered.

"But when that happens, I get to toss a Monster from my deck into my Graveyard."

A card slipped out of his deck. He looked at it, nodded, and then discarded it.

"I throw one card facedown, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared in a burst of light.

Gallah scowled as she drew another card.

"I summon Boomerang Elf!" she shouted.

Yet another elf appeared. He was dressed in loose, silken clothing and wore a headband. True to his name, he carried a large boomerang. (1,800/1,500)

"Now… I'll play a second Invigoration."

She played the card, and Boomerang Elf glowed with the same golden energy. (2,200/1,300)

"Attack Black Lotus!" she shouted. "Bewitched boomerang!"

Boomerang Elf took a throwing stance, and then hurled his boomerang at the assassin.

"I activate… Rising Energy!" shouted Ren, as his facedown card lifted.

He threw one card in his hand into his discard slot.

"Now, Black Lotus gains 1,500 Attack Points, so your Elf is history!"

Black Lotus glowed with energy, and shot up to an attack of 3,000.

"Or so you think," said Gallah. "Boomerang Elf knows little a trick that you can't learn Down Under."

Boomerang Elf gestured with his hands, and the boomerang glowed with magical energy, stopping in mid-air. Then, it changed course, flying towards Double Pinaska.

"See?" said Gallah. "He can switch targets in the middle of a battle."

"Pinaska, deflect!" shouted Ren.

Double Pinaska made a slash with his rapier, swatting the boomerang aside.

"Luckily, Pinaska can deflect one attack per duel," said Ren.

"Well…" said Gallah. "I end my turn. "Let's see what else you've got."

She looked at her hand.

_And very soon, my most powerful Monster will crush you! All I need is one more card…_

"I draw one card," said Ren, nervously, as he drew.

As he looked at it, one of the ropes on the guillotine behind him, snapped.

"I move both Black Lotus and Double Pinaska to Defense Mode."

Both Warriors sheathed their weapons, and then knelt and shielded themselves.

"Then I summon Dark Squire."

He played the card, and a new female Warrior appeared. She was a young girl dressed in a grey and black formal noble's outfit and a beret, with a dagger strapped to her side. (300/300)

"She isn't very strong, so she moves to Defense Mode as soon as she's summoned."

Dark Squire knelt and shielded herself as well.

"I end my turn there," he said.

She drew.

She smiled a Cheshire Cat grin.

"Look at this, Ren!" she said, showing it to him.

"A Polymerization card?" asked Ren.

"That's right," said Gallah. "But before I use it, I'll summon a second Thoroughbred Elf."

She played the card, and another of the muscular elven warriors appeared. (1,800/1,500)

"Now… I play Polymerization, to fuse together Mystical Elf, and Dark Elf…"

The two more familiar elves, one blue-skinned with a green robe, the other wearing a dark robe, appeared on the field, and combined into two swirls of light and darkness…

"…to summon… Empress Elf!"

A new Monster appeared between Thoroughbred Elf and Boomerang Elf…

The teenagers gathered around, like most teenagers, had all read _Lord of the Rings_ at one time or another, and had all seen its numerous screen adaptations, the least of which was Peter Jackson's Oscar-sweeping masterpiece. And right now, memories of the scenes with Galadriel came rushing back as they saw a powerful female elf that radiated magical power… (2,800/2,300)

"I love using this card," said Gallah. "The empress of my land condemned me to the worst punishment the law allowed… And now, a Monster with her face is mine to command. Ironic, isn't it?"

Ren didn't answer.

"By the way," continued Gallah, "for each Elf on the field, other than herself, she gains 400 more Attack Points."

Empress Elf glowed with light. (3,600/2,300)

"Time to clean up! Attack Black Lotus! Fey magic!"

Empress Elf blasted a bolt of pure energy, and Black Lotus was atomized.

"Boomerang Elf, take out his Spaniard!"

The Elf hurled his boomerang, and Double Pinaska was blown to pieces.

"Thoroughbred Elf, finish the last one."

The Warrior made one downward smash with her fist, and Dark Squire was blown to shards.

"Thanks…" muttered Ren. "When Dark Squire bites the dust, we each get to draw two cards."

Gallah frowned. They both made two draws.

_Perfect,_ she thought. _I drew Shield Crush! Now, whatever he defends with, I can blow it away next turn._

"Your move," she said.

Ren drew a card.

The second rope on the guillotine behind him snapped.

_This may be your last chance Ren…_ thought Chelsea.

"I play… Monster Reborn!" he shouted, playing the card.

The holy ankh appeared on the field. In a flash of energy, Crescent Moon Queen appeared. (2,600/1,700)

"When was she in your Graveyard?" asked Gallah.

"Since I put her there with Necro Shot," said Ren.

"Well, fine," said Gallah. "Even if you take out my other two Elves, my Empress will crush her…"

She paused.

"Unless…"

"That's right!" said Ren. "It's been more than three Standby Phases since I used my Deck Lord ability, meaning I can use it again, and pay 800 Life Points to increase my Queen's Attack Score by the same amount."

Penumbral Soldier Lady and Crescent Moon Queen glowed, and the Queen's Attack Score rose to 3,400.

"And by the way… She gets two attacks. For the first one, I'm taking out Boomerang Elf.

"Go! Crescent sword slash!"

Crescent Moon Queen charged at Boomerang Elf. He tried to shield himself with the boomerang, but she cleaved it in half, and a second slash cleaved him in twain.

Empress Elf frowned as her Attack Score fell to 3,200.

"Now, attack Empress Elf!"

Empress Elf screamed as the Queen's sword slammed into her, and she exploded into a burst of fiery light.

**(R: 2,200) -- (G: 3,700)**

"Of course, since she attacked twice, she moves into Defense Mode…"

Crescent Moon Queen sheathed her swords, and knelt and crossed her arms.

Ren took the three cards left in his hand.

"I'll toss three cards facedown, and end my turn."

Three facedown cards appeared in three bursts of light.

Gallah growled as she drew a card.

_No problem,_ she thought. _I'll wipe out his Queen with Shield Crush, then I'll…_

"Go, Trap Card!" shouted Ren. "Final Attack Orders!"

His facedown card lifted. Crescent Moon Queen stood up, moving back into Attack Mode.

"Very clever," said Gallah. "But I can still kill her…

"I play my own Monster Reborn, to bring back Mystical Elf."

The ankh appeared on her own side of the field, and the blue-skinned elf appeared, her eyes closed and her hands clasped in a praying position. (800/2,000)

"Huh?" said Erik. "Why didn't she bring back her Empress?"

"Her Empress must be one of those 'only Special Summon by Fusion Summon' Monsters, I guess," said Sam.

"That's right," said Gallah. "But I packed an extra one just in case. When you're on the run from the law all the time, you have to take 'just in cases' into consideration a lot…"

She played a Spell Card.

"I play Fusion Recovery! Now, Dark Elf and Polymerization come back to my hand."

Two cards fell out of her discard slot.

"Now, I'll use them to summon Empress Elf again…"

Dark Elf appeared on the field, and the two elves combined again, forming into the much more powerful Elf. (2,800/2,300) –) (3,200/2,300)

"Attack the Crescent Moon Queen!" she shouted.

Empress Elf prepared to cast her spell…

"Go, Trap Card!" shouted Ren. "Attack Guidance Armor!"

"Huh?" said Gallah.

The Trap Card lifted, and an iron breastplate with a fiendish face on it flew towards Thoroughbred Elf. She screamed right before the armor clamped over her chest.

"This armor is like a magnet," said Ren, "drawing Empress Elf's attack to her."

The Empress's attack turned around in mid-air, and Thoroughbred Elf was blown to pieces. Gallah cringed.

**(R: 2,200) -- (G: 2,300)**

Empress Elf fell to her original Attack Score of 2,800.

"Well, fine!" shouted Gallah. "Your Queen still falls short of being strong enough to defeat her.

"Make your move… We'll soon see whose monarch wins this struggle."

_She has a point,_ thought Ren. _I have no cards in my hand, and my facedown card can't help me now… I need the best draw ever…_

He made a draw.

The third rope on the guillotine snapped.

His eyebrow lifted.

_I guess my facedown card can help…_ he thought.

He played the card.

"I play… The A. Forces," he said. "Now, each Warrior I have on the field gains 200 Attack Points for each Warrior present."

Crescent Moon Queen rose to an Attack Score of 2,800.

"Their Attack Scores are equal now," said Gallah. "You attack, they'll kill each other."

"That's the whole idea," said Ren. "Crescent Moon Queen… Attack."

The Queen lifted her swords. Gallah opened her eyes wide.

"You're actually going to…" she gasped. "You're crazy!"

Crescent Moon Queen charged at Empress Elf. The Empress started to cast a powerful spell…

In a mighty explosion, the Dark monarch and the elven queen were both blown to pieces.

"HA, HA, HA!" laughed Gallah. "I hope it was worth it, Ren!

"Maybe you forgot about my Deck Lord ability, hmm? On my turn, I can just bring Thoroughbred Elf back from the Graveyard. And since you're defenseless…"

"Uhm, excuse me…" said Ren. "I didn't say I had ended my turn yet…"

His facedown card lifted…

It was Call of the Haunted.

A coffin appeared on his side of the field. It opened, and Crescent Moon Queen stepped out. (2,600/1,700) –) (2,800/1,700)

Gallah started to sweat.

"Attack her directly!" ordered Ren.

The Queen's blade slammed into Gallah, and she collapsed to her knees.

**(R: 2,200) -- (G: 0)**

"Damn you, Ren…" she said.

Penumbral Soldier Lady's eyes glowed, and Ancient Elf closed his eyes and bowed his head. He vanished into grains of light.

"We are victorious, Ren," said Penumbral Soldier Lady. "I am stronger now… The next challenge should be easier…"

She vanished.

"Well, you've won," said Gallah. "Be my guest, go in to see the Realm Lord…"

She started to vanish.

"But he won't go down as easy as me…"

And then she was gone.

"Well, we've taken down one enemy," said Yumi. "But do we have to deal with another one?"

She turned to face the strange woman who had been watching, only to see that she was now running away, as fast as she could.

"Who was that?" asked Ren.

Yumi watched as she disappeared into the forest.

"I have no idea," said Yumi.

Then the portcullis opened up, as if inviting them in.

The five allies looked at each other, and then slowly walked inside.

The bars shut behind them, as they expected them to do so. In front of them was a long, stone corridor.

"I wasn't exactly expecting a warm welcome," said Sam. "But…"

Two creatures scurried in front of them.

They were two lizard-like things. One was white, with a frilled collar. The other was brown, with six legs.

"This guy should take care of vermin better," said Chelsea, as they scurried off.

"I dunno," said Yumi. "I'm getting a strange feeling about who this guy is…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After about fifteen minutes of wandering though hallways and halls that seemed deserted, they came to a place that looked important. It was a large courtyard, full of beautiful plants, and a large fountain in the center.

"Look!" shouted Erik.

He pointed to the side, and they saw something that gave them chills. There were five stone statues of teenagers, four boys and one girl, wearing Duel Disks, with unpleasant expressions on their faces.

"The members of Joan's group who got here…" muttered Yumi. "He turned them to stone…"

Then they were distracted by a whistle.

They turned to the fountain. Standing in it was a lovely woman, wearing an outfit that looked like a blue, scaly swimsuit, with very long, purple hair. She held an earthenware jug.

"Water Omotics?" said Ren.

The Duel Spirit smiled sweetly.

"Who are you?" snapped Sam. "Where's the Realm Lord?"

"Oh, that would be me," said the Spirit.

"Don't hassle us with lies, sister," growled Sam.

Water Omotics sighed.

"Just once I'd like someone to believe that…" she muttered.

"I've had enough of this!" shouted Yumi. "Enough dealing with henchmen! Where's the boss?"

Water Omotics smiled again, and then slowly sank into the fountain.

"Come back!" demanded Yumi, as she disappeared.

Then another, far more intimidating form burst out of the water. Yumi stepped back.

It was a humanoid wearing green, scaly armor covered with fins, a general aquatic theme. His face was completely concealed by a full-head helmet with a translucent glass covering on the front.

"What?" said Chelsea. "Who's this? Another Duel Spirit?"

Yumi's eyes narrowed.

"No, it's no Duel Spirit…" she said in a voice of contempt.

She faced the creature.

"I should have known you'd have found a way to survive," she said. "People like you have the tendency to come back when you think they're gone… When you think you've gotten rid of them… You're kind of like the gas you get from eating baked beans.

"Wouldn't you say so… Gansley?"

The former human in front of her who had taken the form of Deepsea Warrior let out a sinister chuckle.

"You're very smart, Yumi," he said. "Some would say too smart for your own good…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BLACK LOTUS (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 5  
**ATK:** 1,300  
**DEF:** 1,400

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card can be Normal Summoned with no Tribute if you discard one DARK Warrior-Type Monster from your hand. When this card attacks your opponent directly, increase its ATK by 500 during the damage step. When this card destroys an opposing Monster as a result of battle, increase the base ATK of this card by 200.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DARK SQUIRE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 2  
**ATK:** 300  
**DEF:** 300

**Card Description:** When this card is Normal Summoned, move it into face-up Defense Position. If this card is destroyed as a result of battle while in a face-up position, both players draw two cards from their decks.

_Note: "Dark Squire" first appeared in "The Legend of the Sorcerer Kings"._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ATTACK GUIDANCE ARMOR (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A man wearing steel armor shaped like a demonic face, glowing with energy.

**Card Description:** Activate this card when your opponent declares an attack. Redirect the attack to a Monster on the field other than the attack target or the attacking Monster.

_Note: "Attack Guidance Armor" was used by Kaiba several times in the anime, originally in "Back to Battle City (Part Two)"._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**NECRO SHOT (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image:** A dark, glowing, skeletal, flying creature.

**Card Description:** This card may only be Equipped to a DARK Warrior-Type Monster. You may select one Monster in your opponent's Graveyard and remove it from play. After this effect is used three times, destroy this card. When this card is sent to the Graveyard, select one Monster from your deck and discard it to the Graveyard.

_Note: "Necro Shot" was first used by Jaden in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "A Snake in the Grass (Part Three)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**THOROUGHBRED ELF (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,500

**Flavor Text:** This powerful elven maiden owes her perfect health to the magical energies of the forest.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**LEARNING ELF (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Spellcaster/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,400  
**DEF:** 1,500

**Card Description:** When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, you may draw one card from your deck.

_Note: "Thoroughbred Elf", "Learning Elf", were first used by Gekkou Tenma in the "Yu-Gi-Oh R" issue "The Elf Warriors!!". Creative credit goes to the writers of that magazine._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**WONDERBEAT ELF (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,700  
**DEF:** 1,600

**Card Description:** This card can attack an additional time in the same Battle Phase for every "Elf" Monster face-up on your side of the field (other than this card).

**0**

**0**

**0**

**BOOMERANG ELF (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,500

**Card Description:** When you have declared an attack with this card against an opposing Monster, you may switch the target of the attack to another opposing Monster before damage calculation is resolved. This effect may only be used once per Battle Phase.

_Note: "Wonderbeat Elf" and "Boomerang Elf", were first used by Gekkou Tenma in the "Yu-Gi-Oh R" issue "Pegasus's Minion!!". Creative credit goes to the writers of that magazine._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**EMPRESS ELF (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Spellcaster/Fusion/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,800  
**DEF:** 2,300

**Card Description:** _Mystical Elf plus Dark Elf_

This card can only be summoned via Fusion Summon, using the above-named fusion material Monsters. Increase the ATK of this card by 400 for every "Elf" Monster face-up on your side the field (other than this card).

**0**

**0**

**0**

**WONDERWORKER (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image:** A female elf sorceress in exotic clothing, casting an eldritch spell.

**Card Description:** You can activate this card when your opponent has a Field Spell face-up on the field. Chose one Field Spell in your deck that does not have the same name as the one currently on the field, and remove it from play. So long as this card remains on the field, the effect of the currently active Field Spell is changed to that of the one that was removed from play. If that Field Spell leaves the field, destroy this card.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**Gallah's Deck Lord: "Ancient Elf":** "Elven Immortality": During your Standby Phase, if you have no Monsters on your side of the field, you may Special Summon an "Elf" Monster from your Graveyard in Attack Position. (Intermediate Power)

**0**

**0**

**0**

**Ren's Deck Lord: "Penumbral Soldier Lady":** "Dark Rush": During your turn, you may pay 800 Life Points to increase the ATK of one of your DARK Warrior-Type Monsters by the same amount until the End Phase. If you use this effect, you may not use again until three of your Standby Phases have passed. (Minor Power)

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**The Lord of Tzimisce Woods stands revealed, and it seems that his power is far greater than it was when he was nothing more than a pawn for Noah. What new tricks is he hiding? Unfortunately, the answer to that will have to wait.**_

_**Next chapter, Nicholas and Olga investigate the latest lead in the real world, Sheena's former computer programmer. The ex-employee refuses to talk without posing a challenge, and Nicholas decides to accept it. At long last, the Six Samurai cards that Yumi rescued from Samen are put to a more honorable purpose.**_

_**Coming up next, "Way of the Warrior", as the Six Samurai return.**_


	9. Way of the Warrior

Note: I do not own the rights to the song featured in this chapter

_Note: I do not own the rights to the song featured in this chapter. It is a copyright of Touchstone Pictures. (Ten brownie points to anyone who can name the movie in which it premiered.)_

_Another note. When I created this alternate timeline, I naturally had no idea that "Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D" would ever be made. Quite likely, even the heads of Konami had no idea yet. If you've seen 5D, you will notice that society has changed dramatically in the decades after GX. Although this story takes place in the same time period that 5D is supposed to take place in, we can assume that the world turned out differently in the reality I have created in this fic, and the characters in 5D simply do not exist._

_Now, that does not necessarily mean that this fic will not use any cards from 5D. I might have a Synchro Monster make a cameo, if nothing else. But we can assume that in this alternate reality, the world turned out differently than it did in the anime world, where the future is defined by the world of 5D._

_And if you can watch 5D, do so. It promises to be a fun show._

_**The people of Domino know me as Joshua St. John, an exchange student from Great Britain.**_

_**What they don't know is, it's a cover created for me by Scotland Yard. They chose the name for me, and I don't like it much, but now I have to live with it. Anyway, if I value my life, I can never go back to Britain. A lot of mobsters in Europe are awaiting trial and looking at lots of hard time because of the evidence Olga and I gave as part of us turning state's evidence, but that doesn't mean they or their allies who are still free wouldn't have any means to reach us.**_

_**My true name is Nicholas Algernon, former ward and heir to the criminal empire once run by Rasputin Lamont. He's dead now, his empire has been divvied up by his allies (many of whom are those mobsters I just mentioned who are in jail because of us turning informant) and I've grown to regret everything I've done as his henchman, more or less. I've even been going out with the one who opposed him. I don't deserve the attention she's given me…**_

_**And I certainly didn't deserve the great cards she gave me when I told her I had to make a new deck.**_

_**Now, she's in trouble, and while I can't go to Xanadu to save her, Olga and I can work on the outside towards that end… It's time for me to duel again…**_

_**Hang on, Yumi…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Way of the Warrior**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

In Domino City, nightclubs had come and gone. There existed ones on all ends of the spectrum. There were those where you only needed proof of age if you wanted to buy liquor, and others where you needed to be twenty-one in order to get in, due to the nature of the entertainment. No matter where you went, _those_ types of clubs were always in demand.

The Jade Dragon was a rather old establishment, dating back to the 1990's, and a rather successful one, seeing as it catered to all sorts of clientele. Rich folks could go there and order the escargot salad as an appetizer for around 4,300 yen (about thirty dollars). But, if you were on a more modest budget, you could just get a Reuben for only a thousand yen.

Despite its success, the place wasn't seeing much business tonight. Despite being ready to open when the power came back on (with a somewhat limited menu, but still ready to open), most of its regulars were too afraid to come and dine.

Only about seven tables were occupied. In the center of the dining room, a pianist played a slow melody. A young woman in a green dress (all of the female entertainers in this club wore green, as the name of the place suggested) sat on the piano, and sang a gentle song in a lovely voice:

_Sooner or later you're gonna be mine,  
Sooner or later you're gonna be fine.  
Baby, it's time that you face it,  
I always get my man._

_Sooner or later you're gonna decide,  
Sooner or later there's nowhere to hide.  
Baby, it's time, so why waste it in chatter?  
Let's settle the matter._

_Baby, you're mine on a platter,  
I always get my man._

_But if you insist, babe, the challenge delights me.  
The more you resist, babe, the more it excites me.  
And no one I've kissed, babe, ever fights me again.  
If you're on my list, it's just a question of when._

_When I get a yen, then baby, Amen.  
I'm counting to ten, and then ..._

_I'm gonna love you like nothing you've known,  
I'm gonna love you, and you all alone.  
Sooner is better than later but lover,  
I'll hover, I'll plan._

_This time I'm not only getting, I'm holding my man._

At a table near the bar, a man in a casual jacket and slacks, who looked about thirty, sat alone, listening. He had a worried look on his face. A lot had been going through his mind recently.

A briefcase was at his feet. It contained something he was expecting to use eventually…

A waiter came up to the table.

"Another martini, Saki?" he asked.

"I guess," said the man. "Maybe it will quiet the nagging voice in my head."

"Using alcohol is a bad way to forget your problems," said a voice. "All it will do is make you feel miserable in the morning. I used to know someone who knew that all too well."

Saki looked up, and saw Nicholas and Olga approach him.

His eyes narrowed when he saw that they were wearing Duel Disks.

"Uhm…" he said. "So, how did you two get past the doorman?"

"He said they were desperate for business today," said Nicholas. "Saki Masato, I presume?"

"I am, and you are?" he asked.

"Call me Joshua," said Nicholas. "And if I may ask…"

"Arachne sent you, right?" he asked.

Nicholas stopped short.

"So, you admit sending those riddles?" he asked.

"And what if I did?" asked Saki. "If there was a law against sending riddles via e-mail, half the people who used the internet would be in jail."

"There are laws against being an accessory to terrorism, Saki," said Olga.

"You have no proof," said Saki. "And I was expecting Arachne to come find me, not a couple of interns."

"And why is that?" asked Nicholas.

Saki smirked.

He opened the clasps on the briefcase, and it opened slightly. They could see that a Duel Disk was inside.

"To humiliate her, of course," he said. "I figure that I could outduel the president of KaibaCorp and make her look bad…"

He stopped short.

"Well, let's just say I have my reasons…"

Nicholas glared at him.

"Saki," he said, "the riddles appeared in conjunction with Daala's attack. If it is ultimately discovered that you are in Iany/I way connected with it, you will go to jail for a very long time.

"And Sheena will not demean herself by…"

He paused.

"Tell you what…" he said. "I have a deal for you…"

"A deal?" said Saki. "I'm listening…"

"Sheena likely won't come and duel you if you just make advances like that," said Nicholas. "She's the president of the world's biggest gaming company after all. She won't accept just any challenge. However, she owes the two of us a little favor."

"She does?" asked Olga.

Nicholas raised his hand.

"Duel me instead of her," he said. "If you win, I'll use that favor to convince her to come duel you.

"But… If I win, you spill your guts about everything you know about this whole thing…"

Saki rubbed his chin.

"I assure you, Saki," said Nicholas, "Sheena is better than me. So if you can't beat me, you stand no chance against her."

At this moment the waiter came up to the table with the martini.

"Can I get anything for your guests?" he asked.

Saki slowly drank the martini.

"No," he said. "But ask the manager if we can use the stage. As soon as Miho finishes her next song, we'll have some more… _energetic_ entertainment."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Nicholas faced Saki on the stage, while Olga watched from a table next to it. The waiter brought her a soda.

"Uhm, Saki?" said the pianist. "I'm more than willing to play background music for you, but… I really don't know of any classical music that was composed with this in mind."

"Well, let's see," said Saki. "Can you do Mussorgsky's _Pictures at an Exhibition_?"

"Sure!" said the pianist. "Any particular part?"

"Start with the first 'Promenade'," said Saki. "Then go onto 'Gnomus', then continue the piece in order until we're done."

"Do you do this every time you duel?" asked Nicholas, as the Disks activated.

"You should try it sometime," said Saki, as the music started. "Music can give you energy."

The pianist started to play a rousing piece.

"Game on!" they shouted.

**(Nicholas: 8,000) -- (Saki: 8,000)**

"I'll start this show," said Saki, drawing a card.

He placed a card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared. Then he played a card, and a facedown card appeared behind it.

"You were right… A little warm up duel before going after Arachne will be refreshing.

"Your move."

_You'd better not lose, Nicholas,_ thought Olga, as he made his first draw. _You made a wager that your ass can't keep if you do…_

"I summon…" said Nicholas, "Six Samurai – Yaichi!"

He played the card, and a column of water shot up in front of him. When it receded, a Warrior in Japanese armor, colored black with golden seams, wearing a crested helmet appeared. He carried a long bow, and a quiver of arrows. (1,300/800)

"Whoa," said Saki. "Never saw that guy before."

"I'm gonna summon one of his allies too," said Nicholas, playing a Spell Card. "I play, Double Summon. This lets me make a second Normal Summon this turn.

"So, I'll summon Six Samurai – Nisashi."

A whirlwind appeared on the field, and a second Samurai appeared out of it. This one wore green plate armor, and carried a paired katana and wakisashi, the traditional weapons of the Samurai. (1,400/700)

"Now I activate Yaichi's effect," said Nicholas, "which I can do because I have another of the Six Samurai on the field. If I don't attack with him this round, he can destroy your facedown card."

Yaichi drew back his bow, and fired an arrow at the facedown card, skewering it.

"I chain it!" shouted Saki. "Jar of Greed!"

The bright red jar appeared, and then shattered. Saki made one draw. Nicholas frowned.

"Nisashi has a cool effect too," said Nicholas. "Since another Samurai is on the field, he can attack twice.

"Attack! Strike of the Driving Gale!"

Nisashi sped towards the facedown card in a blur. Sangan appeared on the card, and was cleaved in half.

"Thanks a bunch," said Saki, taking his deck.

He found what he wanted, and then reshuffled.

"I'm not done," said Nicholas. "He gets to attack twice, remember?

"Attack him directly!"

Saki grunted as Nisashi slashed at him with his blade.

**(N: 8,000) -- (S: 6,600)**

"Not bad," said Saki. "But we'll soon see who comes out ahead in the end…"

He drew a card.

"First," said Saki, "one card facedown…"

A new facedown card appeared.

"Now, I summon Masked Dragon."

In a burst of energy, a smallish Dragon appeared, with rust-red, metallic scales, wings, and a metal mask over its face. (1,400/1,100)

Nicholas's eyes narrowed.

_Okay, so it's a Dragon Deck,_ he thought. _Nothing I haven't seen before…_

"Attack Nisashi!" shouted Saki.

Masked Dragon breathed a burst of flame at the Samurai.

Then, to Saki's surprise, Yaichi leapt in front of the blast. Both Yaichi and Masked Dragon were blown to pieces.

"Huh?" said Saki.

"The Six Samurai will do anything to protect each other," said Nicholas. "If ever one of them would be destroyed, another can take the fall for him. This is one group that truly knows the value of teamwork."

"Indeed?" said Saki. "Well, since my Masked Dragon was destroyed in that battle, I get to summon another weak Dragon. So I'll summon a second Masked Dragon."

A second Masked Dragon appeared. (1,400/1,100)

"And my Battle Phase continues… Attack Nisashi again!"

The second Masked Dragon breathed a stream of flames at Nisashi. The Samurai strained, and deflected the blast, and both Monsters shattered.

"Once again," said Saki, "I use its effect. And this time, I think I'll summon Armed Dragon LV3."

The Dragon that appeared on the field this time was equally small, and looked partially mechanical. It was colored orange and grey, and had small spikes on its body. (1,200/900)

"And you have no Monsters left, so I can make a direct attack!"

Armed Dragon LV 3 opened its mouth, and a small missile launched, exploding upon hitting Nicholas's chest.

_An Armed Dragon?_ thought Nicholas, holding his chest. _He's using Armed Dragons?_

_Great… That's all I need…_

"I end my turn," said Saki.

**(N: 6,800) -- (S: 6,600)**

Nicholas drew a card.

"Sorry, Saki," he said, "but I'll destroy your Dragon long before you manage to evolve it into something stronger.

"I summon Marauding Captain."

He played the card, and one of the most widely-used Warriors in the game appeared, the aged, battle-scarred veteran in armor and a cape, holding two swords. (1,200/400)

"I'm sure you're aware of his effect. I'll use it to Special Summon Six Samurai – Irou."

A shadow appeared on the field, and a new Samurai appeared. This one wore a long, dark kimono, had long, dark hair, and wore a blindfold over his eyes. He held a katana in his right hand. (1,700/1,200)

"Interesting," said Saki. "You think whoever designed that card based him on the blind Samurai from _Zatoichi_?"

"Wouldn't know," said Nicholas. "Never saw that one.

"Destroy his Dragon! Setting Sun Strike!"

Irou rushed forward, and cleaved the Armed Dragon in half. Saki cringed.

"Captain, you're up," said Nicholas.

Marauding Captain rushed at Saki, and slashed at him with his sword. Saki fell over.

**(N: 6,800) -- (S: 4,900)**

"You're doing great, N…" shouted Olga.

She caught herself.

"…Joshua! Keep it up! You've taken the lead!"

Saki got up.

"Wrong," he said. "He's taken the bait. You'll soon see that there's more than one way to level up a Monster, as they're so fond of saying…"

He drew a card.

"I summon Flying Kamakiri #1," he said.

He played the card, and a huge, yellow and green mantis appeared. (1,400/900)

"Masked Dragon isn't the only Monster I can use to search for an Armed Dragon," he said. "This one works too. But I can also use it another way.

"I activate my facedown card… Level Soul."

His Trap Card lifted. It showed the image of both Silent Magicians LV4 and LV8, glowing with magical energy.

"I have to sacrifice a Monster on the field to use this card…"

Flying Kamakiri vanished into grains of light.

"But, I get to level up the Armed Dragon in my Graveyard by removing it from play."

Armed Dragon LV3 fell out of his discard slot, and he pocketed it.

"And just like so, I get to summon Armed Dragon LV5!"

In an explosion of energy, a much bigger Dragon appeared. It was big, but stout, with spikes and blades all over its body. (2,400/1,700)

_Oh no…_ thought Nicholas. _My two Monsters have no defense… And on the round that thing wins a fight…_

"I know you think this can't get any worse," said Saki, taking a card from his hand, "but it can. I play the Spell Card, Level Copy. This lets me summon a Leveled Monster from my deck that matches the one I have on the field, so long as it isn't a higher Level than Five."

In another explosion, a second Armed Dragon LV5 appeared next to the first one. (2,400/1,700)

"TWO of them?" shouted Nicholas.

"That's right!" shouted Saki. "Armed Dragons… Attack Marauding Captain and his Samurai with infernal rage!"

Both Dragons let out thunderous roars, and blasts of fire shot towards the two Warriors, blowing them to pieces. Nicholas cringed.

**(N: 4,900) -- (S: 4,900)**

"Now…" said Saki, "I move to my End Phase, meaning I can take it to the next Level…"

"No…" muttered Nicholas, as both of the Dragons started to glow.

In the next instant, two much larger Dragons were standing before him. Again, they were armored, and covered with spikes, blades, knives, drills, and other unpleasant weaponry. Both of them let out loud roars. (2,800/1,000)

A husband and wife sitting at another table started clapping.

"We should come here more often!" she said. "I didn't expect a show like this!"

_Yeah,_ thought Olga, in a sulk. _My brother is a hit… Too bad he's losing…_

"All right, my move!" said Nicholas.

_Here goes nothing…_ he thought, looking at his deck.

He drew a card.

"Okay," he said. "I play my Pot of Greed."

He played the card, and drew twice.

He frowned.

He placed a card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"Looks like your Pot of Greed was running on empty," said Saki. "Is that all?"

"Yes," said Nicholas, sternly. "It's your move."

Saki drew a card.

"Armed Dragon number one," he said. "Attack with terror claw!"

The first Armed Dragon lifted its claw…

A small form appeared on the card. It was a small Warrior that looked like a monkey or other small primate in armor, holding a spear.

Armed Dragon's claw crashed down, and crushed him.

"You just took out Shien's Footsoldier," said Nicholas. "And when he bites the dust, they call for backup. I get to summon one of the Six Samurai from my deck, up to Level Three.

"So let's see… I'll summon Yariza, and have him defend me."

In a burst of energy, another Samurai appeared. He wore black, leather armor, a peaked helmet, and a mask over the lower half of his face. He carried a spear. He knelt down and held the spear in his lap. (1,000/500)

Saki frowned. He pointed, and the second Armed Dragon struck with its claw, crushing Yariza.

"I think that's enough for one turn," said Saki.

Nicholas drew.

"All right," he said, playing the card. "I play… Pot of Avarice."

The goofy pink jug appeared on the field.

"Now I get to take five Monsters from my Graveyard and shuffle them back into my deck…"

He took Yaichi, Nisashi, Irou, Yariza, and Marauding Captain from his discard slot, placed them in his deck, and reshuffled.

"Then I get to draw twice."

He drew two cards.

"Okay…" he said. "I play the Spell Card, Six Samurai United."

A Continuous Spell Card appeared, bearing the image of all six of the Six Samurai in a somber, pious pose.

"Now, I'll summon Six Samurai – Zanji to the field."

A brilliant light appeared on the field, and a new Samurai appeared out of it. The one that appeared this time looked the most like the classic Samurai, wearing the traditional armor. He carried a glowing naginata. (1,800/1,300)

"I got news for him," said Saki. "That weapon he has is used more often by female martial artists."

Both Nicholas and Zanji scowled at him.

"That's only true in modern times, wise guy!" said Nicholas. "In feudal Japan, it was used by both genders who belonged to the upper class. But women used it more often than any other weapon, because it had reach, and they could use it to keep male fighters at a distance, where their greater height, weight, and upper body strength was less of an advantage.

"Anyway, since I have one Samurai on the field, I can Special Summon their sensei. I summon Grandmaster of the Six Samurai!"

In another burst of energy, a new Warrior appeared. This one was an old man, with white hair and a beard, wearing an eyepatch. He wore a dull blue and grey kimono, and carried a longsword. (2,100/800)

"Ha!" said Saki. "Big deal! Neither of them can defeat my Dragons, and you have only one card left in your hand."

"But my card on the field might help," said Nicholas. "I'll have you know, that since my Grandmaster has the words 'Six Samurai' in his name, he qualifies as a member of the group.

"Now, that's important, because each time I summoned a Samurai, my United card gained something called a Bushido Counter, and now that it has two, I can ditch it to draw two cards."

The United card vanished, and Nicholas made two draws.

"Oh yeah…" he said, looking at them. "Time to summon someone else… Since I now have two Samurai on the field, I can Special Summon their liege…

"Come forth, Great Shogun Shien!"

A bonfire erupted on the field, and a tall, hulking form walked out of it. It was a powerful-looking man, dressed in crimson, Japanese plate armor and a helmet, his face covered with war paint, holding a burning katana. His eyes glowed like embers. (2,500/2,400)

"I'm not done!" said Nicholas. "Now I play… The A. Forces!"

He played a new card.

"When this card is on the field, each of my Warriors gains 200 Attack Points for each Warrior present."

Zanji grew to an Attack Score of 2,400, Grandmaster grew to 2,700, and Shien grew to 3,100.

"Argh!" shouted Saki.

"Shien," ordered Nicholas, "attack the Armed Dragon on the left with Sword of Burning Pride!"

Great Shogun Shien burned like a furnace. He slashed downward with his blade, and the Armed Dragon erupted in flames. It exploded into shards.

"You may have destroyed one of them," cursed Saki, "but your other two Warriors aren't strong enough to take down the second!"

"Oh no?" asked Nicholas. "Maybe I should tell you about Zanji's effect. When there's another Samurai on the field, like Grandmaster is now, and he attacks a Monster, that Monster is automatically destroyed, regardless of the battle's outcome.

"Zanji, attack with Rising Sun Strike!"

Zanji leapt at the second Armed Dragon, and stabbed it in the chest with his naginata. The Armed Dragon groaned, and then shattered.

"Of course," said Nicholas, "since Zanji technically lost that battle, he goes with your Dragon."

Zanji shattered into pixels.

"But now you're defenseless, and my Grandmaster still wants in.

"Show Mr. Saki why you're called the Master!"

The Grandmaster lifted his sword. He leapt at Saki and savagely slashed at him with the blade, knocking him down.

Saki groaned and got up.

"Moves pretty fast for an old guy," he muttered.

"Some practitioners of martial arts only get better as they get older," said Nicholas.

"By the way, just so you know, my Shogun has two powerful effects. Like his underlings, if he would ever be destroyed, one of the Samurai can take the fall for him.

"And even better, when he's on the field, you're only allowed to activate one Spell or Trap per turn.

"I'll play a facedown, and that will be all."

He placed his last card in his Disk. A facedown card appeared behind his two Warriors.

**(N: 4,500) -- (S: 1,900)**

"Then I draw!" said Saki, making a draw.

He chuckled softly when he saw what it was.

"All right, Joshua," he said, as a Spell Card appeared. "Only one Spell Card, huh? Well one is all I'm gonna need.

"I play… Level Modulation!

"Since I played this, you get to draw two cards, so do it!"

Nicholas sighed. He made two draws.

"Now my Armed Dragon comes back, good as new."

In another burst of energy, Armed Dragon LV7 appeared again. (2,800/1,000)

"You forget one thing," said Nicholas. "It can neither attack nor use its effect this round."

"He can't, yes," said Saki. "But I'm going to trade him in for something better!

"Time to take this duel… to the ultimate level!"

"You can't mean…" gasped Nicholas.

"I do!" said Saki. "I sacrifice my Armed Dragon…"

The huge Dragon vanished.

"To summon Armed Dragon LV10!"

A dark form loomed over Nicholas and his Warriors, standing a full thirty feet high. It seemed to be all metal and no flesh, and practically every part of it was bladed or serrated. (3,000/2,000)

_No…_ thought Olga.

"So…" said Saki, taking a card from his hand. "Can your Shogun use that effect of his if I do something that destroys all of your Monsters at once?"

Nicholas gulped. He knew that the answer to that question was no.

Saki discarded a copy of Level Up! from his hand. A burst of green flames blasted across the field, vaporizing Nicholas's two Warriors.

"Grandmaster has an effect that I can still use!" shouted Nicholas. "When he's destroyed by a card effect, I get to take add one Samurai from my Graveyard to my hand."

A card slipped out of his discard slot.

"That includes Grandmaster himself, by the way," he said, holding it up.

"Too bad that effect doesn't let you move him to the field," said Saki.

_Let's just hope I can do something with him, period,_ thought Nicholas, looking at the other two cards in his hand. _I'm taking a big risk…_

"Armed Dragon," said Saki. "Attack him directly! Genocide Blast!"

Armed Dragon opened its jaws. Energy started to glow in its maw. Nicholas looked at his facedown card.

"I activate a Spell Card!" he shouted, as it lifted up. "And it's gonna cut your Dragon down to size! Shrink!"

"Grr…" growled Saki.

Armed Dragon shrunk to half its size (which was still pretty big), and its Attack Score fell to 1,500. Its beam blasted at Nicholas, knocking him over.

Sweat poured down Nicholas's face. He took some deep breaths and got up.

"I play a facedown, and end my turn," said Saki, as a facedown card appeared in front of him. "That means your Shrink wears off."

Armed Dragon was restored to its true height, and rose back to 3,000 Attack Points.

**(N: 3,000) -- (S: 1,900)**

Nicholas looked at his deck.

"Here goes…" he said.

He drew a card.

He looked at it.

"I activate Dust Tornado!" shouted Saki.

His Trap Card lifted, and the tornado tore across the field. The A. Forces was blown to pieces.

"So now what?" he asked.

"I'll show you," said Nicholas.

"I play… Premature Burial. I'll bring Zanji back to the field."

He glowed with a red aura, and Zanji appeared again. (1,800/1,300)

"Now, I'll Special Summon Grandmaster again."

Grandmaster appeared on the field yet again. (2,100/800)

"Next, I play The Warrior Returning Alive. Now I can bring Shien back to my hand."

Shien's card slipped out of his discard slot.

"Now, I'll summon him again."

Great Shogun Shien appeared once more. (2,500/2,400)

"Nice," chuckled Saki. "Three Monsters in one turn. Too bad none of them can defeat my Dragon…"

He paused.

"Wait a second…"

"Yep," said Nicholas. "You remember Zanji's effect, right? And I have more than enough Life Points left…

"Zanji, attack!"

Zanji leapt at the huge Dragon. As he stabbed with his naginata, the great beast roared, and both of them were consumed in the explosion.

"You're finished," said Nicholas. "Shien… take him down."

Great Shogun Shien charged, and slashed at Saki with his burning katana. He screamed and collapsed.

**(N: 1,000) -- (S: 0)**

Saki groaned. He held his head.

He looked up as Nicholas stood over him.

"Okay, buddy, you lost," he said. "Now start talking."

Olga walked up to him.

"Or we'll come here when this place is packed and tell all the regulars that he beat you," she said.

Saki sighed, and got up.

"Hiroku?" he said the waiter. "Another martini… Actually, on second thought, I need something a little stiffer…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Saki stirred his scotch and soda for a few seconds.

"Nicholas, look…" he said.

"What?" replied Nicholas. "I'm not…"

"I won't tell anybody," said Saki. "But I know that you're on some sort of witness protection program…

"The thing is, so am I, more or less. I got involved with some heavy stuff a while back in Tokyo.

"Anyway, I can't tell you what the whole deal with that is. I'll wager you aren't allowed to talk about your 'deal' either…"

"You'd be right," said Nicholas.

"Well," said Saki, "the whole reason I left my dream job at KaibaCorp was because a police detective that was keeping an eye on me told me to leave. And he wasn't very nice about it. He knew I was working on the Dueltasia project, and he told me that some big problem would come out of it soon. He said that if I didn't leave, old skeletons might be dug up.

"Or even worse, that some friends of some guys who were in jail because of my testimony might find out where I am. Let's just say I turned stool pigeon on some very dangerous people.

"I'd hoped to challenge Arachne to a duel as my way of… Breaking the ice, giving her a warning. We could duel, and maybe have cocktails later in some quiet place like this one. As we both know, my encrypted challenge came a little too late."

"What do you know?" asked Nicholas. "Is there anything we can use?"

Saki sighed.

"To tell the whole truth, I actually know very little…" he said. "Basically, anything I could have warned you about you already know. Just that some, quote, 'big problem' was coming to the project, unquote. And as we already know, some pretty big problems have indeed come to it.

"I think the cop that told me to quit might know more. I don't really trust him."

"A crooked cop," muttered Olga. "Lovely… We've dealt with _them_ before…"

"His name is Detective Akuma Mitsuharu," said Saki.

He sighed.

"I've already said too much…"

He got up.

"How do we find him?" asked Nicholas.

Saki gave his Diner's Club card to the waiter.

"If I know him," he said, "he'll find you before the night is out…"

Nicholas sighed, and turned to Olga.

"You want to go back to Sheena?" she asked. "She has contacts in the police department."

"Maybe not yet," he said. "We're both hungry, and there's no way we can afford to eat at this place…

"Hamburgers?"

"Why not?" said Olga. "Let's just hope that Yumi and the others are making better progress than we are…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**LEVEL SOUL (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** Silent Magician LV8 standing over Silent Magician LV4, both glowing with light.

**Card Description:** Offer one Monster on your side of the field as a Tribute. Remove one Monster in your Graveyard with the word "LV" in its name from play. Special Summon the Monster written in the card text of the removed Monster from your hand or deck, disregarding its summoning requirements.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**LEVEL COPY (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** The image on this card was not clear.

**Card Description:** Target one Monster on your side of the field with the word "LV" in its name that is Level Five or less. Special Summon a Monster with the same name as the targeted Monster from your hand or deck.

_Note: "Level Soul" and "Level Copy" were first used by Chazz in a fourth season episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**Back in Xanadu, it's Yumi versus Gansley! You can bet that this former corporate tycoon has gotten better after staying hidden for so long. The duel is on, so can Yumi succeed where so many of Joan's men have fallen? And what secrets is Gansley hiding? Find out, in "Deck of Pure Power", coming soon.**_


	10. Deck of Pure Power

_**Almost sixty years ago, when Noah put his master plan into action, he used the Big Five as pawns; a group of greedy corporate tycoons, all of whom had the same mindset towards the world as their former boss, Gozaburo – that being ruthless paid off. The only reason they dueled Yugi and his allies instead of just killing them outright to take what they wanted was because Noah demanded it. An important part of Noah's mad plan was proving himself superior to Seto Kaiba; thus, he had to beat Kaiba at his own game.**_

_**One of the Big Five was Gansley, the founder and eldest member of the group, and the former senior vice president of KaibaCorp. If I had to guess, he more than likely orchestrated the initial plan to overthrow Kaiba, and dispelled any doubts that the others had. **_

_**Even so, Gansley wasn't the most powerful member of the Five, nor would I truly accuse him of being the smartest (proven by the fact that he even trusted Noah). But he may well have been the bravest. He had a great deal of raw nerve, if nothing else. I'm not sure why he favored the form of Deepsea Warrior, since his deck strategy really had nothing to do with the Water Attribute (and as far as Water-Attribute Monsters go, there are lots of better ones) but he tried to take on my grandfather himself. That takes guts.**_

_**Now, almost six decades later, I learn that he's alive, in Xanadu, and the ruler of one its Realms…**_

_**I have a feeling this might be difficult… Because as much as my grandfather hated to admit it, for all his ego and thick-headedness, this guy was a formidable foe… And it seems he hasn't lost any of that raw nerve either.**_

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**CHAPTER NINE**

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**Deck of Pure Power**

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Yumi looked the former human who was now in the guise of Deepsea Warrior in the eye.

"Impossible!" shouted Ren. "People have been looking for you guys for years! How could you have stayed hidden for so long without a single blip on the screen?"

"Not all computers are connected to the worldwide web, Reginald," said Gansley, "as hard as that is to believe. I was lying low in a place that simply couldn't be found unless one specifically knew where to look. Fortunately, Daala _did_ know where to look. She contacted me and offered me a much better position than that brat Noah ever did. Although, when she contacted me, I was in a state where I would have accepted a job picking up her dry cleaning.

"As to how I survived in the first place, well, I'm afraid that's a secret that I can't share."

"Does this mean that the rest of the Big Five are around here somewhere?" asked Sam. "Does this mean that Noah and Gozaburo are still lurking around?"

"For the first question, that's for me to know, and you to find out," said Gansley. "If you can, which I doubt. Frankly, I'm surprised you all made it this far.

"For the second question, I'm pretty sure that Gozaburo and his delinquent of a son are dead, may the two of them rot. Daala wouldn't have worked with anyone like them. Never recruit someone who might turn against you, as Gozaburo himself learned too late. But then, she never told me what happened to them. Not like I even care."

"So what's the deal this time, Gansley?" asked Yumi. "Still the same thing? Trying to steal a living body so you can live in the real world again? I assume you want one of ours, right?"

"One of yours?" asked Gansley. "Now, what's wrong with the one I have?"

"Huh?" said Yumi.

"Okay, let me get this straight…" said Erik. "You actually like having a fishbowl for a face? I'm guessing your time away from the real world messed with your mind…"

Gansley chuckled.

"On the contrary," he said, "I've never felt better.

"Yumi, things have changed a great deal in the past half-century. When I confronted your grandfather, the guise of Deepsea Warrior was but an illusion. A false face. Nothing was real in Noah's world, and what your grandfather saw when he confronted me was… a ghost.

"Now, thanks to Daala, there's no illusion any more. I truly _am_ Deepsea Warrior, in the flesh. And I wouldn't want it any other way. Daala helped me see the light."

Then he reached forward and grabbed hold of Yumi's arm.

"HEY!" she shouted.

"See?" asked Gansley. "Solid… I'm no longer some immaterial phantom, Yumi. I have the living body of a Duel Spirit… A strong body, unlike my old, sickly, crippled human form. One that never ages. One that never gets sick…"

"One that smells like rotten fish…" added Sam.

Gansley let go of Yumi.

"This is worth more to me than the stock in silicon I bought when I was thirty," he said, ignoring the wisecrack. "Even better, Daala has appointed me ruler of Tzimisce. I'm not just a servant, like I was with Noah. I'm much, much more."

"Gansley, I'm a little confused," said Ren. "If you could really become a Duel Spirit, why stay with Deepsea Warrior? Why not someone powerful and handsome, like say… I dunno, Gilford the Legend?"

"It would make more sense," said Chelsea. "After all, wouldn't it be easier for an Earth Monster to rule the Earth Domain?"

Gansley frowned.

"Are you saying there's something wrong with Deepsea Warrior?" asked Gansley. "It may not be the strongest Monster, but since I rule as Daala's vassal, I get respect from other Spirits. I walk into a room, and people stand up and take notice.

"And even if I'm not Earth, it hardly matters. The Earth Monsters in the Realm don't seem to mind having a Water Monster as a ruler. And if they DO mind, well, they can either like it or lump it."

"I think there's another reason, and you just don't want to tell us," said Erik.

"Believe what you will," said Gansley. "I still rule this part of Xanadu."

"And you rule with an iron fist," said Yumi.

She pointed to the statues.

"You turned those poor duelists to stone and displayed them like trophies!"

"Your point being?" asked Gansley. "They were rebels, they were defying the rule of the land, and now they are being punished. As will you once I deal with you."

"Enough!" said Yumi. "You can't buy your way out of this one, Gansley. I'm taking you down."

"Uh, Yumi?" said Chelsea. "A word?"

"What?" said Yumi, clearly upset.

"Yumi, we've seen some powerful Deck Lords so far," said Chelsea. "If Gansley is the ruler of this Realm, his Deck Lord must be _incredibly_ powerful."

Gansley simply crossed his arms. Yumi looked at him.

"I'm not afraid of you…" she said.

"And this will be a pleasure," said Gansley. "I still remember the humiliation that your grandfather handed me…"

"Bring it!" said Yumi. "I know your strategy front and back, after all. That old Reptile Swarm strategy may have caught my grandfather off-guard, but I'm more than ready for it."

_What she doesn't know,_ thought Gansley, _is that I've adopted a completely different strategy since her grandfather's time. I've given up the Reptile Swarm tactics and changed almost every card in my deck. This new one will take her completely by surprise._

_After all, the saying, "If it isn't broke, don't fix it" may be common. But a lesser used saying is, "If it is broke, throw it away and get a better one."_

He twitched his eyebrow, and a microphone activated inside his helmet.

"Water Omotics," he whispered. "Ready to begin?"

In a hidden alcove, the Water Omotics that they had seen before Gansley appeared was working the controls of a monitor.

"All set, Mr. G," she said. "As soon as the duel starts, I can start the scan. Just make sure not to kill her before it's done."

As the others watched Yumi shuffle her deck, another Mokey Mokey – or perhaps the same one as before, it was hard to tell – floated up beside them. It didn't say anything, but seemed interested in what was happening.

Gansley gestured, and a Disk appeared on his arm, one with a deck tray that suggested amphibian fins.

"So, if I win, will you release those duelists?" asked Yumi.

"Whatever," said Gansley. "Now present your Deck Lord."

In a burst of energy, Dark Magician Girl appeared behind Yumi.

"Figures," said Gansley. "Well, I guess she's better than that fuzzball that your grandfather used."

"Watch it," said Yumi. "My grandfather beat you using that 'fuzzball'."

"Don't remind me!" snarled Gansley. "But if you think her ability in this duel will be as powerful as it was when your grandmother used her against Krump, you're dead wrong. That would have been the equivalent of a Greater Power, and she's not nearly experienced enough.

"As for me, as you can clearly see, I have taken the form of Deepsea Warrior."

"Enough talk," said Yumi.

"Game on!" they both shouted.

**(Yumi: 8,000) -- (Gansley: 8,000)**

"My draw!" said Gansley, drawing a card.

He looked at it, and added it to his hand.

"Chelsea was right, you know," he said. "I actually have _two_ Deck Lord abilities. However, one of them I have to activate on my first turn, or it's wasted.

"It's called Recruitment Drive. I name one Type of Monster. Then, on my second turn, and every other turn thereafter, I get to move a Monster of that Type that's Level Four or less from my deck to my hand."

"That _is_ powerful!" shouted Yumi.

"What did you expect from a Greater Power?" asked Gansley. "I name Fiends, by the way.

"Anyway, I'll start by playing my Graceful Charity. I'm sure that no-one needs to be told how that works."

As he played the card, no angel appeared, but he drew three cards nonetheless. He looked at them, and then discarded a Fusion Devourer and Mystic Tomato.

"Now, I play a facedown, and summon Zure, Knight of Dark World."

A facedown card appeared, and then a tall, ugly-looking demon appeared in a dark shadow. He had upward-curving horns on the sides of his neck and a skull-like face with glowing eyes. He was dressed in armor and a cape, and held a longsword. (1,800/1,500)

Sam's eyes opened wide.

_Is he playing a Dark World Deck?_ she thought.

"Just try to get past him," said Gansley.

"I'll do more than try," said Yumi, drawing a card.

She smirked when she saw what it was.

_If he tries the same trick he used against grandpa,_ she thought, _this will make him regret it…_

She fitted a card in her Field Slot.

"I play… Mausoleum of the Emperor!"

The room darkened, and then changed. Two temples rose, one behind each duelist, flanked by flaming braziers. A bridge over a dark pit separated both of them.

"A Field Spell?" asked Gansley.

"Creepy, huh?" asked Yumi. "Welcome to the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, the First Qin Emperor of China. He was a guy who had a trait much like you… He thought he could use wealth and power to get everything, even immortality."

"Seems like my kind of guy," said Gansley.

"And to make even scarier," said Yumi, "in the basement is lurking the Terracotta Army, a collection of hundreds of ancient statues. Each player can use one of these statues by paying 1,000 Life Points, and they can be substituted for the sacrifices needed for Normal Summoning Monsters.

"So, I'll pay 2,000 Life Points…"

Two statues depicting soldiers in feudal Chinese armor floated up. They disintegrated into grains of light.

"That's a pretty shrewd investment you're making," said Gansley. "Are you sure it's wise?"

"You tell me," said Yumi. "I summon my newest Spellcaster… Cosmo Queen!"

In a burst of dark energy, a tall, female figure appeared in front of Yumi. She stood out mostly due to her exotic, oversized headdress, and wore a long, maroon robe with a golden collar. She opened her eyes, and they glowed with eldritch light. (2,900/2,450)

"Yeah!" shouted Chelsea.

"Go, Cosmo Queen!" cheered Chelsea.

"Cosmo Queen…" ordered Yumi, "attack his Knight with cosmic nova!"

Cosmo Queen's eyes glowed, and she put her hands together. A pulse of energy that resembled a miniature galaxy appeared in them, and she shot the pulse forward in a blast of dark energy. Gansley shielded himself as Zure, Knight of Dark World was blown to shards.

"Ergh…" muttered Gansley. "Not bad…"

**(Y: 6,000) -- (G: 6,900)**

"I'll end my turn with one facedown card," said Yumi, as a facedown card appeared behind Cosmo Queen. "It's your move, Gansley."

"Indeed," said Gansley, drawing a card.

He looked at it.

"Remember my Deck Lord ability?" he said. "I get to take any Fiend from my deck now, that's Level Four or less."

A card slipped out of his deck.

"I think my Power Annihilator will do."

_Power Annihilator?_ thought Yumi. _What the heck is that?_

"Now, then…" said Gansley.

The Field Slot on his own Disk opened. He placed a card in it.

"I play… Power Zone."

As Yumi watched, a huge, glowing, crackling orb of purple energy materialized in the air above the Mausoleum…

"What the…" said Yumi.

Then the orb crashed into the center of the field. Yumi cringed as the two temples, the bridge, and the whole Terracotta Army shattered into shards of rock.

When she looked again, the Mausoleum of the Emperor had been reduced to a burned out crater surrounding them, covered with ash.

"Mokey Mokey!" squeaked the small Fairy who was watching in fear.

"Quiet down, little guy," said Ren.

"What's going on?" said Yumi. "It feels like there's a huge weight on my shoulders…"

"It's the pressure, Yumi," said Gansley. "You need to use this Field a few times before you truly get used to it. As you can feel right now, I've tipped the odds in my favor dramatically. I always like to conduct an interaction when I have the upper hand, as you might well imagine."

"And just what does this Field Spell of yours do?" asked Yumi.

"It makes battle between Monsters more dangerous," said Gansley. "Not to mention more interesting. When a Monster is destroyed in battle, its owner loses Life Points equal to the destroyed Monster's base Attack Score."

"Yeah, right!" said Sam, with a laugh. "And just how are you going to summon something right now that can beat Cosmo Queen in a head-to-head battle?"

"I'll show you," said Gansley. "I summon Power Annihilator."

He played the card, and an even uglier Fiend appeared. It was a lanky, think, hunched-over creature with claws and spurs on its joints, long tusks, and a long tail jutting out of its spine – one which had a very large blade on the tip. (1,800/1,800)

"That's not nearly strong enough," said Yumi.

"We'll soon see," said Gansley, as his facedown card lifted. "I activate Shield Spear. This increases both the Attack and Defense of my Monster by 400.

"I was planning to use it in case you had summoned Skilled Dark Magician or Gemini Elf, but when I saw that it wouldn't have made a difference, I decided to save it."

Power Annihilator rose to (2,200/2,200).

"Still not gonna do it," said Yumi.

"Power Annihilator," ordered Gansley, "attack Cosmo Queen with Power Pulse Slash!"

"Huh?" said Yumi.

Power Annihilator leapt into the air and did a somersault. It lashed its bladed tail at Cosmo Queen like a grapple. Then, to everyone's surprise, its Attack Score went up again, rising to 3,200. The blade stabbed into her torso, and she screamed before exploding into fiery shards.

"And don't forget the effect of Power Zone," said Gansley.

Yumi screamed as the aura of purple energy surrounded her. She collapsed to her knees.

**(Y: 2,800) -- (G: 6,900)**

"Yumi," said a voice over her.

Yumi looked up and saw Dark Magician Girl offering her hand.

"Get up, Yumi!" said the Spellcaster. "He may be strong, but I can help you any way I can…"

Yumi took the hand, and Dark Magician Girl lifted her to her feet.

Sweat poured down her face.

"How did your Fiend get even stronger?" gasped Yumi.

"Allow me to explain how Power Annihilator works," said Gansley. "It really could not be simpler. Whenever it battles a Monster with a higher attack Score, it gains 1,000 Attack Points. Consequently, whenever it battles a Monster with a _lower_ Attack Score, it _loses_ 1,000 Attack Points.

"You see, Yumi, in my day, I've dealt with many complicated things… But sometimes, it pays to just keep things simple.

"By the way, I don't want to see your Cosmo Queen again, so…"

He discarded a card from his hand.

"What was that?" asked Yumi.

"A D.D. Crow," said Gansley. "By discarding it, I can remove one of your cards in your Graveyard from play."

Cosmo Queen fell out of Yumi's Graveyard. She sighed, and pocketed the card.

"I'll set two more cards facedown," said Gansley, "and then play Mirage of Nightmare."

Two new facedown cards appeared in flashes of light. Then the Continuous Spell appeared.

"Aw, he's using the Mirage Combo?" moaned Chelsea. "It's just losing its novelty now…"

Gansley spoke into the microphone.

"How's it coming?" he asked.

"Getting there, chief…" said Water Omotics. "We've never used this on a human before. Their minds work differently than Duel Spirits. And the minds of teenagers are pretty confusing too.

"One reason why I don't like kids," muttered Gansley.

"But I think the scan should be complete shortly," said Water Omotics.

Yumi made a draw.

"Hold up, Yumi," said Gansley. "I get to draw four cards now."

He made four draws.

"And, as you might have guessed…"

One of his facedown cards lifted, revealing Emergency Provisions. A huge mouth appeared, chomping down on the Mirage card and devouring it.

Yumi looked at the card she had just drawn.

_His strategy seems to have done a complete one-eighty,_ she thought. _It's gone from almost all defensive to a strong offense._

_Well… It isn't like I can't handle an offense…_

"Fine," she said. "I play Pot of Greed."

She played the card, and the evil jar appeared in front of her. She drew twice.

She looked at the two cards.

"I summon… Magician's Valkyria!" she shouted.

In a flash of light, the blue-garbed female mage holding her ornate staff appeared. (1,600/1,800)

"All right!" shouted Ren. "Valkyria's Attack Score is lower than Annihilator's!"

"So Gansley's Fiend is in big trouble!" said Erik.

"You heard her," said Yumi. "My Valkyria is pulling the plug.

"Attack his Power Annihilator! Magic Illusion!"

Valkyria aimed her staff.

"I activate a Trap Card!" shouted Gansley. "Astral Shift!"

His facedown card lifted.

"This lets my Fiend dodge your attack, and let it hit me."

Valkyria fired her blast, and it struck Gansley. He winced in pain.

And then he chuckled.

"Not only did my Trap protect my Monster," he said. "But now it lets me draw one card…"

He made a draw.

"And… due to the Life Points I just lost, I'm able to Special Summon one of my longest-term employees. Someone your grandfather would remember…"

He placed a card on his Disk.

"I summon Ruklamba the Spirit King!"

A new creature appeared. It was a humanoid that suggested a crocodile, with a long tail and a mane of tangled, dark hair. It knelt and crossed its arms in Defense Mode. (1,000/2,000)

"All right, fine," said Yumi. "I end my turn."

**(Y: 2,800) -- (G: 6,300)**

"My move," said Gansley, drawing a card.

"I think I'll play… my own Pot of Greed."

As he played the card, and drew two cards from his own deck.

"Now I activate the Spell Card, Power Spirits."

A red aura surrounded him as Continuous Spell Card appeared on his side of the field, showing the image of a Banderillo Fiend surrounded by an aura of fiery energy.

"I have to pay 1,000 Life Points to play this card, but that's an investment that I always expect a big return on.

"Anyway, I choose one Monster on the field, and I choose my Power Annihilator. Now, so long as this Spell Card remains on the field, it can't be destroyed in battle unless it's attacked by a Monster that has at least 1,000 more Attack Points than it has."

"But that means…" said Chelsea.

"It means trouble, that's what it means," said Erik. "Given Power Annihilator's effect, Yumi would need to attack it with a Monster that had at least 3,800 Attack Points to destroy it. I don't even know if her deck is capable of summoning something with that much raw strength."

"Your move, Yumi," said Gansley.

**(Y: 2,800) -- (G: 5,300)**

_I've got to think of something,_ thought Yumi. _On his next turn, he'll be able to use his Deck Lord effect again… And who knows what he'll come up with next…_

Yumi drew a card.

"I throw down two facedown cards," she said, "and move Valkyria to Defense Mode."

Two facedown cards appeared next to the first one, and Valkyria knelt and held her staff in her lap.

"That's all for my turn," said Yumi. "And by the way, Gansley… I'm curious… If you don't want a new body, what _do_ you want? There must be some method behind your madness. Whatever Daala's plan, there must be something in it for you."

Gansley drew a card.

_Hmm,_ he thought, looking at it. _I could finish her off this turn… But I have to wait for Water Omotics to finish that scan… Maybe I'll drag this out for a minute or two…_

"Afraid I'm not at liberty to discuss, Yumi," he said, adding it to his hand. "But… While I don't want a new body, I do intend to move to the human world eventually…

"And once I do, and once I finish doing everything that Daala needs me to do, you'll be happy to know that I'll end my wicked ways forever and never again harm another soul.

"I'll retire. Get a nice little private home in Waikiki… Spend my days watching the ladies and sipping cocktails… Perhaps open a seafood restaurant… Live a peaceful existence for the rest of my life. Which would be a pretty long time, seeing as I'm practically immortal now."

"Oh, really?" said Yumi. "And just how do you intend to do that? Even if you could hide the fact that you were… no longer human, last I checked, homes in Waikiki cost money, Gansley. Lots of money.

"That may not have been much of a problem for you in the past, but in case you forgot, you were declared legally dead a long time ago. Who knows where all of your assets went? I doubt someone like you ever raised a family and sired an heir…"

Under his helmet, Gansley frowned.

"On the contrary…" he grumbled, "I know exactly where all the money I made over my long career went… Since I was, as you say, declared dead, and was in no position to defend that ruling, seeing as my lawyer in such matters was Johnson, who was in the same condition I was in, it was all bequeathed to my niece, Caroline. She was my only surviving relative…

"And I never liked her, for that matter. She never listened to my advice, and called me, in her own words, a 'greedy old miser' who worshipped nothing but materialism. Her favorite line to me was, 'you can't take it with you'."

"She had a point, Gansley," said Chelsea. "Folks like you have to realize that there are some things that money just can't buy."

"Bah!" said Gansley. "That's what a lot of people say. Well, I've always told such people that if money can't buy it, it isn't really worth having.

"Ironic, isn't it, that in Xanadu there is no currency. Money doesn't exist in places where Duel Spirits reign. They have no need for it.

"In dimensions like this, power is the only thing that counts. I wouldn't have lasted a day in my old human form. Duel Spirits wouldn't have cared about my stocks or financial clout. They would have seen nothing but the crippled old man that I was without them. But now, thanks to Daala, the power I once had that only existed on paper in my stock portfolio has been replaced by _true_ power! The power to crush anyone who opposes me!

"Ahem, excuse me…

"Anyway, I tried to teach her to see things my way, but she wanted to take a different path. She said that there was too much of a 'glass ceiling' in my business anyway…"

"Oh, just _try_ to deny that," said Yumi. "Did Gozaburo _ever_ promote a woman to _any_ important position? Who was Noah's mother, anyway? I wager whoever it was divorced him.

"Or he killed her and made it look like an accident… Wouldn't surprise me…"

Gansley scowled.

"Anyway, Caroline wanted to become a doctor, saying it was a more honorable profession than my choice of careers," he said, not bothering to answer the question. "She said that if she made it, she would help people rather than hurting them."

"Did she make it?" asked Ren.

"I don't know, and I don't care!" shouted Gansley. "Once I found out she inherited my hard-earned money, and found out that I was helpless to get it back, I stopped following up on her. She can rot for all I care!

"And as for how I'll retire, let's just say I'll have plenty of ways to get money once Daala's plans come to fruition."

"Mr. G?" said Water Omotics's voice.

"Go ahead," whispered Gansley, as he quickly calmed down.

"The scan is complete," said the Duel Spirit.

"And the Key?" asked Gansley.

"Uhm, I hate to tell you this, boss," she said, "but it isn't here. There's no sign of the Key anywhere…"

She giggled.

"Most prominent thing in her subconscious is a crush on some boy named Nicholas."

Gansley paused.

"It isn't in Yumi's subconscious?" he said. "How unusual… Daala was certain Joan would have entrusted it with her…

"Well, if that's the case, Yumi is of no further use to Daala. I'll crush her, and then she'll be my favorite decoration…"

He spoke out loud.

"I believe it's my move!" he shouted. "And my Deck Lord ability activates again. This time, I'm adding Power Bombard to my hand."

"Another Power card?" said Yumi.

A card appeared in Gansley's hand.

"Indeed," he said. "And thanks to that move, I have not one, but three of them in my hand right now.

"First, I'll activate Ruklamba's effect, sacrificing it to summon two of my Power Bombards."

Ruklamba vanished into grains of light, and two new Monsters appeared. They looked similar to Power Annihilator, but with smaller limbs, batlike wings, and large snouts.

"Now, I'll Normal Summon a third one."

He played a card, and a third of the Fiends appeared. (1,000/1,000 x3)

"Wondering what the deal is with these creatures?" asked Gansley. "They form the perfect combination with Power Annihilator. When Power Annihilator's Attack Score changes, they explode, and for each one that does, you lose Life Points equal to the base Attack Score of Power Annihilator."

"That's 5,400 Life Points!" shouted Ren.

"Yumi!" shouted Chelsea.

"It's been swell," said Gansley. "Power Annihilator, attack Magician's Valkyria."

Power Annihilator leapt into the air again, and hurled its grapple at the Spellcaster…

"Not so fast, Gansley," said Yumi.

One of her facedown cards lifted.

"Huh?" said Gansley. "A Trap?"

"Draining Shield!" shouted Yumi.

A dome of force surrounded Yumi, and the grapple crashed into it, sending sparks of energy from the point of impact. Power Annihilator fell on its back with a crash, and energy flowed into Yumi.

"Your attack was negated," said Yumi, "so your Fiend never reached the Damage Step, and its Attack Score didn't change. So your Bombards didn't explode. Even better, I gained Life Points equal to Annihilator's Attack Score."

**(Y: 4,600) -- (G: 5,300)**

"That will hardly be enough," said Gansley. "I play a Spell Card…"

He played a card from his hand, showing the image of Summoned Skull with a glowing ring around its finger.

"Ring of Fiendish Power," he said. "With this card on the field, you can only attack the Fiend-Type Monster with the highest Attack Score, meaning my Annihilator."

Power Annihilator's wrist glowed, and a golden, bejeweled bracelet appeared around it.

"But that means…" said Yumi.

Gansley chuckled again.

"Don't forget," he said. "You need a Monster with at least 3,800 Attack Points to destroy it, and even if you somehow manage to do that, my Bombards will explode, and you lose…

"It's your move…"

Yumi slowly drew a card.

It was Breaker the Magical Warrior.

_Hmm…_ she thought. _I could destroy one of his Spells with this guy… But not both of them, damn it… There has to be another way…_

"There is a way, Yumi," said a voice.

She turned to Dark Magician Girl.

"I can help you Yumi," said the Spellcaster. "I know how to exploit the flaw in his strategy… I just need you to trust me…"

Yumi sighed.

"You do trust me, don't you?" said Dark Magician Girl.

"Okay…" said Yumi. "I'm listening… What have you got in mind?"

Dark Magician Girl quickly explained it.

"Are you going to move, or do you concede?" asked Gansley.

"I'm going to move," said Yumi. "I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior!"

She played a card, and a red-robed Spellcaster with a peaked hood and cape, carrying a sword and a shield with a gem in the center appeared. (1,600/1,000) –) (1,900/1,000)

"Now, I activate his effect. By reducing his Attack Score by 300, I can destroy one of your Spells or Traps."

"And I choose to destroy… your Power Spirits!"

Breaker's shield glowed, and his Attack Score fell to 1,600. The Power Spirits card shattered into pieces.

"Now I don't need a mega-powerful Monster to destroy your Annihilator."

Gansley laughed out loud.

"That was the dumbest move I've ever seen!" he laughed. "If you attack it, my Bombards will still explode, and you'll still lose!

"If you had any sense, you would have destroyed the Ring of Fiendish Power so you could attack my Bombards."

"Yeah, I thought of doing that, but I kinda had a suspicion," said Yumi. "See, if I did that, your Annihilator would still have been invulnerable. And I remembered that on your first turn, you summoned Zure, Knight of Dark World. You likely have two more in your deck, and you can get them with your Deck Lord ability. So you would have done so, and gone on the offensive.

"See, I learn fast. But Gansley, you may think your strategy is foolproof, but it has one major flaw. I have someone in my deck who can exploit it, and my Deck Lord is going to help me get him."

"Your Deck Lord?" said Gansley, in surprise. "Humph… I was wondering what she actually did…"

"It's a power called Contribution," said Yumi.

Dark Magician Girl lifted her scepter, and it glowed with energy.

"I get to draw one card for each Spellcaster I have on the field. However, when my turn ends, all of the cards in my hand go to the Graveyard.

"So, I draw two cards…"

Gansley chuckled as Yumi drew twice.

"I haven't seen a dumber move since Coca Cola unveiled New Coke," he said.

"Say what?" asked Yumi.

"Uhm…" said Gansley. "Never mind, it was before your time. So, Yumi… Did you get the cards you need?"

"Actually, yes," said Yumi. "First, I play… Graceful Charity!"

She played the card, and in a burst of light, the beautiful angel appeared behind her.

"Mokey Mokey!" chirped the little Fairy who was watching.

Three of her feathers fell on Yumi's deck, and she drew three cards. She discarded two very quickly.

"That was fast," said Ren.

"I think she already knew what she wanted to discard," said Sam.

"Now…" said Yumi, "I activate Call of the Haunted!"

One of her facedown cards lifted.

"You're bringing back a Monster you just tossed, right?" asked Gansley.

"Bingo," said Yumi. "The one who can exploit the flaw in your strategy…"

A black coffin appeared on her side of the field. It slowly opened…

The Monster that stepped out of it was Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer. (1,800/700)

"Huh?" said Gansley.

"Take a look at Kycoo, Gansley," said Yumi. "Notice any similarities between him and Power Annihilator?"

Gansley paused for a few second. Then it sunk in.

"They have equal Attack Scores!" he shouted.

"Exactly!" said Yumi. "His Attack Score is neither higher nor lower. Therefore, when he attacks Power Annihilator, its Attack Score won't increase or decrease. It will remain exactly the same, and your Power Bombards won't explode!

"Sure, it will be a draw, but that's a small price to pay to avoid losing.

"I move Valkyria to Attack Mode too…"

Valkyria stood up.

Gansley growled…

"Kycoo," ordered Yumi, "attack the Power Annihilator!"

Kycoo gestured, and called lightning to his hands…

"I activate my _other_ Deck Lord ability!" shouted Gansley. "Your grandfather would remember this… Reflector Hole!"

Two of the Power Bombards vanished, and a black hole appeared in front of him. Kycoo was sucked into it.

"I sacrifice two Monsters, and I can turn your attack into a direct attack on you!"

Kycoo flew out of the hole. His hands glowed with magical energy…

"Thanks a bunch, Gansley…" said Yumi, with a grin. "I wasn't sure if you still had _that_ power."

Her last facedown card, the one she had set on her first turn, lifted up.

"Magic Cylinder?" shouted Gansley.

"Now your redirected attack is redirected right back at you!" laughed Yumi.

Two cylinders appeared in the air. Kycoo shot his blast at Yumi, and it was caught in one cylinder and shot out the other, striking Gansley. He groaned in pain.

Yumi paused.

_He still has one Power Bombard,_ she thought, _but I can take 1,800 points of damage…_

"Breaker, you attack the Annihilator!" she shouted. "Breaking blade!"

Breaker flew at the Fiend.

"I activate Reflector Hole again!" shouted Gansley.

Power Annihilator and the last Power Bombard vanished, and the black hole appeared again, sucking Breaker into it. He flew back out, and slashed at Yumi with his sword, knocking her over.

"Did you forget I still had two Monsters?" asked Gansley.

"No…" muttered Yumi. "I was kinda hoping _you_ had forgotten that you still had two Monsters.

"But now you have no Monsters. And by the way, since you have no Fiends on the field any more, your Ring of Fiendish Power is destroyed."

The Spell Card shattered into shards.

"Valkyria, attack him directly!"

Valkyria flew at Gansley, and with a burst of magic, he toppled over.

He angrily got up…

"Not the brightest idea!" he said, throwing a card on his Disk. "I summon a second Ruklamba! Defense Mode!"

In a burst of energy, the Spirit King appeared again, kneeling and shielding itself. (1,000/1,200)

"Uhm…" said Yumi. "That's… not good…"

"There's a golden rule you have to follow," said Gansley, "whether you're a motorist, camper, or a power player in the world of business… Always carry a spare!"

**(Y: 3,000) -- (G: 1,900)**

"I end my turn, Gansley," said Yumi.

"I seem to remember you saying that now," said Gansley, "every card in your hand goes to the Graveyard."

Yumi sighed. She discarded the five cards in her hand.

"My move!" said Gansley, drawing a card.

"And I couldn't have asked for better," he said. "It's time for a round of layoffs.

"The Spell Card, The Beginning of the End. And as the name suggests, it means it's the beginning of the end for you.

"I can only use this when I have at least seven Dark Monsters in my Graveyard. Now I can remove five of them from play to draw three times."

All three Power Bombards, Fusion Devourer, and D.D. Crow slipped out of his discard slot. He held them up, and they vanished.

He drew three times.

"Perfect!" he said. "Your presumption that I had three copies of Zure was exactly right, by the way. I summon my second one!"

In a burst of energy, the fiendish Knight appeared again, holding aloft his sword. (1,800/1,500)

"Oh…" muttered Sam.

"What is it, baby?" asked Erik.

"I'm sorry…" said Sam. "Whenever I see a Dark World card, it gives me the chills…"

Gansley grinned.

_What Sam doesn't know is,_ he thought, _most of the cards I'm using were part of the deck that the real Zure used. Jaden Yuki defeated him, and he perished, but his master Brron managed to save his deck. _

_Then, when Jaden defeated Brron, the Mad King's castle was ripe for looting. A Duel Spirit that now works for Daala stole Zure's deck, and Daala was generous enough to give the cards to me. I just made a few adjustments._

_Of course, Zure wasn't egotistical enough to have any copies of his own card in his deck… But I put them in for a little ironic twist._

"Attack Magician's Valkyria!" he shouted.

The Fiend slashed at Valkyria with his blade. She shrieked before she was blown into shards.

"My Field Spell is still in play," said Gansley, "so you're about to get another power surge."

Yumi cringed in pain as the pulsating aura surrounded her again.

**(Y: 1,200) -- (G: 1,900)**

"By the way, Yumi," said Gansley, "you may be thinking you could beat me if you summoned your Deck Lord to the field. After all, where she goes, Dark Magician is never far behind. You have just enough Life Points to do it right now…

"I'm not going to take that chance, so I'm going to activate this…"

He played a card, and a Continuous Spell appeared on his side of the field.

"It's called Hurricane's Nest. Should you Special Summon a Monster, it activates, and I can destroy it instantly by discarding this…"

He flipped a card in his hand around.

"Special Hurricane?" asked Yumi.

"That's right," said Gansley. "That means she'll die as soon as she sets foot on the field.

"I've been doing this for a long time, Yumi… I have lots of strategies to use against duelists using Deck Lords.

"It's your move. And it's your last."

Yumi paused.

"This is trouble guys," said Ren.

"Yeah," said Chelsea. "Even if Yumi summons something stronger, he has two Monsters… He can use his Deck Lord ability…"

"Yumi…" said Dark Magician Girl.

Yumi looked at her.

"Don't despair. Remember your duel with Unus. You didn't give up then, and you can't give up now."

She touched Yumi's hand.

"Thanks…" said Yumi.

She drew a card.

"Heh…" she said, looking at it. "Hey Gansley… You know what I love about this game?

"One draw changes everything!

"I sacrifice Breaker and Kycoo…"

Both Spellcasters vanished…

"To summon Dark Magician of Chaos!"

In a dark aura, the mighty chaos mage in his exotic costume flew onto the field, holding aloft his scepter. (2,800/2,600)

"You think that scares me?" asked Gansley. "Have you forgotten my Deck Lord ability?"

"No," said Yumi, "and I also know that it's worthless if you have only one Monster.

"And just like before, your overblown ego and stupid overconfidence is going to be your downfall. Playing that Hurricane's Nest card is going to be your last mistake."

"What do you mean?" said Gansley.

"When Dark Magician of Chaos is summoned," said Yumi, "I get to take a Spell Card from my Graveyard. And I'm choosing one that I had to discard due to my Deck Lord's effect…"

A card fell out of her discard slot, and she took it.

"And now I'm going to use it… I play Hand Control!"

"Hand Control?" said Sam. "Isn't that the name of a deck strategy?"

"It's also a Spell Card, and it works as follows," said Yumi, as she played it. "I get to call out the name of any Spell Card I can think of, and if you have it in your hand, you are required to activate it at once.

"And I name the one you just showed me… Special Hurricane."

"What?" said Gansley. "But… Guh…"

The Special Hurricane card appeared on his side of the field, and one of the two other cards in his hand vanished.

"ARGH!" he shouted. "If I play it the normal way…"

"All Special Summoned Monsters will be destroyed," said Yumi. "That means Ruklamba."

A fierce wind erupted over the Power Zone. Ruklamba the Spirit King cried out in pain, and then exploded into shards.

"Erk!" said Gansley.

"I'm afraid you can't use your Deck Lord ability now, Gansley," said Yumi.

Gansley glared at her.

"One thing before I attack, Gansley," said Yumi. "Seto Kaiba had wanted to tell you something, but he was never able to, for obvious reasons. He wanted to thank you for advising him to invest in Microsoft when it first went into business. As you know, that stock turned into a rather large fortune."

Gansley screamed.

"I thought it was bad advice!" he hollered. "I thought it would fail, damn it! I thought Bill Gates was an idiot and an upstart! Apple Computers had ruled the business for years… How could a new system possibly have dethroned them?"

"Because, Gansley," said Yumi, "times change. It's true in every aspect of life. And fossils like you who refuse to change are doomed to fail. You may have changed your deck strategy, but it was mostly a cosmetic change. Your hunger for power remained the same.

"Attack his Knight of Dark World! Scepter strike!"

Dark Magician of Chaos twirled his staff, and slammed it to the ground. A shockwave shot towards the Fiend, and it was torn apart.

"I still have Life Points left…" growled Gansley.

"Forget about your Field Spell?" asked Yumi. "It affects both players."

Gansley screamed as the same pulsating aura surrounded him.

**(Y: 1,200) -- (G: 0)**

The Power Zone vanished, and the pressure mercifully lifted. Gansley collapsed.

"Curse you, Yumi…" he growled. "Curse your whole blasted family… But mark my words, you won't…"

Dark Magician Girl frowned. She pointed her staff at him, and he cringed in pain.

After about a minute, he shattered into black shards that evaporated into mist.

"Mokey Mokey!" chirped the Fairy.

"Huh?" said Yumi. "When did he come in?"

Then the small Fairy got up, and flew out the exit.

Yumi turned to where the statues were, or rather where they had been. The duelists had been returned to flesh, and they didn't seem very happy. They were all groaning and rubbing their joints, as if they were incredibly stiff.

"You guys okay?" asked Yumi.

"We will be," said one of them. "Gansley… You took him down?"

"Uh huh," said Yumi, taking out her cell phone. "He won't be hurting anyone any more."

As she had noticed before, Joan's number had been programmed into her autodial. She hit it.

"Joan?" she said. "Mission accomplished. The Tzimisce Woods is secured. And we found your duelists. They're safe and sound."

"Congratulations, Yumi," said Joan's voice. "Once I speak to them, they'll be able to set up in that castle and I'll be able to cement my hold on it. The Woods will be ours within the hour.

"Once that is done, you and your allies can return to the temple so you can rest and we can plan our next move.

"The fact that the Realm Lord was Gansley was an interesting fact, to say the least."

"I know," said Yumi. "You don't suppose that the rest of the Big Five are the rulers of four of the other Realms?"

"I'd say at this point it seems probable," said Joan. "But perhaps we can plan accordingly."

"Well guys, we…" said Yumi.

"Ow!" shouted Erik.

He clutched his head.

"Erik?" said Sam. "Baby?"

Erik stared into space…

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At this time, in a darker place, Gansley and Water Omotics were before Daala, who was still reclining on her couch. Skull Knight and two Battle Ox stood by. Water Omotics was visibly nervous.

"Well?" asked Daala. "What did your scan find?"

"Nothing, milady," said Gansley. "The Key was clearly not in Yumi's subconscious."

Daala frowned.

"Damn…" she said. "Joan must have put it in one of the others because she knew Yumi would be the first place we'd look. We'll have to find it the old fashioned way… through trial and error…"

"I tried my best," said Water Omotics.

Daala motioned to one of the Battle Ox.

"Show her to her new assignment, will you?" she said.

"Huh?" said Water Omotics.

The Beast-Warrior grabbed hold of the now-frightened Aqua and marched her out of the room.

"Where's he going with her?" asked Gansley. "I'm going to need her when I retake the Tzimisce."

"Hold up, Gansley," said Daala. "You're forgetting that you lost that duel, and as a result, Dark Magician Girl drained all your Deck Lord power, making you about as useful in such duels as a beginner. In other words, nearly useless."

"I know…" muttered Gansley, in a sulk.

"Normally," said Daala, "It would mean that you'd have to start all over, and defeat more duelists to regain your powers.

"But fear not… I'm able to cheat the system a little. I have a little… procedure that will restore your powers without you having to duel at all…

"However, it will take time… Days. Until then, you'll be in no condition to retake Tzimisce. And since you're the only member of my army who is attuned to its power source, I'm afraid that, for the time being, we'll have to concede control of it to Joan."

"Damn!" shouted Gansley. "Her men are going to eat everything I've got stocked and ruin the carpeting! They'll…"

"Gansley…" purred Daala. "Come here…"

She motioned for him with a seductive look on her face. Gansley gulped.

He walked over to her. She held his chin.

"The Earth Attribute is one of the most abundant Attributes in Duel Monsters," said Daala. "Since you lost, Joan now controls the Realm that is the source of Earth's power in Xanadu. I have no power over Earth any longer.

"As a result, Duel Spirits of that Attribute will soon learn that pledging their allegiance to me will get them… nothing. Only threats will make them serve me now. It won't be long before the more intelligent Earth Spirits leave me, and swear allegiance to Joan, because now, she can give them the power I once gave them. In fact, she might be able to combine it with the holy power of the Higher Plane, to give them even more than I was ever able to."

The flames surrounding her head burned more fiercely. She stood up.

"And who do I have to blame for this? Who did I put in charge of the Tzimisce Woods? What Level Five Warrior-Type Water Attribute Duel Spirit is responsible for this loss because he failed miserably?"

Her hand closed around Gansley's neck. Gansley started to choke.

"Gansley, you should be _incredibly_ grateful that I'm not sentencing you to the same fate that befalls other failures… Believe me, I almost did! The only reason I'm not locking you up is because I would need unlimited access to the power source of the Tzimisce to appoint another governor, and I can't do that now because Joan has control of it!

"So you get another chance… We can retake the Tzimisce if we take out Joan, so you're still of use. But fail me again, and them raiding your refrigerator will be the least of your worries…

"Don't forget, the reason you lost was because of the same flaw that caused you to lose the last time, which I specifically warned you about… Your stupid ego!"

She let go of Gansley, and he fell to his knees, holding his throat. Daala lay back on her couch.

"Imagine, showing your opponent a card in your hand in order to gloat…" she muttered. "And it wasn't the first time you did that either. If I had more men like you, I'd have less men like you…"

"Uhm, yes," he said. "Yes, yes, of course… Milady…"

"Skull Knight," said Daala. "Show him where to go."

"This way, pal," said Skull Knight, lifting him to his feet.

"Uh, this procedure you're talking about," said Gansley. "Will it hurt?"

"You won't remember any pain," said Skull Knight.

"That doesn't answer my question!" said Gansley, nervously, as he was led away.

"Phone," said Daala.

The other Battle Ox handed her a mobile. She punched in a number.

"It's me," she said, speaking into it. "And it's time. Wait by the border of Tzimisce and Nexus, and challenge one of them to a duel.

"Oh, I don't care who. Any of them.

"It's time to see if all our hard work paid off…"

She hung up.

"Okay, Yumi…" she muttered. "You and your friends have cleared the first world of my video game, and defeated the first boss, so to speak. But that was the world where new players go for training.

"You'd best hope that you all have increased in level enough to handle the true dangers of Xanadu, because it's only gonna get harder from this point on…"

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"Erik?" said Sam.

"I… I saw something…" said Erik, holding his head. "I think it was a Duel Monster of some sort… But I didn't recognize it…"

He sat down on the edge of the fountain.

"I think it was a Warrior… In scarlet armor… Nasty, red armor with a red sword… Really nasty… I'd say I was having a nightmare, but I was wide awake…"

Everyone else looked at each other.

"Erik, baby…" said Sam, feeling his forehead. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I feel just fine…" said Erik.

_But maybe a little scared…_ he thought.

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**HAND CONTROL (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A hand over five Duel Monsters cards, their faces down.

**Card Description:** Declare the name of one Spell Card. If the named Spell Card is in your opponent's hand, he/she must activate it at this time.

_Note: "Hand Control" was first used by the Pharaoh in the original anime episode "Fate of the Pharaoh (Part Three)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

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**0**

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**RUKLAMBA THE SPIRIT KING (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Reptile/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 1,000  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description:** When you take at least 1,000 points of battle damage from a single battle, you may Special Summon this card from your hand. By offering this card as a Tribute during your Main Phase, you may Special Summon any number of Monsters from your hand whose combined total ATK does not exceed 2,000.

_Note: "Ruklamba the Spirit King" was first used by Gansley in the original anime episode "Isolated in Cyber Space (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

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**0**

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**POWER ANNIHILATOR (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,800

**Card Description:** When this card battles a Monster that has higher ATK than this card, increase this card's ATK by 1,000 during the Damage Step. When this card battles a Monster that has lower ATK than this card, decrease this card's ATK by 1,000 during the Damage Step.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**POWER BOMBARD (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,000  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description:** When the ATK of a "Power Annihilator" on your side of the field changes, destroy this card and inflict direct damage to your opponent's Life Points equal to the base ATK of the "Power Annihilator"

**0**

**0**

**0**

**POWER ZONE (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image:** A blazing, purple energy ball over a blasted, burned crater.

**Card Description:** When a Monster is destroyed as a result of battle, the controller of the destroyed Monster takes direct damage equal to the ATK of the destroyed Monster.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**POWER SPIRITS (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image:** A Banderillo Fiend surrounded by an aura of fiery energy.

**Card Description:** Pay 1,000 Life Points to activate this card. Select one face-up Monster on your side of the field. The selected Monster cannot be destroyed in battle by a Monster with an ATK less than the ATK the selected Monster + 1,000 for as long as this card remains on the field. (Damage calculation still applies.)

**0**

**0**

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**RING OF FIENDISH POWER (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image:** Summoned Skull, wearing a glowing, silver ring on his finger.

**Card Description:** If you do not have a Fiend-Type Monster face-up on your side of the field, destroy this card. Your opponent can only attack a face-up Fiend-Type Monster on your side of the field that has the highest base ATK of all of your face-up Fiend-Type Monsters. When a Fiend-Type Monster destroys a Monster as a result of battle, the owner of the destroyed Monster takes direct damage equal to the destroyed Monster's DEF.

_Note: "Power Annihilator", "Power Bombard", "Power Zone", "Power Spirits", and "Ring of Fiendish Power" were all first used by the spirit of Zure, Knight of Dark World in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Dueling with the Dark Army". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

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**HURRICANE'S NEST (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image:** The image on this card was not clear.

**Card Description:** When your opponent Special Summons a Monster, you can take one "Special Hurricane" from your hand or deck and send it to the Graveyard to destroy the Special Summoned Monster.

_Note: "Hurricane's Nest" was first used by the spirit of Scarr, Scout of Dark World, in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Friend or Fiend". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**ASTRAL SHIFT (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A young girl in magician's robes, casting a spell, standing in front of an explosion.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when your opponent targets one of your Monsters for an attack. The attack becomes a direct attack on your Life Points. After damage calculation, draw one card.

_Note: "Astral Shift" was first used by Jaden in a fourth season episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**Gansley's Deck Lord: "Deepsea Warrior":** "Reflector Hole": When your opponent declares an attack, you may offer two of your Monsters as Tributes to turn the attack into a direct attack against your opponent. (Greater Power) "Recruitment Drive": You must use this ability on your first turn. Name one Type of Monster. On the Standby Phase of your second turn, and every second Standby Phase afterwards, you may search your deck for one Monster of the named Type that is Level Four or less and add it to your hand. (Greater Power)

**0**

**0**

**0**

**Yumi's Deck Lord: "Dark Magician Girl":** "Contribution": Once per duel, you may draw one card for each face-up Spellcaster-Type Monster on your side of the field. At the End Phase of the turn in which you use this effect, send all cards in your hand to the Graveyard. (Minor Power)

**0**

**0**

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**Remember that e-mail that Sheena intercepted to four guys called the Four Elite Bodyguard? Well, next chapter, the heroes are ambushed by one of them! Ren is lured into a duel against an opponent with a strange strategy, with a deadly secret in his deck. What is the nature of Daala's strange secret weapon, and how will it affect their mission? I'm not even going to give the name of the chapter… that would be giving it away…**_

_**And here's a question to think about. In this fic and the fic before it, why is Chelsea the member of the group who uses the Mirage of Nightmare/Emergency Provisions combo?**_


	11. Ren versus The Horseman

_**Although the effect of "Mirage of Nightmare" has nothing to do with Zombies, they are depicted on the artwork of the card. Thus, Chelsea is the one who uses the combo.**_

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_**No one forced me to come to Xanadu. Daala only insisted that Yumi come. My reasoning was, what sort of friend would I be if I let her go alone?**_

_**I thought I could handle it. I had seen horrors before in Duelatopia, and I had been pummeled in Shadow Games. And I knew that eventually I'd likely be helping Yumi fight the demons of the Abyss.**_

_**But nothing could have prepared me for this… This… This thing in front of me…**_

_**Someone… Someone help…**_

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**CHAPTER TEN**

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**Ren versus the Horseman**

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It took about an hour before the five of them left the castle. They wanted to make sure the freed duelists were in a condition to hold the place until Joan sent reinforcements there.

After many reassurances, they left. Their watches said six o'clock as they made their way through the forest again, and the sun was moving towards the horizon.

"The border to Nexus is just around the bend," said Ren, who was leading the way. "Won't be long before we're safe at the temple, and the Tzimisce Woods will be behind us."

As they entered a large clearing, there was a loud crash in front of them.

"What was that?" asked Chelsea.

"Sounded like…" said Erik. "Sounded like a tree falling…"

"No…" said Sam, activating her Disk. "It sounded like something pushing a tree over!"

They all activated their Disks.

"Don't tell me it's another Baboon!" said Ren.

A huge creature loomed in front of them, ripping up the pair of trees that flanked the pathway. It was a huge Machine, thirty feet tall, armored, with gears and pistons forming its joints. It had a single optic sensor that glowed red. (3,000/3,000)

"Ancient Gear Golem?" yelled Yumi. "Now that's not fair!"

They all raised their Disks. However, the Golem just looked at them.

"Why isn't it attacking?" asked Chelsea.

"It's waiting for something…" said Yumi.

Then they heard a galloping noise.

A golden chariot drove towards them from ahead, pulled by two fiery horses with flaming wings. (2,250/1,800 x2) It drove right under the legs of the Golem, and into the clearing they were in.

Standing at the reins was a tall, muscular man, wearing decorated, glossy black armor that resembled that of soldiers in ancient Greece. He carried a sword slung to his side, and on his left arm was a bronze Duel Disk with a tray shaped like backwards curving blades.

The two Firewing Pegasus neighed as the rider stepped down.

"And who are you?" asked Ren.

The man took off his helmet, revealing a face with a black, neatly-trimmed beard, and eyes that were pools of red light.

"I am Ares," he said.

"Ares?" asked Ren. "As in, the God of War?"

"Indeed," he replied. "And master of all forms of warfare and combat, Duel Monsters included."

"I'll bet Athena is a great deal better," said Ren.

Ares frowned.

"He can't be the actual Ares," said Chelsea.

"Maybe this is another virtual construct," said Sam. "Maybe he's a program that Daala wrote, based on some story from a book of Greek myth."

Ares smirked in a way that made their blood run cold.

"But I'd be wary…" said Sam. "If he's programmed to think that he's the God of War, dealing with him would be just like dealing with one of the Olympians. And they tended to be obnoxious louts at the best of times.

"Especially Ares. He was more a god of violence than actual warfare."

"I simply seek one duel," said Ares with a scowl. "If one of you should accept my challenge, I'll call my friend here off…"

He pointed to the Golem.

"And if we don't, it'll flatten us, right?" said Ren.

"Yes," said Ares. "And since you insulted me by bringing up that lightweight of a goddess, I think I'll duel you."

"Oh, all right," said Ren. "Why not…"

He stepped to face the warrior.

"Ren, be careful," said Yumi. "This guy is probably working for Daala."

"Don't worry, Yumi," said Ren. "I mean, God of War? He's more than likely playing a Warrior Deck, and it's nothing I haven't seen before…"

Ares smirked.

_You couldn't be more wrong…_ he thought. _My deck doesn't use just any warrior, but the ultimate warrior… One that will tear you to shreds! As one of Daala's Four Elite Bodyguard, I've been entrusted with the ultimate weapon… A Monster unlike any other…_

He looked at his deck.

"So," said Ren, "will we be using Deck Lords?"

"Afraid not," said Ares. "I could get a Deck Lord if I wanted one… But I never had any use for one."

Ren looked at him strangely.

_Truthfully,_ thought Ares, _the dark power held by the key Monster in my deck would corrupt any true Duel Spirit in such close proximity. Thus, the other Monsters in my deck are insentient and mindless, and Deck Lords cannot be used when this deck is used. It might lead to a disaster._

_Not that I care, but Daala insisted._

"Game on!" shouted Ren, as his Disk activated.

"Good luck," said Ares, smugly. "You'll need it!"

**(Ren: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Ares: 8,000)**

As both of them drew their opening hands, Sam nudged Yumi, and pointed to the side.

That odd female figure, wearing the black spandex and china mask, was watching again.

_Who IS she?_ thought Yumi.

"The first move is yours," said Ares.

"Thank you," said Ren, making his first draw.

"I summon… Double Pinaska!"

He played the card, and with a flourish, the rapier-wielding Spaniard somersaulted onto the field. (1,500/1,500)

"That will be all for now."

Ares made his first draw. He looked at the card and the cards already in his hand.

He quickly chose one. He placed it on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"That will end my turn," he said.

Ren drew a card.

_If my Warrior theory is correct, it's most likely Big Shield Gardna,_ he thought. _I don't have a Monster that can defeat it in one blow… But, I can defeat it and deal some major damage if I attack with two Monsters._

"I summon Dark Blade!" he shouted.

He put another card on his Disk, and the armored, dark knight appeared, holding his twin scimitars. (1,800/1,500)

"Attack his Monster!" he shouted. "Dark sword slash!"

Dark Blade charged towards the card. However, the Monster that appeared on it was not what he expected. It resembled a blob of blue liquid in humanoid form, wearing a golden breastplate. (800/2,000)

Dark Blade's sword hit it, and it bounced back, throwing the Warrior on his behind.

"Seems my Humanoid Slime was a bit too strong for him," said Ares.

_Humanoid Slime?_ thought Ren. _What sort of deck is this?_

"I end my turn…" he said, slowly.

**(R: 7,800) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 8,000)**

Ares made a draw.

"Heh, heh," he chuckled. "First, I summon my Worm Drake."

He played a card, and a weird creature appeared. It was a large, reptilian snake, with a large mouth at one end with an eye inside, and a stinger at the other. (1,400/1,500)

"Now… I combine the two using Polymerization!"

He played the Spell Card, and both Humanoid Slime and Worm Drake swirled into a morass of blue and brown colors…

The mass burst, and a much larger creature appeared. It looked like some snake made of semi-solid slime, with two limbs, one ending in a claw, and the other shaped like a cleaver. (2,200/2,000)

"Humanoid Worm Drake?" asked Ren. "You didn't pay money for that card, right?"

Ares frowned.

"Attack his Double Pinaska!" he shouted.

Humanoid Worm Drake flew towards the Warrior.

"Pinaska, deflect!" shouted Ren.

Double Pinaska crossed his swords, blocking the Drake's huge claw. He gave a shove and it flew backwards.

"In that case, I end my turn," said Ares.

Ren drew a card.

"I summon… Getsu Fuhma!" he shouted.

In a burst of shadow, the redheaded female Warrior appeared. (1,700/1,200)

"Next," said Ren, "I play Rush Recklessly, to make Dark Blade stronger."

He played a card, and Dark Blade glowed as he rose to an Attack Score of 2,500.

"Splatter his Humanoid Worm Drake!" he shouted.

Dark Blade slashed with his sword, and the huge Drake burst into an explosion of liquid.

"Getsu, Pinaska… Attack him directly!"

The two Warriors charged at Ares. He staggered as their swords slammed into his armor, denting it.

"What was Daala thinking?" asked Sam. "This guy's Monsters are lame, his strategy has major room for improvement… Ren's gonna walk all over him."

**(R: 7,800) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 4,500)**

Ares drew a card.

"I play… Pot of Greed," he said.

The evil jar appeared, and he drew two cards. He looked at them.

"Enough play time," he said. "Time to get deadly serious.

"I first play the Spell Card, Gold Sarcophagus."

He played the card, and a golden ark with the Eye of Wdjat on the front rose out of the ground.

"Now, I can take any card from my deck that I desire, and seal it in the Sarcophagus."

In a flash of light, all the cards in his deck appeared in front of him. He pointed to one and it vanished. The cards formed back into his deck, and the Sarcophagus sank into the ground.

"In just two short turns, I'll be able to retrieve that card."

"It sounds like the same thing as Different Dimension Capsule," said Erik.

"Not quite," said Sam. "Unlike Different Dimension Capsule, Gold Sarcophagus is NOT a Continuous Spell. Since Ren can't destroy it, there's no way he can stop Ares from getting that card in two turns."

"That's too powerful!" shouted Chelsea.

"It's a very rare Spell Card," said Yumi. "You can't just walk into a card store and buy it. In fact, in terms of rarity, it's on the same level as my Dark Magician Girl. I'm surprised this guy has one."

Ares smirked.

_I could have gotten any card I wanted,_ he thought. _As one of the Elite Bodyguard, Daala spared no expense when constructing my deck._

He placed a card on his Disk.

"Continuing," he said, "I summon Revival Jam."

The creature that appeared was more or less a shapeless, formless mass of protoplasm. It had almost no features at all. (1,500/500)

"Revival Jam?" said Chelsea. "You mean someone actually uses that card?"

"You think that scares me?" said Ren. "We aren't playing by Battle City rules, fellah. You have to pay 1,000 Life Points each time you want to use that thing's effect."

"I'm well aware of that, Reginald," said Ares.

Ren seethed with anger. He _hated_ being called Reginald.

Ares played another card.

"I'll also play Jam Breeding Machine."

He played a Spell Card, and in a burst of smoke and steam, a dome-shaped contraption covered with vents and pipes appeared.

"This Spell Card is more or less a Monster creator. It will create a Slime Token every round. The downside is, I can't summon any other Monsters while it's on the field.

"Anyway, I'll also set a facedown card, and play The Dark Door."

A facedown card appeared, followed by a new Continuous Spell Card.

"So long as this card is in play, each of us may only attack with one Monster per round.

"And with that, my turn is complete."

_I don't like this,_ thought Yumi. _Almost card for card, he's using the exact same strategy that Strings used when my grandfather faced him._

_Could Daala have somehow recreated Slifer?_

_No… That's impossible… But he's clearly up to something…_

Ren drew a card.

"If I only get one attack, I'll put someone in defense," he said. "I summon Dark Squire."

He played the card, and the young page appeared. She knelt, and shielded herself in Defense Mode. (300/300)

"Dark Blade… Destroy his Revival Jam!"

Dark Blade rushed at the glob, and with a slash of his sword, it splattered into globs of goo. The globs fell all over the ground.

Ren shook his head.

"I have to end my turn," he said.

**(R: 7,800) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 4,200)**

"Then I draw," said Ares, drawing a card. "And as you said, I pay 1,000 Life Points to revive Revival Jam."

He glowed with an aura of red energy, and the globs on the ground moved. A mass of liquid flowed together, forming back into Revival Jam. It was in Defense Mode this time, although it was hard to tell the difference. (1,500/500)

"And now Jam Breeding Machine activates."

The Machine started to whir and hum, and steam poured from its pipes. A small glob of slime with a face on it rose from the indentation on top. (500/500)

"I think I'll end my turn there," he said.

**(R: 7,800) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 3,200)**

_Odd,_ thought Ren, drawing.

He looked at his card.

"I sacrifice Double Pinaska…"

Double Pinaska vanished in a blur.

"To summon Penumbral Soldier Lady!"

In another burst, the armored female fighter appeared, holding aloft her sword. (2,100/1,400)

_If that facedown card is what I think is,_ he thought, _this is gonna be a big waste of time… But I might as well try…_

"Penumbral Soldier Lady… Attack his Slime Token! Sword of Shadows!"

Penumbral Soldier Lady charged at the mini-Monster.

"Go, Trap Card!" shouted Ares. "Jam Defender!"

His facedown card flipped up, and Revival Jam leapt in front of the blow. It splattered again.

"I thought so," said Ren.

He looked hard at his opponent.

_He's clearly going to keep this up until he has enough of those Tokens to summon something powerful,_ he thought. _Question is… What?_

_Well, at least I have one more round before he gets three of them._

"You can't pay for that thing forever," he said. "I end my turn."

"Then I draw," said Ares, drawing a card. "And once again, I pay 1,000 Life Points to revive Revival Jam."

Revival Jam reformed once again. (1,500/500)

"Now, another Slime Token appears…"

The Jam Breeding Machine shook again, and a second Slime Token formed. (500/500)

"And, I get the card that I sealed inside the Sarcophagus."

The Gold Sarcophagus rose out of the ground, and opened. A card floated out of it, and he took it. The ark vanished.

"Next up," said Ares, "I play the Spell Card, Giant Trunade."

"Huh?" said Ren.

The Spell Card appeared, and a wind blew across the field. The Jam Defender card, The Dark Door, and Jam Breeding Machine vanished, and the cards reappeared in Ares's hand.

"Now, Magical Mallet," he said, playing a new Spell Card. "I'll send three cards back to my deck to draw three replacements."

He placed Jam Defender, The Dark Door, and Jam Breeding Machine in his deck and reshuffled. He drew three times.

He looked at the new cards and smirked.

"Next, I play Soul Taker!" he shouted. "This card grants you 1,000 Life Points… But one of your Monsters dies…

"Now, let's see… Which of your Warriors should feel my wrath…

"I think… Her."

The Spell Card appeared, and a blast of pure light shot from it, striking Getsu Fuhma. She screamed and was blown to particles.

"HEY!" shouted Ren. "Oh, you are asking for it, buddy… Big time…"

"Oh, yes…" sighed Ares, taking another card from his hand. "I forget how much you young duelists are attached to your Monsters… a shame…

"Moving right along, I play Monster Reborn."

He played the card, and the glowing ankh appeared in front of him. Humanoid Worm Drake appeared in a flash of light. (2,200/2,000)

"Not good…" said Ren.

"Tell me, Reginald," said Ares. "Do you ever read the Bible?"

There was a long pause.

"Uh…" said Ren. "Okay, I was with you until you said that…"

"I'll take that as a no," said Ares. "Well, I don't read it much either. Holy scripture usually sickens me…

"But there is one passage in it that I kind of like… King James version, Revelations 6:3…

"_And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, 'Come and see.'_

"_And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword…"_

Ren stared at him.

"Uh, is there a point to this?" he asked.

Ares smiled evilly.

"I sacrifice Revival Jam and my two Slime Tokens…" he shouted.

_HUH?_ thought Ren. _He's sacrificing the Revival Jam?_

The three plasma Monsters vanished…

The sky darkened… Thunder and lightning flashed…

"What's happening?" shouted Ren.

The sky turned blood red. A windstorm blew through the woods, causing the trees to sway. A sound rang over the storm… It sounded like the neighing of some demonic horse…

"I summon…. _War, the Red Horseman_!" shouted Ares.

A huge bolt of lightning stuck where he was standing…

Then, a hulking figure stood forward. It was a man in crimson plate armor, with spikes on the shoulder guards, a horned helmet that obscured his face, and a large shield with a picture of a skull on it. He held a nasty-looking sword made of the same red metal. He was surrounded by a shadowy, dark aura. (2,500/2,500)

"THAT'S IT!" shouted Erik. "That's exactly the Monster I saw when I had that weird vision! It's the exact same one!"

"But what in blazes is it?" shouted Sam.

"I think…" said Yumi. "I think that Ares just summoned one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse!

"People… Ren's in for the fight of his life…"

"Indeed," said Ares.

His eyes glowed with a red light.

"I may not be the true Olympian God of War, humans," he said, in a voice that now sounded truly fiendish, "but I'm no virtual construct… I'm something much more… No AI program could control this creature…"

"So what are you then?" asked Ren. "A demon of some sort?"

"You might say that," said Ares. "One who is spawned through the act of mortals killing each other for needless purposes… When such acts are committed on a large scale, like during the times when men wage war, dark essence is released into the ether… And sometimes, this violent essence takes on a life of its own, forming creatures like myself…

"Some might say I _am_ violence, given corporeal form…

"My race has ebbed and flowed… We haunted the American South by the dozens during the Civil War… We were around in large numbers in Europe during the World Wars. And we try hard to keep tempers uneasy between large groups so there's never a lack of unrest... If mortals don't start wars, we do our best to encourage and manipulate events to cause them."

"That's awful…" said Ren. "A race of demons spawned by violence, dedicated to causing it?"

"Our only regret is that we rarely get to join in the carnage that we cause," said Ares. "But now, I have a chance to stop encouraging the acts of violent warlords, and start being one…

"On with the duel! Humanoid Worm Drake, attack his Dark Blade."

The Aqua lunged at the Warrior, and made a slash with its claw. Dark Blade shattered.

"War, kill his Soldier Lady! Red blade strike!"

The Red Horseman slashed at Penumbral Soldier Lady with his sword. She fell to her knees, bleeding from a deep wound across her entire torso. She exploded into pixels.

"Now my Horseman's effect activates," said Ares. "When he defeats an enemy Monster, his Attack Score increases by that of the fallen enemy's Attack Score."

(4,600/2,500)

"Say WHAT?" shouted Ren.

"This increase doesn't wear off until the end of your next turn," said Ares, "making him practically unbeatable in battle by anything you could summon. So just try to find a Monster in your deck that can defeat mine.

"My turn is now over…"

**(R: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 2,200)**

_At least I'm in the lead,_ thought Ren. _There's got to be some way to take this guy down…_

He drew a card.

_Yes!_ he thought. _I drew La Sombra!_

"I remove Dark Blade from play to summon La Sombra!" he exclaimed.

In a burst of energy, the sexy, female swashbuckler appeared. (1,800/1,000)

"Now you have to draw a card," said Ren. "So let's see who's luckier."

Ares drew a card. He turned it forward.

It was Electromagnetic Turtle.

"NO!" shouted Chelsea. "That's a Monster! That means…"

La Sombra clutched her stomach in pain. Then she shattered into pixels.

"HA, HA, HA!" laughed Ares. "Didn't work out exactly as you planned, did it?"

Ren threw a card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"Just shut up and move," he said.

War's Attack Score fell back down to 2,500.

"I draw," said Ares, drawing a card.

"Next, I play Dian Keto the Cure Master."

He played the card, and the matronly form of Dian Keto appeared behind him. A soft glow covered him.

"Now, I summon a second Humanoid Slime."

A second of the plasma Monsters appeared. (800/2,000)

"And it attacks your Dark Squire."

Humanoid Slime reached out with two tentacles. They coiled around Dark Squire, literally absorbing her.

Ren growled.

"Well, when she's destroyed, we both get to draw two cards."

They both made two draws.

"War," said Ares, "destroy his facedown Monster."

War made a slash with his sword, and another Dark Blade appeared on the card. He shattered.

Ren cried out in pain. He held his chest.

"Forgot to mention," said Ares. "War has another effect. When he attacks a Monster in Defense Mode, and his Attack Score is stronger than the target's Defense Score, the difference is taken out of your Life Points."

"Now you tell me…" muttered Ren.

War rose to an Attack Score of 4,300.

"Humanoid Worm Drake, attack him directly!" shouted Ares.

Ren screamed again as the other plasma Monster slashed at him with its claw.

"I'm not done," said Ares. "I play the Spell Card, Mystik Wok."

He played a card, and a giant wok appeared behind him. Humanoid Slime vanished.

"Now I can sacrifice my Slime, and gain Life Points equal to its Defense Score."

The wok vanished.

"It's still my turn. I'm giving Humanoid Worm Drake an Equip Spell… It's called Metalsilver Armor."

He played the card, and the Drake's liquid hide turned silver.

"Now, you can't target any of my Monsters with a Spell, Trap, or Monster effect, except my Drake. So my Horseman is well-protected.

"And my turn is over…"

**(R: 4,800) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,200)**

Ren started to sweat heavily as he drew a card.

It was Rising Energy.

_This may be my last chance,_ he thought.

"I throw one card facedown," he said, fitting it into his Disk.

The facedown card appeared.

"Then I Special Summon The Fiend Megacyber."

In another burst of energy, the hulking, cybernetic Warrior appeared. (2,200/1,200)

"Next," he said. "I'll Normal Summon my Armageddon Knight. Ironic, isn't it?"

He played another card, and a new Dark Warrior appeared. He was dressed in rusty banded mail, with a scarf over his face, and a tattered red cloak. He carried a battered old cutlass. (1,400/1,200)

"By summoning him," said Ren, "I get to send a Dark Monster from my deck to my Graveyard."

A card slipped out of his deck and he took it.

He looked at Crescent Moon Queen and nodded. He discarded her card.

"And that's all."

War fell down to an Attack Score of 2,500 again.

"Ready for more pain, Reginald?" asked Ares, drawing a new card.

He took another one from his hand.

"I play… Graceful Charity."

He played the card, and then drew three cards. He quickly discarded two.

"I set one card facedown," he said.

A facedown card appeared.

"Next, I play Pot of Avarice. And to its activation, I chain Emergency Provisions, sacrificing it and my facedown card."

The Pot of Avarice card appeared. Then the huge mouth appeared, and devoured it and the facedown card, which was briefly revealed to be Jam Breeding Machine.

Five cards slipped out of his discards slot: Both Humanoid Slimes, Revival Jam, the first Worm Drake, and a second one that he had just discarded. He reshuffled, and then drew twice.

"Now, War… Attack his Armageddon Knight!"

The Red Horseman lunged at the Knight.

"Go, Rising Energy!" shouted Ren, as his facedown card lifted. "Now, for the cost of one card…"

He discarded a card from his hand.

"…Armageddon Knight gains 1,500 Attack Points!"

The Knight rose to an Attack Score of 2,900…

"STOP," ordered Ares.

Then, War halted right before reaching him.

"Huh?" said Ren. "How'd you do that?"

Ares chuckled.

"Remember that Electromagnetic Turtle?" asked Ares. "I just discarded it when I played Graceful Charity. And that let me end the Battle Phase any time I wanted to this turn."

"Clever…" said Ren with a frown. "Well, I guess it's my turn…"

"Not yet it isn't," said Ares, taking a Spell Card from his hand. "I pay 800 Life Points to play Unfair Judge. Since my Monster's attack was unsuccessful, it's now allowed to reenter the Battle Phase and attack both of your Monsters."

"You gotta be kidding me!" shouted Chelsea. "I'll bet that card isn't even tournament legal!"

War slashed at The Fiend Megacyber, and it exploded into burning slag. War's Attack Score rose to 4,700.

"And now," said Ares, "your Knight's extra 1,500 Attack Points is hardly a problem…"

The sword struck Armageddon Knight, and it shattered into a burst of shards.

"Oh," said Ares, "and in case you're thinking of using that Queen of yours against my Monster…"

He played the last card in his hand.

"I Equip War with the Spell Card, Favored Enemy. I get to call out a Type and Level, and if my Monster battles a Monster that matches, it gains 1,500 Attack Points.

"I name Warrior-Type, Level Seven.

"NOW I end my turn."

**(R: 2,900) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 6,400)**

Ren fell to his knees.

"Surrender," said Ares. "My ultimate warrior will conquer you!"

"It is impossible…" muttered Ren.

"So, will you give up?" said a voice in his head. "Are you a quitter?"

Ren's eyes opened. He hadn't heard the voice before. It was stern, and female.

He turned slightly, and saw the masked woman.

"If you lose, Joan can no longer protect you," said the voice. "Your future will be dark and grim. You don't want that."

"But what do I do?" whispered Ren. "Even if I summoned my Queen now, she wouldn't be enough…"

"Think, Ren," she said. "This Monster has a weakness that you can exploit. You just have to think it over…

"I know you aren't a quitter. You didn't quit in Duelatopia when you were facing Bast, the Queen of Cats, or when you were facing Vennominaga. I don't believe you will quit here."

Ren's eyes narrowed.

"You're right…" he muttered.

"I'm not a quitter…"

He got up.

"My move…" he said.

He drew a card.

"I play Pot of Greed!" he shouted.

He drew two cards.

He looked at the four cards in his hand.

_Weakness…_ he thought. _Its weakness…_

_Wait… Can it be?_

_I think I know…_

"First, I play Premature Burial!" he shouted.

He glowed with a red aura as he played the card, and The Fiend Megacyber appeared in Attack Mode.

"Next," he said. "I play The Warrior Returning Alive."

He played another card, and a card slipped out of his discard slot.

_I'll put all my faith in you,_ he thought, looking at it.

He set the card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"Fiend Megacyber, attack his Humanoid Worm Drake!"

The Megacyber bore his blades.

"WHAT?" shouted Ares. "They'll kill each other!"

"Exactly," said Ren.

The two Monsters rushed at each other. They collided, and both of them exploded.

"Ergh…" muttered Ares. "You'll pay for that…"

"I throw a card facedown, and end my turn," said Ren.

A facedown card materialized in front of him. War's Attack Score fell back down to 2,500.

**(R: 2,100) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,400)**

Ares quickly drew a card.

It was Polymerization. It was worthless.

"War," he shouted, "destroy his Monster!"

The Red Horseman charged at the facedown card. Getsu Fuhma appeared crouching on it.

"NO!" screamed Ares.

War's blade crashed down, and Getsu Fuhma was blown to bits. Ren cringed in pain.

However, War groaned and staggered back. He dropped his sword, and smoke poured from his armor. Then he burst into an explosion of shards.

"Gotcha!" shouted Ren. "See, I figured it out. You wanted me to believe that your Horseman was a Warrior, but he was really a Fiend. I mean, what else would the embodiment of War itself be?

"That's why you used Soul Taker on Getsu instead of on Penumbral Soldier Lady. Because you knew you couldn't attack Getsu with War. Because you knew that any Fiend that battles Getsu Fuhma is automatically destroyed."

Ren's four allies cheered.

"Way to show him!" shouted Chelsea.

"Ugh… Ergh…" grunted Ares.

"I take it that means it's my move…" said Ren, drawing a card.

"Do your worst!" shouted Ares. "I still have far more Life Points than you do!"

**(R: 800) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 6,400)**

"That's gonna change real soon," said Ren. "Remember that card I discarded when I played Rising Energy? It was a guy named The Immortal Bushi.

"And there's a reason he's called Immortal. When I have no Monsters on the field, and the only Monsters in my Graveyard are Warriors, I get to Special Summon him from the Graveyard.

"So come on out!"

The ground cracked open, and a new Warrior burst out. It was an aged veteran, dressed in ragged and worn Japanese armor that was pierced by arrows. He held both a katana and a wakisashi. (1,200/600)

Ren's facedown card lifted.

"Now, I activate Call of the Haunted!"

A black coffin appeared on his side of the field. It opened, and Crescent Moon Queen stepped out. (2,600/1,700)

"Immortal Bushi, you first. Attack directly with ancestral blade!"

Immortal Bushi slashed at the god of war with his katana, and he staggered backwards.

"Crescent Moon Queen, double direct attack! Crescent sword slash!"

The Queen lunged at Ares. She made a downward slash with her right blade, and an upward slash with her left one.

Ares groaned and fell to his knees. Smoke started to pour from his own armor.

**(R: 800) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 0)**

Then, he collapsed on his face. He vanished.

Ren fell on one knee, gasping for breath.

Yumi and the others looked up. The Ancient Gear Golem and the chariot with the two Firewing Pegasus vanished as well.

"Gone without a trace," said Sam.

"Not quite," said Yumi. "Look."

Ares's Duel Disk had been left behind.

She picked it up, and took the cards out of the discard slot. She looked at the card depicting War, the Red Horseman.

"I sense great evil in this card…" she muttered.

"Hey…" said Chelsea.

They turned and saw the masked woman. She was running away again.

"Wait!" shouted Ren. "Don't go away!"

"What?" asked Chelsea.

"She helped me," said Ren. "She gave me support…"

Yumi looked at the War card again.

"Erik…" said Yumi. "You never saw this card used before now… How could you have envisioned it back at the castle?"

Erik shrugged.

A light went on in Yumi's head.

"The Fruit…" she whispered.

"Huh?" said Ren.

"It actually worked…" whispered Yumi. "The Devil's Fruit… It made Erik precognitive…"

"Precog-what?" said Chelsea.

"It let him see the future!" shouted Yumi.

She turned to Erik.

"Erik, you think you can do that again?"

"Uh, I could try…" he said.

He closed his eyes and concentrated. Then he held his head.

Then he shook his head.

"Not a thing," he said.

"It must be involuntary," muttered Yumi.

"So it gave me a power I can't control?" asked Erik.

Yumi nodded.

"But if you have another one of those, let us know as soon as possible," she said. "They might be useful… In the meantime…"

She looked at the War card closely.

"Can we keep it?" asked Sam.

"Under no condition," said Yumi. "Let's get back to Joan… She'll know what to do with this card, and maybe she can shed some light on who that woman is…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It didn't take long to get back to the temple. No Monsters or members of Daala's forces impeded them.

Joan looked at the War card with a look of worry.

"This is a new move by Daala," she said. "One that might foretell similar attacks in the future."

"What do you mean?" asked Erik.

"The Book of Revelations stated that the Apocalypse would be heralded by Four Horsemen," said Joan. "War, Famine, Pestilence, and Death.

"If Daala has created one, logic would state that, perhaps, she has created the others as well, and they may be even stronger than this one was…

"The spirit in this card is very strong. And incredibly evil. I don't think trying to destroy it is wise. I'll keep it in cold storage until I find a way to dispose of it."

"Uh, Joan," said Yumi. "Twice now, we've seen a strange woman. She wears black spandex…"

"And a mask over her face that makes it look like a china doll?" asked Joan.

They nodded.

"Oh, that's just Vita," said Joan.

"Vita?" they all asked at once.

Joan walked over to a wall, and moved a large painting aside, revealing a safe.

"That's the name she gives when we ask her name," said Joan, working the dial. "We don't know who or what she is, exactly. She shows up all over Xanadu, watching the duels between my men and Daala's men. We've asked her to join us in the rare times that she doesn't run away, but she refuses. As far as I can tell, she's harmless."

She opened the safe, and placed the card inside.

"That will hold it," she muttered. "It's warded by celestial magic, and I'm the only one who knows the combination."

She closed the safe.

"Anyway, children, you must rest. We will plan our move on the next Realm in the morning."

"Uhm, Joan?" said Ren. "Not to be rude, but we're all really hungry…"

Everyone else nodded. He had a point.

"Ah, yes…" said Joan. "Most of my men don't truly have to eat… I often forget that most mortal creatures do…

"Well, I can cook… But you kids will have to do the dishes later."

"No problem," said Chelsea. "I do that all the time."

"Just out of curiosity," said Ren, "what is our next move?"

"We move on to the Realm not under our control that now has the least powerful concentration of evil," said Joan, "now that Gansley has been driven out of Tzimisce. The Sea of Infinite Tears. The Realm of Water."

Suddenly, fear appeared in the eyes of all five of the teenagers.

"Sea of Infinite Tears?" asked Erik. "It's… an ocean?"

Joan nodded.

"One with a collection of islands," she said. "The one where the Realm Lord lives is the farthest out, on the border of the Realm and the void that surrounds all of Xanadu."

They were dumbstruck. They debated in their minds whether or not to tell her about the Devil's Fruit, but they kept silent.

"A small town named Rye sits on the border of this ocean and Nexus," said Joan. "Not many Spirits actually live there, but the ones that do are indifferent towards Daala, so they won't give you any trouble. By morning, I'll have a guide there with a ship that can take you to the Realm Lord's island.

"If our presumption that the rest of the Big Five are ruling under Daala, Krump seems the most likely candidate."

"Heh, no problem!" laughed Sam, nervously. "He was the worst duelist in the world. He couldn't even beat Yumi's grandmother! Right, Yumi?"

Yumi didn't respond.

That was true, yes. But even her grandmother had admitted to her that the way she had won was more than likely cheating. The Dark Magician had come from Yugi's deck, not hers. A spectator simply can't give a duelist a new card in the middle of a duel.

Why had her Sage's Stone even worked? The best conclusion they could reach was that Noah was getting annoyed with Krump, and had made it work. After all, he had intended to double-cross the Big Five the whole time.

The fact was, her grandmother won, but she didn't win fairly.

"If it truly is Krump," said Joan, "he has gotten better. Four duelists have made it to his stronghold so far, and have not returned. After all, Gansley's strategy was completely different. The same is likely true for the rest of them.

"But enough about that for tonight… Sit, relax…

"I hope you like Italian."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala sighed as she reclined on her couch.

She waved her arm, and a screen appeared in front of her. A face appeared on it.

"Philippe, is that you?" she asked.

The figure simply nodded.

"Speak up," said Daala. "Oh, right, you can't. Listen…

"Our… Guests are more than likely going to be in Rye early tomorrow morning. I want you there to greet them. Think you can handle Yumi for me?"

The figure nodded.

"Great," said Daala. "I'll be watching closely…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Night fell, and a full moon rose over the Temple.

Inside, stretched out on beds in rooms that their host had prepared, the five humans slept off fettuccini Alfredo, and had very strange dreams. All of them, at some point of the night, dreamed of falling into the sea and drowning.

They didn't know if the next day would bring another victory… Or doom…

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**WAR, THE RED HORSEMAN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 10  
**ATK:** 2,500  
**DEF:** 2,500

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card can only be Normal Summoned by offering three Monsters as a Tribute. When this card destroys a Monster as a result of battle and sends it to the Graveyard, increase this card's ATK by the base ATK of the destroyed Monster. (This increase lasts until your opponent's next End Phase.) When this card attacks with an ATK higher than the DEF of your opponent's Defense Position Monster, inflict the difference as battle damage to your opponent's Life Points.

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**UNFAIR JUDGE (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A referee making a call at a tennis court.

**Card Description:** Activate this card during your second Main Phase after your Monsters have unsuccessfully attacked. Target one of your Monsters in Attack Position and pay 800 Life Points. If the total combined ATK of all opposing Monsters in Attack Position plus the total combined DEF of all face-up opposing Monsters in face-up Defense Position is greater than the ATK of the targeted Monster, you may enter a second Battle Phase, and the targeted Monster may attack all opposing face-up Monsters once each. Only the targeted Monster may attack.

_Note: "Unfair Judge" was first used by The D in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Ultimate Destiny". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

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**FAVORED ENEMY (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image:** Buster Blader charging at King Dragun with his sword held high.

**Card Description:** When this card is activated, declare one Monster Type and Level. When the Equipped Monster battles a face-up Monster that matches the declared Type and Level, the Equipped Monster's ATK increases by 1,500 during the Damage Step only.

**0**

**0**

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**ELECTROMAGNETIC TURTLE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 1,800

**Card Description:** During a turn that this card is sent to the Graveyard, you can end the Battle Phase at any time. You choose the timing for this effect.

_Note: "Electromagnetic Turtle" was first used by Yugi in the original anime episode "Clash in the Colosseum (Part Three)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**We take a detour back to the real world, where Nicholas and Olga have stopped for a bite to eat. But Saki's prediction rings true, as that police detective he mentioned does indeed find them. Is this a case of Good Cop, Bad Cop? Or will it lead to an answer? Olga will have to duel to find out, calling forth the celestial forces once again.**_

_**Don't miss "The Antaeus Factor".**_

_**You should always trust the police… But even they have secrets…**_

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_**I'm starting a new feature on my fic, and I'm calling it "Name That Card!"**_

_**This Monster Card that was used by Yugi has two Alternate Art versions in the OCG, one of which was released for the TCG. Can you name it?**_


	12. The Antaeus Factor

If your answer was Dark Magician, you were wrong

_**If your answer was Dark Magician, you were wrong. That card has three Alternate Art versions in the OCG, and two of them were released for the TCG. Kuriboh is wrong too; it has two Alternate Art versions, but one is exclusive to TCG, and the other is exclusive to OCG. Gaia the Fierce Knight is incorrect as well. It only truly had one Alternate Art, and Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight is considered a different card.**_

_**The correct answer is Dark Magician Girl. If that was your answer, you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

_**Another "Name that Card!" will be coming up at the end of this chapter, so sit tight!**_

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_**For purposes of identification, you can call me Madelyn Clair, the name that Scotland Yard gave me when they gave me a new identity. I don't really like the name much, but I don't have much choice. The name Olga Warren is on too many hit lists.**_

_**I don't regret turning coat on the European mob. I intended to the whole time. I only worked with Rasputin because I wanted to bring him down, so that my father's soul would rest easy…**_

_**It didn't occur to me then that I would have to leave England forever, but it's too late to change my mind.**_

_**Now a new crisis has struck. The duelists whom I once helped are in trouble again, and maybe I can help again…**_

_**After all, I want to. Rasputin is dead, my father is avenged… And the downside of living a life of revenge is this: What do you do after you succeed?**_

_**I need a new purpose now…**_

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**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

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**The Antaeus Factor**

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Around the time that Ren was scoring the final blow against Ares, Nicholas and Olga were sitting in a local MOS Burger. These restaurants (which stood for "Mountain Ocean Sun") are the Japanese equivalent of McDonalds (even though Japan has those too, and has more of them than MOS), and are quite popular. If you are willing to spend a thousand yen, you can buy their Takumi Burger, a sandwich that puts the Big Mac to shame – it's a burger with ten layers of ingredients.

Olga and Nicholas, however, were willing to settle for regular cheeseburgers and fries tonight.

Nicholas sighed sadly as Olga brought the food to their table.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"It's Tuesday, right?" he asked.

"Uhm, yeah…" said Olga.

Nicholas sighed again.

"Don't you remember, Olga?" he asked. "Tuesday nights we used to go down to that place on the thoroughfare and get fish and chips.

"You can't get them in Domino the way that place makes them. Or the way any good place in Britain does, wrapped in newspaper that keeps all the flavor in… Some students have given me the locations of specialty shops, but none of them can do it just right."

Olga shook her head.

"We either did this, or we went to jail, Nicholas," she said. "I'm homesick too…

"I can't tell you how much I miss seeing Westminster Cathedral, Piccadilly Circus… If Aster Phoenix were alive, I'd challenge him in an instant in hopes of seeing his Field Spell, just to remind me of the Clock Tower of the House of Parliament…

"So many things that make London what it is, that we can never see again…

"But we're going to have to cope.

"Besides, fish and chips are bad for you."

"I couldn't agree more," said a voice. "They're bad for the brain."

They were a little startled by the sudden voice that was speaking in English, albeit with a Japanese accent. They looked up, and saw a man who seemed to be in his early thirties, wearing a black business suit and sunglasses.

"And who might you be?" asked Olga.

The man opened his jacket slightly, revealing a badge. Only slightly.

"I'm the long arm of the law," he said, still speaking in English. "Detective Akuma Mitsuharu."

"Small world," said Olga. "We've heard of you."

"So nice to be popular," said Akuma. "May I have a word with you two?"

Olga's eyes narrowed.

"Are you arresting us?" she asked.

Akuma frowned.

"No," he said. "I just want to have words."

Olga glared at him.

"Any reason why you're speaking our language instead of yours?" she asked. "Maybe so the casual passerby doesn't understand you?"

Akuma didn't answer.

"Do you want to talk to us, Detective," she asked, "or do you want to silence us?"

"I wouldn't make such accusations if I were you, Ms. Warren," he said.

"Oh?" said Olga. "Look over there…"

She pointed to another table.

"You'll notice that there are two other cops over there," she said. "They're on break, but they're still on duty. If I were to scream, they'd run over here.

"You know my real name, Detective, so you probably did research. Let me tell you, both of us are quite used to dealing with crooked cops."

"Now see here!" said Akuma, getting angry. "I'm perfectly legit!"

He calmed down a little.

"It's just that… I handle some cases where it doesn't pay to be friendly…"

"What do you want?" said Olga.

Akuma sat down. He took his sunglasses off.

"This is… off the record," he said. "Big things are happening in the underworld, and this Daala person might be connected to them."

"What?" said Nicholas, getting excited. "Tell us what you know!"

"I most certainly will not!" said Akuma. "I heard you two were poking your noses into this business, and I wanted to give you a warning. Stay out of it. For your own safety, if not for everyone else's."

Olga looked at him intently.

Her eyes turned towards his belt.

"Detective Akuma," she said. "I'm quite familiar with police-issue equipment… And that pouch on your belt clearly isn't anything issued by the DCPD. In fact, if I didn't know better, I'd swear it was a deck case."

Akuma smirked a little.

"What would you say to a duel?" she said. "One with a wager… You win, we'll stop snooping and quit working for… Whoever we're working for. I win, you give us this information. Off the record, naturally."

Akuma just stared at her for a minute.

He stood up.

"Department regulations prohibit such activities among its members while they are on duty," he said.

He paused.

"However…"

He took something out of his pocket that resembled a cell phone.

"I am _not_ currently on duty. And it might even convince you to stop what you're doing.

"You'll soon find, Ms. Warren, that I can be a very dangerous man…"

He clipped the item to a wristband on his left wrist, and it started to unfold, quickly turning into a wafer-thin version of the standard Duel Disk.

"A Pocket Disk," muttered Nicholas. "Whoa… This guy is serious…"

"Just give me ten minutes," said Olga.

She picked up her hamburger.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The restaurant staff was more than willing to move the tables. In Domino, a duel was always interesting to watch.

"Just a warning," said Akuma, as he placed his deck into his Disk. "I don't intend to hold anything back."

"Neither do I," said Olga.

"Game on!" they shouted.

**(Olga: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Akuma: 8,000)**

"Ladies first, I always say," said Akuma.

Olga drew her first card.

_Not the time for this guy just yet,_ she thought, looking at the Monster on the card. _I'll save him for just the right moment._

She chose another card, and her Field Slot opened.

"I activate The Sanctuary in the Sky," she said.

As she played the card, the restaurant surrounding them vanished, and was replaced by a cloudy surface under a sapphire blue sky. An imposing, ancient temple with a tall spire – the Sanctuary itself – loomed behind Olga.

"Interesting…" said Akuma.

"Now," said Olga, "I summon Radiant Jeral in Attack Mode."

She played the card, and a Monster appeared in a flash of light. It was a short, stout, dome-shaped creature that appeared to be made of green glass, with feathered wings and a large halo over its top. (1,000/2,000)

"Attack Mode?" asked Akuma. "What are you up to?"

"I end my turn," said Olga.

Akuma frowned, and drew a card.

"I know what your Field Spell does," he said. "You'll take no damage if I attack that Fairy, no matter what Mode it's in.

"But direct attacks are a different story. So I'll destroy your Monster by playing Smashing Ground."

He played a Spell Card, and a shockwave tore across the cloudy surface. Radiant Jeral shattered like the glass it resembled.

"I was hoping you'd do that," said Olga, as she glowed with a soft, golden light. "You knew what my Field Spell did on its own, but you obviously didn't know that Jeral's effect works in conjunction with the Sanctuary. When he's sent to the Graveyard in any way other than battle when the Field Spell is active, he leaves behind a gift… 1,000 Life Points added to my score."

"You'll need all the Life Points you can get!" exclaimed Akuma, playing a Spell Card. "I play Reinforcement of the Army. Now I can search for a Warrior up to Level Four."

_So he's using Warriors?_ thought Olga.

"Now I'll summon the Warrior I just searched for," said Akuma. "Meet The Creator Incarnate!"

In a burst of energy, a tall man in golden plate armor and a helmet, holding a glowing sword, appeared in front of Akuma. (1,600/1,500)

"Now, I can sacrifice him," he continued, "to summon his master…"

The Creator Incarnate vanished.

"I summon The Creator!"

A lightning storm erupted over the field, and a giant creature rose over the field. It was a golem of some sort with golden armor, and a huge discus on its back that was covered with arcane runes. (2,300/3,000)

"Ho boy…" muttered Olga.

"I'm not done," said Akuma. "I activate The Creator's effect. I toss one card, and The Creator Incarnate returns."

He discarded a Kaiser Sea Horse, and The Creator erupted in glowing lightning. The Warrior appeared again. (1,600/1,500)

"And you're defenseless," said Akuma. "Incarnate, attack her directly!"

The Creator Incarnate lifted his blade and flew at Olga. She grunted as he slashed at her with his sword.

"That was nothing," said Akuma. "Creator, fires of creation!"

Olga braced herself as the huge Monster reached for her…

She screamed as white-hot lightning surged through her, sending her to her knees.

She panted for breath.

**(O: 5,100) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 8,000)**

"Olga!" shouted Nicholas, forgetting to use her pseudonym, something he would kick himself for later.

"I've dealt with worse…" said Olga.

"It's your move, young lady," said Akuma. "Feel free to surrender at any time."

"Never!" shouted Olga, standing up.

She drew a card.

"I summon… Harvest Angel of Wisdom!"

She played the card, and in another bright light, a far more humanoid Fairy appeared. His unclothed skin was metallic and golden, with green highlights, with a handsome face, golden hair, and feathered wings that grew from his ankles. He carried a large trumpet that looked like the one on the now obsolete Horn of Heaven Trap Card. (1,800/1,000)

"Destroy The Creator Incarnate!" she shouted. "Heaven's horn!"

Harvest Angel of Wisdom sounded a blast of intense sound from his horn, and the Warrior cringed before exploding into shards.

"I throw a card facedown, and end my turn," said Olga.

A facedown card appeared behind her Monster.

**(O: 5,100) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 7,800)**

"Clever," said Akuma, drawing a card. "You want me to think that the facedown card is something deadly.

"Well, I think it's a bluff. After all, you'll lose no Life Points if I attack your Angel…"

He played a Spell Card.

"We'll soon see. I play Trade-In. This Spell lets me draw two cards, so long as I first toss a Level Eight Monster. So I'll get rid of Reshef the Dark Being."

He discarded the card, and then drew twice.

"Now I'll play Pot of Greed."

He played the card, and drew twice more.

"Perfect," he said, looking at his cards. "First, I'll use The Creator's effect again. And I'll bring back the Monster I discarded when I used its effect last turn."

He discarded a card, and another Monster appeared on the field. It was a sea creature with brilliant blue scales and fins, holding a spear. (1,700/1,650)

"I suppose you know, that when Kaiser Sea Horse is sacrificed to summon a Light Monster, it can count as two Monsters. So I'll sacrifice it to summon my best Monster…"

Kaiser Sea Horse vanished, and a brilliant light appeared on Akuma's side of the field.

_Can it be?_ thought Nicholas. _He's using The Creator… Could this be that incredibly rare Monster who has to die and be reborn before its true power is unleashed?_

"I summon…" said Akuma, "Felgrand Dragon!"

In a burst of light, a Dragon that was even bigger than The Creator appeared on the field. It looked like a Dragon that had been sculpted out of solid gold, long and thin, standing on its hind legs, with wings in place of forelegs.

It let out a majestic roar. (2,800/2,800)

Olga's eyes opened wide.

"Intimidating, isn't it," said Akuma. "Creator, destroy her Harvest Angel."

Lightning danced over The Creator's armor again. It reached for Harvest Angel of Wisdom.

"Activate… Negate Attack!" shouted Olga, as her Trap Card flipped up. "Your Monsters are gonna have to back off!"

A dome of force surrounded Olga and her Monster, and The Creator was stopped cold.

"In that case," said Akuma, "I end my turn."

Olga made a draw.

"I activate… Graceful Charity," she said.

She played the card, and the lovely Angel of Charity appeared, looking right at home in the sacred field. Olga quickly drew three cards. She considered for a minute, and then discarded two of them.

"I throw this facedown, and move Harvest Angel to Defense Mode," she said.

A new facedown card appeared, and the Fairy knelt and crossed his arms.

"That's it for me."

"Then I draw!" said Akuma.

He drew. He looked at the Spell Card.

"Creator, let's try this again."

The Creator blasted its fires of creation, and Harvest Angel of Wisdom was blown to pieces.

"I activate Harvest Angel's effect," said Olga. "When he bites the dust in battle, I get to harvest a Trap Card from my Graveyard, so long as it's a Counter Trap."

The Negate Attack card slipped out of her discard slot, and she took it.

"Too bad you can't use it now!" laughed Akuma. "Felgrand Dragon, attack her directly! Burning beam!"

Felgrand Dragon roared, and then breathed a burst of pure light at Olga.

"Forget about my other Trap?" asked Olga. "Go, Magic Cylinder!"

Her facedown card lifted up, and Akuma's eyes opened in surprise.

He was thrown backwards as he was hit by his own attack.

"I'm guessing you're wearing a vest under that suit," said Olga. "But I'm also guessing that such protection doesn't do much in a duel."

"You're pushing it, young lady," he said, getting up. "I play a facedown, and that will be all."

He fit a card into his Disk, and it appeared facedown behind him.

**(O: 5,100) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,000)**

"Go on and make your move. We both know that you're going to set that Negate Attack again."

Olga drew a card.

"I throw down a facedown," she said, "and then summon Meltiel, Sage of the Sky."

A facedown card appeared, and then another new Fairy appeared. This one had a long, white robe, feathered wings, and was surrounded by a gold ring entwined with a red ribbon. (1,600/1,200)

"I end my turn."

_Predictable,_ thought Akuma, drawing a card.

He looked at the three cards in his hand.

_The facedown card is obviously Negate Attack,_ he thought. _And since I can't destroy it, my best option is to force her to use it._

"Felgrand Dragon, attack her Sage!"

The Dragon blasted its brilliant breath weapon.

"Go, Negate Attack!" shouted Olga.

The blast was halted by the dome of energy again.

"No big deal," said Akuma.

"I'm afraid it is a big deal!" laughed Olga. "You fell right into my trap, in more ways than one.

"Negate Attack is a Counter Trap, as you may remember. And Meltiel has an effect that activates whenever a Counter Trap is activated.

"I gain 1,000 Life Points. And what's more, if the Sanctuary is on the field at the time, he can also destroy one of your cards.

"Meltiel… Wipe out The Creator!"

The Sage of the Sky glowed with intense golden light. The Creator groaned, and then exploded into slag.

"You think you're so hot, do you?" said Akuma. "Well, it's still my move!"

He placed a card on his Disk.

"I set a Monster in Defense Mode, and that will be all."

**(O: 6,100) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,000)**

"I guess it's my move," said Olga.

She drew a card.

She placed a card in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared again. Then Meltiel knelt, and moved to Defense Mode.

"That's all," she said.

Akuma drew a card.

_Perfect,_ he thought.

"I play… Mystical Space Typhoon!" he shouted. "Now I can get rid of this annoying Field Spell!"

He played the card, and a cyclone shot at the huge temple…

"Stop right there!" shouted Olga.

"Huh?" said Akuma.

Olga's facedown card lifted up…

"I activate… Dark Bribe!" shouted Olga. "Now you get to draw once, but your Spell Card goes away."

The Spell Card shattered, and the cyclone died before it reached the Sanctuary. Akuma growled as he drew one card.

"And by the way," said Olga. "Dark Bribe is also a Counter Trap, and you know what that means."

Meltiel glowed with golden light again, and Felgrand Dragon roared before exploding into a blast of multicolored pyrotechnics.

_Oh no!_ thought Nicholas. _If what I've heard about that thing is true, Olga may have done just what Akuma wanted her to do…_

It sure seemed that way. Akuma chuckled softly.

_Now's the time,_ thought Olga, looking at the card in her hand.

"I'm not done!" she shouted. "Since I activated a Counter Trap, I can sacrifice Meltiel…"

Meltiel vanished.

"To summon… Voltanis the Adjudicator!"

In a blast of light, an intimidating being appeared in front of Olga. He was as big as The Creator, and seemed to be made as much of metal as he was of flesh. His skin – or armor, it was hard to tell – was royal purple, his face was featureless except for a large sapphire which served as an eye, and he had huge wings that seemed to float behind him, rather than connect to his body. He clutched a scepter that was topped by a glowing blue orb. (2,800/1,400)

"You're a cop, Akuma," said Olga. "You likely work with judges all the time. Well, this guy is the judge of the Higher Plane, and he doesn't listen to lawyers who seek acquittals due to loopholes, and he doesn't accept plea bargains. He only cares about guilt and innocence, end of story. And he's very good at what he does. Legend has it that in his court, an innocent man has _never_ been convicted, nor has a guilty one _ever_ gotten off.

"So let's see what his verdict will be this time, huh? Because when Voltanis is summoned via this method, I can destroy one card on your side of the field for every Fairy I sacrificed."

Voltanis raised his scepter and lightning flashed. Spirit Reaper appeared on the facedown card, and was blown to shards.

Akuma frowned.

"I set a new Monster in Defense Mode, and I end my turn…" he said.

A new facedown Monster appeared.

**(O: 7,100) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,000)**

Olga made a draw.

"Not bad," she said. "I summon Dunames Dark Witch."

She played a new card, and a pretty, young, female Fairy in a red dress with white, metallic wings appeared. (1,800/1,050)

"Attack his facedown Monster!" she shouted. "Shadow flux!"

Dunames Dark Witch formed a ball of sparkling, shadowy energy in her hands, and threw it forward in a burst.

The Monster that appeared on the card looked like a small dollop of whipped cream with two eyes, and an upside-down smile above them. It merely grinned as the blast hit it. (300/500)

Olga clutched her chest in pain.

"What happened?" she gasped.

"You attacked my Marshmallon," said Akuma. "And not only can't it be destroyed in battle, but now you lose 1,000 Life Points.

"Come to think of it, even if you attacked with a Monster that could trample, you wouldn't hurt me. Marshmallon is a Fairy, so it benefits from your own Field Spell."

Olga glared at him.

"I end my turn…" she muttered.

**(O: 6,100) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,000)**

"I draw one card…" said Akuma, making a draw.

_Perfect…_ he thought. _This is just what I need to crush her…_

"I summon Slate Warrior," he said.

He played the card, and a weird-looking creature appeared. It had a metallic, blue face, a golden, blocky breastplate, and ruffled sleeves and pants. It held a long staff with a knob at the top. The strangest thing about it was, its upper torso was not truly connected to its lower body, and its upper part slowly rotated like a turntable. (1,900/400)

"Slate Warrior?" asked Olga. "What's the connection?"

"Just a Level Four beatstick with an impressive ability," said Akuma. "Attack her Dark Witch!"

Slate Warrior blasted a bolt of green energy from its staff, and Dunames screamed before she was vaporized.

"Forget?" said Olga. "My Field Spell protects me from taking damage."

Akuma placed his last two cards in his Disk, and two facedown cards appeared.

"Soon to change," he said. "I end my turn."

Olga nervously drew a card.

_Might help…_ she thought, looking at it. _But if I attack Slate Warrior now, Voltanis will lose 500 Attack Points…_

"Trap Card, activate," said Akuma.

"Huh?" said Olga.

Akuma's facedown card lifted.

"Compulsory Evacuation Device," he said. "This sends Voltanis back to your hand."

A strange machine appeared on the field, and a series of chains shot out and grabbed Voltanis. He struggled, but was drawn in, and then shot out like a cannon.

He vanished, and his card reappeared in Olga's hand. She growled.

She placed a card on her Disk, and a defensive Monster appeared.

"Just move," she said.

Akuma drew a card.

_Good,_ he thought. _This is just what I needed to take control of this duel._

"I sacrifice Slate Warrior and Marshmallon," he exclaimed.

Both of the two Monsters vanished.

"To summon… Yamata Dragon!"

In an explosion of flame, a Monster appeared which was likely the ugliest Dragon that Olga had ever seen. She knew she was a duelist when she had to make a comparison to _all_ the Dragons she had ever seen. It had eight ugly, snakelike heads, that seemed to be connected to a central point that was hard to define as a body. The whole thing was about thirty feet long. (2,600/3,100)

"Ugh!" said Olga.

"And there's more," said Akuma. "I activate… Call of the Haunted!"

His Trap Card flipped up…

In a burst of energy, Felgrand Dragon reappeared. (2,800/2,800)

"Ever read mythology much?" he asked.

"All the time," said Olga.

"Yes…" said Akuma. "The Twelve Labors of Heracles are always an entertaining read. And in that story, I find his battle with Antaeus to be incredibly interesting.

"He was a giant, who challenged every warrior to pass by his home to battle via wrestling. What these hapless victims didn't know was, Antaeus couldn't be defeated. He was the son of Gaea, Mother Earth, and so long as he stood on bare soil, he drew power from the earth itself. His wounds healed instantly, and his strength grew with each passing minute.

"My Dragon is similar. The Graveyard feeds it power. By being sent there, and returning, its power is unleashed.

"In game terms, its effect only activates when it's Special Summoned from the Graveyard. When that happens, I choose another Monster that's in my Graveyard.

"I think the Monster I'll choose is Reshef the Dark Being, which, as you recall, I discarded when I played Trade-In. Now I take Reshef's Level, which is eight. I multiply that by 200, and add the total to my Dragon's Attack Score."

(4,400/2,800)

"Forty-four hundred attack points?" gasped Olga.

"That's right," said Akuma. "But I'll spare you his wrath this turn.

"Attack her facedown Monster!"

Felgrand Dragon blasted its brilliant breath at the facedown Monster. A winged cherub appeared on the card, and was incinerated.

"You just flipped my Skelengel," said Olga. "That means I get to draw once."

She made a draw.

"Well, fine," said Akuma. "I'm about to get far more. Yamata Dragon, attack her directly! Eight-headed flame fury!"

_No…_ thought Nicholas.

Olga tried hard to brace herself as the eight bursts of fire honed in on her, but they hit with the force of a sledgehammer. She toppled over, and fell backwards ten feet.

For a few minutes, she understood what a lot of Seto Kaiba's opponents must have felt…

**(O: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,000)**

"And Yamata Dragon has a special ability," continued Akuma. "When it hurts you, I get to draw until my hand consists of five cards."

He made five draws quickly. He looked them over.

"One of which I'll use. You see, because Yamata Dragon is a Spirit, it would go back to my hand when I ended my turn. So before that happens, I'll sacrifice it by using Mystik Wok."

He played the card, and Yamata Dragon vanished into grains of light.

"Now I gain Life Points equal to its Defense Score, which is 3,100.

"It's an interesting but very overlooked fact… Yamata Dragon has more Defense Points than any other Monster in the game that can be Normal Summoned.

"It's your move. Make it, if you can."

"Give me a second…" muttered Olga.

**(O: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 8,100)**

"Olga, hang in there!" shouted Nicholas. "Even Antaeus had a weakness!"

"Huh?" said Olga.

"Heracles found out the source of his power," said Nicholas, "and lifted Antaeus off the ground, breaking his contact with the earth, and crushed him to death. You just have to find a weakness in this thing!"

She slowly got up, holding her chest, which hurt badly. She looked at the four cards in her hand, then at her deck.

She drew a card.

"I play… Double Spell," she said, playing a card.

She tossed a second Sanctuary in the Sky.

"Now I can use one Spell Card in your Graveyard. And I seem to recall that you used a good one…

"Your Smashing Ground!"

The shockwave tore across the field, and Felgrand Dragon roared. It shattered into golden shards.

"No fair…" muttered Akuma.

"Next," said Olga. "I play Premature Burial. And the Monster I'm bringing back is a pair of guys I tossed with Graceful Charity."

"A pair?" shouted Akuma.

"That's right," said Olga. "It's two Monsters in one… Meet Gellenduo!"

In a burst of energy, two adorable little Fairies appeared on Olga's side of the field. One was pink and had a heart-shaped head. The other was green and had an almond-shaped head. Both of them had haloes surrounding their little torsos. (1,700/0)

"How cute," said Akuma, sarcastically.

"Cute, and dangerous," said Olga. "You see, these two pastel-colored pixies have an ability that's similar to your Kaiser Sea Horse. But it only works for Light Fairies.

"So I'll sacrifice Gellenduo…"

The little Fairies vanished.

"…to summon Voltanis again!"

In a burst of lightning, Voltanis appeared once more. (2,800/1,400)

"Attack him directly!" she shouted. "Divine judgment!"

The lightning flashed again, and Akuma screamed as he was hit by it. He fell on one knee.

He held his chest and growled.

"That's all for me, Detective," said Olga, in a slightly seductive tone. "You want to play some more?"

"I'll show you…" growled Akuma, drawing a card.

**(O: 2,700) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,300)**

_Olga's luck keeps going back and forth,_ thought Nicholas. _This duel may not last much longer…_

Akuma drew one card.

"Sorry, young lady," he said, "but my Dragon is coming right back. Remember, the Graveyard is the source of its power."

He turned around the card he had just drawn.

"Look familiar?" he asked. "I have a Premature Burial too."

He played the card, and Felgrand Dragon appeared on the field again. (2,800/2,800)

"Once again, I'll choose Reshef the Dark Being."

(4,400/2,800)

"I realize that my mistake last time was sending Voltanis back to your hand instead of destroying it," he said. "I won't make that mistake again.

"Felgrand Dragon, attack Voltanis the Adjudicator with burning beam!"

The Dragon breathed its scorching ray, and Voltanis was blown into violet shards.

"Good thing I still have the Sanctuary," said Olga.

"Maybe so," said Akuma. "But it's only a matter of time before I tear that defense down.

"Make your move…"

**(O: 2,700) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 4,500)**

Olga slowly drew a card.

"I play… Pot of Avarice," she said.

She played the card, and Gellenduo, Dunames Dark Witch, Radiant Jeral, Harvest Angel of Wisdom, and Skelengel slipped out of her discard slot. She shuffled quickly, and then drew twice.

"All right…" she said. "I throw two cards facedown, and then summon Hysteric Fairy."

She played three of the four cards in her hand, and two facedown cards appeared. Then a Fairy appeared whose features could best be described as androgynous. Whether it was male or female – it was incredibly hard to tell – it looked very fussy, with a pair of spectacles (who knew that Fairies became nearsighted?) and wore a formal outfit. Its feathered wings, however, clearly indicated that it was a native of the Higher Plane. (1,800/500)

"That's all for me," she said.

_I'm getting tired of this blasted Field Spell protecting her,_ thought Akuma. _If it wasn't here, I'd have won this duel last turn…_

He drew a card. He smiled broadly.

"Trap Card, activate!" shouted Olga. "Call of the Haunted!"

One of her two facedown cards lifted, and a radiant glow appeared in front of it.

"You remember Meltiel, right?"

Meltiel, Sage of the Sky appeared once again. (1,600/1,200)

"And that other facedown card is another Negate Attack, right?" said Akuma, angrily. "Well sorry…"

He played the card he had just drawn.

"I'm going to take it, Meltiel, and you out in one swift stroke! I play Giant Trunade!"

A fierce wind started to blow across the field…

Olga grinned evilly.

"That's just what I was hoping you would do, Detective," she said. "This isn't Negate Attack… This is my most powerful Trap…"

The Trap Card flipped up.

"Solemn Judgment!"

Lightning flashed again. A stern-looking old man with a beard and a white robe, holding a cudgel, accompanied by two beautiful muses appeared on the field, glowing with radiant light.

"Sure, it costs me half my Life Points, but it quells your little windstorm."

The Giant Trunade card shattered.

"And don't forget, Solemn Judgment is a Counter Trap, so Meltiel's effect is activated."

The Sage of the Sky glowed. Felgrand Dragon roared, and then shattered for the third time.

Akuma glared at her.

"Then finish it…" he growled.

**(O: 2,350) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 4,500)**

Olga drew one card.

"Well, well," she said. "Looks like I can end this on a bang…

"I sacrifice Meltiel and Hysteric Fairy…"

Meltiel and Hysteric Fairy vanished into grains of light.

"To summon a guy who is now, who has always been, and who always will be my favorite Monster.

"I call forth Neo-Parshath the Sky Paladin!"

In a burst of energy, another huge, angelic form appeared. It looked similar to Airknight Parshath, a winged centaur of sorts, but much larger, with golden wings attached to his body by a bronze ring, armed with a glowing sword and shield. (2,300/2,000)

"Now I play… Monster Reborn!"

She played the card, and the holy ankh appeared. Voltanis appeared again in a flash of light. (2,800/1,400)

"Voltanis, you first," said Olga.

Voltanis cast his divine lightning at Akuma, hitting him squarely in the chest. He screamed.

"Now, Neo-Parshath, attack directly! Divine blade!"

Neo-Parshath flew at Akuma, and with one slash, sent him toppling over.

Akuma groaned.

**(O: 2,350) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 0)**

The two Fairies and the Sanctuary vanished.

"All right, Detective, pay up," said Olga. "I doubt this will be good for your rep if word that I beat you got out."

"Are you threatening me?" asked Akuma.

"No more than you were casually threatening us," said Olga. "It really doesn't pay for us to be friendly either."

Akuma sighed.

"All right, you win…" he muttered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It took awhile for him to say anything. He placed an order at the counter and they had to wait for it to come before he was willing to talk.

"Nuts," he said, looking at the hamburger. "They forget the mustard again…"

"Look," said Nicholas. "What can you tell us?"

Akuma sighed.

"This is completely off the record," he said. "I'll deny having told you this if you tell any other cops about it.

"Ten years ago, a businessman in Tokyo was working on a project called Xanadu. The name means 'Beautiful Utopia' by the way. We think the name was a front. Or an inside joke.

"It had something to do with computer systems, that's all we know for sure about it. But whatever the project was supposed to do, its funding was supplied by one of the Yakuza families."

"Yakuza?" said Nicholas, in shock. "As in, Japanese organized crime?"

"The very one," said Akuma. "Some illicit deals and several bribes of government and law enforcement officials were made for this project, and Saki, someone whom you already met, was working for them. Being a computer programmer for a legit organization, the DMV, he was able to handle some issues that they couldn't be bothered with. But he got cold feet, and turned informant.

"I personally arrested the one who was in charge of the illicit funding, and we were able to charge him with bribing of officials and various internet-related fraud crimes, but the actual project was never found, nor was the actual head of this Yakuza family arrested, even though we have suspicions about who it is.

"We assume that Xanadu was created by a supercomputer whose power matches that owned by some governments. But we have limited information. All the funding was made via electronic transfers to a Swiss bank account, and we doubt that these mobsters even knew the name of the one they were dealing with. The records called him by…

"Well, by a name that I can't tell you due to legal reasons, but telling it to you wouldn't do you any good anyway. We have had zero luck identifying this name. We checked every name database in Japan, then checked with Interpol, Scotland Yard, the F.B.I., and every search engine we could. No record of this name exists anywhere.

"At least 'Daala' is the name of a character in science fiction novels… This name is just plain weird.

"Xanadu's origin could literally be located anywhere. Anywhere in the world.

"However, since there seems to be a link to Duel Monsters, our suspicions are more than likely confirmed. It's almost definitely the Usagi Family that's behind it."

"Usagi…" said Nicholas. "That's Japanese for rabbit, isn't it?"

"A symbol of good luck," said Akuma. "Let me give you some advice about good luck charms… You may think a rabbit's foot will bring you good luck, but keep in mind that the rabbit it belonged to wasn't very lucky.

"As for why we believe the Usagi are involved, they're known to handle problems using Duel Monsters. They may still be linked to this Xanadu thing.

"And furthermore, we already have a warrant for the arrest of the leadership of the heads of Usagi. They're in _very_ big trouble right now. I'm talking a federal offense…"

He reached into his jacket pocket. Then he took something out and held it up in front of them.

"You know what this is?"

"Uhm," said Nicholas. "It's a 10,000 Yen note."

"Wrong," said Akuma. "It's a _counterfeit_ 10,000 Yen note, not worth the paper it's printed on.

"You see, two months ago, the Usagi sent a spy into the Japan Mint in Tokyo, and used a special device, disguised as a simple camera, to make a virtual scan of a mould used to print 10,000 Yen notes. They used this scan to build their own moulds, and have been printing fake Yen that are nearly perfect.

"In fact…"

He took something else out of his pocket. It was a cigarette lighter.

"There's only one way to tell the difference…"

He flicked the lighter, and set the bill on fire. It burned with a bright, red flame.

"A real note will burn with a green flame. But a fake note, which uses a different type of ink, burns red.

"He can mass-produce one-hundred of these phony notes at a cost of 500 yen. Then they can be sold on the black market for only 1,000 yen apiece. If a buyer uses them, his net gain is 9,000 yen. They've been making a fortune with this scheme. Of course, it's _incredibly_ illegal. The leadership of the Usagi is looking at a lot of hard time once they're caught."

He deposited the burning bill in an ash tray, and let it burn out.

"I've told you two all I know, so I believe I've lived up to my end of the bargain. I strongly advise for you to now stay out of it, and leave this up to the professionals. The Yakuza are killers. You mess with them, you endanger not only yourselves, but possibly your friends as well.

"Good night."

He packed up the rest of his meal, and walked away.

"So what now?" asked Olga.

Nicholas thought for a minute.

"It isn't like we haven't dealt with organized crime before," he said.

"Granted," said Olga. "But how will we even find these Usagis?"

Nicholas thought again.

"I have an idea," he thought. "We might be able to look into something tomorrow. For now, let's check back with Sheena."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Nicholas and Olga walked into Sheena's lounge. It was nine o'clock.

"Sheena?" said Nicholas. "We…"

Sheena didn't answer.

She was slumped over her computer, fast asleep and snoring loudly.

Olga chuckled.

"Well…" she said. "We could let her sleep…

"Or we could shave her head…"

"I really hope you're joking," said Nicholas. "Let's just leave her alone. We've done enough for one day anyway.

"I hope Yumi can hold on until tomorrow…"

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_**Coming up next: **_

_**Back in Xanadu, Yumi and company prepare to continue their journey, and brave the Sea of Infinite Tears. But at the dockside town of Rye, Yumi is challenged by one of Daala's strangest minions, a duelist whose actions truly speak louder than his words. Can Yumi defeat a strategy with a powerful lock?**_

_**Don't miss "The Sound of Silence", coming soon.**_

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_**Name that Card!**_

_**The weapon that this Monster is holding on his card is known to archaeologists as The Was Staff, a symbol of power and dominion. Can you name it?**_


	13. The Sound of Silence

_**What Monster holds The Was Staff? If you said "Gravekeeper's Curse", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

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_**Before Marik fell victim to the true darkness, he stayed hidden in the shadows, and struck at my grandfather through minions. This presented a problem when he wanted to make an attempt to defeat him using one of the God Cards. You see, the God Cards wouldn't obey just any duelist, and certainly wouldn't obey any common thug. One who tried to use one who hadn't been specifically chosen by the gods themselves risked madness or death.**_

_**Strings was Marik's solution to this problem. He was once a mime who had gone mad long before, and was rendered comatose. With an empty mind, Marik could control him like a puppet, and there was very little that Slifer's spirit could do, seeing that Strings had no mind to assault.**_

_**Why do I bring this up? Well, my opponent isn't Strings, and he isn't using Slifer…**_

_**But there is a common thread… And I don't like it…**_

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**CHAPTER TWELVE**

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**The Sound of Silence**

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Early in the morning, Yumi was dreaming…

She dreamt she was on a beach, near a tropical forest, under an alien sky…

She recognized this place… She was back in Neo-Space.

Then she noticed that a duel was happening.

It was two against one. She recognized the duelists on one side. One of them was clearly Jaden Yuki. The other was easily recognizable by his spiky black hair and black trenchcoat – Jaden's ally-slash-rival, Chazz Princeton, one of the allies whom she knew had accompanied him to this place after they had faked their deaths.

Jaden had Elemental Hero Clayman in Defense Mode (800/2,000), while Chazz had Armed Dragon LV7 in Attack Mode (2,800/1,000). He also had a facedown card.

Yumi didn't recognize their opponent. It was a woman wearing a sinister-looking black dress and a black, winged mask covering her eyes.

But her Monster was one that Yumi recognized all too well… The Wicked Eraser. The half-devil-half-dragon abomination that seemed to be made as much of metal as it was of flesh glared at the two duelists with its evil eyes.

She also had Treeborn Frog in Defense Mode (100/100), the Continuous Spell Card, Spell Absorption, and a facedown card.

Jaden and Chazz seemed to be losing. Jaden had only 1,000 Life Points remaining, Chazz had 1,500, and their opponent was well ahead at 4,200.

She drew a card.

"Summoning that thing only hurt yourselves," she mocked. "My Eraser gets stronger with each card you have on the field."

(3,000/3,000)

"Wicked Eraser, destroy his Dragon with Digestive Blaze!"

The Devil God vomited a stream of burning acid, and Armed Dragon was melted into slag.

Its Attack Score fell down to 2,000.

"Jaden…" growled Chazz. "I hope you have a plan, because I'm running out of them fast…"

Jaden looked at his cards.

"Yeah, I might," he said. "Think you can bring the Level Three version back?"

"What good will he do?" asked Chazz. "He'll only make that thing stronger!"

"Trust me," said Jaden.

"Fine!" said Chazz, drawing a card.

His facedown card lifted, revealing Call of the Haunted.

"I bring back Armed Dragon LV3!"

In a burst of energy, the lowest evolutionary form of the Armed Dragon appeared in front of him. (1,200/900)

The Eraser rose back to an Attack of 3,000.

"I end my turn. So let's see this idea."

"Right!" said Jaden, drawing a card.

He looked over the six cards in his hand.

He glared at his opponent coldly, and his eyes changed color, one of them turning orange, and the other turning bright green.

"First up," he said, "I play Tag Request."

He played a Spell Card.

"Now I get to Special Summon an Elemental Hero from my hand, so long as it has the same Attack Score as a Monster on the field. Since Chazz has his Armed Dragon on the field, I'll summon Burstinatrix."

In a burst of flame, the heroine clad in red spandex appeared. (1,200/800)

"Thank you," said his opponent, "you're too kind."

The Spell Absorption card glowed, and her Life Points rose to 4,700, as the Fiend rose to an Attack of 4,000.

Jaden ignored her, and threw a card into his Disk.

"Next up… I play Cross Change. This lets me send a Hero back to my deck, and then summon a Neo-Spacian from my deck that's the same Level.

"So, goodbye Burstinatrix, hello Grand Mole!"

Burstinatrix vanished, and a new Monster appeared. It was a chubby little mole, with a drilling mechanism around its neck. (900/300)

"Not so fast!" shouted the woman, as her Life Points rose again, to 5,200. "I was prepared for that annoying hedgehog…"

Her facedown card lifted.

"I activate The Regulation of Tribe. Now I name one Type of Monster, and that Type can't attack. I name Rocks."

Grand Mole looked at Jaden and shrugged, but Jaden just nodded to it.

"I'll just keep going by playing E N Shuffle," he said, holding up another card. "This lets me send Clayman to my deck, to summon another Neo-Spacian. Like my Flare Scarab."

Clayman vanished, and a large, black, humanoid beetle with a large frontal horn appeared. (500/500)

"Are you quite though?" asked the woman, as her Life Points rose again, to 5,700. "You're only hurting yourself…"

"Not by a long shot," said Jaden. "I haven't Normal Summoned yet. And since Necroshade is in my Graveyard, since I sent him there to summon Darkbright, I can summon this guy with no sacrifice. I summon Elemental Hero Neos!"

In a burst of energy, the powerful cosmic Elemental Hero appeared. (2,500/2,000)

The Wicked Eraser rose to an Attack of 5,000.

Yumi's heart leapt. She remembered him from her own duel with Jaden. Clearly, Jaden was about to enact Contact Fusion.

"Now…" said Jaden. "Triple Contact Fusion!"

Yumi's eyes nearly bugged out. _Triple_ Contact Fusion?

Neos, Grand Mole, and Flare Scarab flew into the sky, and combined in a bust of light…

A new Hero descended. He was dressed in glowing green and silver armor, with bear-like arms, and beetle-like wings. (3,000/2,500)

"Meet Elemental Hero Magma Neos," he said.

"Lovely," said the woman. "Now we have a standoff."

It was true. The Wicked Eraser fell to an Attack Score of 3,000.

"Oh, really?" said Jaden. "Magma Neos gains 400 Attack Points for every card on the field."

"Wait…" said the woman, opening her eyes wide. "With four cards on my side of the field, and three on yours…"

"You got it!" said Jaden. "2,800 more Attack Points!"

(5,800/2,500)

"Magma Neos… Attack The Wicked Eraser with Meteor Meltdown!"

"Jaden, no!" screamed Yumi. "It's a trick!"

Jaden didn't seem to hear her. Magma Neos raised his hand, and formed a great ball of fire that was larger than himself. He hurled it, and the devil god screamed as it erupted in a fiery conflagration. The woman cringed as her Life Points fell to 2,900.

But she grinned evilly.

"Thank you," she said. "When The Wicked Eraser is destroyed, it drags every card on the field into the grave with it!"

There was a huge burst of dark flames, and Elemental Hero Magma Neos, Armed Dragon LV3, Treeborn Frog, and her Trap and Spell Card were incinerated.

Jaden took the last card in his hand. A Quickplay Spell appeared on his side of the field.

"Actually, I knew that," he said. "And I was counting on it.

"I play… Reverse of Neos! Since Magma Neos was destroyed, this lets me Special Summon the regular Neos, with 1,000 more Attack Points!"

In a flash of light, Elemental Hero Neos appeared on the field in a heroic pose. (2,500/2,000) –) (3,500/2,000)

"WHAT?" shouted the woman.

"Neos," commanded Jaden, "attack directly with cosmic crusher!"

Neos flew at the duelist, and struck at her with a mighty karate chop. She screamed and collapsed…

Yumi woke up with a start.

She took some deep breaths. It wasn't just a dream. She knew it was a vision.

_Jaden was facing The Wicked Eraser?_ she thought. _Is someone working for Shogarr trying to assault Neo-Space?_

She sighed.

_I don't have time to find a way to help him… I have bigger problems…_

_Besides… I think he can handle himself._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi had to admit, Joan treated her guests well. When she got up, she found that someone had washed her clothes, and the shower she had been provided with was supplied with scented soap and perfumed shampoo.

After getting dressed, she walked into the common room of the temple, where breakfast had been set out. Croissants, bagels, and a pot of hot chocolate sat on a long table where her friends were already helping themselves.

"Where's our host?" asked Yumi.

"We aren't sure," said Sam. "She left this…"

She handed Yumi a note. She read:

_**Children,**_

_**I have made a short trip out of Xanadu to consult the powers of my home realm. I will be back around noon. **_

_**I suppose I must tell you now. Due to a special privilege I was given by someone of great power, I am able to transport myself from Xanadu to my home realm and back, despite Daala's control over the borders. But this ability is of no use to anyone else. I cannot bring anyone or anything with me on this trip except the clothes I am wearing. Perhaps in the future, I can increase my control over this power, and an escape from Xanadu will indeed be possible. I'd enjoy showing you my home.**_

_**I ask that you get an early start. The map will lead you from Nexus to Rye, the small town that borders the Sea of Infinite Tears. Your guide will be waiting. His boat does not have its name printed on its hull, but it is recognizable by the figurehead, which is shaped like me.**_

_**Again, I wish you luck. And should you find the four duelists who made it to the Realm Lord's island and did not return, try to rescue them.**_

_**Take care,**_

_**Guardian Angel Joan**_

"Her home realm?" asked Yumi.

"I'm guessing the Higher Plane," said Chelsea. "That's the best bet…"

Yumi shrugged.

"So, should we leave, or should we wait?" she asked.

Sam drained the last of her hot chocolate.

"Waiting for her won't help us any more than she has already," she said. "And besides… I personally feel like kicking some ass!"

"Agreed," said Ren. "So we'll go, we'll take down Krump, and we'll have penguin au gratin for dinner."

They walked out of the temple as Yumi looked over the map.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, people," she said. "Krump is the most likely suspect at this point, but we can't know for sure."

"Well, I think we can rule out Nezbitt," said Erik. "He'd rust if he were in charge of an ocean domain. Not that his motor was ever running very smoothly to begin with."

"Whoever it is," said Chelsea, "we can handle him…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After taking the right path, the strange spatial effect kicked in again, and the location changed.

The first thing they noticed was the chill. The weather had turned brisk, the sky had turned overcast, and the smell of seawater was in the air.

They were in the middle of a run-down series of wooden buildings next to a series of docks looking over the sea. Moored at the docks were various boats and ships, some functional, others looking like they were about to sink. In fact, the whole town looked seedy and derelict.

"Welcome to Rustbucket Bay," muttered Erik.

"Huh?" said Yumi.

"Nothing," said Erik. "You'd have to be there."

They looked out to the sea, and saw islands in the distance, but not many distinguishing features.

As the wind blew over the docks, they heard an ominous sound that brought to mind the sound of someone sobbing softly. It gave them chills – clearly, this region was well-named.

Then they saw someone walking towards them from ahead. Yumi raised an eyebrow.

It was a man dressed in the colorful clothes and makeup of a street mime. His face was covered with white rouge and black markings, and he wore a striped shirt, a bow tie, black pants, suspenders, and a beret. He was apparently engaged in his strange art, despite the fact that there was a lack of an audience.

He turned towards the group and bent his head sideways. Then he lifted his hands, and pressed them against an invisible surface, moving them as all mimes are wont to do.

"Is this guy for real?" asked Chelsea.

"Man, mimes have to be the only guys I hate more than clowns," said Ren.

"Hey, buddy, beat it!" said Yumi. "Go walk against the wind somewhere else!"

The mime responded by simply staring her in the face.

"I mean it, Frenchie," she said.

She stepped aside to walk around him, and the mime copied the move. She put her hands on her hips, and so did he.

She waved her hand, and he copied that move too.

"Oh, the old Harpo Marx gag, huh?" she said. "Look, if you're looking for handouts, I left my purse back on Earth."

"That's not what he wants, Yumi," said a voice.

Everyone gasped and turned around.

Hanging in midair was Daala… Or rather, what seemed to be a holographic projection. She was reclining on her couch in a seductive pose, and was dressed in a very low-cut cocktail dress, with fishnet stockings. She also wore a hair clip that had two silk rabbit ears on top. If it weren't for the halo of dark flames surrounding her head, she would have looked very sexy.

"What do you want, Daala?" demanded Yumi.

"And why the heck are you wearing a bunny outfit?" asked Chelsea.

"Heh, got your attention, didn't it?" asked Daala, picking up a coffee cup. "You all are probably wondering who the hell this mime is, and why is he bothering you?

"Well, his name is Philippe, and I'll explain.

"Early in Joan's rebellion, she had a very powerful duelist. This guy had a powerful strategy, and was wasting my best men left and right.

"I needed a duelist who could handle him, and I needed one PDQ. In other words, _fast_. When writing the program for the virtual construct, I was forced to take several shortcuts to get it done faster.

"Philippe was the result. He was programmed with his own very powerful dueling strategy. But due to the shortcuts I had taken, he came with a few small problems. The most obvious one was, he couldn't talk!

"So I made due… I had him dress like a mime and programmed him to act like one to make up for it. And he took care of that annoying duelist quickly."

She sighed, and sipped the coffee.

"He may have flaws, but he got the job done… I have no regrets…

"So Yumi… Can you beat the strategy that took down one of Joan's best duelists? Time to find out…"

She vanished.

All the time she was saying this, Philippe was doing an old mime trick – mimicking a man trapped in a shrinking box.

Then he bounced up, and a Duel Disk appeared on his arm.

"I can't believe this!" said Ren. "Usually, mimes are just annoying. Now they're _dangerous_?"

"Have my grandfather tell you how he won Slifer some time," said Yumi.

She looked at Philippe.

"Can't talk huh?" she said. "Can you at least hear?"

Philippe nodded (in fact, he nodded his head far more dramatically than was necessary).

"All right," said Yumi. "Fine… You obviously won't leave us alone until I get rid of you…"

Philippe nodded again.

Her Disk activated.

"So game on!"

Philippe's own Disk activated.

**(Yumi: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Philippe: 8,000)**

Philippe lifted his finger, and then drew a card.

"Want to go first, huh?" said Yumi. "Fine, go ahead…"

Philippe placed three cards on his Disk, and a facedown Monster and two facedown cards appeared.

He nodded.

"Guess that means your done," said Yumi, making a draw.

"I summon… Magician's Valkyria!"

She played a card, and the brunette female mage appeared. (1,600/1,800)

_Boy, this guy has a pretty serious game face,_ she thought. _Attacking may be a bad idea…_

_Aw, heck with it…_

"Valkyria, attack!"

Magician's Valkyria shot a blast of light towards the facedown Monster…

Shining Angel appeared on the card, and was blown to pieces.

Then Philippe gestured, and one of his facedown cards lifted.

"Aw, crap!" shouted Ren. "That's Michizure!"

The ground cracked, and a huge crevasse tore open. Valkyria screamed and plummeted into the pit.

"You're gonna pay for that…" said Yumi.

Then a flash of light appeared on the field, and a new Monster materialized where Shining Angel had been. It looked like a child, wearing a blue sea captain's jacket, a helmet with a bladed crest, and holding a sword that looked too big for him to use. (1,000/1,000)

"Crap… again…" said Ren.

"Who is that?" asked Chelsea.

"Silent Swordsman LV3…" said Ren. "Figures, in a strange way."

Yumi started to sweat. She knew how these Warriors worked…

She took a card from her hand, and fit it in her Disk. A facedown card appeared.

"That's all I can do," she said.

Philippe drew a card.

Silent Swordsman glowed with energy, and started to change. In a flash of light, he turned into an adult version of himself, holding an even larger sword. (2,300/1,000)

"I assume he went up a Level?" asked Chelsea.

"Two levels, actually" said Ren. "And if that facedown card can't stop a direct attack, Yumi is in _very_ big trouble."

Then Philippe's other facedown card lifted up, and a Dust Tornado ripped across the field. Yumi's Mirror Force was blown to pieces.

"No…" gasped Ren.

Philippe pointed, and Silent Swordsman slammed his sword into Yumi, knocking her over.

**(Y: 5,700) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 8,000)**

"So now what?" asked Chelsea.

"On Philippe's next turn, he can trade him in for Silent Swordsman LV7," said Ren. "And if he's on the field, neither player can use Spell Cards.

"And it's going to be even harder for Yumi, because the Level Five version is already immune to Spell Cards."

"Yumi…" muttered Chelsea.

As Yumi got up, Philippe placed three of his cards into his Disk, and three facedown cards appeared.

He nodded.

_Okay,_ thought Yumi, drawing a card. _His facedown cards are definitely NOT bluffs! But I have to try to do something, or that Swordsman will be nearly unstoppable!_

"I play… Pot of Greed!" she said.

She played the card, and made two draws.

_Here goes nothing…_ she thought.

"I summon Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer," she said.

In a dark shadow, the bald monk appeared, clutching his beads. (1,800/700)

"Now I play… Rush Recklessly!"

She played the card, but as she did, Philippe gestured, and one of his three facedown cards activated.

"Ah, no!" shouted Sam. "That's Dark Bribe! A powerful Counter Trap… I should know…"

The Rush Recklessly card burst into pixels. Yumi frowned, and drew a card.

She looked at it.

"All right, buddy…" she growled. "I have to end my turn…"

Philippe drew. Then he gestured, and Silent Swordsman glowed again…

In a burst of light, he transformed into a far more radiant form, with a flowing cloak and a sword that was as long as he was tall. (2,800/1,000)

Then Philippe gestured, and another of his facedown cards lifted. The Jar of Greed appeared on the field, and he drew once.

Then he played a card, and Marauding Captain appeared on the field. (1,200/400)

"More bad news," said Ren. "Now Yumi can't even attack the big guy."

Philippe pointed, and Silent Swordsman slashed with his blade, cutting Kycoo down.

Then Marauding Captain's sword slammed into Yumi, and she staggered backwards.

**(Y: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 8,000)**

Philippe nodded again.

"Well," said Erik, "at least he can't use Spells either."

"Hello! Anybody home?" asked Sam, knocking on his head. "He's playing a Silent Swordsman deck! He likely hardly has any Spells in it at all! He probably makes up for that handicap with an arsenal of Trap Cards!"

Yumi nervously drew a card.

She placed the card on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"Go ahead…" she muttered.

Philippe drew a card.

He placed it in his Disk, and another facedown card appeared next to the first one.

Then he pointed again, and Silent Swordsman charged at the facedown card.

Old Vindictive Magician appeared on the card.

"All right!" shouted Chelsea.

Then Philippe waved, and the facedown card that was already on the field lifted.

"Divine Wrath?" she shouted. "Man, this guy has something for everything!"

Philippe discarded one of his cards. As Silent Swordsman's blade struck, there was a crash of thunder. Lightning fell from the heavens, and Old Vindictive Magician was obliterated.

Then Marauding Captain slashed at Yumi again, and she fell on her behind.

**(Y: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 8,000)**

"Yumi's in big trouble, guys!" shouted Chelsea.

"I'd say she passed 'big trouble' two rounds ago," said Sam. "Her Spells are shut down, she's lost Old Vindictive Magician and Mirror Force, her Life Points are nearly down to 2,000 while his aren't even touched.

"Frankly, it's gonna take a miracle."

Yumi started to sweat hard…

_I'm beginning to see how he took down one of Joan's best duelists,_ she thought. _I haven't been in a bind like this in a _very_ long time…_

She looked at the cards in her hand.

She closed her eyes as she made a draw.

As she looked at what she drew, Philippe gestured, and his other Trap Card lifted.

"Huh?" said Yumi. "The Transmigration Prophesy?"

"What does that do?" asked Erik.

"It lets Philippe add two cards from either Graveyard to the owner's deck," said Sam. "Useful in many ways."

Yumi's eyes narrowed.

Michizure and Dust Tornado slipped out of Philippe's discard slot. He combined them with his deck, and reshuffled.

_So, he just wanted to recycle his Trap Cards,_ thought Yumi. _Thank goodness… He'd have beaten me if he had chosen another option…_

"I throw one card facedown, and summon a second Magician's Valkyria," she said.

A facedown card appeared, and a twin of the first Valkyria appeared. (1,600/1,800)

"Attack his Marauding Captain!" she shouted. "Magic illusion!"

Valkyria cast her spell, and the Captain was blown to shards. Philippe frowned.

**(Y: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 7,600)**

"I end my turn…" said Yumi, with a slight smirk.

Philippe made a draw. He pointed, and Silent Swordsman lifted his sword.

"Not so fast!" shouted Yumi. "I activate… Call of the Haunted!"

Her facedown card lifted, and in a burst of energy, the first Valkyria appeared on the field next to the other one. (1,600/1,800)

"Gotcha!" said Yumi. "When Valkyria is on the field, you can't attack any Spellcasters except her. I have two of them, and they're both Spellcasters!

"That means you can't attack me at all. So what are you gonna do?"

Philippe frowned. He placed the card he had drawn into his Disk, and it appeared facedown.

He nodded.

Yumi drew a card.

"I summon… Breaker the Magical Warrior!"

She played the card, and the red-robed mage appeared, holding his sword and shield. (1,600/1,000) –) (1,900/1,000)

"Breaker, wipe out his facedown card."

Breaker's shield glowed, and the Mirror Force on Philippe's side of the field was blown to shards.

"Well, Yumi's on the right track," said Sam. "But she still doesn't have anyone on the field who can actually beat that Swordsman."

"Give her time," said Ren. "If there's one thing I know about Yumi, she can often find a solution where most folks would find nothing."

"Maybe," said Sam. "But with all his Trap Cards, he likely has three Dust Tornadoes in his deck. And he sent his first one back there. Yumi has to find a solution before he draws even one."

Philippe drew a card. He looked at it.

He placed it on his Disk, and a defensive Monster appeared. He nodded again.

"All right watch out!" shouted Yumi, drawing a card.

She added it to her hand.

"First, I throw a card of my own facedown."

A facedown card appeared behind her three Spellcasters.

"Then, I sacrifice Breaker and one Valkyria…"

Breaker and one of the two Valkyria (the one that had been summoned with Call of the Haunted) vanished into grains of light…

"To call forth Dark Magician of Chaos!"

In a burst of dark energy, the mighty chaos mage appeared on Yumi's side of the field. (2,800/2,600)

"All right!" shouted Chelsea. "But… But wait, wait… His Attack Score is equal to Silent Swordsman's…"

"And that's good enough for me!" said Yumi. "But first, due to his effect, I get a Spell Card back from my Graveyard."

Pot of Greed slipped out of her discard slot, and she took it.

"Dark Magician of Chaos… Attack the Silent Swordsman!"

The Spellcaster lifted his scepter and flew towards the Warrior. Silent Swordsman lifted his sword and charged to meet him…

Yumi's friends all cringed as an explosion lit up the whole docks, eradicating both Monsters.

"It was a draw!" shouted Ren.

"But guess what?" said Erik. "Since Dark Magician of Chaos destroyed Silent Swordsman in battle, both Monsters were removed from play!"

"I'm not done," said Yumi. "Valkyria, attack his facedown Monster!"

Valkyria cast her Magic Illusion at the facedown card. A withered, yellow mask appeared on the card, and was blown to pieces.

"Mask of Darkness," said Sam. "Figures. Now he gets one of his Trap Cards back."

A card slipped out of Philippe's discard slot, and he took it.

"Next up," said Yumi, "Now that I can use Spell Cards again, I play Pot of Greed."

She played the card, and the jar appeared. She made two draws.

"And I'll use one of them right now… Monster Reborn!"

She played the card, and the Magician's Valkyria that she had just sacrificed appeared next to the other one. (1,600/1,800)

"All right!" shouted Ren. "Go, Yumi!"

"I end my turn," said Yumi.

Philippe quickly drew.

Then he threw a card into his Disk.

"Uh oh," said Sam. "That's Level Modulation. Seems he does have a few Spell Cards after all. Yumi gets to draw twice, but he gets to bring back one of his Leveled Monsters."

Yumi made two draws. In a flash of light, Silent Swordsman LV5 appeared again. (2,300/1,000)

Philippe placed his last two cards in his Disk, and two facedown cards appeared behind Silent Swordsman.

He nodded again.

Yumi drew, and looked at the field.

_My facedown card is my own Dust Tornado,_ she thought. _One of his is clearly Mirror Force, which he obviously got back using Mask of Darkness. He wants to clear my side so he can attack and finish me._

_Okay… So it's a fifty-fifty chance…_

Her facedown card lifted up, and the Dust Tornado tore across the field. One of Philippe's cards lifted up and shattered. Yumi was relieved to see that it was indeed Mirror Force.

"I sacrifice one Valkyria to summon Dark Magician Girl," she said.

The Valkyria on the left vanished. In a flurry of hearts, Dark Magician Girl appeared with a pirouette. (2,000/1,700)

"Next," she said, "I play Sage's Stone. Dark Magician, you're on!"

In an explosion of energy, the powerful sorcerer appeared. Dark Magician Girl smiled sweetly. (2,500/2,100)

"Dark Magician… Dark magic attack!"

Dark Magician cast his powerful spell, and Silent Swordsman was blown to pieces.

"Dark Magician Girl… Valkyria… Attack directly!"

The two female mages leapt up, and clashed their scepters together. A powerful blast of magic shot towards Philippe, knocking the mime on his back.

"Yeah!" shouted Ren.

"Clobber that clown!" shouted Chelsea.

"I play a facedown, and end my turn," said Yumi.

A new facedown card appeared on her side of the field.

**(Y: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 3,800)**

For the first time, Philippe actually looked angry. He made a draw.

He played it right away, and the Pot of Avarice appeared in front of him. He took Mask of Darkness, Silent Swordsman LV3, Silent Swordsman LV5, Shining Angel, and Marauding Captain from his Graveyard, shuffled them into his deck, and then drew twice.

"Talk about a lucky draw," said Erik.

Philippe looked at the two cards for a minute.

Then he gestured, and his last facedown card lifted. Purple smoke drifted out of it…

A frightening creature slithered out of the card. From the waist down, it was a large serpent. From the waist up, it was semi-humanoid. It had two heads, one human-like, and one that was a snake. It clutched a sharp kopesh in one hand and a decorated shield in another. (1,600/1,800)

"Embodiment of Apophis?" said Ren. "What's he up to?"

Philippe gestured, and the Reptile vanished into grains of light.

"Looks like he's gonna sacrifice it," said Chelsea.

In a flash of light, Silent Swordsman LV5 appeared again, brandishing his sword. (2,300/1,000)

"I should have known you had another one," said Yumi. "Well, I'll just destroy him again."

Philippe smirked. He played the other card.

"Oh no!" shouted Sam. "That's Level Up!"

In an explosion of energy, Silent Swordsman was transformed into his Level Seven form. He glared at Yumi with brilliant, blue eyes. (2,800/1,000)

"Not again…" said Ren.

Philippe pointed, and Silent Swordsman made a slash with his blade. Magician's Valkyria screamed and toppled over before shattering. Yumi cringed.

**(Y: 1,100) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 3,800)**

"I don't get it," said Chelsea. "You said that the Level Five form was immune to Spell Cards. How could he have used Level Up! on him?"

"Level Up! doesn't 'affect' a Monster per se," said Sam. "The Monster on the field is sent to the Graveyard as a cost. Thus, you can indeed summon the Level Seven version using Level Up!"

_And I'm in big trouble,_ thought Yumi, looking at the cards in her hand. _I've only got one Monster in my deck that can deal with this… And I have to draw her NOW._

She quickly drew a card. She closed her eyes.

She looked at it.

"All right!" she shouted.

"I sacrifice both my Monsters…"

Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl vanished into grains of light.

"…to summon… Cosmo Queen!"

In a burst of energy, the mighty ruler of the galaxy appeared, her eyes glowing with eldritch light. (2,900/2,450)

A look of fear appeared on the mime's face.

"Cosmo Queen…" said Yumi, "prepare to attack. Cosmic nova!"

Cosmo Queen gestured with her palms, and a ball of dark, cosmic energy formed in them.

"While she's doing that," said Yumi, "my Trap Card activates… Magician's Circle!"

Her facedown card lifted.

"Now, each player must Special Summon in Attack Mode, a Spellcaster that has 2,000 Attack Points or less. And I choose Gemini Elf!"

In a burst of energy, the two elf sisters appeared. (1,900/900)

Philippe frowned again. He gestured, and Magician of Faith appeared on his side of the field. (300/400)

Cosmo Queen blasted her cosmic nova, and Silent Swordsman was blown to bits.

"Gemini Elf, attack!" shouted Yumi.

The two elves cast their lightning bolts, and Magician of Faith was incinerated.

"And finally," said Yumi, throwing a card into her Disk, "I play Magical Dimension! I'll sacrifice Gemini Elf, to summon Chaos Command Magician to the field."

The two elves vanished. The powerful mage in his glossy, black robe and hat appeared. (2,400/1,900)

"Attack him directly and finish this! Chaos magic!"

Chaos Command Magician cast a blast of multicolored energy, and Philippe toppled over. He fell on his face with a splat.

**(Y: 1,100) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 0)**

"All right!" shouted Ren.

He and the others ran up to Yumi.

"I never doubted you for a minute, Yumi…"

Chelsea hit him in the back of the head.

"Well, uh…" he said. "Maybe I had a few teeny-tiny doubts for a while, but…"

Yumi looked at the mime, as he slowly vanished into grains of light.

"Enough clowning around," she said. "Let's find this boat before Daala sends anything else after us…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"So what are we looking for again?" asked Erik.

"Remember?" said Yumi. "A boat with a figurehead shaped like Joan…"

She looked up.

"There!"

The boat moored at the dock in front of them did indeed have a figurehead shaped like Joan, but they didn't like the look of the ship. It was apparently an old fishing vessel made of wood, and was in a desperate need of a paint job, with a great deal of wear on the hull. The sails were still intact, but looked like they might not stay that way for long.

"Good lord…" muttered Sam. "We'd be better off on the _Merrimac_!"

"She doesn't look like much," said someone from up above, "but she's got plenty of wind in her sails."

They looked up.

Standing at the bow was a muscular youth, with spiky, black hair held back with a blue bandana. A long scar was on the left side of his face. He wasn't wearing much – only a pair of blue shorts with a work belt and a Duel Disk.

Yumi noticed that a white feather – clearly one of Joan's – was stuck in his bandana.

"Mako Tsunami?" said Ren, in surprise.

"That's me," said the youth. "Or rather, a virtual imitation. I'm Joan's primary transport for the Sea of Infinite Tears.

"And don't you folks worry about traveling across the place in _The Sea Angel_, she's much sturdier than she looks. I've taken her across this Realm more times than I care to count.

"I just wish that at least once I could come back to Rye with the passengers I took across it…"

"We'll take down the Realm Lord this time," said Chelsea.

"I hope so," said Mako, as the gangplank lowered. "I'd take him down myself, but Joan won't allow it. She's afraid that if I lose, she'd lose her most reliable means of transport across this accursed sea.

"Now, I'd love to chat some more, but I'd like to get going. Large groups tend to attract a lot of attention.

"With good weather, we'll be there by two…

"Although, I must admit, good weather in this Realm is incredibly rare…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CROSS CHANGE (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** Elemental Hero Avian and Neo-Spacian Aqua Dolphin standing side-by-side with their arms crossed.

**Card Description:** Select and activate one of the following effects.

Return one "Elemental Hero" Monster on your side of the field to your deck. Special Summon from your deck one "Neo-Spacian" Monster that is the same Level as the Monster that you returned to your deck.

Return one "Neo-Spacian" Monster on your side of the field back to your deck. Special Summon from your deck one "Elemental Hero" Monster that is the same Level as the Monster that you returned to your deck.

_Note: "Cross Change" was first used by Jaden in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Return of the Sacred Beasts". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

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**0**

**0**

**TAG REQUEST (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** Elemental Hero Clayman inside a wrestling ring, while Elemental Hero Bubbleman waits outside the ring.

**Card Description:** Select one face-up Monster on your side of the field. Special Summon an "Elemental Hero" Monster from your hand that has the same ATK as the selected Monster.

_Note: "Tag Request" was first used by Jaden in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Unleash the Dragon! (Part One)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**E N SHUFFLE (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** Elemental Hero Avian striking a heroic pose as Neo-Spacian Aqua Dolphin flies up behind him.

**Card Description:** Return one "Elemental Hero" Monster on your side of the field to your deck. Special Summon one "Neo-Spacian" Monster from your deck. The Monster that is Special Summoned by this card cannot use its effect.

_Note: "E N Shuffle" was first used by Jaden in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Unleash the Dragon! (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**Yumi and her friends had better take their Dramamine, because they will soon find that the Sea of Infinite Tears holds far more hazards than the Tzimisce did. Next chapter, another villain from the past challenges Sam with a deck that holds a beast with great power. **_

_**Don't miss "Lost Parts", coming soon.**_

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_**Name that Card!**_

_**This Warrior is known for its incredible defensive properties. Despite this, it is shown being destroyed on the artwork of two Spell Cards. Can you name it?**_


	14. Lost Parts

_**What Warrior with a very powerful Defense Score is shown being destroyed on two Spell Cards? If you said "Millennium Shield" (shown being destroyed on "Shield Crush" and "Kaminote Blow") you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

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_**In Xanadu, the past comes back to haunt us, time and time again. It seems to have done so once more.**_

_**Battle City was a milestone in dueling history. It marked the first major tournament where a new system of rules were used. It featured the debut of the first practical Duel Disk. It featured the debut of the God Cards. And it featured, more than likely, the greatest duel between my great uncle and Yumi's grandfather ever.**_

_**The opponent I'm facing hardly deserved to be in Battle City. He wasn't even invited, and he wasn't a very good duelist. But nonetheless, he was part of another milestone – he dueled in the first duel of that tournament.**_

_**I'd like to say that I could beat this guy with my eyes closed… But something tells me that I'd better keep them open. Underestimating your opponents is the same mistake he made…**_

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**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

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**Lost Parts**

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It took less than five minutes after _The Sea Angel_ weighed anchor for the docks to disappear into foggy mist. The sky grew cloudier as the ship plodded into the dark sea. The soft, haunting, sobbing noise hung over them, making them uneasy.

The five teenagers shivered, although the captain was a bit braver. He had been across this body of water several times, after all. He looked forward at the helm of the ship with a grim look nonetheless, as if prepared in a second to react to a threat.

"Mako?" asked Erik. "Are there any dangerous creatures in these waters?"

"Not gonna lie to you," said Mako. "Yes. The Sea of Infinite Tears is full of dangerous Water Duel Spirits. Many of them get tired of eating fish, and would love to try meat once in a while.

"But, there are also a great deal many helpful ones that will aid a sailor…

"Mermaids can always be counted on. Cure Mermaids, Red Archery Girls… Mermaid Knights are powerful fighters that you always want on your side. The problem is, there's a bounty on their heads, so they have to stay hidden most of the time."

"Toon Mermaids?" asked Chelsea.

Mako smirked.

"Even Duel Spirits don't truly know if there are Spirit versions of Toon Monsters," he said. "You might talk to a Spirit who claims to know someone who knows someone who's seen one, but no solid proof. The craziest rumor is that Toon World is a pocket dimension that you can enter from certain places in the Twelve Dimensions…

"Some say that if Toon Spirits exist, their only purpose in life is to have fun. So I doubt any would come to Xanadu. They wouldn't have a very good time here."

Yumi changed the subject quickly.

"How's the fishing?" she asked.

"Let's just say it helps being a virtual construct who doesn't have to eat," said Mako.

"Ergh!" groaned Erik, holding his head.

"Another vision?" said Sam, getting up.

"Vision?" said Mako.

Everyone looked at Erik.

"Exodia!" he shouted.

"You sure?" asked Yumi.

"I saw it plainly…" said Erik.

He looked out into the water.

"We'd better be careful…" he said. "Somewhere out there is a duelist with the most powerful Monster in the game…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Man, I wish I had brought a magazine,_ thought Chelsea.

She sadly looked out into the water.

_Still nothing…_ she thought, sadly. _If Duel Spirits have any afterlife, they either can't talk to me… Or they simply don't want to…_

It was depressing. She never realized how much she would miss them.

They were an hour into the trip, and all they had seen so far were a few small islands and lots of water. She was almost hoping that one of Daala's men would try to stop them so she could get some action. Mako had cautioned them against exploring the islands, saying that it was best to avoid any confrontations with any of Daala's forces unless it was necessary.

Chelsea stood up from where she was sitting…

And then she fell down, as the ship lurched.

"What the?" said Mako.

"What's the matter, captain?" asked Yumi.

Mako got up and checked the controls on the dashboard.

"We've stopped short," he said. "We aren't taking on water, so we probably didn't hit a reef…"

He rubbed his chin.

"People, this is impossible, but… For some reason, we're stuck."

"Stuck in water?" asked Ren. "How?"

Mako rubbed his chin again.

He walked over to the starboard side and looked over the edge.

"Uh, people…" he said. "Come over here… But I have to warn you, hold on tight before you look…"

They all looked over the edge of the ship, and gasped in surprise. The whole ship was caught in the grip of a huge, golden hand, that had apparently reached up from the depths.

"What in blazes?" said Ren.

"If that's a hand," said Sam, "I don't wanna see the rest of it!"

"I don't know," said Mako, going to open a box. "This has never happened before."

He lifted a spyglass and started to scan the area.

"Hmm…" he said. "There's an island about a quarter mile to the north… I can't say for sure, but there might be an answer there…

"Anyone want to come with me? The dingy can hold three men."

"Sam," said Yumi, "I doubt we'll be able to handle whatever's on that island without a fight, and the two of us are the best duelists here."

"Agreed," said Sam, nodding.

"Okay," said Yumi. "If the rest of you need us, just shout."

"How about scream?" asked Chelsea.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Are you sure you don't want any help rowing, Mako?" asked Yumi.

"Trust, me," said Mako, as he rowed the small craft. "We'll get there sooner if I do this alone…"

After about ten minutes, the dingy came ashore of the cold, rocky beach of the small island. The three duelists got out, and then dragged the small craft ashore.

The first thing they noticed on the sandy and rather desolate island were a collection of odd rock formations. They appeared to be standing stones, but broken and in disrepair.

"Odd," said Yumi. "This might be this Realm's equivalent of the place where Tara challenged Chelsea."

"A wonderful day, isn't it?" said a voice.

They turned around, and saw a figure reclining in a beach chair, seemingly unaware that it was clearly not the right weather to be sunning himself.

The figure was tall and thin, almost gaunt. He was dressed in a plain shirt and trousers, and a long, indigo cloak. His face was just as gaunt as the rest of him, with sallow skin and sunken cheeks, and dirty, white hair. His eyes had a white film over them that made him look even more ghastly. His appearance suggested more a living ghoul than a human.

He was drinking from a china teacup, and next to him were a teapot and a Duel Disk.

"Oh, lovely," said Sam, with a look of disgust. "Looks like Erik's vision was a big, fat, false alarm."

"Who is this guy?" asked Yumi.

"I recognize him," said Sam, with her eyes narrowing. "He's that loser Rare Hunter that your grandfather pummeled in the first round of Battle City."

"That's impossible," said Yumi. "Even if Marik had released him from that spell, he'd have died of old age by now… Or of something else… I doubt he took very good care of himself."

The Rare Hunter chuckled and put the teacup down.

"Remember Weevil?" asked Sam. "Daala can create virtual constructs just like Joan can. Although why she did so with this screwball, I have no idea."

"Tsk, tsk," said the Rare Hunter, standing up. "You should know better to insult me when I have the power to crush your ship into kindling and leave you all stranded here.

"But, I'll release the ship in exchange for one duel."

"You gotta be kidding me!" said Sam. "Yumi and I are both Duelatopia finalists! You were Marik's weakest minion. Your Exodia Deck was both illegal and poorly made."

"I assure you it's tournament legal now," said the Rare Hunter. "Like Weevil, I've matured a lot since then."

"Sam, do you want me to duel him?" asked Mako.

"No," said Sam. "Something easy might be a nice change of pace.

"So fellah, do you even have a name?"

"Yes I do!" said the Rare Hunter, angrily. "And if I told you what it was, you'd know why I never used it!"

"Oh, I get it," said Sam with a chuckle. "It got you beaten up a lot as a kid, right? And I'm guessing your looks didn't help much either. Okay, just give me a minute…"

She opened the pack on her belt that contained her side deck, and looked though the fifteen cards. She carefully chose two – Confiscation and Trap Dustshoot.

_These should help immensely against an Exodia Deck,_ she thought.

She took her own deck out of her Disk, and looked though the cards. She thought for a minute before removing Hellfire Flame and Shrink.

As she shuffled, the Rare Hunter smirked.

_Prepare all you like,_ he thought. _My deck may be tournament legal, but I assure you, it has something in it that you won't expect…_

"All right, ugly," said Sam, as her Deck activated. "Let's see what you're made of, other than skin and bones."

"Then prepare to witness terror unlike you've ever seen before!" said the Rare Hunter.

He whipped off his cloak, and tossed it aside, where it blew right into Mako's face.

"Dear God, man!" he said in disgust, throwing it away. "When was the last time you washed that thing?"

"Game on!" they both shouted.

**(Sam: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Rare Hunter: 8,000)**

The Rare Hunter chuckled as he made his first draw.

"I summon…" he said, "Melchid the Four-Face Beast in Attack Mode."

As he played the card, a strange creature appeared in front of him. It was little more than a big head, with four fiendish faces, one on each side of the circumference. (1,500/1,200)

"Huh?" said Yumi. "Attack Mode?"

"And I'll leave it at that," said the Hunter.

"You call that a Fiend?" said Sam, drawing a card. "Let me show you a real Fiend…

"I summon Gil Garth."

In a flux of shadowy energy, the robotic, sword-wielding Fiend appeared. (1,800/1,200)

"Gil Garth, wipe the grin off of its face," she said. "All of them."

Gil Garth charged, and with one slash of its scimitar, sliced the Four-Face Beast in half. The Rare Hunter cringed a little.

"That's all for me," said Sam. "I hope you have more than some third-rate Normal Monsters in that deck."

**(S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (RH: 7,700)**

The Rare Hunter drew a card.

"I activate Pot of Greed," he said, playing it.

The jar appeared, and he quickly drew two cards.

"Then, I summon Grand Tiki Elder in Attack Mode."

The ground burst open, and a ghostly Fiend wearing a tiki mask and a cloak covered with jewelry appeared. A spooky laughter echoed over the beach. (1,500/800)

"Is that supposed to scare me?" asked Sam. "It's no better than your last one."

"He has his uses," said the Rare Hunter. "I set one card facedown, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared behind Grand Tiki Elder.

Sam quickly drew a card.

_Has his uses?_ thought Sam. _It's neither weak enough for Crush Card Virus, or strong enough for Deck Devastation Virus!_ _Other than summoning Des Gardius, what can it do except look stupid?_

"I summon Opticlops," she said.

The sand shifted, and the horned, cyclopsed ogre burst out of the ground. (1,800/1,700)

"Gil Garth, destroy that freaky tiki!"

Gil Garth slashed at the weaker Fiend with its blade. Grand Tiki Elder let out a spooky groan, and then shattered into pixels.

"Opticlops, attack him directly! Screwball in the corner pocket."

Opticlops charged at the Rare Hunter, and rammed him in the chest, knocking him over.

"Ow! My hip!" he groaned.

"Care to give up before this gets worse?" asked Sam.

"Never!" he shouted, getting up. "It may have been awhile… but I haven't lost my touch yet…"

"Hey, you can't lose something you never had," said Sam.

**(S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (RH: 5,600)**

_I don't like this,_ thought Yumi. _Turn after turn, all he's doing is putting weak Monsters in Attack Mode, hardly putting up any resistance at all. If he has improved, where are all the standards of an Exodia Deck? The search cards, stall Monsters, deck thinners, and the defensive Trap Cards? He doesn't seem to have any at all…_

"I end my turn," said Sam.

The Rare Hunter drew a card, and looked at it. He smirked slightly.

"I set a Monster in Defense Mode, and one card facedown," he said.

A facedown card appeared next to his other one, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"Decided to defend now, huh?" asked Sam.

"I end my turn," said the Rare Hunter.

"Then I draw!" shouted Sam.

She drew a card and looked at it. It was Confiscation.

_Just what I needed,_ she thought. _This might help a great deal…_

"I pay 1,000 Life Points to play Confiscation!" she shouted, throwing a card into her Disk.

"Oh no!" laughed the Rare Hunter, sarcastically. "Whatever will I do?"

"I'm not fooling around," said Sam. "Let's see them!"

In a flash of light, four cards appeared in front of Sam.

As she expected, one piece of Exodia was there, the Right Leg…

But she did NOT expect the three other cards.

One was Inferno Reckless Summon. What purpose did that serve in an Exodia Deck? Foolish Burial? Why did he need that?

What really confused her was Exile of the Wicked. Had he been expecting her? But it didn't make sense even if he had… He had played two Fiends of his own.

_I have to delay him getting all the pieces of Exodia…_ she thought.

She pointed to Right Leg of the Forbidden One, and it vanished, along with the card in the Hunter's hand.

"Gil Garth… Attack his facedown Monster!"

Gil Garth charged at the facedown card. Morphing Jar appeared on the card, and laughed before it was slashed to bits.

"NO!" shouted Sam. "My hand…"

The Rare Hunter chuckled, as he discarded his hand.

"Don't worry, Sam," he said. "You'll get them all back in a second."

"What do you mean?" she asked, as she discarded her four cards.

They both drew five cards.

"_This_ is what I mean," said the Rare Hunter, as one of his facedown cards flipped up. "Activate… Disgraceful Charity!"

With a loud cry, a man-sized form flew out of the card. It was Marie the Fallen One. She gestured, and beams of light hit both duelists' Disks.

"Now," said the Rare Hunter, "we each get back all the cards we had to discard this round due to card effects. So we both get back what we discarded from Morphing Jar…

"And as a bonus, I get back the card you made me discard with Confiscation."

"No!" shouted Yumi.

"Seems that 1,000 Life Points was for nothing," said Mako. "This guy _is_ more clever."

Four cards slipped out of each discard slot.

Yumi sighed.

"You know, I often wondered about that Trap Card," she wondered. "It's the opposite of Graceful Charity. Does that mean that angel on Graceful Charity was Marie the Fallen One before she… fell?"

"Dunno," said Mako. "Joan will readily admit that she used to be Marie, but she's closemouthed about exactly what she was before that."

"My battle phase isn't over, Rare Hunter," shouted Sam, "and you're defenseless! Opticlops, attack directly!"

Opticlops charged again.

"I activate my other Trap Card!" shouted the Rare Hunter.

His facedown card lifted, and a strange object lifted out of the ground in front of him. It looked like a mannequin made of rusty iron pots, tools, and other junk, mounted on two crowbars that had been welded into a cross.

Opticlops crashed into it headfirst. He held his head and whined in pain.

"Your Fiend just ran into my Scrap-Iron Scarecrow," said the Rare Hunter. "It's a Trap Card that lets me negate one attack.

"Even better, once I activate it, it doesn't go to the Graveyard, it's set back on the field."

The Scarecrow vanished, and a facedown card reappeared on his side of the field.

"That means I can avoid one attack per turn. I told you I had gotten smarter."

"Figures…" muttered Sam. "A guy who looks like a scarecrow uses one in his deck.

"It's still my move!"

She looked at the nine cards in her hand.

_I gotta defend myself in case he decides to actually use that Exile of the Wicked card,_ she thought.

She placed three cards in her Disk, and a facedown Monster and two facedown cards appeared.

"All right…" she said. "It's your move…"

**(S: 7,000) - - - - - - - - - - (RH: 5,600)**

The Rare Hunter drew a card.

"Yumi…" said Mako.

He seemed to have just received a shock of some sort, as if something new had happened.

"What?" asked Yumi.

"When he made his draw right then, I felt something…" said Mako. "Sort of like a feeling of great power…

"I think that he might be about to bring out something bad…"

"Exodia?" asked Yumi.

"No…" said Mako. "Something… different…"

"More than you know…" said the Rare Hunter, with an evil smile. "I'm about to summon a beast that you couldn't have envisioned even in your worst nightmares!"

"If it's Exodia Necross, I'm way ahead of you," said Sam.

"That has-been?" asked the Rare Hunter. "No, I couldn't have summoned that thing even if I wanted to. Daala has forbidden its use in Xanadu since it was the key to Gozaburo's strategy. On the off-chance that he might be alive somewhere, Daala doesn't want to take the risk that he might take notice and try to come here.

"Not that she's afraid of him, I might add! She just doesn't want any problems…"

He chuckled.

"Anyway, the Monster on the card I now hold in my hand was first created by a very powerful Duel Spirit to give to a minion. The card was incredibly broken… Virtually indestructible and unbeatable. He needed the blessing of the Spirit of the true Exodia to awaken it, and to do that, he had to sacrifice his girlfriend."

Sam, Yumi, and Mako gasped in horror.

"It's true, and he actually did it," said the Rare Hunter. "The card was so powerful, that the minion got drunk with power, and tried to double-cross the Duel Spirit who had given it to him. He was a fool. He should have known that the one who made the card knew of a way to destroy it. Never create something you can't destroy, that's a philosophy that differentiates a creator who's smart, and one who's dead.

"The minion was defeated, and to this day, no-one knows what his ultimate fate was.

"But anyway, I2 recently created a prototype of the card, based on notes from a journal written by someone who saw the original card used in a duel. Its power is watered down from the original incredibly to make it playable, but it's still quite powerful, if used right.

"The card hasn't been released to the public yet… But Daala was able to hack onto the I2 files and download the information, creating a virtual duplicate, which she entrusted to me…

"Still think I'm some screwball?"

Lightning flashed.

"To summon this Monster, I have to send every Monster in my Graveyard back to my deck and reshuffle…"

Melchid the Four-Face Beast, Grand Tiki Elder, and Morphing Jar slipped out of his discard slot. He set his ample hand of cards aside, and shuffled his deck.

"Now I can summon the ultimate beast…" he said, as a dark shadow started to rise behind him. "Meet the last Monster you'll ever see…"

The dark form started to take shape… Lightning flashed again…

"_Exodius, the Ultimate Forbidden Lord!"_

At first, Sam had thought she had lost. The giant form in front of her looked just like the fully assembled Exodia. It wasn't apparently undead, like Necross was, but alive and healthy. The only difference she could see was, its wrists and ankles were not bound by chains. (0/0)

"Zero Attack Points and zero Defense Points?" said Sam, narrowing her eyes. "Something tells me that there's more to this thing."

"It _starts_ at zero," said the Hunter, fitting a card into his Disk. "But that's easily fixed.

"I play Foolish Burial. I'll send one Grand Tiki Elder from my deck to my Graveyard."

He took the card out of his deck, and discarded it. Sam was surprised to see that Exodius's Attack Score rose to 1,000.

"Next, up, Monster Reborn."

He played the card, and Grand Tiki Elder reappeared. Exodius fell down to zero Attack Points again.

"Next, I play Inferno Reckless Summon to summon two more Tikis."

He played a new card, and two more of the Fiends appeared. (1,500/800 x3)

"I'll summon my second Gil Garth," said Sam.

In a burst of shadow, another armored Fiend appeared on her side. (1,800/1,200)

"Too bad," said the Hunter, playing another card. "I play… Exile of the Wicked! This destroys all Fiends on the field. Fortunately, Exodios is a Spellcaster."

He played a new card, and dark tendrils snaked out from it. All three Grand Tiki Elders were dissolved into sludge. Then, to Sam's horror, so were her two Gil Garths and Opticlops.

Then she was even more horrified as Exodius rose to an Attack Score of 3,000.

"Let me explain how Exodius works," said the Rare Hunter. "His Attack Score is 1,000 for every Normal Monster that's in my Graveyard.

"In addition, each time I order him to attack, I have to discard a Monster from my hand or deck.

"And, once I've discarded all five pieces of Exodia this way… Well, it's the same as collecting all five in my hand!"

"No… way…" muttered Sam. "This was your plan all along, wasn't it?"

"Of course…" chuckled the Rare Hunter, taking a card from his hand.

"Well, I'm gonna stop it before it starts!" shouted Sam. "Go, Shadow Spell!"

One of her facedown cards lifted, and a mass of chains shot out of the sand, looping around Exodius's arms. It roared in anger and its Attack Score fell to 2,300.

"Oh, now you did it, Sam…" chuckled the Rare Hunter, taking another card. "You made it mad…

"I play a Spell Card…

"Wrath of the Forbidden One! When Exodius is on the field, this Spell undoes the effects of all cards, continuous and lingering, that were activated this round and are still in effect."

Exodius roared in rage, and broke free of the chains like they were dental floss. Sam stepped back in fear.

The Rare Hunter shook his head.

"Shouldn't have made him angry…" he said. "Anyway, as I was saying… I'll discard the Right Leg of the Forbidden One that I have right here, so that Exodius can attack your facedown Monster!

"Oh, and by the way… As any Exodia duelist knows, all the pieces of Exodia except the head are Normal Monsters."

He discarded the card in his hand, and Exodius grew to an Attack Score of 4,000. It blasted a beam of pure energy at the facedown Monster.

"Activate… Draining Shield!" shouted Sam.

Her other Trap Card flipped up, and the blast was deflected. Energy flowed into Sam.

"Now your Monster's Attack Score is added to my Life Points," she said.

"A _million_ Life Points won't help you!" laughed the Rare Hunter. "Just in case, since I haven't Normal Summoned yet, I'll set a new Monster in Defense Mode."

He played a card, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"And I end my turn…"

**(S: 11,000) - - - - - - - - - - (RH: 5,600)**

Sam nervously drew a card.

_Ha!_ she thought, looking at it. _What was I worried about? That big lug is nothing compared to my Night Assailant!_

"I set a new Monster in Defense Mode," she said.

A defensive Monster appeared next to her other one.

"And I end my turn…"

The Rare Hunter drew a card.

"Perfect!" he said with a laugh. "I'll pay 1,000 Life Points to play Diffusion-Wave Motion."

"Diffusion-Wave Motion?" said Mako. "Never heard of that one…"

"It can only be used with Spellcasters that are Level Seven or greater," said Yumi, as she started to sweat. "It lets them attack every Monster on the opponent's side of the field, and negates their effects."

"But…" said Mako. "Does that count as two attacks?"

"I'm afraid it does…" said Yumi.

The Rare Hunter discarded Left Leg of the Forbidden One, and Exodius grew to an Attack of 5,000. It blasted its bolt, and Night Assailant was incinerated.

Then he discarded Right Arm of the Forbidden One, and Exodius grew to 6,000. It fired its wave of energy, eradicating Sam's Winged Minion.

"Your move…" he chuckled.

**(S: 11,000) - - - - - - - - - - (RH: 4,600)**

Sam started to sweat heavily as she drew a card.

She set a card on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

Then she played a Spell Card, and Monster Reborn appeared in front of her. Opticlops appeared, crouching in Defense Mode. (1,800/1,700)

She gave her opponent a dirty look.

"That's all you can do, huh?" asked the Rare Hunter, drawing a card. "This is like target practice…

"Exodius, obliterate!" he shouted.

He discarded Left Arm of the Forbidden One, and Exodius grew to an Attack of 7,000. It blasted its bolt at the facedown Monster, and Sam's Bistro Butcher was atomized.

"One more attack…" said the Rare Hunter. "One more attack, and this duel is over.

"But just to be on the safe side…"

He played a card, and a ghostly mist surrounded Exodius.

"I play the Equip Spell, Mist Body. Now it can't be destroyed in battle."

Sam bowed her head. She slowly drew a card.

She looked at it.

Her eyes opened wide. She looked at another card in her hand.

She took the card she had just drawn.

"I play Enemy Controller!" she shouted. "You're moving to Defense Mode!"

She played the card, and a huge video game pad appeared in mid-air. Exodius struggled and strained as it was forced to kneel and shield itself.

"What good will that do you?" asked the Rare Hunter with a laugh. "That's exactly why I played Mist Body. With that Equip, it can't be destroyed in battle.

"And even if it could, I still have my Scrap-Iron Scarecrow. Unless you can attack with two Monsters AND destroy Mist Body this turn, I can move it right back to Attack Mode next turn."

"Life is full of wonders," said Sam taking the other card she was looking at from her hand. "I set one more card facedown…"

Another facedown card appeared.

"And now it's time for a Kaiba classic! I summon La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp!"

She played the card, and a cloud of green smoke formed in front of her. The cloud took shape, turning into the impressive form of La Jinn. He crossed his arms and let out a low chuckle. (1,800/1,000)

"And that ends my turn…"

"And this duel is over!" said the Rare Hunter, drawing a card.

"Not so fast!" shouted Sam. "Trap Card, activate! Buster Thousand!"

"Huh?" said the Rare Hunter, as her Trap Card flipped up. "Buster Thousand?"

"This Trap is all about thousands," said Sam. "First, I have to pay 1,000 Life Points. Then, all Monsters in Attack Mode that have 1,000 Attack Points or less, and all Monsters in Defense Mode that have 1,000 Defense Points or less, are destroyed."

"But…" said the Rare Hunter, with an aghast look.

"That's right," said Sam. "It doesn't hurt my two Monsters, because La Jinn has more than 1,000 Attack Points, and Opticlops has more than that many Defense Points. But Exodius is in Defense Mode, and its Defense Score is zero."

The Rare Hunter shielded himself as the Ultimate Forbidden Lord exploded into fiery debris.

"Ergh…" he shouted. "You'll pay for that…"

"Buster Thousand has another effect," said Sam. "Now we both lose 1,000 Life Points."

The Rare Hunter groaned as a flaming aura surrounded both him and Sam. Fortunately for Sam, she was prepared for it.

The Rare Hunter nervously looked at the three cards in his hand…

"Fine!" he shouted. "I'll end with this!"

A facedown card appeared behind his facedown Monster.

**(S: 7,100) - - - - - - - - - - (RH: 3,600)**

Sam quickly drew a card.

"I summon Malice Doll of Demise!" she shouted.

A cackling laugh echoed over the beach, and an evil-looking puppet holding a sharp axe appeared. (1,600/1,700)

"Now, Opticlops, move to Attack Mode!"

Opticlops stood up.

"I have three Monsters, Rare Hunter!" she said. "Your Scarecrow can't stop all of them! Malice Doll of Demise, attack his facedown Monster! Cleaver heaver!"

The Doll hurled its axe at the facedown card. A small creature that looked like a dollop of whipped cream with eyes and an upside-down smile above the eyes appeared on the card. (300/500)

"Ho boy…" muttered Yumi.

The axe merely bounced off the little creampuff. Sam clutched her chest in pain.

_Marshmallon?_ she thought. _Smarter than I thought…_

"I… have to end my turn…" she muttered.

**(S: 6,100) - - - - - - - - - - (RH: 3,600)**

The Rare Hunter drew a card.

"Well, what do you know?" he said, turning it forward. "It's my favorite… Graceful Charity!"

He quickly played it.

"So I draw three cards…"

He drew three times. He frowned as he looked at them.

"Damn…" he said, under his breath. "Where is it? Gonna have to do this the hard way…"

He took two cards from his hand, and discarded them.

"I play… The Beginning of the End," he said. "Since I have at least seven Dark Monsters in my Graveyard… In fact, I have exactly seven… I can remove five of them from play to make three draws."

All three Grand Tiki Elders, Right Arm of the Forbidden One, and Left Arm of the Forbidden One fell out of his discard slot. He drew three times.

_Crud,_ he thought, looking at them. _Still not there… It must have hit the bottom of the deck when I reshuffled last time..._

"Giving up on Exodia?" asked Sam.

"Not by a long shot," said the Hunter, playing another Spell Card. "My Burial From a Different Dimension sends those two limbs right back to my Graveyard."

He slipped the two cards back into his discard slot.

"Now I summon… Deep Diver!"

He played a card, and a new Monster appeared. It was a man dressed like a deep sea diver, holding a sledgehammer in his hand. (1,000/1,100)

"Eh?" said Sam.

"Deep Diver, attack her Malice Doll of Demise!"

"HUH?" shouted Sam.

Deep Diver flew at the Fiend. Malice Doll of Demise slashed with its axe, and the Aqua was blown to pieces. The Rare Hunter cringed.

"Why did I do it?" he asked. "Because, when Deep Diver is deep-sixed in battle, I get to take any Monster from my deck and place it on top."

A card slipped out of his deck, and he slipped it on the top of his deck.

"Next," he said, "I play Monster Reincarnation. I'll toss one card…"

He discarded one of his last two cards, a copy of Dark Factory of Mass Production.

"…and I get the Right Leg back."

A card slipped out of his discard slot.

"No…" said Yumi. "Exodius may be gone, but he's still trying to summon Exodia! The Monster he put on the top of his deck with Deep Diver must be the one piece he hasn't drawn or discarded yet…"

"And my other facedown card is the final piece towards that solution," said the Rare Hunter. "It's a card that no Exodia Deck should be without…"

His facedown card lifted.

"Activate Backup Soldier! Now, I get back the Left Leg, Right Arm, and Left Arm."

Three cards slipped out of his discard slot, and he took them.

"That's all for my turn," he said. "And all I'll have to do on my next turn is draw, and this duel will be mine…"

**(S: 6,100) - - - - - - - - - - (RH: 3,000)**

Sam started to sweat heavily again…

She drew a card.

She looked at it.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh," she chuckled.

"What's so funny?" demanded the Rare Hunter.

"You know…" said Sam. "I guess it's true what Yumi said… In this game, one draw changes everything!

"I sacrifice my Doll…"

Malice Doll of Demise vanished into grains of light.

"To summon Gaap the Divine Soldier!"

In a burst of darkness, the Fiend with the armored exoskeleton and huge second set of claws appeared on the field. (2,200/2,000)

"Summon all the big, scary Monsters you want!" laughed the Rare Hunter. "My Marshmallon can't be destroyed!"

"Who needs to destroy it?" asked Sam. "When Gaap is on the field, it moves all Monsters to Attack Mode."

"It does?" shouted the Rare Hunter.

It was true. Marshmallon bounced forward, and started bouncing up and down.

"Gaap," said Sam, "attack his Marshmallon!"

The Divine Soldier slashed at the little Fairy with its huge claw. The Scrap-Iron Scarecrow appeared, and Gaap's claw struck it with a clang.

"Now that you've used it," said Sam, "Opticlops, you attack!"

Opticlops charged at Marshmallon, ramming into the small cream puff. The Rare Hunter screamed.

"La Jinn," she ordered, "you attack too, and finish this!"

La Jinn took a deep breath, and blew a stream of flames at the little Fairy. The Rare Hunter screamed again.

**(S: 6,100) - - - - - - - - - - (RH: 0)**

"Well, just like before," said Sam, as the Monsters vanished, "your big Monster didn't make you anything but a big loser…"

The Rare Hunter fell to his knees, and started chuckling.

"What's so funny?" asked Sam.

"Oh, I'm a loser, huh?" he asked. "Well… Since Daala's attention seems to have slipped, I think I'll show you how big a loser I am…

"I think I'll crush your ship anyway!"

He lifted his hand.

"NO!" shouted Sam.

She pointed at the Rare Hunter, and a blast of frost shot from her hand. The Rare Hunter hollered.

In another second, he was frozen solid in a block of ice.

Sam started shivering. She looked at her right hand.

"Did… Did I do that?" she said, starting to shake.

"Sam, calm down…" said Yumi. "It seems… It seems you _really_ lucked out."

"Devil's Fruit…" muttered Sam.

"Power to control ice…" said Yumi.

They looked at the Rare Hunter, who was slowly vanishing into nothing.

Mako looked at them.

"You folks are something else…" he muttered. "And he did prove what sort of a loser he was… He was a very _sore_ loser…"

He looked out to the ship.

"Let's hope that his grip on the ship has gone away," he said. "Otherwise, we're gonna be here a long time…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Daala actually had been watching, with Skull Knight standing by. She shook her head.

"Seems that no matter how much you improve someone's deck," she said, "if he's a poor duelist, he'll never be able to use it right…

"And it appears Sam failed to become the Queen of Games, only to become the Ice Queen… Fitting…"

She got up, and went up to a console. She started to input some codes, and a screen came up on the monitor. Some invigorating music started to play.

"Taking up video games, milady?" said Skull Knight.

"I've never been more than just a dabbler," said Daala, "but they give me inspiration at times. I was working on this little…experiment, and I think it's time to test it…

"I can create virtual constructs using fictitious people as the models as well as real ones. If all goes right, my newest duelist will be taken straight from this game…"

Skull Knight's eyes widened in fear.

"You aren't going to bring out Onaga, are you?" he asked.

Daala chuckled.

"I want someone who will give our guests a challenge, not burn all of Xanadu to the ground!" she laughed. "No… It's someone with a bit more common sense… Someone whom I believe will be an adequate challenge… So long as he's programmed right…"

Skull Knight looked at the screen.

"That's one of the hero characters," he said. "What makes you think he'll listen to you?"

Daala chuckled.

"My first choice was Lara Croft," she said, "but I decided against it… She may top the charts every year for hottest video game vixen, but you can't hide the fact that she's just Indiana Jones crossed with a Playmate.

"And as for this guy, I don't intend to tell him what to do… But given the character's background, motivations, general plotlines of the game series, along with some guidelines on how this construct is able see his surroundings, and how he perceives the current situation…

"I believe I can program him to oppose our friends, rather than help them, at least for a while."

She chuckled.

"And a little unintended help from Yumi and her friends won't hurt the situation either!"

She hit the Run command.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In Domino, it was now half past noon.

Ironically, Daala's attack had only helped Nicholas and Olga. Their boarding school had cancelled classes for the time being, out of concern for safety. Thus, they were free to do their investigating for now.

Right now, they were in the upscale part of town, where several restaurants and theaters normally enjoyed good business. Nicholas pointed to their destination: a restaurant called The Setting Sun.

"We're going to find information at a steakhouse?" asked Olga.

"This is a… _special_ steakhouse," said Nicholas. "It's a popular hangout for members of Yakuza, as well as being a neutral meeting ground for the underworld. You know the stories of how mobsters in America and Europe always frequented fancy restaurants and discussed things there? Well, it tends to be true everywhere, not to fuel a stereotype.

"Mobsters like to eat. They eat while planning crimes, and they eat after successfully committing crimes. If you need proof, just take a look at them when they appear on the news after they're apprehended.

"Anyway, the owner of this place has been known to sell underworld secrets, for the right price. I've spoken to him myself a few times since we moved here."

"Dealing with underworld stool pigeons?" shouted Olga. "Nicholas, if our probation officers found out…"

"Don't worry," said Nicholas. "Kato is very discreet. And it's not like he knows my real name."

"He's a stoolie, Nicholas," sighed Olga. "He can find out these things…"

They walked into the restaurant, which wasn't very crowded – which made sense, seeing as restaurants like this had most of their business in the evening. A man who looked about fifty was speaking to two younger men about something that Nicholas tried to make out, but he stopped short when he saw Nicholas.

"Hey, Joshua," said the older man, walking up to greet him. "Who's the lovely lady? Girlfriend?"

"Sister," said Nicholas. "Look, Kato… I need some info… I wondered if you knew anything about some funny money… Counterfeit yen."

Kato's cheerful expression quickly turned into a sour frown.

"I figured it was fake," he said, angrily.

"What?" said Nicholas.

Kato went over to the cash register and hit the "No Sale" key.

"About a week ago," he said, "a group of guys come in here to throw a get-out-of-jail party for one of them. Naturally, the guy wants the biggest steak we have.

"By the way, here's a tip in case you ever want to start your own gang: If a guy comes to you and says he just got out of jail and wants to join your gang, take him out to dinner. If he orders anything except steak or lobster, he's lying, and he's probably with the cops.

"Anyway, I was a little suspicious about whether these guys could pay a tab that big, so I asked to see money up front. And they showed me these 10,000 yen bills."

He held up a small stack of bills.

"I figured they were probably fake, but I couldn't prove it, so…"

"Let me see…" said Nicholas.

He took one of the bills.

"If I'm wrong, I'll have my employer reimburse you for this…"

Then he took a cigarette lighter out of his pocket and set fire to it.

It burned with a red flame.

"Yep, they're fake all right…"

He placed the burning bill in an ashtray.

"That's the last time they eat in here," growled Kato.

"Kato, did these guys mention the Usagi family?" asked Nicholas.

"Come to think of it, they did once or twice," said Kato. "In fact…

"Well, you didn't hear this from me, but they said they were going to meet up with a major player from Usagi at the Mermaid's Cups."

"Mermaid's Cups?" asked Nicholas.

"It's a bathhouse," said Kato. "I think you'll find it on the other side of town."

"Can you tell me anything else about Usagi?" asked Nicholas.

"Ahem…" said Kato, holding out his hand.

Nicholas frowned, and took out his wallet. He took out a 2,000 yen bill, and handed it to him.

"Word is it that the head of Usagi is someone named Katsu Hideo," said Kato. "He's not a very nice guy. Apparently, anyone who wants to join his group has to survive some incredibly painful initiation.

"Normally, I'd assume it had something to do with ritual scarring or tattooing, that being the standard tradition for the Yakuza. But with the Usagi, knowing how to duel is a prerequisite to joining the family. Apparently, it's how they handle inter-family issues. Clearly, Katsu himself must be a powerful duelist, but whatever strategy he uses, no-one knows…"

Nicholas made a long sigh.

"Thank you…" he said.

He and Olga walked out of the restaurant.

"So…" said Olga. "Should we check out The Mermaid's Cups?"

"Seems our only lead right now…" said Nicholas.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DISGRACEFUL CHARITY (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** Marie the Fallen One's visage, with a glowing card between her claws.

**Card Description:** Both players add to their hands all cards that they discarded to the Graveyard this round due to card effects.

_Note: "Disgraceful Charity" was first used by Yugi in the original anime episode "Clash in the Coliseum (Part Three)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**WRATH OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** Exodia glowing with pure energy, with a card in the foreground being torn to shreds.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when you have an "Exodius, the Ultimate Forbidden Lord" face-up on your side of the field. If the effects of any cards activated this turn remain in effect, you may negate all such effects of those cards.

_Note: "Wrath of the Forbidden One" was first used by Adrian in a third season episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SCRAP-IRON SCARECROW (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A crude scarecrow made of scrap metal.

**Card Description:** Activate when your opponent declares an attack. Negate the attack of the opposing Monster. After activation, this card is not sent to the Graveyard, and is set back on the field.

_Note: "Scrap-Iron Scarecrow" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**What is Daala's experiment? Well, if you recognize the name Onaga, you might be in the right neck of the woods. Coming up next, Erik puts his toy army to the test against this strange new minion, as the team plods deeper into the Sea of Infinite Tears.**_

_**It's a chapter called "Forces of Nature", coming soon…**_

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_**Name that Card!**_

_**This Fairy-Type Monster that's only available for the OCG – and which looks nothing like a Fairy – was inspired by the story of Barney and Betty Clark. Can you name it?**_


	15. Forces of Nature

_**What odd-looking Fairy was inspired by the story of alien abductees Barney and Betty Clark? If you said "Zeta Reticulant", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**I come from Japan. My country is known for a lot of things. **_

_**Contrary to what you may think, we did NOT invent Duel Monsters. Maximillion Pegasus gets that honor, and he was American, born and raised. Seto Kaiba made several advances to it, but he can't take credit for inventing it.**_

_**Japan can take credit for a lot of other things. Video games, for example. Again, we can't truly take the credit for inventing them (**_**Pong**_** was invented by Atari, and that was also American), but we pretty much perfected them when Nintendo went into computers. Their first big hit was **_**Donkey Kong**_**, a game that introduced their mascot, Mario, a guy who's smiling face is still around today.**_

_**Since then, video games from various companies have invaded every aspect of our lives. Arcades, home consoles, PC consoles, and hand-held systems. People never get tired of them.**_

_**Why do I bring this up? Well, true, I'm in sort of in the middle of a game right now…**_

_**And Daala seems to have arranged a crossover cameo.**_

_**And if this guy is as good at dueling as he's supposed to be at hand-to-hand fighting, I may be in over my head…**_

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**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Forces of Nature**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

"You're telling me that Sam can shoot ice from her hands?" shouted Ren.

"More or less," said Sam. "I think I may have to practice more before I can do it like that guy in the old comic book."

"Swell!" shouted Ren. "What did Yumi, Chelsea, and I get from that stuff besides indigestion?"

"Patience, Ren!" said Yumi. "If Sam and Erik are any indication, what it did to you will manifest when the time is right…"

"This is serious," muttered Erik. "If the Fruit is true to the stuff in the Manga, Sam lucked out more than ever…"

"What do you mean?" asked Sam.

"There are three… families of Devil's Fruit," said Erik. "The kind that gives a user the power to control an elemental force, like ice, is the rarest and most powerful. It not only gives them that power, it makes them practically invulnerable. As immortal as nature itself.

"The only way to harm such a user is to neutralize her powers, or use an opposing element."

Everyone gave Sam ominous looks...

Then Chelsea reached over and pinched her hard on the arm.

"OW!" she shouted. "What was that for?"

"Well, I could be wrong…" said Erik.

As Mako had hoped, the defeat of the Rare Hunter had caused the huge hand to release the ship and disappear.

However, half an hour after resuming the trip, the weather took a turn for the worse. The sky turned even darker, the wind picked up, and lightning flashed to rumbles of thunder. The sobbing coming from the sky seemed to get even worse. It seemed like the sea was crying in anguish.

"Looks like we're in for a bit of a squall," said Ren.

"This is likely the Realm Lord's doing," said Mako, as he held onto the wheel of the ship. "We think he can control the weather within a twenty-mile radius of his island. Uhm, and that's nautical miles too, which I'm fairly sure is more than normal miles."

"Mako, look out!" shouted Chelsea. "Iceberg, dead ahead!"

They all looked, and it was true. A huge iceberg was floating in the middle of the sea.

"Did you really have to say 'dead'?" asked Sam.

"Don't worry," said Mako. "I'm pretty sure we can go around it…"

Then his brow furrowed. The iceberg started to advance on them.

"Mako?" said Yumi. "Why are we heading right towards it?"

"Now we can worry," said Mako. "That's no iceberg… That's a lair."

"A lair?" asked Ren.

"Daala's minions create strongholds inside these huge blocks of ice," said Mako. "And they have ways to draw ships right to them. I've had to deal with them several times.

"I'm afraid I haven't discovered a way to get the ship out of their grasp yet people… Everyone… Be prepared to fight."

Everyone stood firm, as a huge set of doors opened on the iceberg, and drew the ship in.

They were surprised by what they saw inside. On an island of ice inside the huge icy cavern they were inside, was a large Shinto temple. The front doors to the temple were dominated by an odd symbol – the black silhouette of a dragon's head.

"Where have I seen that before?" asked Yumi.

Actually, she recognized it plainly. She was getting more and more worried by the minute.

The six duelists disembarked on the island, and approached the temple doors, which swung open to greet them. Warmth flew out of the temple, in sharp contrast to the icy exterior.

_Well, we can rule out Sub-Zero,_ thought Yumi.

They walked into a large chamber, where the dragon design was imprinted on both the floor and the walls. Candles were lit on altars, and incense burners flanked the corners.

Then thunder rolled again, and lightning struck in front of them, causing them to take a step backwards.

An intimidating man appeared where the bolt had struck. He was large and overbearing, standing seven feet tall. His most distinguishing feature was his oversized coolie hat, and the Chinese character for Thunder was printed on his blue and white costume. His eyes glowed with electric energy. He held a simple bo staff in his right hand – a primitive weapon, but deadly in trained hands.

"Raiden…" muttered Yumi.

"Huh?" said Ren. "Raiden? Yumi, you've heard of this guy?"

"That's an explanation I'd like to hear myself," said the figure.

"He's one of the most popular characters from the old _Mortal Kombat_ video game series," said Yumi. "The thunder god and the protector of Earthrealm. I played these games on my Nintendo Classics downloads."

Raiden nodded.

"Lovely," said Ren. "Now we're dealing with video game characters!"

"It isn't too much of a stretch, Ren," said Sam. "Your own Getsu Fuhma was a video game character long before she was ever a Duel Monster."

Yumi walked up to the thunder god and stood up to him

"Raiden, I don't get it," she said. "You're the defender of the Earthrealm… Your purpose is to protect it from the threats of other dimensions. Why the heck would you work for Daala?"

"I know of no Daala!" said Raiden. "But as you say, I investigate all dimensions of power and make certain that they pose no threat to the realm that I protect. This Xanadu seems a dangerous source of power, and I might need to take action."

"Well, then, we're on the same side!" shouted Ren. "Raiden… We're all natives of Earth – well, except Mako – and we want to overthrow the ruler of this place!

"But you can trust Mako, he's an ally."

Raiden looked at him and frowned.

"A likely story, young man…" he said. "You claim to be natives of Earthrealm… But ironically, your friend Mako is the only one I come close to trusting."

"Are you accusing us of lying?" asked Chelsea.

"My senses are very acute, young lady," said Raiden. "And I detect within each of you evil magic that originated in the nether regions.

"You claim to be warriors from Earthrealm, and yet you possess magic inside you that was spawned by fiends? You look like teenagers, but you may well be devils posing as them."

"That's the most ridiculous…" started Sam.

She stopped short. She held her stomach.

"He… He's right…" she said. "He's talking about the Devil's Fruit…"

There was dead silence for about a minute.

Erik stepped forward.

"Raiden…" he said. "It's… it's true… We all ate from a well of power that originated in Hell… But we did so in hopes of obtaining powers that would help us serve the greater good."

Raiden chuckled.

"Thought to use evil's power against itself, eh?" he said. "Not the wisest choice, if that is indeed the case. In most cases, no good can ever come out of power spawned from evil.

"I'm afraid I've never heard of Devil's Fruit…"

"I've never heard of it either," said Mako.

"Tell you what…" said Raiden.

His eyes started to glow again.

"One of you step up here and face me in combat. I can easily tell the fighting style of an Earthrealm warrior from that of one from another dimension."

"Figures," said Yumi. "This guy is a character from a fighting game. He settles everything through fighting. Guys, maybe I should do this."

"No…" said Erik. "People, the Devil's Fruit was my idea, so I'll get us out of this."

He stepped up towards the storm god.

"Well then, Erik was it?" said Raiden. "Would you prefer to fight using Duel Monsters or martial arts?"

"Erik!" shouted Yumi. "I strongly advise Duel Monsters! According to one source, Raiden is a master of all seven-hundred and fifty documented forms of Jujitsu."

"That's impossible!" shouted Sam.

"This guy is immortal," said Ren. "It's possible for him."

"I've also mastered twenty-two forms of Jujitsu that are no longer documented in the modern era," said Raiden, with a slight smirk.

"Okay!" said Erik, nervously. "I think I'll choose Duel Monsters…"

"Suit yourself…" said Raiden.

He held his staff out in front of him, and electricity surrounded it in a bright flash. It changed shape, and turned into a Duel Disk that formed around his left arm. The same dragon symbol decorated the deck holder, and on the tray were the Kanji symbols for the five mystical elements of nature: Water, Earth, Fire, Metal, and Wood.

"Game on!" they both shouted.

**(Erik: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Raiden: 8,000)**

"It seems you know no fear," said Raiden.

Erik made his first draw, and looked over the cards in his hand.

"I summon Card Blocker," he said, playing one of them.

He played the card, and the small, toy Warrior appeared. He quickly crouched down in Defense Mode. (400/400)

"And I'll leave it at that."

Raiden drew a card. He looked over the cards in his hand.

"I'll set one Monster in Defense Mode, and then three cards facedown," he said.

Four cards appeared on the field in front of him, three vertical, and one horizontal.

"And that will conclude my turn…"

"My move," said Erik.

He looked at the card he had just drawn. He played it.

"I summon… Toy Magician," he said.

In a flash of light, the toy sorcerer appeared, holding his glowing scepter. (1,600/1,500)

_Okay…_ he thought. _What sort of deck would a storm god-slash-martial artist-slash-video game character play?_

_I have absolutely no idea… _

_Wait…_

He started to sweat.

_He's a thunder god… Could he possibly be using… Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder?_

He sweat even more. He could see that powerful demon quite clearly in his mind…

_No, that's impossible!_ he told himself. _The Sacred Beasts were lost forever!_

_There's only one way to find out…_

"Attack his…" he started.

Then one of Raiden's facedown cards lifted up, showing the image of Freed the Matchless General at a table with a map in front of him.

"It's a Trap called A Feint Plan," said Raiden. "This round, you aren't allowed to attack any of my facedown Monsters."

"Swell," said Erik, looking at the rest of the cards in his hand. "That means I can't attack at all…

"I'll set one of my own cards facedown, and that will be all."

A facedown card appeared behind Toy Magician.

_It's likely a Flip-Effect Monster that he wants to flip himself for some reason,_ thought Erik._ But what?_

Lightning danced over Raiden's body as he drew another card.

"I flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode," he said, as the card flipped up. "Meet The Immortal of Thunder!"

Lightning flashed, and the Monster appeared in front of him. It was an old man with blue skin and a full beard, dressed in a green and red toga, and holding a golden staff topped with a lightning symbol. (1,500/1,300)

"By flipping him face-up, my Life Points go up by 3,000 points," he said, as he started to glow with energy.

"Yeah, but there's a hefty cost," said Sam. "When he leaves the field, you lose 5,000 Life Points."

"That's only the case if he goes to the Graveyard," said Raiden.

As everyone was trying to figure out what this meant, Raiden played another card.

"I summon Thunder Nyan Nyan!" he said.

In another flash of lightning, a catlike woman wearing a leopard-skin leotard and gloves, with a set of drums in front of her appeared. (1,900/800)

"Now, her appearance activates another Trap Card," he said, as another of his facedown cards lifted. "Judgment of Thunder! By summoning a Thunder Monster, I can use this card to destroy any card on the field."

Lightning flashed, and then a bolt crashed down and struck Card Blocker, reducing him to ashes.

_He's no rookie!_ thought Erik. _Clearly he knew that neither of his two Monsters could defeat Card Blocker by attacking him…_

_Of course, he is a god…_

"Nyan Nyan," shouted Raiden, "attack his Toy Magician with death solo!"

"Me-rowr!" purred Thunder Nyan Nyan. She twirled her drumsticks, and then started to beat her instrument, sending sparks flying. As she hit the cymbals, a bolt of energy shot towards Toy Magician, and he was electrocuted.

"Immortal, attack him directly!" commanded Raiden.

The Immortal of Thunder aimed his staff. However, Erik gestured with his hand, and his facedown card lifted. Call of the Haunted appeared, and Toy Magician appeared on the field again. (1,600/1,500)

"In that case," said Raiden, "I'll call off my attack, and trigger my last Trap Card…"

His third facedown card lifted.

"Compulsory Evacuation Device. Now, I can send one Monster on the field back to my hand."

A strange machine appeared on the field, and a set of chains shot out of it, grabbing The Immortal of Thunder. He was pulled into the machine, and then shot out like a cannon. He vanished, and his card reappeared in Raiden's hand.

"Say…" said Sam. "That was a clever move… By sending The Immortal back to his hand, it won't go from the field to the Graveyard, and he'll never have to worry about its nasty side effect!"

"I end my turn," said Raiden.

**(E: 7,700) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 11,000)**

_I gotta do something,_ thought Erik. _My Toy Magician only has 1,600 Attack Points, while Thunder Nyan Nyan is a longtime member of the Nineteen-Hundred Club…_

He drew a card.

_Hey…_ he thought. _I haven't gotten a chance to use this yet…_

"I play a facedown, and move Toy Magician to Defense Mode," he said.

Toy Magician knelt and held his scepter in his lap. A facedown card appeared behind him.

"Humph, is that all?" asked Raiden, drawing a card. "You fight like Johnny Cage…"

He looked at the card he had just drawn.

"I sacrifice Thunder Nyan Nyan…"

Nyan Nyan blew a kiss to Erik before she vanished into grains of light.

"…to call forth Zaborg the Thunder Monarch!"

The Monster that appeared towered fifteen feet above the arena. It was one of the infamous Monarchs, dressed in white, fancy armor with green trim, with purple, metallic skin, and a spherical dome on his head that sparked with electricity. (2,400/1,000)

"Why did I just _know_ he had that card?" sighed Erik.

Lightning flashed, and then it struck Toy Magician, blowing him to atoms.

"Zaborg, attack Erik directly with rolling thunder!"

The giant cupped his hands together, and formed a huge ball of lightning between them, which he threw at Erik…

The next thing everyone knew, Erik was standing under a huge sand castle that had been conjured up out of nowhere. The ball of lightning struck the wall of the castle, blowing away half of it.

"What?" said Raiden.

Erik took some deep breaths.

"I activated my Trap," he said. "Fortress of Sand. My sand castle has 3,000 Life Points… Or rather, it did before your Monarch just blasted away 2,400 of them. You can't attack me directly until you first tear down the Fortress, and the Fortress isn't a legitimate target unless I'm vulnerable to a direct attack."

Raiden chuckled.

"Well, I'll admit that this is magic that Shang Tsung and his ilk would never have dreamed of using," he said.

"Yes," said Erik. "So why don't we stop this duel before someone gets hurt?"

"I didn't say I was convinced yet," said Raiden. "Sure, your cards may reflect innocence, but then, so did Mileena until Kitana revealed her true identity.

"I end my turn…"

_He's certainly using Thunder Monsters,_ thought Erik, _but if he is using Hamon, his deck seems to have a critical shortage of Continuous Spells…_

He quickly drew a card.

"Hey…" he muttered.

"I set one Monster in Defense Mode," he said, "and then set two cards facedown."

A facedown Monster, and two facedown cards appeared.

"Over to you," he said.

Raiden drew a card.

"Zaborg, attack his facedown Monster!"

Zaborg powered up his attack again.

"I activate my first Trap!" shouted Erik, as his first facedown card lifted. "Toy Cannon!"

Erik's Trap Card lifted, and a small, revolution-era cannon appeared, manned by two toy soldiers.

"What's going on?" said Raiden.

"You'll see," said Erik.

One of the Soldiers loaded a cannonball into the cannon, and the other rammed it down with a pole. They covered their ears, and it fired with a mighty blast. Zaborg the Thunder Monarch groaned and toppled over, and Raiden fell over from the impact.

"Impressive…" he said, "for a toy…"

"Now part two of my brilliant plan," said Erik, as his other facedown card lifted. "The Trap Card, Tragedy!"

"Huh?" said Yumi.

"This card activates when Monsters move into Defense Mode," said Erik, "and destroys them!"

Zaborg shattered into shards.

"When did you put that in your deck, Erik?" shouted Yumi.

"About two weeks ago," said Erik. "I figure I had a lot of cards that moved Monsters into Defense Mode, so why not?"

"You are clever," said Raiden. "Maybe you have more sense than Johnny Cage after all.

"I end my turn. Seems you have an advantage… I would use it…"

**(E: 7,700) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 10,600)**

Erik drew a card.

"First, I flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode… My Toy Tank."

His facedown Monster flipped up, and Toy Tank appeared. (1,300/1,100)

"Then, I summon my second Toy Magician!"

Another of the toy Spellcasters appeared in a flash of light.

"Toy Magician, attack directly! Sparkle blast!"

Toy Magician cast a burst of glowing motes, and Raiden cringed.

Erik pointed, and Toy Cannon blasted a bolt of pure energy from its turret, striking the storm god in the gut. He fell over.

Raiden got up. His eyes glowed with electric energy again.

"Uh, I set one card facedown, and end my turn…" muttered Erik.

He placed a card in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

**(E: 7,700) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 7,700)**

"Not bad…" said Raiden. "If Sonja and Jax were recruiting, you'd clearly pass their test with flying colors.

"Or you could pass the test for the Black Dragon…"

"Black Dragon?" said Ren.

"A criminal organization headed by Kano," muttered Yumi, "Sonja's mortal enemy."

"But it's my move now…" said Raiden.

He made a draw.

"All right, Erik," he said, "I play, Graceful Charity."

The Spell Card appeared, and he drew three cards. He quickly discarded two (one of which was The Immortal of Thunder).

Then he fit a card into his Disk.

"I play Premature Burial. I simply have to give up 800 Life Points, and Zaborg returns."

In a flash of lightning, Zaborg appeared again. (2,400/1,000)

"Next, I summon Thunder Knight."

He played a card, and figure appeared, wearing bulky, bronze armor and a cape, holding a bronze sword. (1,300/1,200)

"Thunder Knight gains 400 more Attack Points for each Thunder Monster on the field, and as you can plainly see, I have two of them."

(2,100/1,200)

"I could simply attack," he said, taking another card from his hand, "but I don't like the look of that facedown card of yours, or that apparently weak Toy Tank…

"So instead, I'll play Makiu."

As he played the card, a sinister looking fog started to emit from Zaborg.

"Makiu is a Spell that destroys all opposing Monsters with Defense Scores less than my Thunder Monster's Attack Score, so long as I forfeit my Battle Phase this turn. So both of your toys won't be lasting much longer…"

Both Toy Tank and Toy Magician sparked, and then melted into molten plastic.

"Good lord…" muttered Erik.

"And with that," said Raiden, "I conclude my turn…"

**(E: 7,700) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 6,900)**

Erik made a draw.

_All right, now I'm in trouble…_ he thought.

"I… have to pass…" he muttered.

Raiden grinned, and he drew one card.

_I'll save this for later,_ he thought, looking at it.

"Thunder Knight, attack him directly and tear down his Fortress!"

Thunder Knight flew at Erik. The Knight's sword slashed through the Fortress of Sand, and it collapsed into a pile of dust.

"Erik!" shouted Sam.

"Zaborg," ordered Raiden, "rolling thunder!"

Zaborg threw his ball of lighting, and Erik screamed as it hit him. He fell over and winced in pain.

Raiden glared at his foe as he lay there…

Erik slowly got up.

"My move…" he muttered.

**(E: 5,300) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 6,900)**

_Well, he certainly has one trait that all Earthrealm warriors share,_ thought Raiden. _He doesn't give up. But then, Outworld warriors rarely do either. _

_And his fighting style is hard to gauge. I've never seen anything like it. _

_But one thing's for sure…_

_The evil power I sensed inside him… He's not drawing on it to fight in this battle._

Erik drew a card.

"Okay pal," he said. "I'll skip my own Battle Phase to play Toy Memorial."

He threw the card into his Disk.

"And while I'm doing that, I'll chain Emergency Provisions to its activation."

His facedown card flipped up, and a mouth appeared, and devoured the Toy Memorial card.

"Now, I get to draw one card for every card in my Graveyard with the word 'Toy' in it. I have two Toy Magicians, one Toy Tank, and one Toy Cannon.

He drew four cards he looked them over.

"Next, I remove Toy Memorial from play, to Special Summon Spell Striker."

He played the card, and a toy wizard with a horned helmet, cape, and a smiling face, holding a wand appeared in front of him. (600/200)

"Next, I'll set a Monster in Defense Mode."

He played a card, and a Defensive Monster appeared.

"Now to take care of that fifteen-foot eyesore. I play Mystical Space Typhoon. This destroys your Premature Burial, and takes Zaborg with it."

He played the card, and the cyclone shot across the field. Zaborg strained, and then shattered.

"That's all for my turn."

**(E: 6,300) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 6,900)**

Raiden drew a card.

It was Pot of Avarice.

It wasn't of any use right now. He only had three Monsters in his Graveyard.

He added it to his hand.

"Thunder Knight, attack his Spell Striker!" he ordered.

Thunder Knight flew at the small Warrior and slashed with its sword, blowing it to pieces.

"Tough break," said Erik. "Due to his effect, I take no damage."

_And my plan worked…_ he thought, looking at his facedown Monster. _I was able to trick him into attacking the more obvious target, and now my more important Monster is still safe. I guess even the gods don't know everything._

"Then it's your move," said Raiden.

Erik quickly drew a card.

"I Flip-Summon… My Toy Wind-Up!" he shouted.

The card flipped up, and a new Monster appeared. It looked similar to his Toy Soldiers, but taller and bulkier, and made of metal. A bronze turnkey was on its back, and it carried a blunderbuss rather than a musket. (1,000/700)

"Next, I play… My Fife and Drum Corp!"

He fit the Spell Card into his Disk, and the parade of Toy Soldiers marched into the temple, playing their rousing tune. Toy Wind-Up glowed, and its Attack Score rose to 2,000.

"Go! Attack his Thunder Knight with blunderbuss blast!"

Toy Wind-Up aimed his gun, and with a large BOOM, Thunder Knight was blown to pieces.

"I'm not done," said Erik. "When Wind-Up damages your Life Points, I get to Special Summon another one."

Another Wind-Up appeared. (1,000/700)

"And my Battle Phase continues… Attack him directly!"

Toy Wind-Up blasted its gun at Raiden, and the thunder god grunted in pain.

"I'm still not done," said Erik. "I've got one more Wind-Up…"

A third Wind-Up appeared. (1,000/700)

It aimed its gun and fired. This time, Raiden truly fell over.

**(E: 6,300) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 4,600)**

Raiden slowly got up. Sweat poured from under his hat.

_I'm convinced,_ he thought. _This is no Outworld fighter…_

_But can he actually win? If he can prove his worth by winning this duel, perhaps he and his group would make excellent allies._

_My new campaign may even have the success that it didn't have against the Deadly Alliance…_

He drew a card.

"On with the duel!" he exclaimed.

He looked at the card.

"The card I just drew was a Thunder Dragon. And its effect activates when I send it to the Graveyard."

He quickly discarded it.

"Case in point, I get to take two more Thunder Dragons from my deck."

Two cards slipped out of his deck, and he took them.

"Now comes the good part. I play Polymerization, to combine them together, into Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon!"

He played the card, and two green, scaly dragons appeared. They swirled together into a vortex of light…

A huge creature stepped out of the vortex. It was a large, wingless dragon, and while it didn't have two heads, it had a second mouth on its back. Its actual head had a long horn on its snout. (2,800/2,100)

"Uh oh…" muttered Erik.

"Next," said Raiden, "I play Pot of Avarice."

He played the card, and Zaborg, Thunder Knight, Thunder Nyan Nyan, and two Thunder Dragons slipped out of his discard slot. He shuffled them into his deck, and then drew two cards.

"Now…" said Raiden, "if you liked Nyan Nyan so much the first time… I think I'll summon her twin."

Lightning flashed again, a second Thunder Nyan Nyan appeared, twirling her drumsticks again. (1,900/800)

"Super…" said Erik.

"Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon," ordered Raiden, "attack one Toy Wind-Up with thunder blast!"

The dragon breathed a burst of electricity at the Wind-Up, and it was blown into metal slag.

"Nyan Nyan, destroy another one. Death solo!"

A wave of electricity flew towards another of the Wind-Ups, and it exploded into white-hot metal. Erik cringed.

**(E: 2,600) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 4,600)**

"Man, what's Erik gonna do?" gasped Chelsea. "Those high-voltage Monsters have him totally outgunned!"

"He's dealt with worse," said Sam. "Uhm… At least I think he has…"

Erik slowly drew a card.

_Time to take this up a notch,_ he thought.

"All right," he said. "First, I move my last Wind-Up to Defense Mode…"

The last Wind-Up knelt, and held its gun in its lap.

Erik played a card, and a Spell Card appeared on the field.

"Now I play… Dark Designator!" he shouted. "I name any Monster I can think of, and if that Monster is in your deck, you have to add it to your hand."

Raiden looked at him strangely.

"I name Thunder Dragon," he said, "seeing as you obviously sent it back to your deck when you played Pot of Avarice."

Raiden frowned, and took the card from his deck.

"Perfect," said Erik. "And since you added a card to your hand via a means other than drawing, I get to Special Summon this guy… My Puppet King!"

An enormous creature appeared in front of Erik, eight feet tall and broad. He was made of wood, suggesting that he was in fact a puppet, but he radiated an aura of strength. He wore a royal cape and an elaborate crown. (2,800/2,600)

"Ergh!" said Raiden. "That Monster is the size of a Shokan! But if you attack, it will just be a draw."

"No it won't," said Erik, playing another card. "I play… Shrink!"

Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon shrank to half its size, and to an Attack Score of 1,400.

"Puppet King, attack with Majestic Checker!"

Puppet King rushed at the dragon, and slugged it in the snout with his fist. It exploded into a shower of sparks.

"I set a new Monster in Defense Mode, and that will end my turn," he said, as a facedown Monster appeared on his side. "Unfortunately, since Puppet King was summoned by his own effect, that means he leaves now."

Puppet King shattered into pixels.

**(E: 2,600) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 3,200)**

Raiden frowned as he drew a card.

Then he grinned.

"I play… Monster Reborn!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon reappeared in a flash of light. (2,800/2,100)

"Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon, destroy the last Wind-Up!" he shouted.

The dragon blasted its thunder blast, and the last tin soldier was atomized.

"Good thing it was in Defense Mode," said Sam, wiping her brow.

"Nyan Nyan, attack his facedown Monster!" shouted Raiden.

Nyan Nyan beat her drums again, and shot a volley of lightning towards the facedown card. Armor Breaker appeared on the card, and cringed before he was blown to pieces.

"It's your move," said Raiden.

Erik drew a card.

"I play… Pot of Greed," he said, as he played it.

He made two draws quickly.

He looked at them for a minute, and then placed two of his cards in his Disk. Two facedown cards appeared.

"Now I play… Monster Reborn!"

He played the card, and the ankh appeared, glowing with shining light. Puppet King appeared again. (2,800/2,600)

"Puppet King…" he shouted, "smash Thunder Nyan Nyan!"

Puppet King delivered a crushing punch to the drummer, and she shrieked before she was blown to bits.

Erik glared at Raiden.

"I'll set this in Defense Mode, and that ends my turn…"

He played his last card, and a facedown Monster appeared next to Puppet King.

"And guess what? Since Puppet King wasn't summoned by his own effect this time, he gets to stick around."

**(E: 2,600) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 2,300)**

"My move!" said the storm god, drawing a card.

"And I play the Field Spell, Luminous Spark!"

He opened his Field Slot, and placed the card inside. A bright wash of light enveloped the field, and Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon was boosted to a score of (3,300/1,700).

"No!" screamed Sam. "It's too powerful!"

"Thunder Dragon!" shouted Raiden. "Attack his Puppet King!"

A supercharged bolt of electricity shot towards Puppet King. Erik cringed as he exploded into particles.

"It's your move…" said Raiden. "The true test begins."

**(E: 2,100) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 2,300)**

Erik slowly drew a card.

"I play… my own Pot of Avarice!" he shouted, playing the card.

He took two Toy Wind-Ups, Spell Striker, Toy Tank, and one Toy Magician from his Graveyard, shuffled them with his deck, and drew twice.

He looked at his two cards.

"Next I play… Graceful Charity!"

He played the card, and the lovely angel appeared in a burst of light. Her feathers fell on his deck, and he drew three cards.

He smirked. He quickly chose two cards and discarded them.

"First, I flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode… Magician of Faith."

His facedown card flipped up, and Magician of Faith appeared in front of him. She nervously looked at the large Dragon. (300/400) –) (800/0)

"That means I get a Spell Card back…"

A card appeared in his hand.

"Now I'll use it… Monster Reborn!"

The ankh appeared again, and a Toy Magician appeared in a flash of light. (1,600/1,500)

"By the way, Toy Magician is a Light Monster, so he benefits from your Field Spell."

(2,100/1,100)

"Next, I'll summon my trusty Toy Soldier."

He played another card, and one of the small wooden soldiers appeared, holding his musket. (800/300)

"Finally, I play Premature Burial to summon someone who I just tossed when I played Graceful Charity… Meet Toy Dragon!"

He played the card, and Monster made out of colored, plastic blocks appeared. Unlike Blockman, this one was a giant Dragon, with glowing eyes and sharp claws. (2,300/2,000)

"And this guy is not only a Light Monster, he gains 400 more points for each score for each Monster on the field with the word 'Toy' in its name."

(3,600/2,800)

Raiden stepped back in shock.

"Toy Dragon," shouted Erik, "destroy Twin-Headed Thunder Dragons, with shooting star shower!"

Toy Dragon roared, and a volley of flashing shooting stars shot from its jaws. Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon roared, and was blown into sparks.

"Toy Magician… Finish him off."

The toy sorcerer cast his spell. Raiden groaned, and then fell over on his back.

Erik's allies cheered.

**(E: 1,300) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 0)**

Then Erik watched as Raiden slowly got up.

The thunder god stared at him for a minute. Lightning surrounded him like some eldritch aura.

"So now what?" muttered Yumi.

Raiden extended his hand.

"Well done!" he said.

Erik hardly knew what to say. He took the hand, and shook.

"You and your friends are warriors worthy of the greatest names of the Earthrealm," said Raiden. "Your methods may be different, but your power cannot be denied.

"What would you say to an alliance?"

"An alliance?" said Erik.

"This Xanadu is clearly a threat," said Raiden. "You may need all the help you can get to bring it down. Perhaps I can be of help…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala was watching intently at her console. She sighed.

"You've overstayed your welcome, Raiden," she grumbled. "Maybe Lara Croft would have been a better idea after all…"

She typed in the delete command.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Raiden," said Yumi. "It's true we can use all the allies we can get. We can…"

And then, Raiden started to fade away.

"Huh?" said Yumi. "Come back!"

Then he vanished, and the temple started to vanish as well. Within seconds, all that was left was the interior of the iceberg, with the ship moored nearby, and the entrance open for them to leave.

"People," said Ren. "I think that Daala is playing games with us."

Yumi sighed.

"And until we make much headway," she said, "we have no choice but to play them…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**TOY WIND-UP (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 1,000  
**DEF:** 700

**Card Description:** When this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent's Life Points, you may Special Summon one "Toy Wind-Up" from your hand or deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**TOY DRAGON (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Dragon/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,300  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description:** This card can be Normal Summoned with one Tribute if the Monster used as a Tribute has the word "Toy" in its name. This card gains 400 points to its ATK and DEF for every Monster on your side of the field with the word "Toy" in its name (except this one).

**0**

**0**

**0**

**TOY CANNON (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A toy, Revolution-era cannon manned by Toy Soldiers.

**Card Description:** Shift one opposing Monster into Defense Position. Inflict 400 points of damage to your opponent's Life Points.

_Note: "Toy Cannon" was first used by Bonaparte in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Dormitory Demolition". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**PUPPET KING (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,800  
**DEF:** 2,600

**Card Description:** If your opponent adds a card to his hand by an effect other than drawing, you may Special Summon this card from your hand. If this card is Special Summoned via its own effect, it is destroyed at the End Phase of the turn it is Special Summoned.

_Note: "Puppet King" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**FORTRESS OF SAND (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image:** A large sand castle.

**Card Description:** When this card is activated, assign 3,000 Life Points to this card. If you are attacked directly, negate the damage to your Life Points and deduct the same amount of Life Points from this card. When this card's Life Points reach zero, destroy this card.

_Note: "Fortress of Sand" was first used by Little Yugi in the "Yu-Gi-Oh R" issue "The Battle in the Space Void!!". Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**THUNDER KNIGHT (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Thunder/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,300  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description:** This card gains 400 Attack Points for every Thunder-Type Monster face-up on the field.

_Note: Thunder Knight was first used by Thunder in the multi-part "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Taken by Storm". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**MAKIU (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A skull in a smoky mist.

**Card Description:** Select either one "Summoned Skull" or any Thunder-Type Monster you control. Destroy all face-up opposing Monsters whose DEF is lower than the ATK of the selected card. During this turn, you cannot conduct your Battle Phase

_Note: "Makiu" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**JUDGMENT OF THUNDER (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** Oscillo Hero #2 in a burst of electricity.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when a Thunder Type Monster is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned. Destroy one card your opponent controls.

_Note: "Judgment of Thunder" was released in "The Duelist Genesis," now available in Japan. (TCG release date not yet known.)_

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**The heroes learn the legendary origin of Devil's Fruit. Unfortunately, this knowledge comes from an evil Duel Spirit who intends to drown them, after defeating Ren in a dangerous duel. Can Ren duel with not only his life, but the lives of all his allies on the line? "The Scars of Battle" is coming up next.**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Name that Card!**_

_**This Monster that was one of Yugi's favorites, oddly enough appears on the artwork of two cards that Kaiba used, one of which is real, another of which is Manga-only. Can you name it?**_

_One final note. As of this moment, I will no longer accept anonymous reviews. I am sorry for any incovientience this will cause._


	16. The Scars of Battle

**_What Monster used by Yugi has appeared on the artwork of two of Kaiba's cards? If you said "Mystical Elf", you were successfully able to Name that Card!_**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Before we get into this next chapter, I'm going to do something I don't usually do – reveal a rejected idea._

_Originally, the "Big Bad" of this fic was going to be Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning. (Sam was even going to make an uneasy bargain with Chaos Emperor Dragon, who would be willing to trust her – somewhat – because she was related to Kaiba.) He struck me as possibly the most likely candidate for a boss villain in a world of Duel Spirits, especially since Yumi is now an enemy of Chaos. However, that idea fell through, and I came up with a slightly watered down version with the antagonist in this chapter._

_The Duel Spirit in this chapter is a card that no-one is neutral about. When it was popular, some people loved it, and everyone else hated it. There was no middle road._

_If you are one of the folks who once used this card, I ask you not to judge simply because of status the character has in this fic, or his attitude and outlook. I'll give my reasons for using this character the way I did if anyone asks._

_On with the fic._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Ever since I ate that Devil's Fruit, I wondered what it would do to me… Whether I had made the right choice, or a big mistake.**_

_**Well, we've come closer to answers. We've met someone else who has taken this forbidden fare, and he knows more about it than even Erik did…**_

_**Unfortunately, he works for Daala, and unless I can beat him, he'll sink our ship to the bottom of this cursed ocean. **_

_**I'd like to say I'm not scared, but it seems like the possibility of drowning now that I ate the stuff has become very real…**_

_**But I'll fight to the end…**_

_**Ready… DUEL.**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Scars of Battle**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Half an hour after leaving the iceberg, the weather seemed to improve. It was still cold, but the sun broke out of the clouds, and it was clear sailing over the open sea.

"Raiden…" muttered Ren, as he sat on the deck of the ship. "Who would've believed it?"

"It could have been worse," said Yumi. "There are much deadlier characters in that game. I can just imagine what sort of deck Shang Tsung would have used.

"And I _can't_ imagine what it would have been like if Daala had sent Bo' Rai Cho."

"Who's that?" asked Erik.

"Better you didn't know," replied Yumi. "But we have to be careful. There have been thousands of video games released over the years, and if Daala can pull characters out of them and turn them into duelists, the possibilities are nearly endless."

Ren sighed.

"Anyone know what time it is?" he asked.

"One o'clock," said Mako. "We should be at the Realm Lord's island in an hour, bearing any accidents…"

"Wait…" said Yumi. "Hear that?"

"I hear nothing…" said Mako.

"Exactly," said Yumi. "The sobbing we keep hearing…

"It stopped…"

Then fog started to lift from the water. A ship appeared ahead of them. It was a frightening-looking thing, with a very large figurehead shaped like a red skull and ribcage, and red Jolly Rogers printed on its sails.

"Oh no…" muttered Mako. "First accident…"

"That's a Skull Mariner!" shouted Yumi.

"One of the typical ships of Daala's fleet," muttered Mako, readying his Disk. "And I'm afraid you can't sink it simply by summoning a Monster with more than 1,600 Attack Points."

One of the cannons on the Mariner ignited, sending a cannonball flying at _The Sea Angel_. It missed, splashing in the water to the side.

"Talk about a bad shot!" laughed Sam.

"He missed on purpose," said Mako. "It was a warning shot to get us to stop. Don't worry, I've dealt with a lot of these landlubbers… I've yet to meet one I can't outduel."

Yumi's deck glowed. Dark Magician Girl suddenly appeared next to her.

"Yumi!" she cried. "There's evil magic on board that ship… Black magic of the worst type!"

"What do you mean?" asked Yumi.

"Chaos magic," said Dark Magician Girl. "I felt it when we were in the Glass Menagerie. Whoever is on board is clearly powerful."

Then a dark orb shot from the approaching Mariner, and flew towards _The Sea Angel_. It landed right on the bow of the ship.

The orb transformed into a man in black, exotic clothing, with a hood over his head, grey skin, and glowing yellow eyes. He wore black gloves, boots, belts over his chest, and a long cape.

"Chaos Sorcerer!" exclaimed Yumi.

"WHAT?" exclaimed Mako. "How can you be here? Zane took you down… Way down!"

"Maybe so, Tsunami," said the Duel Spirit, stepping down. "But what's in the past is long past…

"Could be I managed to come back… Or I may be his long-lost twin brother, or something else entirely. Not that I'll tell you. As someone once said, Power told is power lost."

Yumi's eyes opened wide…

She had heard that phrase before. It was a motto used by the cult of Shogarr…

"I couldn't help but notice six rebels in the Sea of Infinite Tears," said Chaos Sorcerer, "five of them with an aura that I recognized…

"…the aura emitted by Devil's Fruit."

"You know about Devil's Fruit?" asked Erik.

"Of course," said Chaos Sorcerer. "In fact, I ate it myself.

"So… What to do with you? Perhaps I'll use my powers to banish you all to the void between the dimensions…"

Chelsea held Ren in fear.

"Kidding…" chuckled the Spellcaster. "I don't do that anymore. But I could reduce your ship to driftwood and watch as you all drown…"

"Over my dead body!" shouted Mako.

"Okay, fellah," said Chaos Sorcerer, "I can arrange that…"

"Like hell you will!" said Sam. "I learned how to use mine…"

A glowing, blue orb appeared in her hand, and she thrust it forward. A blast of frost shot at the Spellcaster…

He knocked it aside with a simple backhand, and the blast evaporated in mid-air.

"You'd best not try that again, Samantha," he hissed, narrowing his eyes. "I was able to cast powerful spells long before I ever ate the Fruit, and unlike you, I didn't choose one blindly. I knew exactly what powers each one would grant the user, and I chose the most powerful one.

"Now sit down."

Sam shivered, and sat down.

Chaos Sorcerer paused, and put his finger on his chin.

"You're all scared, aren't you?" he asked. "You know of the rumor that water renders users of that stuff helpless."

"You don't seem all that scared," said Ren.

"Hello?" said Chaos Sorcerer, pointing to himself. "Spellcaster, remember? Can cast spells? Knows how to keep from even touching the water?"

He smirked.

"Well, I know where Devil's Fruit comes from… Would you like to hear the story before you die? It's quite interesting…"

"Why not?" said Chelsea, nervously.

_If it helps us stall for time…_ she thought.

Chaos Sorcerer stared at them, and his eyes started to glow with eldritch light. The sea around them started to darken again.

"To understand the origins of the Devil's Fruit," he started, "you must know the origins of Tyrexxus, the Consumer of Souls…

"Now, most who have heard of Tyrexxus say that he doesn't exist, and they might be right. His cults are all but extinct on most worlds, because prayers and offerings to him yield no responses at all. Not many want to worship a faith that gets you nothing. But some truly dedicated believers, or ones whose former faiths have brought them only disaster and made them willing to accept one that appears hopeless, talk of what he is, or rather, what he once was.

"The Fifth Circle of Hell is called Stygia, a frozen sea, colder and more merciless than any ocean on any material world. Some believe that say that the River Styx has its source in this realm, and that its deadly poisonous waters gain their power from it.

"According to the legend, if you choose to believe it, in ancient times, Tyrexxus was the original ruler of Stygia, and he was known as the Consumer of Souls. He was one of eight seraphim who fell with Lucifer along with Dispater and Mephistopheles. The fall marred and twisted him, destroying his celestial beauty and turning his face into an expression of savagery.

"He was said to be the cruelest of Hell's rulers, a very difficult title to achieve. In the early days of the Blood War, he was a terror on the battlefield. He stood thirty feet high, and his roars of anger could be heard for leagues. He wielded a mighty sword enchanted with the fury of Stygia itself, and could cleave even the largest demon in twain. If he was ever disarmed, he would tear his foes apart without it, until his steel gauntlets were stained dark red. Tyrexxus valued power and nothing else.

"There was no denying that, of all the Lords of Hell, he was the most chaotic. Some would swear that he was more demon than devil…

"His cruelty was beyond words. He was so cruel, that eventually his own devils plotted against him, enabling Prince Levistus – the next and current ruler of Stygia – to lead a revolt.

"Tyrexxus wouldn't go without a fight, but it was a fight he lost. Exhausted and drained of all his energy, he retreated to the Grey Waste, the land that lies situated halfway between Hell and the Abyss. Holing up in a deep cavern, he fell asleep, hoping to regain his energy and mount a comeback… But he never regained it, and he never woke up. They say that he sleeps there even to this day.

"As the years passed, Tyrexxus's evil essence seeped into the land around him. Above the ground where he lay, strange weeds sprouted. These weeds grew into trees, and they bore odd fruit.

"Those who dared to eat this fruit found it contained some of the slumbering lord's power inside. What was its ultimate purpose? Who knew? Some folks took cuttings and transplanted them elsewhere, and the hardy plants adapted to other dimensions and other worlds.

"The Devil's Fruit has now spread across the universe. It might be a sign that the Consumer of Souls might one day wake up and regain his power… And if that happens, the Blood War might tip greatly towards the side of Hell."

His eyes stopped glowing, but the sea remained dark.

"Uhm, interesting story," said Ren.

"You find it interesting, yes?" asked Chaos Sorcerer. "Maybe I won't kill you outright… That _would_ be a bit crude…

"Tell you what, Ren. I'll make you a deal… I'll duel you…

"Your life depends on whether or not you can win… But so do the lives of your allies. If you lose, I sink this vessel and leave you to your fates.

"All except Sam. She gets nailed to the statue for having the nerve to attack me."

Ren took some deep breaths. Sam started to cry. Erik hugged her gently.

"I guess I have no choice…" said Ren. "But… What statue?"

"That one," said Chaos Sorcerer, pointing.

He waved his arm, and the sea churned. A titanic form started to rise out of the sea next to the ship. It was a statue of a woman, fifty feet high, with her palms held out.

Ren yelled in fear as he was yanked off of his feet, and then pulled through the air until he was deposited on the statue's left palm.

As he stood up, he saw Chaos Sorcerer alight on the right palm.

"You could have warned me…" muttered Ren.

"Here's the deal," said the Sorcerer. "The Hand of Theitis will hold you so long as you have Life Points left. If they fall to zero, she drops you."

"Does the same rule apply to you?" asked Ren.

"Of course," said Chaos Sorcerer. "But I'm not worried."

A dark shadow enveloped his left arm, and a black-orange Duel Disk with spines on its tray appeared on it.

A deck appeared in the holder in another dark shadow. He looked at it.

_Interesting…_ he thought, _who'd have thought that it would have taken this form…_

"Game on, as you humans say…" he said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At this moment, Daala was getting a massage by two of her ever-present attendants.

"Ah…" she said. "Yes… A little more to the left…"

At that moment, Skull Knight walked in.

"This better be important, pal," she said.

"Uhm, I think it is," he said. "Ren was attacked and challenged to a duel that I don't think you approved."

Daala gave a funny look.

"On screen," she said.

A screen in front of her flashed on, and the scene with Chaos Sorcerer and Ren on the statue appeared. Daala frowned. She sat up and covered herself with a towel.

"Everyone…" she said. "Leave, now!"

The attendants looked scared. They quickly left. Skull Knight reluctantly did too.

Daala sighed as she watched.

"What, did you get bored?" she asked, as she started to get dressed. "Strange that you would come out of hiding just to play with them at this point…

"Ah, well, I might as well watch this… Something good may yet come out of it…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"So…" said Chelsea. "What sort of deck do you suppose a Chaos Sorcerer plays?"

Everyone looked at her.

"I mean besides a Chaos Deck…" she muttered.

"At least he can't use his own card," said Erik. "It's illegal, last I checked."

"Assuming Xanadu follows those rules," muttered Sam, nervously.

"They do, as far as I know," said Mako. "Chaos Sorcerer was one of the members of the Supreme King's inner circle back when Jaden Yuki was having… issues. His deck focused on Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth.

"I don't even know if this is the same guy, and even if it is…"

"Looks like we'll find out in a minute…" said Yumi.

**(Ren: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Chaos Sorcerer: 8,000)**

"The first move is yours, Ren," said Chaos Sorcerer, with an evil smile.

Ren drew one card and looked at his opening hand. To his horror, the only Monsters he had were Crescent Moon Queen and Penumbral Soldier Lady. He couldn't summon either of them.

_Terrific…_ he thought. _I'm fighting with everyone's life on the line, and I get the worst opening hand._

He took two cards from his hand.

"I set two cards facedown, and end my turn," he said.

Two facedown cards appeared in mid-air in front of him.

Chaos Sorcerer laughed as he made his first draw.

"Problems, Ren?" he asked. "Have a bad opening hand?

"Well, to tell you the truth, mine isn't so great either, so I'm going to fix that…

"I play Card Destruction."

He played the card, and Ren raised an eyebrow.

They both discarded their hands. Ren drew four cards, and his opponent drew five.

Ren looked at his new hand. It was an improvement, that was for sure…

"Moving right along," said Chaos Sorcerer, taking a card from his hand, "I play Reinforcement of the Army. Now I get to search for any Warrior, up to Level Four."

_Huh?_ thought Ren, as a card slipped out of his opponent's deck. _Some sort of Warrior Deck? Nuts… I'm wide open for an attack from whatever he's searching for…_

"Now I'll summon the Monster I just searched for," said the Sorcerer, playing a card. "I summon Scab Scar-Knight."

In a burst of dark energy, a ten-foot-tall creature appeared in mid-air in front of Chaos Sorcerer. It certainly didn't suggest a Warrior. It more resembled a lanky demon with a reptilian face, covered with rocky armor. A dark, shadowy aura surrounded it. (0/0)

Ren was startled by the creature's appearance, until he saw the stats.

"Zero Attack Points?" he said.

"Appearances can deceive," said Chaos Sorcerer. "It's your move…"

"Watch out, Ren!" shouted Chelsea. "Zero Attack Monsters usually have powerful effects!"

Chaos Sorcerer gestured, and a bolt of energy shot at Chelsea, scorching the floor at her feet. She screamed and fell over.

"No help from the peanut gallery!" he shouted.

Ren slowly drew a card.

_I just know I'm gonna regret this…_ he thought, as he chose one.

"I summon Getsu Fuhma!" he shouted.

He played the card, and the lovely, redheaded ronin appeared, brandishing her katana. (1,700/1,200)

"Attack his Scab Scar-Knight!" shouted Ren. "Whirlwind blade!"

Getsu Fuhma flew at the rocky Warrior and slashed at it with her katana.

"ERGH!" grunted Chaos Sorcerer, as he cringed from the impact, and his Life Points went down.

But then he grinned.

Both Ren and Getsu Fuhma gave a puzzled look to see that Scab Scar-Knight was still standing. Then, pieces of its rocky hide flaked off, and attached to Getsu Fuhma's skin and armor like ugly scabs.

Getsu Fuhma screamed as she was surrounded by the same shadowy aura, and then pulled over to Chaos Sorcerer's side. She looked at Ren, and then her eyes glowed red.

"What have you done?" shouted Ren.

"Allow me to explain Scab Scar-Knight's powers," said Chaos Sorcerer. "First of all, it can't be destroyed in battle, so long as it's in Attack Mode.

"During your turn, all of your Monsters in Attack Mode must battle, and can't attack any Monster except my Knight.

"But any Monster who attacks it will fall victim to the Scab Curse, and become my slave."

"That's a dirty trick!" shouted Chelsea, from the boat.

"Since I'm so generous," said the Sorcerer, "I'll tell you about its other ability. So long as it's on the field, neither of us can increase our Life Points. What you have is all you get."

Ren glanced at his facedown cards.

Then he looked at his hand, which ironically, now contained _only_ Monsters.

"I have to end my turn…" he muttered.

"No…" said Chelsea. "He's defenseless…"

**(R: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 6,300)**

Chaos Sorcerer drew a card.

"First, I set one card facedown," he said, as a facedown card appeared.

"Then I summon Demandman."

In another shadowy aura, another demonic Warrior appeared. This one was dressed in armor, with two hook-like protrusions on its shoulders, and a head that suggested a fiendish dinosaur. (800/0)

"Demandman, attack Ren directly!"

Demandman leapt at Ren, and then punched him in the stomach. Ren winced, and held his gut.

"Getsu Fuhma," ordered Chaos Sorcerer, "attack your former master! Whirlwind blade!"

Getsu Fuhma's eyes glowed again. She leapt at Ren, and then slashed at him with her sword. Ren fell to his knees.

**(R: 5,500) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 6,300)**

"Here's a riddle," said Chaos Sorcerer. "What does Ocean Dragon Lord – Neo-Daedalus eat?"

"What?" growled Ren.

"Well, fish… and ships," said Chaos Sorcerer. "He's also attracted to creatures struggling in the water, so you'd best hope he isn't around when I finish you off.

"I end my turn."

Ren drew a card. He looked at it.

"I activate my Trap," said Chaos Sorcerer, as his facedown card lifted. "Light of Intervention. Now, neither of us can set Monsters."

"I can still summon one in Defense Mode, pal!" shouted Ren. "And I'm summoning The Immortal Bushi in Defense Mode."

In a burst of energy, the dark, battle-worn soldier appeared in front of him. He sheathed his katana and wakisashi, and knelt in Defense Mode. (1,200/600)

"Clever," said Chaos Sorcerer. "If I were to strike down your Bushi, you'd be able to summon him back to the field next turn.

"However, I don't intend to destroy him…"

The two hooks on Demandman's shoulders shot towards The Immortal Bushi with chains attached to them, forming grapples. Then they yanked him to his feet, moving him to Attack Mode.

"HUH?" shouted Ren.

"Now your Bushi has no choice but to attack my Scab Scar-Knight," said the Sorcerer.

Ren watched in horror as Immortal Bushi slashed at Scab Scar-Knight with his blade. Chaos Sorcerer cringed again.

Then the ugly scabs attached to the Bushi's armor and skin, and he was yanked over to Chaos Sorcerer's side. His eyes glowed with the same evil light.

Ren grit his teeth in anger. He looked at the card he had just drawn.

"I'll throw a new card facedown, and that will be all…" he said.

Another facedown card appeared.

**(R: 5,500) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 5,100)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala chuckled.

"Ah, yes, yes, now I recognize this deck," she said. "These were the cards used by Jaden's hum-drum history teacher… Professor Stein, right?

"Well, Anarchic Disks are tricky devices… One of the reasons I chose not to use one… It seems that this time, it gave you a deck of Monsters that are the same Type and Attribute as Ren's, but with a heavy influence of Chaos. Ren uses dark knights, but now yours are darker still…

"But can you win with them? It seems only time will tell…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Soon, you all will perish under the hands of Theitis," chuckled Chaos Sorcerer.

"Buddy," shouted Sam, "you have one rotten attitude…"

"Oh, is that so?" said the Spellcaster, drawing a card.

He looked at it and added it to his hand.

"Think how I must feel, Sam. Do you have any idea what it's like to be a Duel Spirit who isn't allowed to use his own card?

"I used to be the most popular card in circulation. Everyone was making Chaos Decks, and putting three copies of my card in them. Such beautiful Chaos… It was everywhere in Duel Monsters… It was the tune, and people were learning how to dance to it…

"And then one day, the brass decided that it was too powerful, and was ruining the spirit of the game. 'Cookie cutter decks' they called them. Same thing happened to so many popular cards before me, I should have seen it coming… My card was outlawed. Overnight, I went from the key card of every competitive deck, to a card that eight-year-olds clipped to their bike spokes!

"Or players who played Traditional Format, who no-one takes seriously, who can't even use a Disk. The humiliation…

"Some folks say that Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning took it even harder. His card was rare enough, and when it was outlawed, he went on a killing spree before he left for some unknown location. Some folks say he went off to kill himself… But most others think that he'd never let himself die so long as his hated rival lived…"

"Rival?" said Erik.

"The Chaos Emperor Dragon, genius!" shouted Chaos Sorcerer. "The two of them hate each other! It's a rivalry more fierce and violent than any known by Duel Spirits. When the two of them are believed to be within a hundred miles of each other, Spirits run for cover!

"But anyway, the fact is, I went from top of the heap to down in the dumps because a rule was changed that I had no say in changing. They never care what the Duel Spirits have to say about it. You'll never find a happy Catapult Turtle these days. They're all depressed because their old partners can't fight with them any more…"

"Huh?" said Chelsea.

"Magical Scientist…" muttered Sam.

"That's why I ate the Devil's Fruit in the first place," said Chaos Sorcerer, "to gain back the power I had lost. Once I had it, I didn't need the admiration of humans to be powerful."

"Talk about holding a grudge…" muttered Erik.

"Let me show you what power is!" shouted Chaos Sorcerer.

"Getsu Fuhma, attack Ren directly!"

Getsu Fuhma flew towards Ren…

"I activate a Trap!" shouted Ren, as one of his facedown cards lifted. "Attack Guidance Armor! Now I can change the target of your attack!"

The fiendish suit of armor appeared, and flew towards Demandman, clamping down over it. Getsu Fuhma paused, as if confused, and then slashed with her sword, blowing Demandman to pieces. Chaos Sorcerer cringed.

"You'll pay for that…" he muttered. "I still have another Monster. Immortal Bushi, attack with ancestral blade!"

The Bushi flew at Ren, and slashed at him with his katana. Ren clutched his chest.

"I'm not done," said Chaos Sorcerer, holding up a Spell Card. "I play Scab Blast. Now, for each Monster of yours that I've stolen, you lose 200 Life Points.

"Two-hundred times two… It's an easy problem."

The Immortal Bushi and Getsu Fuhma flew into the air, and twin bursts of darkness shot at Ren. He fell on one knee.

**(R: 3,900) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 4,200)**

"My move…" groaned Ren.

Without getting up – he was still in pain – he drew a card.

"I play… Graceful Charity."

As he played the card, the angel appeared in front of him.

She took hold of him by the shoulders, and gently lifted him up. He felt the pain start to subside.

"Thanks…" he muttered.

He quickly drew three cards.

He looked over his hand, and discarded Dark Blade and Black Lotus. The angel vanished.

"I play Monster Reborn to revive Dark Blade in Defense Mode," he said.

Dark Blade appeared in a flash of light, kneeling and crossing his arms. (1,800/1,500)

"Next, I summon Dark Squire."

Dark Squire appeared on the field. She knelt too, and shielded herself. (300/300)

"I end my turn."

"Nothing you can do but defend," said Chaos Sorcerer. "Well, I can't stop you since I lost Demandman for now… But can you win without attacking me?"

_He's right,_ thought Ren. _Any Monster that I attack with will fall under his control… But I can't win without attacking… My deck wasn't designed for that…_

"I draw…" said Chaos Sorcerer.

He went to draw, and his hand hovered over his deck.

"Check that," he said. "I think I _won't_ draw."

"What?" said Ren. "You can't skip your Draw Phase!"

"On the contrary," said Chaos Sorcerer, "remember my Scab Blast card? If it's in my Graveyard, I can add it to my hand instead of conducting my Draw Phase.

"Yes, I think I'll do just that…"

The card slipped out of his discard slot.

"Now I'll use it… You remember how it works, right?"

He threw the card into his Disk, and again, two bursts of darkness shot at Ren.

"Now that I've done that, Getsu Fuhma, destroy Dark Blade."

Getsu Fuhma slashed with her sword, and Dark Blade shattered.

"Bushi, kill his Squire."

The Bushi made a downward thrust, and Dark Squire shattered.

"Yeah?" said Ren, "well, when Dark Squire is destroyed, both players get to draw two cards."

Chaos Sorcerer smirked. They both drew twice.

"Seems skipping my Draw Phase didn't cost me at all," said the Spellcaster.

Ren's eyes lit up when he saw what one of the cards was.

"The move is yours," said Chaos Sorcerer. "Just try to beat me now."

**(R: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 4,200)**

"If this keeps up, his Life Points will be chipped away 400 at a time," said Erik.

"If he's lucky," said Sam. "Chaos Sorcerer might have another trick up his sleeve."

Ren drew a card. He looked at it and then added it to his hand.

He looked at one of the cards he had drawn last turn.

_Hope this works,_ he thought.

"I remove Dark Squire from play to summon La Sombra!" he shouted.

In a burst of dark energy, the sexy, female bandito appeared, holding her whip. (1,800/1,000)

"Now you have to draw a card, and what happens next depends on the type of card you draw."

Chaos Sorcerer frowned.

"Come on…" said Chelsea, nervously. "Don't draw a Monster…"

Chaos Sorcerer drew a card. He showed it to Ren.

"Scab Scream?" said Ren. "Never heard of it… But since it's clearly a Trap Card, La Sombra gets to attack you directly!"

La Sombra hollered a war cry, and leapt over the gap, slashing at Chaos Sorcerer with her whip. The Spellcaster grunted.

"That's all for my turn," said Ren.

**(R: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 2,400)**

"My move," said Chaos Sorcerer. "Once again, I'll recover Scab Blast instead of drawing…"

He took the card, and then played it again. Once again, two burst of energy hit Ren.

"Next…" he said, taking a card from his hand, "my Axe of Despair. I'll Equip it to The Immortal Bushi."

He played the card, and The Immortal Bushi's swords vanished. An ugly hatchet appeared in his hand. (2,200/600)

"Bushi, attack that whore!"

"Say WHAT?" shouted Ren, now furious.

The Bushi made a savage chop with the axe. La Sombra screamed and shattered.

"I'll teach you to call my Monster a whore…" growled Ren.

"I'm so scared," said Chaos Sorcerer sarcastically. "Especially since I can attack you with your _other_ whore."

Ren screamed as Getsu Fuhma slashed at him with her sword.

He fell to his knees once again.

**(R: 1,000) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 2,400)**

Chaos Sorcerer placed two cards in his Disk, and two facedown cards appeared.

"Make your move," he said, "if you can…"

_One more round of direct attacks, and I'm finished,_ thought Ren, holding his chest.

_Is this the end? Are we all gonna die in this forsaken ocean?_

He got up, and drew a card.

_Maybe… maybe I can last one more round at least…_

"I throw a card facedown, and then summon Double Pinaska in Defense Mode."

A third facedown card appeared, and then the mustachioed Spaniard appeared, kneeling and holding his rapiers under his arms. (1,500/1,500)

"Do your worst," said Ren.

"I will," said Chaos Sorcerer, as he took the Scab Blast card from his Graveyard again.

He played it, and two bursts of darkness struck Ren again. He cringed.

"Getsu Fuhma, destroy Double Pinaska."

Getsu Fuhma flew at the Spaniard.

"I activate Double Pinaska's effect!" shouted Ren. "I can negate the attack!"

Double Pinaska gave Getsu Fuhma a push, and she fell backwards.

"But you can't do it twice," said Chaos Sorcerer. "Bushi, attack."

The Bushi rushed at Double Pinaska, holding aloft the Axe of Despair.

"Go, Dust Tornado!" shouted Ren, as his most recent facedown card lifted.

The tornado tore across the field, and the Axe of Despair flew from the Bushi's hand, exploding against the huge statue. The Bushi still tried to strike Double Pinaska, but the Spaniard knocked him backwards with a backhand slap.

Chaos Sorcerer placed a card in his Disk, and a third facedown card appeared.

"You've bought yourself a turn, nothing more," he said.

**(R: 600) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 2,100)**

"Okay, here goes…" said Ren.

He drew a card.

It was Pot of Greed.

He played it, and the green, laughing jar appeared in mid-air. He closed his eyes, and drew two cards.

He slowly looked at them. Sakuretsu Armor, and…

_Yes!_ he thought.

"I move Double Pinaska to Attack Mode," he said.

Double Pinaska stood up.

"Huh?" said Chaos Sorcerer.

"Now… Since I'm outnumbered three Monsters to one, I can Special Summon THIS guy!"

He played the card, and The Fiend Megacyber appeared in a burst of energy. He frowned at Chaos Sorcerer. (2,200/1,200)

"Now I play... Rush Recklessly!"

He played the card, and Double Pinaska's Attack Score rose to 2,200.

"It's over, pal!" shouted Ren. "Double Pinaska, attack Scab Scar-Knight!"

Double Pinaska lifted his rapiers, and flew at the rocky Warrior.

"Activate Trap!" shouted Chaos Sorcerer, as one of his facedown cards lifted. "Victim Barrier! Now I can change Double Pinaska's target to another Monster."

Double Pinaska paused, and then flew at The Immortal Bushi. He slashed with his blade, and the Bushi groaned before he shattered.

"There's more," said Chaos Sorcerer. "Victim Barrier has another effect. It makes the Scab Curse contagious."

The ugly scabs latched onto Double Pinaska, and he grunted in disgust.

"Doesn't matter!" shouted Ren. "I have another Monster. Fiend Megacyber, you attack!"

The Fiend Megacyber bore his blades, and flew at Scab Scar-Knight…

"And I have another Trap!" shouted Chaos Sorcerer, as another facedown card lifted. "Activate Scab Scream! Since your Monster has at least 2,000 points, both of our Monsters are destroyed, and the damage to me is reduced to zero."

Scab Scar-Knight burst into an explosion of rock, and the shrapnel stabbed into Fiend Megacyber. He shattered into pixels.

"Damn!" shouted Sam. "He almost had him…

"Huh?"

Where Scab Scar-Knight had been was a new Monster. It was a more human-like Warrior, with brown armor and a helmet, a blade on his right arm, and holding a shield in his left hand. (0/0)

"Huh?" said Ren. "Who's that guy?"

"This is Scab Scar-Knight's true form," said Chaos Sorcerer. "Crying Scar-Knight."

"I don't get it…" said Ren.

"Let me explain," said Chaos Sorcerer. "Crying Scar-Knight was once a powerful Warrior. He won countless battles, and achieved fame and glory. Unfortunately, people took him for granted, and his powers were abused. Eventually, due to losing the respect that he once had, he became cold. His emotions faded, his soul became dark, and he lost his humanity. He transformed into a hardened, bitter shell of his former self – the monstrous creature that was there just a minute ago.

"Remind you of anyone? Like say, a certain Level Six Spellcaster that you have to Special Summon by removing from play two Monsters of two specific Attributes?"

"You know…" said Ren, "I might have a little more sympathy towards you if you weren't intending to kill us!"

Chaos Sorcerer chuckled.

"Okay, enough melodrama," he said. "I was always a broken Monster, Ren. I never denied it. I rather liked the fact that I was ruining the game. After all, I'm a Chaos Sorcerer, and what I was doing was spreading Chaos in the most popular card game in the world.

"You can't say that your families are truly innocent of doing so…"

He pointed to the ship.

"Yumi, didn't your grandfather own a copy of Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning? He was even more broken than I was."

"Now see here!" shouted Yumi.

"Sam…" he said. "Your great uncle owned a copy of Chaos Emperor Dragon, if I remember correctly… Players say that it was the most broken card ever released."

"That was a long time ago, you big jerk!" shouted Sam.

"And you know something?" said Chaos Sorcerer. "Being put on the Forbidden List just gave me more time to think and make plans… Plans for spreading Chaos on a much grander scale…"

Ren took the last two cards in his hand.

"Your regular Knight is gone," he said, "so your curse can't affect Double Pinaska. I'll place these facedown, and end my turn."

Two new facedown cards appeared, giving him a total of four.

_I can still win this,_ he thought. _I have Call of the Haunted and Sakuretsu Armor facedown. I can destroy anyone who tries to attack Double Pinaska, and then I can Special Summon Crescent Moon Queen and take him down._

**(R: 600) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 1,100)**

Chaos Sorcerer chuckled, and drew a card.

"You aren't going to use Scab Blast?" asked Ren.

"Don't need it," said Chaos Sorcerer, taking a card from his hand. "I really don't need to use this, but what the heck… It's fun!

"I play Necromancy!"

"I know that card!" shouted Yumi. "Grandpa used it!"

Four shadowy shapes appeared in front of Ren, and Dark Blade (1,800/1,500), Penumbral Soldier Lady (2,100/1,400), The Immortal Bushi (1,200/600), and The Fiend Megacyber (2,200/1,200) appeared, crouching in Defense Mode.

"What are you doing?" shouted Ren.

"Using Crying Scar-Knight's effect," said Chaos Sorcerer. "I move straight to my End Phase, and by sacrificing him, he can destroy all Monsters on the field, and inflict 500 points of damage to each player for each one."

"You're crazy!" shouted Ren. "We'll both end up with zero Life Points!"

"I won't!" laughed Chaos Sorcerer.

His last Trap Card lifted, and he discarded a card in his hand.

"Hallowed Life Barrier. Now, my Life Points are safe."

Crying Scar-Knight started to vanish, and the six Monsters on the field started to glow with a dark aura.

Ren started to panic… Then he remembered something…

_Change of plans…_ he thought.

Chelsea screamed as Getsu Fuhma, Double Pinaska, Dark Blade, Penumbral Soldier Lady, The Immortal Bushi, and The Fiend Megacyber all exploded.

"And that is that…" laughed Chaos Sorcerer.

He looked through the smoke where his foe should have fallen into the sea…

…and was shocked to see that Ren was still there.

**(R: 600) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 1,100)**

"HOW?" shouted Chaos Sorcerer.

"All because of your 'generosity'," said Ren. "Even though I knew you were actually gloating.

"Remember the two facedown cards I set on my first turn? One of them was Emergency Provisions. But since you were 'generous' enough to tell me that it wouldn't work, I never used it.

"But with Scab Scar-Knight gone, I was hoping that Crying Scar-Knight didn't have the same effect. Seems I was right. I could use it, so I sent my other three facedown cards to the Graveyard to gain 3,000 Life Points right before I lost them. So the end result is, I still have 600 Life Points.

"Since that was your End Phase, I believe it's my move…"

Chaos Sorcerer frowned at him. He looked at the last card in his hand.

It was Monster Reborn. But since he had indeed moved to his End Phase, it was worthless.

"Make… your… move…" he growled.

Ren drew one card.

"I play The Warrior Returning Alive," he said, throwing it into his Disk.

A card slipped out of his discard slot.

"Now I summon… Dark Blade!"

Dark Blade appeared in a burst of dark energy. (1,800/1,500)

"Attack him directly!" shouted Ren.

Dark Blade flew at Chaos Sorcerer, and slashed at the wicked Spellcaster with his sword. Chaos Sorcerer screamed. He fell on his seat.

**(R: 600) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 0)**

Then the hand he was on crumbled, and he fell into the sea with a splash.

The next minute, Ren was back on the ship. Chelsea grabbed him and started hugging and kissing him.

"Ren…" she said. "You're… you're tender…"

"It was all the direct attacks," he muttered. "But I'll live…"

He got up and watched as the statue of Theitis sank below the waves.

"Okay," muttered Ren. "If this were the typical part of a story where the villain does himself in, now would be the time where I said I felt sorry for him. But you know… I really don't feel sorry for him at all. "

"Don't feel bad that you don't," said Chelsea. "He probably wouldn't have lost any sleep if he had killed us."

"If he ate the Fruit himself, he must have drowned," said Erik. "At least one of Daala's most powerful minions is gone for good.

"We can just thank God he didn't have the sense to put Spirit Barrier in that deck…"

"For all we know, he did," said Sam. "Maybe he just never drew it."

"By the way, people," said Mako, "I can say with no doubt that he was lying when he said Ocean Dragon Lord – Neo Daedalus haunts these waters. He's a unique Spirit, and he rules an undersea empire in another dimension. You won't find him here."

Yumi sighed.

"At least we learned something about that Fruit," she said.

"And what DID we learn?" asked Sam. "Aside from a silly legend that may not even be true?"

Yumi sighed again.

They had defeated a powerful foe… A worshipper of Chaos. Had Chaos Sorcerer been loyal to Daala, or had he ultimately been working for Shogarr? It seemed that they might never know…

"Let's go, people," said Mako, taking the wheel of the ship. "We should be at the Realm Lord's island soon."

As the ship left, they didn't see that Chaos Sorcerer was watching them leave.

He hadn't drowned. In fact, right now, he was treading water like a pro.

He chuckled.

He hadn't just _eaten_ the fruit from those trees… He had _planted_ the trees.

_Helpless in water…_ he thought. _What utter nonsense…_

_In time, in time… You'll learn the ultimate effect of Devil's Fruit, my friends… In time…_

He started to swim towards his ship.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Half an hour later, _The Sea Angel_ was in trouble. The weather had turned into a true storm, with the sky as dark as night, and the wind turning to gale strength. The ghostly sobbing had started again, even louder than before.

"What's happening Mako?" shouted Yumi.

"This means we're getting close to our destination!" shouted Mako. "This storm is the Realm Lord's primary defense."

He activated his Disk.

"I have someone who can guide us through this gale… And he's easy to summon. Not many people know this, but the Sea of Infinite Tears has the same properties as A Legendary Ocean."

He played a card, and a large shark leapt out of the sea. Then everyone saw that a muscular, tattooed man holding a harpoon was riding it – The Legendary Fisherman. (1,850/1,600)

The sea Warrior forged ahead, cutting across the waves, and the ship followed.

"Yumi's grandfather was right…" muttered Ren, looking at the Monster. "He does kinda look like Mako…"

"I thought you gave that card to him," said Sam.

"Don't confuse me with the real Mako," said Mako. "When Joan designed my deck, she made it to be like the real Mako's deck at its strongest.

"And she updated it too… Added some improvements that the real Mako likely would have had if he ever thought of them…"

The wind started to get worse.

"This wind is crazy!" shouted Chelsea.

"Look on the bright side," said Erik. "At least it isn't raining…"

Then thunder clapped, and rain started to pour from above.

"ERIK!" shouted Sam. "Quit giving him ideas!"

Mako threw open a chest, and pulled out some raincoats.

"Don't worry, people!" he shouted, tossing them to the group. "A good sailor is always prepared."

"What about him?" said Ren, as he put his on.

He motioned to the Duel Monster below.

"Ren, he's a Water Monster," muttered Chelsea. "You think rain will hurt him?"

Indeed, The Legendary Fisherman didn't seem to mind the storm in the least. He cut through the angry waves on his mount easily, and the ship followed.

Ren was the first one to see the next threat.

"Everyone, look out!" he shouted Ren. "Orca off the port bow!"

"That's starboard, Ren," said Mako. "Port is left, starboard is right…"

"Whatever…" shouted Ren, "look!"

There was indeed a Monster coming towards them, a very big one. It was a giant killer whale, with guns, turrets, and a large crane on its back. (2,100/1,200) –) (2,300/1,400)

"The Orca Mega-Fortress of Darkness!" shouted Chelsea.

"Don't worry," said Mako. "A Legendary Ocean, remember? It can't attack the Fisherman."

"It can still attack us!" shouted Sam.

"Oh, that's right…" said Mako, drawing a card.

"I summon Ocean's Keeper!"

He played a card, and a small, fish-like creature holding a trident appeared in front of the ship. (1,500/1,200) –) (1,700/1,400)

"Not gonna do it," said Chelsea.

The Orca opened its mouth, and a huge cannon emerged from it…

"That's exactly why I'm gonna sacrifice it," said Mako. "To Special Summon Thousand-Eyes Jellyfish in Defense Mode!"

Ocean's Keeper vanished, and a new Fish appeared. It looked like a large sphere, made entirely out of dozens of eyes, with fins sticking out of it. (300/2,100) –) (500/2,300)

The Orca Mega-Fortress of Darkness blasted its cannon, and it slammed into the Jellyfish, but the Jellyfish held, shielding the ship from the blast.

"That won't hold for long!" shouted Erik.

Mako looked at his cards.

"Someone summon a Monster!" he shouted.

"Any particular one?" asked Chelsea.

"Make sure it's at least Level Three," said Mako.

"Okay!" said Chelsea. "Go, Blood Sucker!"

She played the card, and Blood Sucker flew out beside Thousand-Eyes Jellyfish. (1,300/1,500)

Mako held up a card.

"I play Fortress Whale's Oath!" he shouted. "And I use these two Monsters as bait… Uhm, sorry, I mean sacrifices…"

Thousand-Eyes Jellyfish and Blood Sucker vanished…

"…to call forth Fortress Whale!"

In an explosion of water and foam, a colossal creature burst out of the waves. Sheena's confusion as to whether this Monster was a blue whale or a sperm whale was well-founded; it seemed to combine features from both species. Plus, it had a huge frontal horn on its snout, a trait unique to narwhal. It also had a series of turrets and cannons on its back, which was a trait not possessed by any real whale. (2,350/2,150) –) (2,550/2,350)

"Attack!" shouted Mako. "Cape Horn Cannons!"

Fortress Whale let out a high-pitched roar, and it aimed its cannons at its lesser counterpart. The artillery blasted, and Orca Mega-Fortress of Darkness was blown to pieces. Yumi and her friends cheered.

The wind and rain started to die down.

"Well, good news, bad news time people," said Mako.

"What?" asked Ren.

"The good news is," said Mako, "with both The Legendary Fisherman and Fortress Whale guarding us, we're safe from anything except a Terrorking Salmon.

"The bad news is, I don't see how anyone on the island couldn't have heard that."

Meaning we've lost the element of surprise," said Chelsea. "Just great…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Nonetheless, fifteen minutes later, with the two Monsters leading them, _The Sea Angel_ approached the largest island yet. It was covered with ice, and dominated by a very large castle that also seemed to be made out of stone, ice, and crystal.

_Four times I've taken a passenger to this island,_ thought Mako. _I have yet to take one of them back. Will this time be different?_

_We'll soon see…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SCAB SCAR-KNIGHT (Monster Card)**

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect  
Attribute: Dark  
Level: 4  
ATK: 0  
DEF: 0

Card Description: You cannot have more than one "Scab Scar-Knight" face-up on your side of the field at one time. An opponent's Attack Position Monsters must battle during your opponent's turn and cannot attack any Monster other than this one. This card cannot be destroyed as a result of battle when it is in Attack Position. (Damage calculation still applies.) Place one "Scab Counter" on a Monster that attacks this card while this card is in Attack Position. At the end of the Battle Phase, take control of any Monsters that have "Scab Counters". In addition, as long as this card remains face-up on the field, effects that increase Life Points are negated.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DEMANDMAN (Monster Card)**

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect  
Attribute: Dark  
Level: 3  
ATK: 800  
DEF: 0

Card Description: Once per turn, during your opponent's Main Phase, you can switch one opposing face-up Defense Position Monster to Attack Position.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**CRYING SCAR-KNIGHT (Monster Card)**

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect  
Attribute: Dark  
Level: 1  
ATK: 0  
DEF: 0

Card Description: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card can only be Special Summoned via the effect of "Scab Scream". By offering this card as a Tribute during your End Phase, destroy all Monsters on the field, and inflict 500 points of direct damage to the Life Points of both players for each Monster destroyed.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**VICTIM BARRIER (Trap Card)**

**Counter Trap**

**Image:** A demon in a burst of dark energy.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when your opponent declares an attack against one of your Monsters. You may change the target of the attack to another Monster on your side of the field and resume the battle as normal. If the new target has a "Scab Counter" on it, place a "Scab Counter" on the attacking Monster.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SCAB SCREAM (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** Scab Scar-Knight bursting out of the ground.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when a "Scab Scar-Knight" on your side of the field is the target of an attack by a Monster with 2,000 ATK or more. Destroy the attacking Monster and reduce battle damage to zero. Then, offer that "Scab Scar-Knight" as a Tribute to Special Summon one "Crying Scar-Knight" from your hand or deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SCAB BLAST (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **Scab Scar-Knight seen from the front, flying forward.

**Card Description:** Inflict 200 points of direct damage to your opponent's Life Points for each "Scab Counter" on the field. If this card is in your Graveyard, you may skip your Draw Phase to instead add this card to your hand from your Graveyard.

_Note: The proceeding six cards were first used by Prof. Stein in the multi-part "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Win Mr. Stein's Duel". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**NECROMANCY (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **A cemetery crawling with zombies, while a shadowy figure wearing a cloak casts a spell in the background.

**Card Description:** Select up to four Monsters at random from your opponent's Graveyard and Special Summon them to your opponent's side of the field in face-up Defense Position. If a Monster Special Summoned in this manner is destroyed, decrease the ATK of a Monster on your opponent's side of the field by 600.

_Note: "Necromancy" was first used by Yugi in the original anime episode "Clash in the Coliseum (Part Three)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**I realize that Ren's been working overtime. Well, as of right now, he's taking a long break.**_

_**Coming up next:**_

_**The confrontation with the Lord of The Sea of Infinite Tears will have to wait. Next chapter, Nicholas and Olga continue their quest, and delve deep into the Domino City underworld.**_

_**The Samurai lived by a strict code. They based their whole lives by a code of honor, and would die to protect it. But another faction existed in feudal Japan, one that was not founded on honor. On the contrary, it was honorless. In the next chapter, Nicholas pits his Six Samurai against these Warriors, in a chapter called "Rivalry", coming soon.**_

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Name that Card!**_

_**This Fusion Monster cannot be Fusion Summoned using any Fusion Substitute Monsters. But it can be summoned using tokens as the Fusion Material Monsters – of a certain type. Can you name it?**_


	17. Rivalry

_**What Fusion Monster can't be summoned using "King of the Swamp" but can be summoned by fusing tokens? If you said "F.G.D.", you were wrong. That one can indeed be summoned using "King of the Swamp" as one of the Monsters.**_

_**However, if you said "Ojama Knight", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**I use the Six Samurai in my deck, and I know that even historically speaking, the Samurai weren't the average soldiers or warriors.**_

_**In feudal Japan, the Samurai was a member of the ruling class. They were often the upper echelons of the large clans that ruled the lands as local governments. They were similar to knights, who reported to a landowner or similar noble, whom they referred to as a liege.**_

_**Most important to a Samurai was something called Bushido, a special code that they lived by. It had various tenets, and stressed honor above all else. A Samurai would sooner die than commit a dishonorable act, and would kill himself if he did.**_

_**Depending on the version followed by the specific clan, Bushido could be simple or complicated. All versions stressed seven basic virtues: Rectitude, Courage, Benevolence, Respect, Honesty, Loyalty, and naturally, Honor. All of them were good traits to have. **__**Other parts of the Bushido philosophy covered methods of raising children, martial arts mastery, care for the elderly, appearance and grooming, and most of all, constant preparation for death. One might say that death was at the very center of Bushido as the overall purpose – to die a good death and with one's honor intact.**_

_**Naturally, Samurai hated to be confused with that **_**other**_** group of warriors, whose methods didn't care much for these virtues, and violated the ways of Bushido.**_

_**In a sense then, the duel I'm in now is rather symbolic…**_

_**I'm in the middle of a feud that dates back a long time…**_

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**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

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**Rivalry**

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Around the time that Ren was starting his duel with Chaos Sorcerer, Nicholas and Olga were riding the e-train across Domino.

Nicholas's cell phone rang, and he quickly answered it.

"Sheena?" he said. "Is that you?"

"Yeah," said Sheena. "I have an update. I managed to sneak into the central processor of KaibaCorp's computer… You know, the brain? Anyway, I found out what Daala is using to control it.

"Are you sitting down? This is gonna shock you good…"

"What?" said Nicholas. "Some sort of computer virus?"

"I wish," said Sheena. "I had _expected_ a virus or a worm, but what I found was something that isn't exactly in the manual.

"Remember our little discussion about Duel Spirits? Well there's a Duel Spirit inside the computer!

"Ironically, it's an Insect-Type Duel Spirit."

"Someone used an Insect against you?" shouted Nicholas.

"Ironic, right?" muttered Sheena. "I recognized it too… There aren't any Insects that I don't know about. It's a rarely used Insect called Zachtrigger's Magnet.

"In the actual game, a Zachtrigger's Magnet is like a Monster version of Change of Heart, which only works on Machine-Type Monsters. Apparently, this Spirit can control any machine, so it was able to control my computer. Daala is apparently sending it orders via her own system, allowing her to control it via proxy.

"And this explains why my anti-viral systems and firewalls couldn't defend against it. This is no virus. This is a Spirit. KaibaCorp's antiviral systems are the world's best, but no system is designed to combat invasions by living things."

"Do you have any plans for getting rid of it?" asked Nicholas.

"The only way I can think of to get rid of it would be to somehow send a Duel Spirit of our own in there to fight it," said Sheena. "If I could do that, it wouldn't be hard. Zachtrigger's Magnet is a pretty weak Monster, stat-wise. But while I've dabbled in sorcery on occasion, I really can think of no way to do that.

"Just any Spirit wouldn't do, in fact. It would need to be… I dunno, I guess an incorporeal one, who could work its way through the circuitry somehow…

"How in the world am I going to send a living creature inside my computer's central processor to deal with another one??"

"Okay, Sheena, okay…" said Nicholas. "We'll keep working on a solution. I'm betting that there is a way to do it, and someone in Domino knows how. And we'll find him."

"Be careful, okay?" replied Sheena. "My insurance isn't covering you, in case you forgot."

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In the more rural part of town, the Mermaid's Cups stood out slightly. It was a moderate-sized bathhouse, and it apparently got its name from the two ivory statues flanking the entrance, each one depicting a mermaid with shells covering her breasts.

"Nicholas…" muttered Olga, as they approached the entrance, "are you sure it's wise to just walk into a Yakuza meeting place?"

"I've got a plan," said Nicholas. "And a few backup plans… And if all else fails, we run like Hell…"

"Not very reassuring," said Olga.

They walked inside, into the reception area, where a young woman, dressed in an old-fashioned, low cut, black dress and wearing a fancy hairdo stood behind the desk.

She was writing something in a ledger, but she quickly closed it when the two of them walked in.

"May I help you?" she said, in a very unfriendly voice.

Nicholas cleared his throat.

"We're looking for Katsu Hideo," said Nicholas.

The woman chuckled.

"A lot of people are looking for him," she said, narrowing her eyes. "If you want to make a deal with him for some reason, you'll have to wait. He's busy.

"If you're planning to kill him, word is you have to get in line for that privilege.

"Might I ask what your business is with him anyway? I'll write it down…"

She opened the ledger.

"Xanadu," said Nicholas.

The woman slammed the ledger closed.

"Katsu is very busy," she said, nervously. "I doubt he can speak to you right now…"

"You mean he's here?" asked Nicholas. "Who are you?"

"My name is Cho," said the woman. "I'm an… acquaintance of his."

Olga chuckled.

"I've seen this before, Joshua," she said. "It happens all the time in crime circles. Her only real job is likely keeping him warm at night."

Nicholas looked at the door behind the desk.

"If you don't mind, Cho," he said, "and even if you do…"

Cho simply crossed her arms as he went to try the door. Unfortunately, it didn't budge. He struggled with the knob.

"As you might realize by now, it's locked," said Cho.

She held up a key.

"Let's have it," demanded Nicholas.

Cho grinned. Then she dropped the key into her cleavage.

"OOH!" shouted Nicholas. "You're gonna make this difficult, sister?"

"Indeed," said Cho. "I see the two of you are duelists…"

She lifted a Duel Disk, and placed it on the deck.

"Even if you get that key, you won't get far," she said. "But if you beat me, I'll gladly let you see Katsu."

"No joke?" said Nicholas.

He stepped back, and shuffled his deck. Cho grinned, and placed the Disk on her arm. She walked forward to face him, a wicked little gleam in her eye.

"Just one thing," she purred. "Stand on that circle on the floor…"

Nicholas looked at the circle.

"Well, okay," he said, "but I don't see what difference it…"

As he stepped on the circle, he heard the click of a pressure plate. Then two shackles rose out of the floor, and clamped onto his ankles.

"HEY!" shouted Nicholas. "What's the big idea?"

"You're strapped in for the long haul, Joshua," said Cho.

Then another pair of shackles latched onto her ankles.

"See? I have a pair too. Now the fight is fair. We both can't escape.

"You see, Joshua, whenever you duel a member of the Usagi family, a regular duel isn't enough…

"You have to be prepared to meet your opponent in Hell!"

"Let him go!" shouted Olga.

"Make one more move and he dies," said Cho. "I suggest you just have a seat and watch."

Olga slowly sat down.

_Nicholas…_ she thought. _What have we gotten into?_

The two Disks activated.

"Game on!" they both shouted.

**(Nicholas: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Cho: 8,000)**

"Ladies first," said Cho, drawing a card.

She looked over her hand.

"I'll set this in Defense Mode, and that will be all."

A facedown Monster appeared.

"Not much of an opening move," said Nicholas, making a draw.

"I'll also set a Monster in Defense Mode, and end my turn."

A facedown Monster appeared on his side of the field.

"Humph," said Cho, drawing a card. "This duel is gonna be pretty dull if all we do is put things in Defense Mode…

"I flip my Monster into Attack Mode… Meet White Ninja!"

Her facedown card flipped up, and a tall Ninja dressed in white with a flared hood, holding a long knife appeared. (1,500/800)

"By flipping him, I can destroy one Monster in Defense Mode."

A blade slashed across the field. Sangan appeared on the card, and shattered.

"Thanks," muttered Nicholas, taking his deck. "Now I get to add a Monster to my hand."

"But not to the field," said Cho, taking a card from her hand. "Next, I summon Ninja Commander Ikusa."

"Huh?" said Nicholas.

As Cho played the card, another Ninja appeared on the field, this one dressed in green, with twin swords on his back. (750/700)

"Not very strong," said Nicholas.

Then a gong sounded, and Ikusa started to blur. A third Ninja appeared from the blur, this one dressed in blue. (400/400)

"It's a Ninja trick called multiplicity," said Cho. "When Ikusa is summoned, I get to Special Summon his partner, Ninja Soldier Katana."

"Just great…" said Nicholas.

"White Ninja, attack him directly! White lotus blade!"

White Ninja leapt at Nicholas, and stabbed at him with the knife. He grunted.

Then, as his Life Points went down, a surge of electricity shot through the shackles on his legs. He screamed.

"What happened?" he gasped.

"I told you you'd meet me in Hell," said Cho. "They're called pain bands. When you take damage, those shackles will hurt you for real.

"This isn't the Good Ship Lollypop, Joshua. This is Yakuza. A duel here isn't just a game. The losers are punished with real pain… Or in your case, much more.

"Now, if you were a member of Usagi, you'd get mercy when you lost, and just be out of commission for a few days.

"But Usagi doesn't show any mercy when it's a duel with an outsider. The loser in this case gets one final jolt that's lethal.

"Now then… Ikusa, Katana… You attack too."

The two Ninja hurled a set of shuriken at Nicholas, and he screamed again as the electricity surged through him.

**(N: 5,350) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 8,000)**

_Nicholas…_ thought Olga, with her eyes widening in fear.

"Your move…" said Cho, with an evil smile.

"Gladly," muttered Nicholas, drawing a card.

He added it to his hand.

"I summon Marauding Captain."

He played the card, and the aged, battle-scarred veteran appeared, holding his blades. (1,200/400)

"Now I'll use his effect, to summon Six Samurai – Nisashi."

He played another card, and the armored, muscular Samurai holding the paired katana and wakisashi appeared. (1,400/700)

"Next up," he said, throwing a card into his Disk, "I play Monster Gate. I sacrifice one Monster, like my Captain…"

Marauding Captain vanished into grains of light.

"Then I pick up cards from my deck until I reach a Monster that can be Normal Summoned. Then I Special Summon it.

"So let's see…"

He picked up one card.

_Nuts, I could have used that…_ he thought.

He picked up another card.

_NUTS! I can't Normal Summon this guy…_

He picked up a third.

_There we go._

He discarded the first two cards, and then played the third.

"I summon Six Samurai – Irou!"

The dark, katana wielding, blindfolded Samurai appeared. (1,700/1,200)

"Since I have two Samurai on the field, Nisashi gets to attack twice. Nisashi, attack Ikusa and Kitana with Strike of the Driving Gale!"

Nisashi sped forward, and with two slashes, the two Ninja were cut down.

Cho held her chest and closed her eyes. Sweat beaded on her forehead.

"Irou, destroy White Ninja! Setting Sun Strike!"

Irou slashed with his katana, and the other Ninja shattered.

Cho glared at Nicholas.

**(N: 5,350) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 6,150)**

"Uh… Doesn't that hurt?" asked Olga.

"Excruciating…" said Cho, with a grin. "But I've done it so often, it doesn't bother me…

"Sure, I cried and screamed a little when I dueled during my initiation… But in the Usagi, we're taught to use the pain, use it to harden us and make us stronger. In fact, Joshua, I've dueled with this system so often, it almost feels good…

"Most Yakuza families harden themselves by covering themselves with fancy tattoos using old-fashioned needles, in processes that take years to complete… The Usagi use this. Both methods cause pain, and both methods make you stronger… tougher. For us, it's a way of life."

Nicholas stared at her.

"I set one card facedown, and play the Field Spell Shien's Castle of Mist," he said.

A facedown card appeared, and then the whole room changed. They were now standing in a courtyard of a huge, dark, Japanese shiro, with mist covering the ground, and ominous ravens perched in the trees.

"My move!" said Cho with a laugh.

She drew a card. Then she fit it into her Disk.

"I play Premature Burial to bring back Ikusa."

She played the card, and glowed with a red aura as the Ninja Commander appeared again. (750/700)

"Now…" she said. "I remove Katana and White Ninja from play, and then sacrifice Ikusa, to summon Ninja Master Shogun!"

In a burst of flames, Ikusa vanished, and a new Warrior appeared on the field. He was dressed in a fiery, red kimono and vest, and wore a long, white wig and a demonic mask with horns. Two flags with kanji symbols decorated his back. (1,600/1,400)

_Not the most subtle or functional outfit for a Ninja,_ thought Nicholas. _But no problem… If he attacks while my Field Spell is in play, he'll lose 500 Attack Points._

"My Ninja Master has a powerful effect," said Cho. "By summoning him, I get to Special Summon not one, but two more Ninja. So, I think I'll summon Lady Ninja Yae, and Ninja Commando Kabuki."

Two new Warriors flipped onto the field. One was a woman in a purple jumpsuit with green hair, carrying a dagger. (1,100/200) The other was a Ninja in white, wearing an orange kilt. (700/700)

"And guess what?" said Cho. "When Kabuki is summoned, I get to summon another Ninja. So I'll summon a second Kabuki."

With another flip, a twin of the first Kabuki appeared. (700/700)

"Meaning you get to summon someone else, right?" asked Nicholas.

"Of course," said Cho. "And since I've already summoned Yae, I think I'll bring out her partner too. I summon Goe Goe the Gallant Ninja."

A new Warrior somersaulted onto the field. It was a handsome young man wearing a red martial arts _gi_, holding an unlikely-looking weapon. It resembled a long length of pipe topped with a large faucet head. (1,500/1,000)

"Five Monsters in one turn?" shouted Olga.

"Well what do you know?" chuckled Cho. "She can count.

"Now I activate Lady Ninja Yae's effect. By discarding a Wind Monster, like my Kunoichi Warrior here, I can blow all your Spell and Trap Cards off the field."

She discarded a card, and one of the Yae's eyes glowed.

"Chain!" shouted Nicholas. "Emergency Provisions!"

His facedown card lifted and the Field Spell vanished.

"Ah, well," said Cho. "Ready for more pain? I have five Monsters on the field… What Equip Spell would be perfect, I ask you?"

"You don't mean…" gasped Nicholas.

Cho showed him the card. It was United We Stand.

She threw it into her Disk, and Ninja Master Shogun roared as his Attack Score skyrocketed. (5,600/1,400)

Cho laughed an evil laugh.

"Attack his Irou!" she shouted. "Merciless flame attack!"

Ninja Master Shogun exhaled a burst of fire with the force of a flamethrower. Nicholas screamed as electricity coursed through him…

He gasped for breath. Sweat poured down his face.

**(N: 2,450) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 5,350)**

When the smoke cleared, Irou was still standing, but Nisashi was gone.

"Huh?" said Cho.

"I used the Six Samurais' effect," gasped Nicholas. "I had Irou use Nisashi as a shield. And it looks like none of your other Ninja are strong enough to beat him."

"Whatever…" said Cho. "Make your move. It will be your last."

_She may not be far off,_ thought Nicholas, looking at the two cards in his hand. _If I don't get the best draw ever, I'm finished…_

_What does Yumi always like to say?_

_That's right… One draw changes everything. Let's hope it does._

He drew a card. He held it up without looking at it.

"Better take a look," said Cho. "Your life may depend on it. After all, if you move your Samurai to Defense Mode, my Shogun can attack _you _next. Keep him in Attack Mode, and it will be just as bad."

Nicholas looked at it.

_Well,_ he thought, _I guess it's all up to fate now…_

"I summon Spirit of the Six Samurai!" he shouted.

He played the card, and the Monster that appeared resembled, more than anything, a ghostly, and very fancy suit of oriental armor, with blue flames where the wearer's flesh would be. (500/500)

"So that was the best you could do, huh?" said Cho. "A haunted suit of old armor? And not a very strong one, at that."

"It's a Union Monster, Cho," said Nicholas, "one that can be worn by any member of the Six Samurai. You see, this armor once belonged to the founder of their clan, and he swore even in death to watch over them.

"Let's see if it works…"

The Spirit glowed with eldritch energy, and then split apart. The armor formed over Irou, bonding to him with glowing, sparking energy. Then, a glowing, crackling naginata appeared in his hands.

"When wearing this armor, a member of the Six Samurai gains 500 points for both attacking and defending."

(2,300/1,700)

"Please," said Cho. "He's still far from a match for my Shogun."

"That's not who I'm aiming for," said Nicholas. "Nisashi, attack Lady Ninja Yae!"

Nisashi charged, and thrust at the female Ninja with his blade. She gasped, and then shattered.

"I almost forgot to mention," said Nicholas, "when a Samurai kills an enemy when wearing the Spirit, I get to draw one card."

He drew a card. He looked at it.

"And I think I'll use it… Pot of Greed!"

He played the card, and drew twice.

"And it seems like luck is on my side! I play… Double Summon! This lets me make a second Normal Summon this turn."

He played the card, and took a card from his hand.

"I summon… Six Samurai – Kamon!"

In a burst of flame, a new Samurai appeared. He was dressed in leather armor, and had soot and grime all over his face. At first, it appeared as if he had no weapon, but a closer look showed that he carried dozens of primitive gunpowder explosives on his armor. (1,500/1,000)

"Now I activate Kamon's effect," said Nicholas. "Since I have another Samurai on the field, if I don't attack with him this round, I can destroy one face-up Spell or Trap Card. And since I already ended my Battle Phase anyway…

"Kamon, wipe out United We Stand!"

A flame appeared in Kamon's hand. He lit the fuse of one of the explosives, and then hurled it, blowing the Equip Spell to pieces. Ninja Master Shogun's Attack Score plummeted back to 1,600.

"I set one card facedown, and end my turn," said Nicholas, as a facedown card appeared.

**(N: 2,450) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 4,150)**

Cho fumed with anger as she drew a card.

"Shogun, attack that blasted Kamon!" she shouted.

The Ninja Master breathed fire at the Samurai.

"Activate… Shrink!" shouted Nicholas, as his facedown card lifted.

Ninja Master Shogun fell to an Attack Score of 800. Kamon swatted the blast aside, and it fell back on the Ninja, toasting him with his own attack. Cho cringed as she was shocked by the manacles.

"I move everyone else to Defense Mode," she said with a growl, "and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared, and both Kabukis and Goe Goe all knelt and shielded themselves.

**(N: 2,450) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 3,450)**

"I draw one card…" said Nicholas.

"Kamon, torch Goe Goe with Greek fire grenade!"

Kamon hurled another explosive, and the Gallant Ninja screamed as he went up in flames.

"Irou, attack the first Commando!"

Irou charged, and stabbed one of the Kabukis. The Ninja shattered.

"Don't forget, I get to draw a card now," he said, drawing.

He looked at the card.

"Now I'll set one card facedown, and summon Samurai Yariza."

He played the card, and a Samurai in black, leather armor, wearing a peaked helmet and a mask covering the lower half of his face appeared. He carried a spear with a glowing blade. (1,000/500)

"I end my turn…"

Cho angrily drew a card.

"I play MY Pot of Greed!" she shouted.

She played the card, and drew twice.

"I'm going to disarm your Samurai. I play Mystical Space Typhoon!"

She played the card, and the whirlwind tore across the field, striking Irou. His armor shattered into pieces.

"Next, I play… Double Spell. I'll toss one Spell Card…"

She discarded her copy of Card Destruction.

"And I get to use a Spell Card in your Graveyard. I think I'll use your Monster Gate."

The art for Double Spell changed to the one for Monster Gate, and the second Kabuki vanished. Cho picked up one card, and then placed it on her Disk.

"I summon Strike Ninja!" she shouted.

In a dark shadow, a Ninja that looked much like the traditional Ninja appeared, all in black, with gold trim. He carried a pair of daggers. (1,700/1,200)

"Next, I Equip him with Fuhma Shuriken. This increases his Attack Score by 700 points."

She fit the card into her Disk, and Strike Ninja glowed. (2,400/1,200)

"Attack his Yariza!" she shouted.

Strike Ninja dashed towards the Samurai…

"Activate… Mirror Force!" shouted Nicholas.

His facedown card lifted, and a blinding light covered the field.

Then Strike Ninja vanished in a burst of smoke.

"Huh?" said Nicholas.

Then he screamed as a swarm of shuriken plowed into him.

Cho chuckled, and held up the Ninja Commander Ikusa and Ninja Master Shogun cards.

"I simply removed two Dark Monsters from play," she said, placing them inside her dress, "and my Ninja was able to vanish into the shadows and escape your Trap. Even better, the Fuhma Shuriken was destroyed, so its other effect activated, and you lost 700 Life Points."

Nicholas gasped for breath.

"I end my turn," said Cho.

Strike Ninja appeared again in a puff of smoke. (1,700/1,200)

**(N: 1,750) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 3,450)**

Nicholas drew a card.

_Aw, Chamberlain of the Six Samurai?_ he thought, looking at it. _No offense, buddy, but you were NOT the guy I wanted…_

"Yariza, attack!" he shouted.

Yariza lifted his spear.

"What?" shouted Cho. "My Ninja is much stronger!"

"But he's not the target," said Nicholas. "You are."

Yariza leapt right over Strike Ninja, and stabbed Cho in the chest with his spear. She screamed and fell on her behind.

"In case you haven't figured it out yet," said Nicholas, "Yariza can attack directly. That will end my turn."

**(N: 1,750) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 2,450)**

Cho got up. She drew a card.

"First I set this facedown," she said, as a facedown card appeared in a flash.

"Then my Ninja attacks that blasted Yariza!"

Strike Ninja sped towards Yariza…

"Kamon!" shouted Nicholas. "Defend Yariza!"

Kamon threw himself in front of Yariza, and he shattered from the blow. Nicholas cringed as he was shocked again.

**(N: 1,050) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 2,450)**

"My… move…" he muttered.

He drew a card.

_YES!_ he thought.

"Let me introduce you to a _real_ Shogun!" he exclaimed. "I Special Summon Great Shogun Shien!"

A bonfire erupted on his side of the field, and the mighty Shogun in his plate armor, holding his burning katana, stepped out of it. (2,500/2,400)

"Surprise," said Cho. "I have a Trap…"

Her facedown card lifted, showing a picture of Lady Ninja Yae in a maelstrom of magical energy.

"It's called Ninjitsu Art of Transformation. Now I can sacrifice a Ninja on my side of the field, and summon from my deck a Beast, Winged Beast, or Insect that's up to three Levels greater than the Ninja I'm sacrificing.

"Strike Ninja is Level Four, so…"

Strike Ninja vanished in a glowing light.

"I summon Behemoth, the King of All Animals!"

In the next minute, Cho's whole half of the room was taken up by a titanic creature. It combined the worst aspects of oxen, lion, and bear, with purple fur, a shaggy mane, and razor sharp teeth and claws. (2,700/1,500)

_No…_ thought Nicholas. _If I keep Yariza in Attack Mode, I'll lose on her next turn…_

"I move Irou and Yariza to Defense Mode, and set a new Monster in Defense Mode."

A facedown Monster appeared, and Yariza and Irou knelt and held their weapons down.

"That's all I can do," he said.

Cho grinned a sinister grin as she drew a card.

"I play The Warrior Returning Alive," she said. "Now I get a Warrior back. Think I'll choose my Kunoichi Warrior…"

She took a card from her discard slot.

"Now, I'll summon her."

In a whirlwind of energy, a female figure appeared. She didn't look much like the typical practitioner of Ninjitsu, unless the art had adjusted for modern times. She had bright blue hair, and wore a leather tank top, a yellow skirt, a red bandana, knee-high red leggings, and punk sunglasses. She still carried a katana, which she quickly drew from its sheath.

She grinned at Nicholas. (1,800/1,000)

"Attack Yariza!" shouted Cho. "Strike of the assassin!"

Kunoichi Warrior leapt up, and did a flip. She slashed with her katana, and Yariza shattered.

"Behemoth, crush his Shogun!"

Behemoth lifted his mighty paw…

"Nisashi! Defend Shien!" shouted Nicholas.

Nisashi leapt up and threw himself in front of Shien. He was crushed flat. Nicholas cringed again.

"You might as well give up," said Cho. "You won't be able to save him next round."

**(N: 850) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 2,450)**

Nicholas drew a card.

"I set a card facedown, and move Shien to Defense Mode," he said.

A facedown card appeared, and Shien sheathed his katana and knelt down.

He glared at Cho.

Cho drew a card.

"This is the end, Joshua," she said. "First, I play Shield Crush."

She played the card, and a beam of energy shot towards Nicholas's facedown Monster. A man with cybernetic limbs, holding a sword, appeared on the card before he was blown to pieces.

"Behemoth, crush his Shogun!"

The King of All Animals roared, and slammed down with its mighty paw, flattening Shien.

"Now to finish you! Kunoichi, attack him directly!"

Kunoichi Warrior rushed towards Nicholas.

"Go, Trap Card!" shouted Nicholas. "Call of the Haunted!"

His facedown card lifted, and a large, wicker coffin appeared on his side of the field. It opened, and Shien lifted himself out. (2,500/2,400)

Cho chuckled, and put her hand on her hip as the female ninja stopped.

"You just don't give up, do you?" she said. "Any great general knows when he's outgunned. Seems your Shogun doesn't know that.

"Well, I end my turn. So what will you do?"

Nicholas drew.

"Look familiar?" he said, showing her the card. "I have The Warrior Returning Alive too."

"Go ahead!" she said with a laugh. "Nothing you've played so far can beat my Behemoth."

"But I haven't played this guy yet…" said Nicholas, taking a card from his discard slot. "I discarded him when I played Monster Gate, because he can't be Normal Summoned.

"His name is Enishi, Shien's Chancellor, and I summon him by removing from play two Samurai in my Graveyard.

"So, I think I'll remove my Chamberlain, and Yariza."

Two cards slipped out of his discard slot, and he pocketed them.

Then, in a burst of light, a new figure appeared on the field. He was dressed in the rich clothes of nobility, in green and golden hues. He had a neatly-trimmed beard and moustache, and long hair that was tied in back in a topknot. He carried a fancy katana and wakisashi by his side. (2,200/1,200)

"Heh," said Cho. "A lot of preparation for a Monster that can't even do the job…"

"But he can," said Nicholas, as Enishi drew his sword. "If I don't actually attack with him this round, he can destroy one face-up Monster on the field."

"Say what?" shouted Cho.

"Enishi," said Nicholas, "destroy Behemoth!"

Enishi made a downward slash with his blade, and The King of All Animals roared. It shattered into shards.

"All right!" shouted Nicholas. "Shien, attack Kunoichi Warrior! Sword of burning pride!"

Shien slashed downward with his katana, and Kunoichi Warrior screamed right before she was burned to ashes. Cho groaned too, as she was shocked again.

**(N: 850) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 1,750)**

"Why don't you surrender?" said Nicholas. "Enishi can use that effect every round. There's no need for you to die here, Cho."

"Can't," said Cho, drawing a card. "I'd face a much more horrible death if I ever stopped a duel before it finished. In case you forgot, this is Yakuza.

"Besides, I haven't lost yet…"

She played a Spell Card, which was revealed to be Stray Lambs. Two Lamb Tokens appeared. Then she placed another card on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"Your move…"

"Okay," said Nicholas, drawing, "if that's really what you want…

"I play Pot of Avarice."

He played the card, and then took Marauding Captain, Spirit of the Six Samurai, Nisashi, Kamon, and Sangan from his Graveyard, and reshuffled. He drew twice.

"I play Premature Burial, to bring back Irou," he said.

Once again, the blindfolded Samurai appeared. (1,700/1,200)

Cho grinned.

_He foolishly reduced his Life Points to double digits,_ she said. _I can still win…_

"Now, I summon someone new…" shouted Nicholas. "Come out, Zanji!"

He played the card, and in a burst of light, the armored Samurai holding a glowing naginata appeared. (1,800/1,300)

"Zanji, Shien, destroy her Lambs."

The Shogun and the Samurai slashed with their weapons, and the two Tokens were cut in half.

"Irou, destroy her last defense!"

Irou charged at the facedown card. A diabolic looking assassin in a black cloak holding two blades appeared on the card, and was sliced in half.

"That was my Night Assailant!" laughed Cho. "Now…"

"It won't do anything, Cho," interrupted Nicholas, shaking his head. "Since I have two Samurai on the field, Irou automatically destroys any facedown Monster he battles, and negates its Flip-Effect."

Cho's eyes opened wide. Enishi drew his katana.

"Enishi… finish this…" said Nicholas.

The whole world slowed down, as Enishi slammed his sword into Cho, knocking her over.

**(N: 50) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 0)**

Then Cho screamed at the top of her lungs as a massive jolt of electricity shot through her. The shackles holding Nicholas unlatched. He tried to run to her, but he almost collapsed.

Olga ran up to her instead.

"Cho…" she said. "This was all a waste. I hope you're happy with yourself."

"Oh, but I am," said Cho, weakly. "Your friend… might have won… but this duel gave Katsu plenty of time to escape…

"He's in the clear now… You'll never catch him… You'll never pin Xanadu on him…

"And he'll remember me…

"And he'll avenge me too… You can be sure…"

And then she collapsed.

"Yeah, right…" muttered Olga. "He likely thought to sacrifice you without a second thought… And he'll probably have a new girlfriend tomorrow."

"Hey…" said Nicholas. "A little help here?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It didn't take long for Nicholas to recover. They started to look through the offices of the bathhouse, but as Cho had said, everyone had fled.

"Nothing…" muttered Nicholas. "Seems they covered their tracks pretty well… Cho was pretty dedicated to stalling us so they could make good their escape without leaving any evidence."

Olga paused.

"Wait…" she said. "Cho didn't get away!"

She pulled Nicholas back to the reception area where Cho's body was still lying.

"What?" shouted Nicholas.

"Help me search before the cops get here," said Olga. "When did you call them, anyway?"

"About ten minutes ago…" he replied.

Olga started to look through Cho's purse.

"Then we probably have just five minutes until…" she started. "Well lookee here!"

She pulled out a cellular phone.

"What good will that do us?" asked Nicholas.

Olga turned on the phone, and hit a button. A series of numbers came up.

"Speed dial numbers," she said. "Take a pen and paper. We've got until the police get here to copy these down."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

One hour later, after answering a lot of questions, Nicholas had convinced the police that he had taken Olga to the bathhouse to treat her to a massage, and that Cho had started the duel simply as her sadistic means of fun (which wasn't a lie, after all). The police had suspected the bathhouse of being a Yakuza den for a long time anyway. Fortunately, Detective Akuma wasn't handling the case at this time, and the police had no reason to suspect that they were anything but the exchange students they claimed to be. The officer in charge gave them the number of a trauma center in case they needed it, but they knew that they never would. After giving their numbers to them, Nicholas and Olga managed to slip away.

When they were out of earshot, Olga dialed Sheena's number.

"Sheena?" she said. "Olga. We have some numbers for you to trace…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**NINJA COMMANDER IKUSA (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 750  
**DEF:** 700

**Card Description:** When this card is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned, you may Special Summon one "Ninja Soldier Katana" from your hand or deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**NINJA SOLDIER KATANA (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 400  
**DEF:** 400

**Flavor Text:** _A young apprentice in the art of Ninjitsu. His skills are limited, but his potential is strong._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**NINJA MASTER SHOGUN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 5  
**ATK:** 1,600  
**DEF:** 1,400

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Normal Summoned unless you first remove two "Ninja" Monsters in your Graveyard from play. When this card is Tribute Summoned, you may Special Summon up to two "Ninja" Monsters that are Level Four or less from your hand or deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**NINJA COMMANDO KABUKI (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 700  
**DEF:** 700

**Card Description:** When this card is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned, you may Special Summon one "Ninja" Monster that is Level Four or less from your hand or deck.

_Note: The proceeding four cards were first used by Jean-Claude Magnum in the original anime episode "Lights, Camera, Duel!" Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

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**KUNOICHI WARRIOR (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description:** When control of this card switches, the controller of this card randomly discards one card from his hand.

_Note: "Kunoichi Warrior" was recently released in Japan in "The Duelist Genesis". (American release date not yet known.)_

**0**

**0**

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**ZACHTRIGGER'S MAGNET (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Insect/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 200  
**DEF:** 1,400

**Card Description:** FLIP: You may take control of one face-up Machine-Type Monster on your opponent's side of the field until the End Phase of the turn. Deduct 500 points from the ATK and DEF of the Monster that destroys this card as a result of battle.

_Note: "Zachtrigger's Magnet" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States. (Some video games have called this card "Electromagnetic Bagworm".)_

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**Chelsea pits her skills against the Lord of the Sea of Infinite Tears! But despite the upgraded powers of her Deck Lord, she's soon backed into a corner, when she finds that her opponent's strategy turns one of the greatest strengths of Zombie-Type Monsters into a dangerous liability. Can she survive? It's a chapter called "Level Lock", coming soon.**_

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_**Name that Card!**_

_**When Yugi fought Gurimo, he used an anime-only Spell called "Magical Academy" to summon "Dark Magician Girl" and raise her Level high enough for her to use "Diffusion-Wave Motion". If you want her to use "Diffusion-Wave Motion" in the actual game, a Spell Card has recently been released in the OCG that will let her do just that. Can you name it?**_


	18. Level Lock

_**What Spell Card would enable "Dark Magician Girl" to use "Diffusion-Wave Motion"? If you said "Synchro Hero", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

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_**His name was Adrian Rudolph Krump III. Just being given a name like that would have given me a sour outlook towards the world.**_

_**His story – IF you choose to believe it, because it was related entirely by him, and was subject to his biased interpretation of the facts – seemed tragic at first. His parents were neglectful and unloving, and never had any time for him. He spent most of his free time amusing himself by counting things. It benefited him in the long run, because he soon became a genius at mathematics.**_

_**One day, while counting books on the shelf, he found a book on Antarctic wildlife. He was amazed at what he read about penguins. How a male and female mated for life, and how the male cared for the young just as much as his mate did. They had a family unit he never had, one he longed to have.**_

_**When he grew up, he moved up the ranks until he became chief of accounting at KaibaCorp, and one of the Big Five. He had an idea that would make his ultimate dream a reality, and one that he thought would be incredibly profitable – a penguin theme park. But Seto Kaiba shot the idea down, saying that KaibaCorp wasn't in the business of building petting zoos.**_

_**On a small level then, you might, just might, say that Krump's anger towards Kaiba was somewhat justified…**_

_**But no matter how he was wronged, it didn't give him the right to terrorize Yumi's grandmother and her allies and try to kill them. And it certainly doesn't give him the right to do what he's doing now.**_

_**It's time to ground this bird… It's time to duel…**_

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**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

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**Level Lock**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The anchor of _The Sea Angel_ dropped, and the gangplank lowered.

"You folks want me to come with you?" said Mako. "I really don't see how it could hurt this time. After all, if you guys can't take this guy out, I don't know who can."

Yumi paused for a minute.

"You realize, Mako," she said, "if you're captured, we'll have to find a way to pilot the boat back ourselves."

"Eh, don't worry," said Mako. "Worst case scenario, you can hit the button for autopilot, and it should make a beeline back to Rye if there are no problems."

"And if there ARE problems?" asked Sam. "Like there were several times on the way here?"

"We'll just have to take out the Lord," said Chelsea. "Let's go…"

They walked onto the icy shore, and up a path that led to the gates of the castle. Flanking the entrance were two large crystal statues of penguins.

"I think we can safely say who the Realm Lord is now…" said Erik.

Everyone nodded.

"Stop right there!" shouted a voice.

Standing at the gate was a young girl in a blue dress and skirt, with gossamer sleeves. She had bare feet, bangles on her wrists and ankles, and her blue hair was tied in braids. She had a Duel Disk on her arm.

"Aquarian Alessa?" said Mako.

"That's far enough!" said the Duel Spirit, as her Disk activated.

"Folks…" said Mako. "I'll deal with this guppy… You get in there and take down the big fish."

"Right!" said Chelsea.

The five of them rushed past the Aqua. She tried to take a swing at them with her Disk, but she missed.

"Hey!" shouted Mako, as her Disk activated. "Leave those shrimps alone and come get the cod platter!"

He activated his Disk. Alessa turned to face him. She activated her own…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"You think Mako was serious when he just called us shrimps?" asked Ren.

"I doubt it," said Chelsea. "He was just trying to provoke her. At least, I hope so…"

They were walking down a long hallway, which seemed to be constructed entirely of unhewn stone blocks, covered with frost. They had no idea where the light was coming from.

Eventually, they walked into a huge, icy chamber. It brought to mind a medieval banquet hall, made of both stone and wood, with frost covering most spots. A fire pit was in the center, under a ventilation hole in the ceiling, but its coals were cold.

"Look!" shouted Chelsea.

Flanking each corner was a large block of ice… And sealed inside the four blocks were duelists, two boys and two girls. It was hard to tell if they were alive or dead from the look of them at this point.

"Joan's duelists…" muttered Yumi. "No doubt about it… Krump did this… My grandmother told me what he was going to do to her if she lost."

"Sam," said Ren. "You can create ice… Can you melt it?"

Sam looked at the frozen duelists and held her chin.

"Uhm… no," she said. "In fact, I think this may be the type of enchanted ice that doesn't melt. He must have put them here without the intention to release them."

"And it sickens me!" shouted Chelsea. "Krump! Where are you? Show yourself!"

"I've been here the whole time, Chelsea," said a gruff voice.

Like a mirage, an odd Duel Spirit appeared in front of them. He was short, less than five feet tall, and was clearly a penguin, dressed in a formal tuxedo and a top hat. He held an open umbrella in front of himself.

"Stand back, Chelsea!" shouted Ren. "A penguin with an umbrella is always trouble!"

Krump chuckled, and closed the bumbershoot.

"I daresay you've read too many comic books," he said. "Those things rot your brain, if you ask me…"

"Still have the fixation with penguins, huh Krump?" said Yumi.

"It's not a fixation," said Krump. "It's a simple admiration. As you can see, I still favor the old Nightmare Penguin. A flightless bird, but one with style."

"And cold," said Ren. "It's freezing in here! To think I thought MY parents were stingy with the thermostat…"

"Oh, you're cold?" asked Krump. "Well, why don't I warm things up…"

He pointed the umbrella, and a stream of flame shot from the tip. Fortunately for Ren, he was half-expecting it, and dodged out of the way.

"I never said it _wasn't_ a weapon!" said Krump with a laugh. "You folks had best keep your distance…"

"You know, Krump," said Yumi, "I don't find you the least bit amusing. I'm gonna take you down just like I took down Gansley."

"Forget it," said Krump. "Gansley challenged you, Yumi, because he was stupid. Not smart, like me. I know enough not to take on someone I can't beat. And I _really_ don't want to see that broad of a Spellcaster of yours again."

"Somebody hold me back!" shouted Yumi.

"Easy…" said Sam, as she gently restrained her.

_Besides,_ thought Krump, _since the Key is clearly NOT in Yumi's head, dueling her would be a colossal waste of time. But I'm not about to tell her that._

"Yeah, that's why you forced her grandmother to duel you," said Chelsea. "You figured she didn't stand a chance. And she beat you anyway."

"Hey!" shouted Krump. "I would have won if her meddling boyfriend hadn't helped her!

"Oh yes, that's right Yumi! I figured out where the Dark Magician came from! I'm no idiot!"

Chelsea closed her eyes. She stepped forward.

"Then I'll duel you," she said. "With no help from anyone, and I'll still beat you. You and your Monsters are nothing more than a bunch of dumb-looking birds that can't fly and wear tuxedos!"

Krump frowned.

"Well, fine…" he said.

_I'll show her dumb-looking…_ he thought. _I have much more than just penguins now…_

The umbrella opened, and then started to fold, and change shape. It attached to his left flipper, forming into a strange-looking Disk that appeared to have umbrella spokes for the tray. A deck appeared in the holder.

"Now, bring out your Deck Lord."

In an explosion of dark energy, Vampire Genesis appeared behind Chelsea.

"Ah, it's good to be back," he said.

"Ready to try out that new power we agreed on?" asked Chelsea.

"More than ready," replied the Zombie.

"Certainly impressive," said Krump. "As you can see, I've taken the form of Nightmare Penguin, so I'm my own Deck Lord."

"Duh," said Chelsea.

The two Disks activated.

"Game on!" they both shouted.

**(Chelsea: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Krump: 8,000)**

"I'll start this show," said Krump, drawing a card.

He added it to his hand and looked over his six cards. Chelsea raised an eyebrow. She wasn't really sure how he managed to draw OR hold his cards, seeing as his hands were flippers.

"This will do to start," said Krump, placing a card on his Disk. "I summon Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness."

A column of water shot up in front of him, and a tall fish-man with a blue exoskeleton holding a spear with a crescent head appeared from out of it.

"By the way, you might be interested in knowing… One of my Deck Lord abilities is exactly the same as my old Deckmaster ability. Any Water Monster on my side of the field gains 200 Attack Points."

Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness glowed with green energy. (1,800/1,500) –) (2,000/1,500)

"Anywhoo, to keep you guessing, I'll set these facedown, and end my turn."

He placed three cards into his Disk, and three facedown cards appeared.

_Strange,_ thought Yumi. _Technically, that isn't Giant Red Seasnake, but its stats are almost identical. He's starting the duel with practically the same opening move…_

_Fortunately, I doubt Chelsea will do the same…_

"My move…" said Chelsea, drawing a card.

_All right!_ she thought, looking at her six cards. _I couldn't have asked for a better opening hand!_

"First I play… Call of the Mummy," she said, as the Continuous Spell Card appeared. "Now, so long as I have no Monsters on the field, I get to Special Summon a Zombie from my hand once per round.

"And I'm gonna use that effect to summon Lich Lord, King of the Underworld."

In a burst of dark shadow, the undead sorcerer in his crimson robes and hood appeared. (2,400/1,200)

"Say what?" said Krump.

"Next…" said Chelsea, "I Normal Summon Zombie Master!"

With a moan, a new Zombie burst out of the floor. It had pale, white skin, glowing eyes, and was dressed in a tattered vest and trousers. (1,800/0)

"Now, I activate Zombie Master's effect. By tossing one Monster from my hand, I can Special Summon a Level Four or lower Zombie from either Graveyard."

She discarded a card.

"Hold on!" shouted Krump. "They're _aren't_ any Zombies in _either_ Graveyard!"

"I beg to differ!" said Chelsea. "There's the one I just tossed to activate the effect."

Zombie Master raised his arms, and lightning flashed from them. Vampire Lady appeared next to him, and gave a sly smile. (1,550/1,550)

"Uh oh…" said Krump.

"Lich Lord, wipe out his Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness with cursed magic!"

Lich Lord aimed his staff, and fired burning bolts of magic, blowing the Sea Serpent to particles.

"Zombie Master, direct attack! Wrath of the Undead!"

Zombie Master threw up his arms, and shot lightning bolts from them. Krump squawked, and fell on his behind.

"I'm not through!" said Chelsea. "Vampire Lady…"

Vampire Lady gave a look of disgust. Nonetheless, she flew at the Nightmare Penguin, and slashed at him with her claw. Krump groaned.

**(C: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 4,250)**

"Oh, my achin' noggin…" muttered Krump.

"Looks like she couldn't stomach the thought of using her fangs on you," said Chelsea. "I don't blame her. But her effect still activates. I declare Spell Card."

"Okay, fine!" said Krump with a scowl, taking a card from his deck.

He discarded a copy of Cost Down.

"Are you done?"

"Almost," said Chelsea. "I play a facedown, and then activate Mirage of Nightmare."

She played her last two cards, and the facedown card and her Mirage card appeared.

"Seems you're pretty tough," muttered Krump.

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!" laughed Chelsea.

"Yeah?" said Krump, drawing a card. "Well, I float like a loan and sting like an audit!"

"Is this guy for real?" said Ren.

"Aw, forget it," said Krump. "That was an accountant joke…

"Eh, the guys I went to school with thought it was hilarious…"

"Don't forget, I get to draw four cards now," said Chelsea, as she quickly whipped four cards off her deck.

"And now… Mystical Space Typhoon!"

Her facedown card lifted, and the cyclone blasted the Mirage card to pieces.

"Whoa," said Ren. "Guess she didn't have Emergency Provisions that time."

"And as for jokes," muttered Chelsea, looking them over. "Don't quit your day job…"

"I don't intend to!" shouted Krump. "And I have some cards of my own to play, if you don't mind… And you're gonna regret using up that Quickplay."

One of his facedown cards lifted.

"I activate Fruits of Kozaky's Study," he said. "This lets me look at the top three cards on my deck, and rearrange them any way I want."

Three cards floated off of his deck and hovered in front of him. He grinned, pointed, and one of them changed position. Then they floated back to his deck.

"Next up, I activate Simultaneous Loss."

His second facedown card lifted.

"Now, both players send the top card on their decks to the Graveyard."

Chelsea took the top card from her deck and looked at it. She discarded it, as Krump did the same.

_How is this helping him?_ she thought.

"Now," he continued, playing a card from his hand, "I play Pot of Greed."

He drew two cards.

"Next… Call of the Haunted!"

His last facedown card lifted.

"That's what he was doing!" shouted Sam. "He sent a Monster to his Graveyard with Simultaneous Loss so he could Special Summon it."

The Monster that appeared was a very large fish with beady eyes, a mouth that seemed to take up half of its body, and very long teeth. (1,500/1,600) –) (1,700/1,600)

"Meet my Unshaven Angler," said Krump with a chuckle. "And now I activate its effect…"

He took a card from his hand.

"If I sacrifice it to summon a Water Monster, it can count as two sacrifices. So… I sacrifice Unshaven Angler…"

The ugly fish vanished…

"…to summon… Gogiga Gagagigo!"

With an incredible roar, a titanic form rose on Krump's side of the field. It was a gigantic lizard-man, twenty feet tall and muscular, with red scales, armor, and spikes protruding from every joint. (2,950/2,800) –) (3,150/2,800)

"Guys…" muttered Sam. "I… uhm… I think Chelsea is in trouble…"

"More trouble than you could imagine!" shouted Krump. "Attack her Lich Lord, mighty Gogiga!"

Gogiga Gagagigo lumbered forward, and flattened Lich Lord with one mighty smash.

"ERGH!" grunted Chelsea.

**(C: 7,250) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 4,250)**

Krump took a card from his hand.

"Before we continue, Chelsea," he said, "I have a question for you…"

"What?" shouted Chelsea, now annoyed.

"How much do you think the gross bi-weekly salary of my old boss Gozaburo was?"

Chelsea looked at him.

"Uh…" she muttered. "It must have been a lot… It must have been hundreds of millions of yen…"

"Well, you're absolutely wrong," said Krump. "You see, as CEO of KaibaCorp, Gozaburo was in charge of all the salaries for executives, including his own. Within reason, he could make his salary as big as he pleased. On the other hand, he could make his salary as _small _as he pleased.

"So, the bi-weekly salary that he paid himself was… one yen."

Everyone stared at him.

"WHY?" shouted Chelsea. "That doesn't make sense! He was one of the richest men in Japan! One yen… That's not even enough for a ball of gum!"

"Well, you see Chelsea," said Krump, "his personal fortune came from many sources… stock returns, profit shares, annuities, investments…"

"…deals with the mob too, most likely," added Yumi.

"You didn't hear that from me, but yeah, probably," said Krump. "The important thing is, he had many ways to make money. And he didn't need money for most things anyway. Arrangements with companies that he owned shares of – which was almost every company in Domino and several in other cities – handled anything he needed to pay for.

"The reason he made it so his actual salary was so small, was because your salary is what the government pays the most attention to when it's time for you to pay taxes. Other means of income aren't taxed as much. He'd have had to give about seventy-five percent of his salary to the government, since he was in such a high tax bracket. But with such a low salary, he didn't pay nearly as much taxes as a man with his amount of wealth normally would have."

"Hold on!" shouted Sam. "Mom told me about that little trick… Lots of CEOs of big companies do it in order to pay less on tax day… And the worst part is, it's completely legal! The government can't force a CEO to give himself a big salary just so they can tax it!"

"That's terrible!" shouted Chelsea.

"Oh, come on," said Krump, rolling his eyes. "Could you blame him? Who likes paying taxes? No-one, that's who. You'd understand if you had to pay them. If you ever leave Xanadu, you WILL understand when you DO eventually have to pay them. Take it from a professional accountant, even if you get a refund, filing a tax form is a big headache!

"Better I end it for you here when you're so young, yes?"

"Keep dreaming," said Chelsea. "Your big, ugly Reptile is strong, but it isn't indestructible."

"We'll see," said Krump. "Because you're gonna understand now…"

He placed the Spell Card he was holding into his Disk.

"I play Level Tax."

The card had an odd picture. It was a balance, with a fluffy cloud with feathered wings on one tray, and a dark cloud with batlike wings on the other.

"Huh?" said Chelsea. "Level Tax?"

"I'll explain," said Krump. "So long as this Spell Card is on the field, if either of us summons a Monster that's Level Five or higher, we lose Life Points equal to that Monster's Attack Score."

"Clever…" said Chelsea, with a scowl. "You waited to play that until _after_ you summoned your big bruiser."

"Well I don't like paying taxes either," said Krump. "Those are the breaks…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Back at the castle entrance, Mako seemed to have the advantage. He had Amphibian Beast (2,400/2,300), and a tall, lanky, faceless creature that was covered with an exoskeleton made of clam and oyster shells. (1,600/200) He had 5,000 Life Points remaining. Alessa had a facedown card and 3,000 Life Points remaining.

The Duel Spirit drew a card.

"You're finished, Tsunami!" she laughed.

She played a Spell Card, revealing Premature Burial.

"I bring back one of my three T.A.D.P.O.L.E.s," she said.

In a burst of energy, a small Monster that resembled… a tadpole appeared in front of her. (0/0)

"Now, I sacrifice it, to summon Des Frog!"

The T.A.D.P.O.L.E. vanished, and a very large frog appeared on the field. It let out a loud croak.

"When Des Frog is summoned, I get to bring out another Des Frog for each T.A.D.P.O.L.E. in my Graveyard…"

In two bursts of energy, two more Des Frogs appeared. (1,900/0 x3)

"And then you play Des Croaking…" muttered Mako, with sweat falling down his face.

"You're smart," said Alessa, taking a card from her hand.

The three frogs let out a mighty croak, and Mako's two Monsters were blown to pieces.

"I'm not finished yet!" shouted Mako. "You destroyed my Oystermeister. And when it's destroyed outside of battle, it leaves behind an Oyster Token."

A large oyster appeared in front of him, in Defense Mode. (0/0)

Alessa frowned.

"You are one lucky son of a bitch," she said.

The Des Frog in the middle flicked its long tongue out and swallowed the Token in one gulp.

"You other two, attack him directly!" she shouted. "Resounding ribbit!"

Mako staggered under two loud waves of sound, as his Life Points plummeted to 1,200.

"Frogs, huh?" he muttered. "Too bad we don't have any garlic and hollandaise sauce…"

"You won't last much longer," said the Duel Spirit. "I'll end with this."

A facedown card appeared behind the three Frogs.

"Make your move…"

Mako frowned as he drew a card.

"First I play a facedown," he said, as a facedown card appeared. "Then I summon Ocean's Keeper."

The small fish-man holding a trident appeared. (1,500/1,200)

"Now I'll use this little fish as bait, to Special Summon my Cranium Fish!"

Ocean's Keeper vanished, and a much larger Fish appeared. It was chubby, with blue fins, and had a very large, exposed brain. (2,400/1,000)

"Ever hear the expression that fish is brain food?" asked Mako. "It's certainly true with this fish.

"Attack the Des Frog in the middle with psionic sea current!"

Cranium Fish blasted a bolt of mental energy from its forehead, and the central Des Frog exploded into shards. Alessa cringed.

"If you're quite done, it's my move!" she shouted.

She drew a card.

"And you lose!" she said with a laugh. "I just drew my second Des Croaking! And I activate Call of the Haunted to bring back the Frog you just destroyed."

Her facedown card lifted, and the Des Frog returned. (1,900/0)

"I was hoping you'd do that…" said Mako.

"Huh?" said Alessa.

Mako's own facedown card flipped up.

"No…" said Alessa.

"Torrential Tribute!" shouted Mako.

A wave of water crashed onto the field, swamping it and knocking Alessa over, as well as drowning all of the Monsters on the field.

She growled.

"I take it it's my move now…" said Mako, drawing a card.

"And I play Pot of Greed!"

He drew two cards.

"Perfect," he said. "I use two Monsters as bait, to play Fortress Whale's Oath!"

A Great White and a Kairyu-Shin appeared on the field, and then evaporated into grains of light…

The immense form of Fortress Whale loomed over the field. (2,350/2,150)

Alessa shivered in fright as its guns locked onto her…

"Attack…" started Mako.

"NO!" screamed Alessa, falling to her knees. "Mercy, please! If you call off your attack, I'll tell you why Krump is really dueling your friend!"

Mako raised an eyebrow.

"Start taking," he said, reaching into his pocket.

He pulled out one of Joan's feathers.

"And you'd best take this… I have a feeling that Daala might interrupt this conversation if you don't…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"So…" said Krump, "my Gogiga has 3,150 Attack Points. There are only a select few Monsters in the game that can beat that, and with my Level Tax in play, summoning any that would fit the bill is going to cost you…

"And furthermore… Huh?"

He noticed that something was looking over his shoulder.

He turned, and saw a Mokey Mokey hovering there, peeking at his cards.

"What the…" he said. "Scram! Get lost! Shoo!"

He swatted with his flipper, and the small Fairy flew away.

"Can you believe it?" he muttered. "Most people get mice. I get Mokey Mokeys!"

"Are you going to finish your turn sometime before the next ice age?" asked Chelsea.

"Yeah, I'm done…" said Krump.

He looked up at an alcove behind Chelsea.

_Have to prolong this duel until the light turns green,_ he thought. _Shouldn't take much longer than a few more minutes._

Chelsea drew a card.

"I play my own Pot of Greed," she said.

She played the card, and then drew two cards.

_Nuts!_ she thought, looking at her hand. _I have nothing that even comes close to being able to beat that thing!_

_Not even Vampire Genesis could do it… And if I summoned him, it would cost me half my Life Points… Plus 3,000 more from that Spell Card, damn it!_

She took a card from her hand.

"I discard a Zombie Werewolf to use Zombie Master's effect," she said.

She discarded the card, and then Zombie Werewolf appeared, kneeling in Defense Mode. (1,200/1,200)

"Next, I set a Monster in Defense Mode…"

A facedown Monster appeared.

"Then I move my other two other Monsters to Defense Mode too."

Vampire Lady and Zombie Master knelt and shielded themselves.

"That's all I can do," she said.

"Heh," said Krump. "Moving Zombie Master to defense… As if he had any…"

He drew a card.

_Perfect…_ he thought.

"I'll start by playing a facedown," he said, as a facedown card appeared.

"Then, I summon Flying Penguin."

As he played the card, a large penguin with large ears that looked like wings appeared on his side of the field. (1,200/1,000) –) (1,400/1,000)

"He's not very strong, but I can boost his strength with this… The Equip Spell, Penguin Sword."

He played the card, and a long, steel sword glowing with blue energy appeared in Flying Penguin's hand. (2,200/1,000)

"All right… Flying Penguin, attack the Zombie Master!"

Flying Penguin slashed down with his blade, and a chilling blast shot forward, blowing Zombie Master to shards.

"Gogiga, crush the Vampire Lady!"

Gogiga Gagagigo lunged with its huge claw, and smashed Vampire Lady flat.

"I activate my own Deck Lord ability!" shouted Chelsea. "I toss one card, and I can bring my vampire back in Defense Mode."

She discarded her Interdimensional Matter Transporter, and Vampire Genesis glowed. Vampire Lady appeared again on the field, in Defense Mode.

"In that case," said Krump, "I end my turn."

Chelsea quickly drew a card.

_Yes!_ she thought. _I drew Red Ghost Moon!_

She placed it in her Disk and it appeared facedown.

"I set a new Monster in Defense Mode," she said.

A facedown Monster appeared.

"Now, I move Zombie Werewolf to Attack Mode."

Zombie Werewolf stood up.

"Eh?" said Krump.

"Go!" she shouted. "Attack his Flying Penguin!"

Zombie Werewolf flew at the waterfowl, and it slashed with its sword. The Werewolf blew into pixels.

"Talk about a dumb move," said Krump.

"Oh yeah?" said Chelsea. "When Zombie Werewolf bites the dust, I get to summon another one, with 500 more Attack Points."

A second Werewolf appeared. (1,700/1,200)

"And now it's gonna attack too."

The Werewolf lunged at Flying Penguin, and again, it was cut down.

A third Werewolf appeared. (2,200/1,200)

Chelsea pointed, and the third Werewolf leapt at the Penguin. This time, both Monsters exploded.

"I end my turn," said Chelsea.

**(C: 5,750) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 4,250)**

"We'll see who has the last laugh," said Krump, drawing a card. "You wasted three Monsters to take out one of mine, and I can easily replace it with a better one!"

He chuckled when he saw what the card was.

"I use my second Deck Lord ability," he said. "I can Special Summon a Water Monster from my Graveyard once per turn, so long as it's Level Four or less and I don't make any other summons this turn. You remember my Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness, right?"

The aquatic ocean dweller appeared again. (1,800/1,500) –) (2,000/1,500)

"See? Your Werewolf was wasted.

"Now, I'll make my Monsters even stronger! I play the Field Spell, Umiiruka!"

He opened his Field slot and fit the card, and the whole chamber changed. It seemed like they were transported into the midst of a frozen sea, with ice floes and icebergs surrounding them. Krump and Chelsea were now facing each other from icy platforms with an expanse of water between them. A chilling wind rushed through all the humans present.

"Great…" muttered Sam. "Now he takes us to the middle of the Arctic…"

"Where did you learn marine biology?" asked Krump. "Everyone knows that there are no penguins in the Arctic. They're native to the Antarctic.

"But whatever the case, this Field increases the Attack Scores of all Water Monsters by 500, in exchange for 400 Defense Points."

Gogiga Gagagigo rose to (3,650/2,400), while Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness rose to (2,500/1,100)

"Gogiga, attack the facedown Monster on the left!" he shouted.

Gogiga lumbered forward again.

"I activate… Red Ghost Moon!" shouted Chelsea, as her facedown card lifted up.

She discarded Vampire Lord from her hand.

"This Trap Card stops your attack, ends the Battle Phase, and adds Gogiga's Attack Score to my Life Points!"

"Or so you'd like to believe," said Krump. "I have a Trap Card too…"

His own facedown card lifted.

"Glory Level Talisman. And I'll Equip it to my Monster."

A necklace of cloves appeared around the huge Reptile's neck. The Red Ghost Moon card shattered, and Gogiga's claw flew towards the facedown Monster, crushing Chelsea's second Vampire Lady with one smash.

"With this Trap Card in play," said Krump, "my Monster can't be targeted by card effects unless you have a Monster that's a higher Level than he is, nor can he be attacked by Monsters of lower Levels.

"And I'm not done. Warrior of Darkness, attack the other facedown Monster!"

The Sea Serpent flew towards the facedown card, spearing Soul-Absorbing Bone Tower and blowing it to pieces.

"That's all for my turn," said Krump.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Mako certainly hadn't been expecting to take a prisoner. And restraining a Duel Spirit was harder than restraining most creatures. You needed a special device. _The Sea Angel_ had one such device, and he hoped he had set it right to hold the Aqua. He was in a hurry.

Right now, he was rushing past the front gateway of the castle to get to his allies.

He stopped short.

Standing in front of him was a new enemy. It was a tall, amphibian creature with rubbery limbs, a ducklike bill, and long, tangled, purple hair.

"A Psychic Kappa?" said Mako.

The Kappa activated a Disk on its arm.

"Duel…" it said, in a wet, gurgling voice.

Mako sighed as his own Disk activated. He had a feeling that this one wouldn't surrender as easily as Alessa…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Weather's a little nippy, isn't it?" said Krump, with a laugh.

"Just keep yapping, Krump," said Chelsea, shivering.

She drew a card.

"I set a new Monster in Defense Mode, and that will be all…"

A new defensive Monster appeared.

Krump drew a card.

"Heh, heh…" he chuckled. "Defending isn't going to help you anymore. I summon Penguin Torpedo."

He played the card, and a new creature fell into the water in front of him. It was basically a torpedo shaped like a penguin – or a penguin shaped like a torpedo. It was hard to tell. (550/300) –) (1,250/0)

"This little guy is a real _blast_!" he laughed. "Especially because he's able to attack directly!"

Penguin Torpedo shot at Chelsea like a missile, and exploded on impact. She screamed.

"Now to take care of your Monsters," he said. "Warrior of Darkness, attack Vampire Lady."

The Sea Serpent drove his spear through Vampire Lady's heart, and she exploded into particles.

Gogiga Gagagigo's giant claw crashed down. Pyramid Turtle appeared on the card and was crushed.

"I activate its effect!" shouted Chelsea. "I get to Special Summon a Zombie with 2,000 or less Defense Points. So I'll summon my second Pyramid Turtle!"

Another Pyramid Turtle appeared in Defense Mode. (1,200/1,400)

"Humph, so you can," said Krump. "That's all I can do."

**(C: 4,500) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 4,250)**

_Come on deck, give me some love here…_ she thought.

She drew a card. She looked at it.

"I… I have to pass…" she said, nervously.

Krump chuckled as he drew a card.

_I'll save this for later,_ he thought.

"Think I'll use my Deck Lord ability again," he said. "I'll bring back my little friend Penguin Torpedo."

Penguin Torpedo reappeared again from under the sea. (550/300) –) (1,250/0)

It shot at Chelsea and exploded against her again. She screamed and fell over.

"Now to finish off your Monsters. Get 'im…"

Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness made a downward thrust at Pyramid Turtle, and it burst into an explosion of sand.

"I activate its effect again!" shouted Chelsea.

A second Zombie Master appeared, crouching in Defense Mode. (1,800/0)

Gogiga's claw crashed down, crushing it.

"Heh, heh," said Krump. "Your move…"

He looked up, and saw that the light had just turned green.

_And the scan is finished,_ he thought._ Just in time… Now I can end this at my leisure._

**(C: 3,250) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 4,250)**

Chelsea looked at her deck.

_If my next draw isn't a winner,_ she thought, _I'm gonna be a big loser… That thing will be able to attack ME next round… But it's not gonna be easy… I'm running out of Monsters!_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Mako was not having a very good time.

He had Mermaid Knight on the field in Defense Mode (1,500/700) and a facedown Monster, one facedown card, and 2,500 Life Points remaining.

The reason his Mermaid was in Defense Mode, was because she couldn't attack, due to a Trap Card that his opponent had called Gravity Gain, which prevented all Level Four and lower Monsters from attacking. The Kappa also had three Devil's Slime Molds, strange and mysterious creatures that looked like demons made of thick liquid. (500/500 x3) It had 3,500 Life Points remaining.

"Me draw now," said the Psychic Kappa, drawing a card. "And me sacrifice one Devil's Slime Mold to keep Trap Card."

One Slime Mold vanished.

"Now, sacrifice other one… summon Terrorking Salmon."

It played the card, and another Slime Mold vanished. The Monster that appeared looked like a salmon the size of a shark, with huge teeth. (2,400/1,000)

"Now, my Monster attacks your Monster. It destroys your Monster!"

Terrorking Salmon flew at Mermaid Knight. She screamed before it swallowed her in one gulp. Mako scowled.

"I no go no more," said the Kappa. "You go now."

"You're just making me angrier," said Mako, drawing a card.

"I flip my facedown Monster to Attack Mode!" he shouted. "Meet Eria the Water Charmer!"

The card flipped up, and a young girl appeared, with long blue hair, dressed in a jacket and skirt, holding a staff with a blue gem at the tip. A small, cute reptile was perched on her shoulder. (500/1,500)

"As the uncontested master of all things Water, such Monsters obey Eria without question," said Mako. "That includes your Salmon!"

Eria aimed her staff, and her eyes glowed with blue light. Terrorking Salmon's eyes glazed over, and it was pulled over to Mako's side up the field.

"Now I activate… Call of the Haunted!"

His facedown card lifted, and Mermaid Knight rose up from the floor. (1,500/700)

"Terrorking Salmon is only Monster who can attack," said the Kappa. "And when your turn ends, me get Monster back."

"Oh?" said Mako. "I play Fortress Whale Oath! And I sacrifice my Mermaid Knight and your Terrorking Salmon, to summon Fortress Whale!"

The two Monsters vanished, and the giant whale loomed over Mako. (2,350/2,150)

"Finally…" said Mako. "I sacrifice Eria to summon Amphibian Beast!"

The Water Charmer vanished into a pool of water, and the savage frog-man burst out of the pool. (2,400/2,000)

"Attack his last Devil's Slime Mold with sea claw!" shouted Mako.

Amphibian Beast leapt at the Mold, and with one slash of a claw, it splattered. The Duel Spirit cringed.

"Now, attack him directly!" he commanded. "Cape Horn Cannons!"

Fortress Whale opened fire, and the Aqua screamed.

It collapsed and vanished into grains of light.

Mako's two Monsters vanished. He ran down the hallway to find his allies like he had before.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Chelsea drew a card.

"All right, Krump…" she said. "I play… Graceful Charity!"

She played the card, and the angel of charity appeared. She quickly drew three cards.

She looked over the five cards in her hand. She thought for a minute, and then discarded Ryu-Kokki and Zombie Bed.

_What to do?_ she thought. _I still have nothing…_

"Chelsea," said Vampire Genesis's voice behind her, "there is a way… I think the time is just about right now…"

Chelsea paused.

Then she grinned.

"Yeah!" she shouted.

"I'm activating my second Deck Lord effect," she said, "which I got courtesy of someone named Tara.

"I have to remove two Zombies in my Graveyard from play," she said, as both Pyramid Turtles slipped out of her discard slot.

She pocketed them.

"And in return, I get to Special Summon another Zombie from it."

"Big deal!" laughed Krump. "There's no-one in there that can help you…"

"Want a bet?" asked Chelsea. "Come on out, Penelope, the Lady of the Night!"

In a flash of light, a radiant form appeared on the field. It was a lady vampire, but one that glowed with holy light. She had long, black, billowing hair, milky-white skin, and sky-blue eyes. She wore a long, white dress, with a golden cross around her neck. She held a golden scepter that was topped with a crescent moon with a red orb inside. (1,000/200)

"What?" shouted Krump. "I never sent HER to your Graveyard!"

"Yes you did," said Chelsea. "Remember something called Simultaneous Loss?"

Krump was about to say something, but stopped short.

"Of course, Penelope is Level Seven, so I lose 1,000 Life Points from your Tax," said Chelsea, as she glowed with red energy. "But it's worth every one, because her first effect wipes out every Spell and Trap Card on the field."

Krump screamed as both Level Tax and Glory Level Talisman were blown to bits. Then the icebergs of Umiiruka shattered, and the whole ocean receded. Gogiga Gagagigo fell to stats of (3,150/2,800), and Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness fell to (2,000/1,500).

"Looks like your whole strategy just went down the drain," continued Chelsea. "And there's more, Krump. For each Zombie remaining in my Graveyard, Penelope gains 400 more Attack Points. Since you did such a good job of smashing them, I have eleven Zombies in my Graveyard right now…"

Penelope glowed with energy… (5,400/200)

"Argh!" shouted Krump.

"…but I'm going to lessen that by one. Since your Level Tax is gone, I'm going to Special Summon Lich Lord back by playing Book of Life."

She played the card, and Lich Lord appeared on the field again. (2,400/1,200) Penelope's Attack Score fell slightly, to 5,000.

"And I'm using Book of Life's second effect to get rid of that annoying Penguin Torpedo."

Penguin Torpedo slipped out of Krump's discard slot.

"Penelope, attack Gogiga Gagagigo with light of vengeance!"

The Lady of the Night leapt up, and her staff glowed with energy. Everyone cheered as she blasted a beam of pure light, and the giant toppled. It fell over, and shattered into pixels.

"Lich Lord, destroy his Sea Serpent!" shouted Chelsea.

Lich Lord blasted his black magic, and Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness was blown to pieces.

"Man, I just got a serious case of déjà vu there," said Ren.

"Next, I'm going to pad my points. I play Mystik Wok, to sacrifice my Lich Lord."

The huge wok appeared behind her, and Lich Lord vanished into a dark shadow as Chelsea glowed with energy.

"By the way Krump, Lich Lord has a special ability. When I sacrifice him using a card effect, like I just did using Mystik Wok, he doesn't go to the Graveyard, he goes to my hand."

She turned one of the two cards in her hand around to show him, and it was clearly Lich Lord.

She placed the other card in her Disk.

"I set this facedown, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared behind Penelope.

**(C: 4,650) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 2,200)**

_I gotta do something!_ thought Krump. _Daala was mad enough that she lost Tzimisce… If she loses the Sea of Infinite Tears too…_

He drew a card.

_Maybe… Maybe I can stall for at least one more round…_

"I use my Deck Lord effect again," he said.

Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness appeared again, this time crouching in Defense Mode. (1,800/1,500) –) (2,000/1,500)

"And I'll set this facedown too…"

He played another card, and a facedown card appeared.

"My move!" shouted Chelsea, drawing a card.

_Perfect,_ she thought, looking at it.

"I play Premature Burial," she said, playing the card.

With a howl, Zombie Werewolf appeared again. (1,200/1,200)

"Now I sacrifice him for… You guessed it…"

Zombie Werewolf vanished, and Lich Lord appeared once again. (2,400/1,200)

"Lich Lord, destroy his Sea Serpent again!"

Lich Lord cast his cursed magic, and Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness exploded for the third time.

"I activate my Spell Card!" shouted Krump, as his facedown Quickplay Spell lifted up. "Revenge Sacrifice! This card lets me sacrifice the Monster that just destroyed mine to Special Summon another one!"

Lich Lord vanished into pixels. Then another colossal creature appeared in front of Krump. It looked like a gigantic statue made entirely of ice. It crossed its arms in Defense Mode. (0/2,450)

"Meet my Defender Iceberg," chuckled Krump. "Looks like I'll last at least one more round… Especially because I clearly remember you saying that when Lich Lord is sacrificed with a card effect, it goes back to your hand."

Chelsea looked, and Lich Lord's card was clearly back in her hand.

"You couldn't be more wrong," she said, with a sinister grin.

Her own facedown card lifted.

"I activate Call of the Haunted!"

Penelope's Attack Score fell to 4,600, as a huge ogre made entirely of bones and skulls appeared on the field. (2,400/1,000)

"Meet Ryu Kokki," she said. "And my Battle Phase continues…

"Penelope, lets make cocktail ice for a hundred."

Penelope nodded to her. She cast her mighty spell, and it blasted right through Defender Iceberg, causing the whole sculpture to tumble into a pile of broken ice.

"Ryu Kokki… Finish him off! Bone basher!"

"This can't be happening!" shouted Krump, tugging on his tie. "I must have… added wrong…"

The Bone Dragon Ogre punched Krump hard, and he screamed…

**(C: 3,850) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 0)**

When Chelsea looked again, only one thing remained of Krump… His hat.

"Be careful, Chelsea," said Ren.

Chelsea walked over towards the hat, but before she could pick it up, it vanished into grains of light.

Then the four blocks of ice holding the four duelists prisoner shattered, and they fell to the floor, shivering.

Yumi and the others rushed to them.

"Can anyone here start a fire?" shouted Yumi.

At that point, Mako rushed in.

"Is everyone all right?" he asked.

"Yeah," said Yumi, as she held on to one of the duelists. "Krump has been defeated… You can call Joan and tell her that this Realm is secured."

As Mako took out his cell phone, he stopped short.

"Look!" he shouted, pointing towards the other end of the hall.

They didn't notice before, but Vita was there. She had been watching the whole time.

"Stop!" shouted Sam. "Stop right there!"

Vita turned and fled in the other direction.

"Vita!" shouted Yumi. "Don't run! Please!"

But she was gone…

Yumi sighed.

"I'll repeat," she said. "Can anyone make a fire?"

"Fire?" said Chelsea.

A light came on in her head.

She walked over to the fire pit.

She gestured with her hand, and a ball of flame formed in it. She dropped it in the pit, and a bonfire shot up.

Yumi sighed and sat down.

"Another power of the Devil's Fruit reveals itself, and it's pyrotechnics," she said. "Just great…

"Chelsea… Be incredibly careful from now on…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala was reclining on her comfortable couch again. An expression of anger was on her face.

She picked up a slim cigarette. She motioned with her hand, and one of her attendants lit it.

Krump nervously watched as she took a drag on it.

"Well Krump?" she asked. "Do you have the results of the scan?"

"You bet!" said Krump, taking off his hat. "Got them right here…"

He took a small device out of the hat.

"That looks like a calculator," grumbled Skull Knight, who was standing behind Daala.

"Shows how much you know!" shouted Krump. "This is a portable scanning device that can read brainwaves of the subconscious, and find any specific information it's programmed to find, such as the Key we're looking for.

"And _yes_, it's also a calculator."

"Krump!" shouted Daala. "The results! NOW!"

"Yes, milady…" said Krump, punching in some numbers. "And the results are…"

He looked at it.

He gulped. His hand trembled…

"…negative…" he said in a frightened whisper.

The flames around Daala's head burned even fiercer. She stood up and walked towards Krump.

"So…" she muttered, snatching the device. "Chelsea didn't have the Key… Meaning we still don't have the Key… And all it's cost us to look for it so far are two of Xanadu's Realms!"

She closed her hand around the device, crushing it into pieces of broken metal.

"Milady…" said Krump, with a frightened squeak, "I tried my hardest…"

Then Daala crushed out the cigarette on his forehead, and he yelped in pain.

Daala sighed.

"Do you know what Yoda told Luke when Luke said he'd 'try', Krump?" she said.

"Uh, I never got out to movies much…" muttered Krump, rubbing the place where he was burned.

"Try not," quoted Daala. "Do, or do not. There is no try.

"You clearly did not."

She motioned to Skull Knight.

"Take this bird to where Gansley is," she ordered. "See if you can fix him so he'll 'try' harder."

"This way," said Skull Knight, giving Krump a shove.

"Hey!" shouted Krump. "What makes you think you can push me around?"

"Because I'm bigger than you," said Skull Knight.

He gave Krump a very violent push, and Krump fell on his face.

Krump shivered in fear as he got up.

"Uh… Works for me…" he said, in a frightened squeak.

Daala watched as the two of them left. Then she picked up a cell phone. She had a few calls to make.

She dialed a number.

"Yeah, it's me," she said. "Have you found anything yet?"

"Well, milady," said the voice, "we've found a great deal of good stuff… Along with the commons, we've uncovered a Samsara Lotus, one Volcanic Doomfire, one Copycat…"

"Save that one," she said. "I know someone who can use it. Anything else?"

"Uhm, one Des Volstgalph…"

"Save that too," she said. "In fact, put it in a safe box until my messenger comes to get it.

"Anyway, any sign of what you're looking for?"

"Not yet, sorry," was the reply. "But as soon as we detect something of the right Level, Type, and Attribute, we'll work on excavating it double-time."

"See that you do," said Daala.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Joan's orders after she was contacted were to help the freed duelists as much as they could. She was sending another ship piloted by a Kaiser Sea Horse (it made sense that a Duel Spirit whose card could be used to summon Guardian Angel Joan easier would be allied with her) to take the five of them back to Rye. Mako would be in charge of setting up their hold on the Realm from this castle. Joan would send someone to get Alessa later under cover of night (transporting prisoners was easier for the ruler of a country than it was for a rebellion).

In the meantime, Chelsea's newly discovered powers were a godsend, as she was soon able to use them to warm up Krump's prisoners. And Mako was able to make some steaming clam chowder from Krump's supplies.

"You got to be kidding me," said Chelsea. "Krump was scanning my brain?"

"That's what Alessa said," muttered Mako.

"For what?" said Erik. "Was he looking at her cards and cheating?"

"I don't know," said Mako. "Alessa didn't know the reason. Apparently, he was looking for something."

"What I don't get is how Vita could have made it to this island without a ship," said Sam. "She certainly couldn't have swum the whole ocean."

"Hell, for all you know, she can fly," said Ren.

He looked at his chowder.

"We got any crackers?"

"What do you think, Yumi?" said Chelsea.

Yumi shook her head and stared at the fire. She would have loved some marshmallows right now…

"Until we can convince her not to run away," she said, "be on your guard… My family knows more than anyone that even someone who looks harmless can hide an evil mind…"

Then Erik clutched his head again.

"Guys, it's happening again!" said Sam.

They all looked at Erik.

"People, I'm not a news report!" groaned Erik, as he clutched his head.

He concentrated.

"No…" he muttered.

"What did you see?" asked Sam.

"A terrible scene…" said Erik. "A scene from a famine of some sort… Like something from one of those charity documentaries.

"I saw malnourished children… Men so thin they looked like skeletons… People dying from starvation…

"What could it mean?"

Yumi looked at him hard.

"I wish I could answer," she said. "But at this point, it's hard to tell…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**LEVEL TAX (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image:** A balance, with a cloud with a gold lining on one tray, and a dark cloud with fiendish wings on the other.

**Card Description:** When either player Normal Summons, Flip-Summons, or Special Summons a Monster that is Level Five or higher, the Monster's controller receives direct damage to his Life Points equal to that Monster's base ATK.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GLORY LEVEL TALISMAN (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image:** A vampire wearing a garland of cloves.

**Card Description:** When this card is activated, it is treated as an Equip Spell and Equipped to a Level Five or higher Monster on your side of the field. When there is not a face-up Monster with a higher Level than the Equipped Monster on your opponent's side of the field, the Equipped Monster cannot be targeted by Spell Cards, Trap Cards, or Monster effects. When the Equipped Monster is attacked by a Monster that is a lower level than the Equipped Monster, negate the attack and destroy the attacking Monster.

_Note: "Level Tax" and "Glory Level Talisman" were first used by the spirit of Harpie's Brother in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "A New World Order". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

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**PENGUIN SWORD (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image:** A sword blade surrounded by a spiral of water, the top of the spiral resembling the face of an emperor penguin.

**Card Description:** A WATER monster equipped with this card increases its ATK by 800 points.

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**REVENGE SACRIFICE (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** A terrified young woman bound by red cords, fleeing from two ghostly hands.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when one of your Monsters is destroyed as a result of battle. Tribute the Monster that destroyed your Monster and Special Summon a Level Five or Level Six Monster to your side of the field.

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**PENGUIN TORPEDO (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Aqua/Effect  
**Attribute: **Water  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 550  
**DEF:** 300

**Card Description:** This card attacks your opponent's Life Points directly. At the end of the Damage Step after this card engages in battle, destroy this card. This card counts as being destroyed in battle if destroyed by its effect.

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**0**

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**DEFENDER ICEBERG (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Aqua/Effect  
**Attribute: **Water  
**Level:** 5  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 2,450

**Card Description:** When this card is face-up on your side of the field, your opponent cannot designate another Monster on your side of the field as an attack target.

_Note: "Revenge Sacrifice", "Penguin Sword", "Penguin Torpedo", and "Defender Iceberg" were all first used by Krump in the two-part original anime episode "Freeze Play". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

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**PENELOPE, THE LADY OF THE NIGHT (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Zombie/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 1,000  
**DEF:** 200

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. When this card is Special Summoned successfully, destroy all Spell and Trap Cards on the field. Increase the ATK of this card by 400 for every Zombie-Type Monster in your Graveyard.

_Note: "Penelope, the Lady of the Night" first appeared in "Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Messiah"._

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**RED GHOST MOON (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A stone bridge leading up to an ominous, red harvest moon.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when your opponent declares an attack. Discard one Zombie-Type Monster from your hand. Negate the attack, and add the ATK of the attacking Monster to your Life Points. Then, end the current Battle Phase.

_Note: "Red Ghost Moon" was first used by Camula in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Field of Screams (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

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**DEVIL'S SLIME MOLD (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Aqua/Effect  
**Attribute: **Water  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 500  
**DEF:** 500

**Card Description:** When this card is in Attack Position during your Standby Phase, you may pay 500 Life Points to Special Summon one "Devil's Slime Mold" from your hand or deck. A "Devil's Slime Mold" that is Special Summoned by this effect may use its effect during the round it is Special Summoned.

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**GRAVITY GAIN (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image:** Goblin Attack Force struggling under a glowing, crackling orb of energy above them.

**Card Description:** Offer one Monster on your side of the field as a Tribute during each of your Standby Phases. If you do not, this card is destroyed. Monsters that are Level Four and less cannot declare an attack.

_Note: "Devil's Slime Mold" and "Gravity Gain" were first used by the spirit of Guardian Baou in a third season "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

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**OYSTERMEISTER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fish/Effect  
**Attribute: **Water  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 1,600  
**DEF:** 200

**Card Description:** When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard (except as a result of battle), Special Summon one "Oyster Token" (Fish/Water/Level 1/ATK 0/DEF 0) to your side of the field.

_Note: "Oystermeister" was released in "The Duelist Genesis", now available in Japan._

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**Krump's Deck Lord: "Nightmare Penguin":** "Water Boost": All WATER Monsters on your side of the field gain 200 Attack Points. (Intermediate Power) "Water Regeneration": Once per your turn, you may Special Summon from your Graveyard a WATER Monster that is Level Four or less. If you use this effect, you may not Normal Summon, set, or Special Summon any other Monsters in the same turn. (Greater Power).

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**Chelsea's Deck Lord: "Vampire Genesis":** "Vampire Immortality": When a Monster with the word "Vampire" in its name is destroyed as a result of battle, you may discard one card from your hand to Special Summon it from the Graveyard in face-up Defense Position. (Minor Power) "Graveyard Tribute": You may remove two Zombies in your Graveyard from play to Special Summon one Zombie from your Graveyard. This effect may be used a total of three times, once per turn. (Minor Power)

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_**The mission in the Sea of Infinite Tears is not quite done.**_

_**Coming up next, Sam is dueling again, but her opponent may be more fiendish than any creature in her deck. She goes up against someone who claims to be responsible for more suffering than any mortal creature has ever been capable of.**_

_**What do I mean? Be here soon, in a chapter that I'm not going to give the title of. Giving a hint would ruin everything.**_

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_**Name that Card!**_

_**As you've already discovered, Kaiba has no qualms about using Traps and Spells that feature Yugi's Monsters on the artwork. In fact, one of Joey's Monsters appeared on the artwork of a card he once used. Which of Joey's Monsters? Can you name it?**_


	19. The Blight

_**What Monster used by Joey has appeared in the artwork of one of Kaiba's cards? If you said "Axe Raider", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

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_**I'll admit it. When I was a kid, I was a little spoiled. My mom is the CEO of KaibaCorp after all, one of the richest women in our part of the world. She has more money than the mint. **_

_**I had a chauffer to drive me to school. I had a chef to make my lunch. I had a personal trainer when I needed to use the gym. And when I picked up a Duel Disk for the first time, getting almost any card I wanted was rather easy. I never wanted for much, and I certainly never knew what it was like to go to bed hungry or have to sleep in a place with no warmth.**_

_**Still, my mom always reminded me how lucky I was, and I listened. She told me how she once lived in near-poverty, working demeaning jobs just to put bread on the table for herself and my aunt.**_

_**Until my dad found her, she wanted much… And I have to remember, so do many.**_

_**I never imagined that poverty had a face. But the embodiment of this concept has appeared, and he's challenged me. It seems Daala has more clout than I give her credit for.**_

_**What will happen now? Will this duel end with me richer for the experience?**_

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**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

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**The Blight**

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It wasn't long before the Kaiser Sea Horse arrived in his modest vessel, one that was smaller and more cramped than _The Sea Angel_. The five duelists were eager to get back, as the shadows were already lengthening.

The trip back across the Sea was rather quiet. The Kaiser Sea Horse didn't talk much – in fact, it didn't talk at all. The duelists figured it wasn't able to speak, at least not in a way that humans could understand.

Krump's defeat had given the Realm much better weather and favorable winds, and no hostile creatures threatened them either. The Sea Serpent's ship got back to Rye right at five o'clock. It nodded to them as they got off the boat, and they disembarked.

"Come on guys," said Yumi, as she led them across the rickety docks. "We should be back at Nexus soon."

As they passed by a building, a dirty-looking beggar was sitting against it. He certainly had seen better days. He was wearing only a tattered shirt – which was open to show a gaunt form covered with sores, with ribs showing right through his skin – and a pair of trousers with a tied cord for a belt.

"Excuse me, kind sirs," he said. "Can you spare some change for a fellow traveler who's down on his luck?"

"Oh, gee buddy, I'm sorry," said Yumi. "Our wallets were all left on Earth, and…"

"Yumi!" shouted Sam.

"What?" said Yumi.

"Uh, I seem to remember Gansley saying that money doesn't exist in Xanadu," said Sam. "Why would anybody be asking for handouts?"

Yumi turned and glared at the vagrant.

A grin appeared on the bum's dirty face, one that showed yellowing, broken teeth with gaps between them, and he stood up.

"Darn…" he said with a chuckle. "That routine is so much easier on worlds where humans are the masters… Nothing like a pathetic-looking beggar asking for handouts to draw a victim close…"

His eyes glowed with green light.

"Stand back everyone!" shouted Yumi. "This is no ordinary panhandler…"

She turned to face the vagrant.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"Who am I?" asked the vagrant. "Where countries are stricken with hunger, I walk the countryside. Where drought causes farms to fail to produce food, I stalk the fields. Where inflation causes the economy of a country to collapse, I walk the streets.

"Every creature suffering from starvation, every being shivering in the cold, every real vagrant begging passersby for loose change, only to be yelled at… They know my name…

"I am Want… The Demon of Poverty…"

The sky darkened, and lightning flashed.

"That's terrible!" shouted Sam. "You're the one who causes poverty?"

"That's right," said Want. "From small cases, to large ones…"

"North Korea…" whispered Sam.

"One of my best works," said Want.

"Ireland…" she said. "The Great Hunger…"

"Oh, I had a wonderful time with that," chuckled Want.

"You disgust me…" said Sam.

"Why do you care, Sam?" he said. "I never bothered you. I like rich people, in fact. If it weren't for rich people, there wouldn't be any poor people. The richer folks like you get, the more is taken from the poor, and the more my power grows. In fact…"

"That's a filthy lie!" shouted Sam. "My mother gives to charity every chance she gets!"

Want chuckled.

"Charity…" he said. "Such things only make me laugh. As if the Salvation Army or the United Way can actually end world hunger by depending on donations. Like trying to kill an elephant with a squirtgun."

"That's it!" shouted Sam. "You wanna fight? I'll take you on…"

Want raised his arm, and a Duel Disk appeared on it. It was made of gunmetal grey steel, and had a very plain shape.

"Why not?" he said. "I guess you'll do. After all, beggars can't be choosers… Unless they're _begging_ for a fight!

"You hate me so much? I accept your challenge… And by the time this duel is over, you'll know what it feels like to suffer from want."

"Sam, baby," said Erik. "Be careful… This is not your typical duelist…"

"Don't worry, Erik," she said. "I can handle him…"

Erik sighed.

_This is clearly what that vision meant,_ he thought. _I saw a famine… And now I'm seeing the embodiment of famine…_

_And I have a bad feeling about this…_

Sam shuffled her own deck.

_I think I know what sort of deck he'll use,_ she thought, _and I've faced it before… A direct damage deck full of nasty things like Giant Germs and Acid Slimes. Well, if I can just draw the Dark Ruler quickly, all that will be worthless._

She paused.

_Then again…_ she thought, _poverty is NOT the same thing as disease… Related, maybe, but different…_

She activated her Disk. Want activated his.

"Game on!" they both shouted.

**(Sam: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - - - (Want: 8,000)**

Sam drew a card, and looked at her hand.

"I summon Archfiend Soldier," she said. "You like that?"

A plume of black smoke rose over the field, and the infernal soldier appeared. (1,900/1,500)

"I'll leave it at that."

Want drew a card. He looked at his hand.

"Not a bad Monster. I think I'll summon my Return Zombie."

The wooden floor in front of him burst open, and a badly decayed corpse swathed in bandages rose out of it. It let out a low moan. (1,000/1,600)

"Scared yet?" he asked.

"I'm not scared of Zombies, pal," said Sam. "Especially not ones with such low Attack Points."

"Then maybe you'll be scared of this," he said, playing a Spell Card. "_Because_ its Attack Points are so low, I can now play Secret Pass to the Treasures, which lets it attack directly."

"Say WHAT?" shouted Sam.

"Attack her directly!" shouted Want. "Bandage wrap snap!"

Return Zombie flicked its arms forward, and its bandages lashed at Sam. She shrieked in pain, not having expected that at all.

"How do you like that, doll face?" asked Want.

"Want, I don't care who you are," said Erik. "I'll have you know that the last guy to call her 'doll face' didn't last to the end of the duel."

"I remember that guy!" said Ren.

"What happened to him, anyway?" asked Chelsea.

"Oh, make your move," grumbled Want. "Humph… Just because I'm the Demon of Poverty, doesn't mean I can't enjoy myself…"

**(S: 7,000) - - - - - - - - - - - - (W: 8,000)**

Sam drew a card and quickly chose one.

"I summon Opticlops!" she shouted.

In a burst of darkness, the fiendish ogre with one eye appeared. (1,800/1,700)

"Destroy his Zombie!" she shouted. "Raging charge!"

Opticlops charged horn-first, and Return Zombie burst into an explosion of bandage wrappings and dust.

"Archfiend Soldier, attack him directly! Dark sword of perdition!"

Archfiend Soldier slashed with his blade, striking the gaunt demon. He cringed.

"Having fun, Samantha?" asked Want.

"Naw," said Sam, sarcastically. "I'm having a terrible time kicking your scrawny ass!

"I throw a card facedown, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared in a flash of light.

_Whatever he's preparing to use,_ she thought, _my Bark of Dark Ruler is ready._

**(S: 7,000) - - - - - - - - - - - - (W: 5,200)**

Want drew a card.

A sinister smile crossed his lips as he added it to his hand. He chose another card.

"I think I'll summon my Starving Artist," he said.

In an aura of dark energy, a new Zombie appeared on the field. This one was a skeleton, wearing an artist's smock and a beret, holding an artist's palette with several brushes and paint. Its smock was filthy, stained with paint and other unidentifiable substances. (1,700/1,500)

"You know how hard it is to make money working as an artist?" asked Want. "Very, very hard. Van Gogh only sold one painting when he was alive. This individual was so unsuccessful, he died in poverty before his work was recognized."

"And just what does your Artist do?" asked Sam.

"You'll find out next turn," said Want. "In the meantime, I'll set these, and let you go."

Two facedown cards appeared.

Sam looked hard at the field as she drew a card.

_My Monsters both have more Attack Points than that guy,_ she thought. _Clearly, those facedown cards are something to protect it…_

_But I have to at least try to get rid of that thing… Something tells me I won't like its effect…_

"I summon La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp," she said.

In a burst of green smoke, the impressive genie appeared. He didn't seem to be nearly as jovial as he usually was right now. (1,800/1,000)

Sam coughed.

"Man, I wish genies would use smokeless magic," she said. "But anyway… attack his Starving Artist!"

La Jinn raised his hands, and prepared to cast a mighty spell…

"I activate… No Entry!!" shouted Want, as his facedown card lifted. "Now, all Monsters on the field move into Defense Mode!"

La Jinn crouched down, and crossed his arms over its chest, while Opticlops did the same, and Archfiend Soldier knelt and sheathed his blade. Starving Artist knelt too, holding its palette by its side.

"Ergh…" said Sam. "I end my turn…"

"Then I draw!" shouted Want.

He drew a card and added it to his hand.

"And now it's time for my Artist to create a masterpiece. During my Standby Phase, I can pay 500 Life Points for him to paint something called a Canvas Token."

Starving Artist dabbed its brush on his palette, and then waved the brush in the air. In a shower of colored motes, a featureless, seamless, multicolored, man-sized creature appeared next to it. (1,000/1,000)

"Aw, heck…" said Want. "While I'm at it, I think I'll use that effect two more times."

His Life Points went down, and Starving Artist waved his brush, creating two more of the strange Tokens. (1,000/1,000 x2)

"Of course, these Tokens can't attack," said Want. "Nor can I move them to Defense Mode."

"Then what's the point?" asked Sam.

"I'll show you," said Want. "As soon as I move Starving Artist to Attack Mode…"

Starving Artist stood up.

"And now… I sacrifice my three Canvas Tokens…"

The three Tokens vanished, and lightning started to flash again. A terrible sound screamed over the rickety town…

Ren remembered the sound well. It was the neighing of that demonic horse that had heralded the arrival of War, the Red Horseman.

Want threw a card on his Disk.

"I summon… Famine, the Black Horseman!"

Lightning struck, and a hideous demon appeared in front of Want. It was an incredibly gaunt ghoul, hairless, with coal black skin pulled tight over its bones. It had pointed, rotting teeth, long, broken fingernails that resembled claws, and a very long, raspy tongue that drooled foul saliva. (2,500/2,500)

"No…"said Yumi. "It's the second Horseman!"

"Yes…"said Want. "Who better to command this Apocalyptic being than me?"

Sam prepared to spring her Trap…

"By the way, since I'm such a nice guy, I'll tell you about one of Famine's effects," said Want. "He radiates a curse of incredible hunger, that makes all Monsters start to starve. At the end of my turn, all Monsters on the field except himself are weakened, losing 500 Attack Points."

"Same goes for your Monsters, pal!" shouted Chelsea.

"Normally, that would indeed be the case," said Want. "But I have this…"

He played a card, and he glowed with a red aura as a Continuous Spell Card appeared. It showed the image of a very large, old-fashioned ship sailing under clear skies.

"I pay 1,000 Life Points to activate Steady Course. When this card is on the field, the Attack and Defense Scores of my Monsters cannot be raised or lowered past their base scores."

Sam's eyes opened wide.

_Then my Trap Card is worthless!_ she thought.

"Famine," ordered Want, "attack Opticlops! Blighted claws!"

The ghoul lunged forward, and slashed at Opticlops. The ogre burst into black shards.

"Starving Artist, destroy La Jinn."

Starving Artist pointed, and a blast of colors shot at the genie, blowing him into an explosion of green smoke.

"You were lucky they were in Defense Mode," said Want. "I end my turn, and Famine's effect activates."

Archfiend Soldier groaned, and his Attack Score fell to 1,400.

**(S: 7,000) - - - - - - - - - - - - (W: 3,700)**

"All right… My move…" said Sam.

She drew a card.

_I have nothing that can beat Famine…_ she thought. _But I can defend…_

"While you're thinking about it," said Want, "I'll activate this."

His other facedown card lifted.

"It's called Life Absorbing Machine. I paid a lot of Life Points last turn… But now, thanks to this, I'll get half of them back next turn."

Sam frowned at him.

"I set a Monster in Defense Mode, and then play Silent Doom," she said.

A facedown Monster appeared, and then Opticlops appeared again, crouching in Defense Mode. (1,800/1,700)

"I throw a card facedown, and end my turn."

A new card appeared facedown.

And then she clutched her stomach.

"What's going on?" she shouted. "I feel so… hungry… starving…"

"Famine's curse affects my opponent too," said Want. "You'll feel incredible hunger at the end of each of your turns, causing you 800 points of damage.

"There are lots of ways to die in a duel Samantha, as you no doubt know… Did you ever think you could die… Of starvation?"

He laughed out loud.

**(S: 6,200) - - - - - - - - - - - - (W: 3,700)**

"It's my move!" he shouted, drawing a card. "And like I said, I gain 1,250 Life Points from Life Absorbing Machine."

He glowed with energy.

"And I activate Pot of Greed!"

He made two draws.

_Perfect,_ he thought, looking at the two cards. _Just the combination I needed._

"I set two cards facedown," he said, "and then summon Reborn Zombie."

Two facedown cards appeared in flashes of light. Then, a new Monster rose out of the ground. It looked similar to Return Zombie, but wasn't swathed in bandages. (1,000/1,600)

"You… Attack her facedown Monster."

Reborn Zombie rushed at the facedown Monster, slashing at it with its claws. Winged Minion appeared on the card, and was smashed to pieces.

"Starving Artist, destroy Archfiend Soldier."

The burst of colors shot at the Archfiend, and it exploded into pixels.

"And then there's Famine!"

The Black Horseman slashed at Opticlops with its claw, and Sam's last defense was destroyed.

"I activate Call of the Haunted!" shouted Sam, as her facedown card lifted. "I'll bring Opticlops back again!"

A stone coffin appeared on her side of the field. It opened, and Opticlops stepped out. (1,800/1,700)

_What do I do?_ she thought. _I can't defend forever… I'm running out of options here…_

"My turn is over," chuckled Want.

**(S: 6,200) - - - - - - - - - - - - (W: 4,950)**

Opticlops groaned and clutched his stomach. His Attack Score fell to 1,300.

"Stay strong Sam!" shouted Ren. "I beat one of these things! You can do the same!"

Sam looked at Ren. She gave a slight smile. She drew a card.

"I activate my Trap combo," said Want. "First, Ojama Trio."

One of his facedown cards lifted, and the three Ojamas materialized in front of Sam. (0/1,000 x3)

"Oh, perfect," said Sam.

"Don't worry," said Want, as his other facedown card lifted, "I don't intend to let you keep them. I activate Token Feastevil. This activates when Token Monsters are summoned, and destroys them, and deals you 300 points of damage for each."

The three Ojama Tokens burst, and Sam cringed in pain.

"In addition," said Want, "since those were Ojama Tokens, you lose an additional 300 Life Points for each."

Sam cringed again.

"Yeah?" she said. "I play MY Pot of Greed!"

She played the card, and quickly made two draws.

"I set one card facedown," she said, as a card appeared in a flash of light. "Then, I move Opticlops to Defense Mode, and set a new Monster in Defense Mode."

A new facedown Monster appeared. Then, Opticlops knelt and shielded itself.

"You're only delaying the inevitable," said Want.

"We'll see," said Sam. "I end my turn."

"And you'll lose 800 more Life Points again," said Want.

Sam clutched her stomach again as her Life Points went down.

**(S: 3,600) - - - - - - - - - - - - (W: 4,950)**

"I draw!" shouted Want.

He drew a card.

"Well," he said. "This isn't the best Monster, but I guess he'll do. I bring out Nubian Guard!"

A new creature rose out of the ground. It was a semi-decayed figure, with tattered rags for clothing, with glowing, red eyes. It carried a spear and shield. (500/500)

"More Zombies?" moaned Ren.

"Uh, actually," said Yumi, "that one's a Warrior. Well, technically…"

"Reborn Zombie, attack her facedown Monster!"

The Fiend slashed at the facedown card. Sam's Morphing Jar appeared on the card, and was slashed to pieces.

"You know what that means," said Sam.

Want grinned. It was actually a benefit for each of them. Sam discarded the one card in her hand and drew five, while Want simply drew five cards.

Want gave them a quick look.

"Famine, attack her Opticlops!"

Famine lunged at the Fiend…

"Not so fast!" shouted Sam, as one of her facedown cards lifted.

"What?" shouted Want. "A Trap?"

"Draining Shield!" shouted Sam.

A dome of energy surrounded Sam and her Monster, and the Black Horseman crashed into it. Sam grinned as energy flowed into her. Want growled.

"Okay, Samantha…" he said with a sneer. "I'll place two cards facedown, and that will end my turn."

He threw two cards into his Disk, and they appeared behind his Monsters. Opticlops groaned again, and his Attack Score fell to 800.

_I have Destruction Jammer set in case she tries anything,_ he thought.

**(S: 6,100) - - - - - - - - - - - - (W: 4,950)**

Sam drew a card.

_Time to turn this around…_ she thought.

"I activate Pot of Avarice," she said, playing a card.

Archfiend Soldier, La Jinn, Winged Minion, Morphing Jar, and Gaap, the Divine Soldier, which she had lost with Morphing Jar, slipped out of her discard slot. She shuffled her deck, and then she drew twice.

Her eyes narrowed…

"I pass for this turn," she muttered.

"Man, Sam can't do anything!" shouted Erik.

"Don't worry," said Yumi. "If this is the Sam I know, she's planning something."

Sam clutched her stomach, as her Life Points went down again.

**(S: 5,300) - - - - - - - - - - - - (W: 4,950)**

Want drew.

"My patience is wearing thin…" he said. "Activate… Micro Ray!"

One of his facedown cards lifted, and a large, high-tech blaster appeared behind him. It fired a laser at Opticlops, and he shrank to half his size, his Defense Score falling to zero.

"Nubian Guard, attack Opticlops!"

Moving incredibly fast for a corpse, Nubian Guard rushed at Opticlops with its spear…

"I activate Bark of Dark Ruler!" shouted Sam, as the facedown card she had set a while back lifted. "Now, I'll pay 100 Life Points to decrease the Attack Score of your Guard by the same amount."

"HUH?" shouted Want.

Nubian Guard apparently didn't care. Its spear stabbed into Opticlops, and the Fiend shattered.

Want laughed out loud.

"That was the stupidest move I've ever seen!" he shouted. "Did you forget about my Steady Course?

"And even if it hadn't been there, I think 400 Attack Points would have been greater than zero!"

Sam just stared at him.

"I gotta agree with him," said Chelsea. "That _was_ a pretty stupid move."

"Yeah…" said Yumi. "Unless…"

"Whatever," he said. "Starving Artist, attack her directly!"

The undead painter launched its colorful blight at Sam, and she winced in pain as it struck her.

"Famine, you too! Direct attack! Blighted claws!"

Sam screamed as the ghoul's long fingernails raked across her stomach. She fell to her knees.

But then she gave a weak smile…

She threw a card on her Disk.

"Since you attacked me when I had no cards on the field," she said, "I get to Special Summon THIS! Messenger of Hades – Gors!"

In an explosion of dark energy, the demonic warrior appeared, holding his zanbatô menacingly. (2,700/2,500)

"NOW do you see why I used my Bark of Dark Ruler?" she said. "And now I activate his effect… I can summon Messenger of Hades – Kaien!"

In a flash of light, a tall, sinister-looking woman wearing a black battle dress and a Spartan helmet, holding two long blades appeared.

"Kaien's Attack and Defense are equal to the amount of damage I took to summon Gors."

(2,500/2,500)

"It doesn't matter!" shouted Want. "I end my turn, and Famine's effect activates!"

Gors fell to an Attack of 2,200, and Kaien fell to 2,000.

"No creature is immune to my Monster's curse!" he laughed. "It has conquered whole nations! You cannot defeat it!"

**(S: 1,000) - - - - - - - - - - - - (W: 4,950)**

"We'll see about that!" shouted Sam, as she drew a card.

_Perfect,_ she thought, looking at it. _This was just what I needed to teach this guy a lesson he'll remember the next time he wants to start a blight._

"Guess what, Want?" she said. "I'm gonna knock your Horseman off of his Black Horse… And _this_ is the card I'm gonna use to do it!"

She flipped a card in her hand around.

"A Ritual Card?" shouted Want.

"That's right!" exclaimed Sam, as she played it. "I play Curse of the Masked Beast!"

A sinister altar rose behind her, with a blue flame on top, flanked by two blue torches.

"To complete this ceremony, I'll sacrifice Kaien on the field, and Skull Knight #2 in my hand."

A Fiend in armor with a bare skull for a face, holding a scimitar appeared on the field. He and Kaien leapt onto the torches, and they dissolved into dark particles.

The altar burst, and a huge creature emerged. It was centaurian in shape, its lower body being a thick truck with two huge legs and a long, prehensile tail, and its upper body being composed of exposed, knotted muscle, with a steel mask over its face, holding a cudgel in its right hand. (3,200/1,800)

"Thirty-two hundred Attack Points?" shouted Want.

"But wait, there's more!" said Sam, taking a card from her hand. "I play Premature Burial to bring Skull Knight #2 back to the field."

She played the card, and Skull Knight #2 rose out of the ground. (1,000/1,200)

"Now, I'll sacrifice him…" she said. "To summon Dark Ruler Ha Des!"

Skull Knight vanished, and the ruler of Fiends appeared in a black bonfire. He frowned at Want and his Monsters. (2,450/1,600)

"I'm still not done!" said Sam. "When Skull Knight #2 is sacrificed to summon a Fiend-Type Monster, I get a bonus… I get to summon another one from my deck."

A second Skull Knight rose onto the field. (1,000/1,200)

"I'm sick of defending," said Sam. "Time to go on offense! Skull Knight, attack his Reborn Zombie!"

Skull Knight lifted his scimitar. Reborn Zombie scowled. The two Monsters rushed at each other, and in an explosion, both of them were blown to pieces.

"Gors, destroy his Starving Artist! Demonblade slash!"

The Messenger of Hades made a savage swipe with his zanbatô, and the Starving Artist was cut in two. The pieces burst into an explosion of colors.

"Guess he wasn't a fan of art," said Sam. "Ha Des, attack Nubian Guard with Stygian blast!"

Dark Ruler Ha Des fired a blast of dark flames, and the mummified Warrior exploded into a cloud of ash.

"ERGH!" shouted Want.

"Now for the big guy…" said Sam. "Masked Beast, attack Famine the Black Horseman with cursed cudgel attack!"

The Masked Beast rushed at the ghoul, and with one smash from its cudgel, crushed its skull in. The Black Horseman exploded into black shards.

"Ergh!" shouted Want. "I activate a Spell Card!"

One of his two facedown cards lifted, showing the image of Magician's Valkyria casting a spell that was knocking over the Gate Guardian.

"It's called Great Fall. Since a Monster that was at least Level Ten was destroyed, I get to draw two cards."

He made two draws.

"As if they'll do you any good," said Sam, taking the last card in her hand. "I play a facedown, and end my turn."

She placed one of her last two cards in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared behind her Monsters.

**(S: 200) - - - - - - - - - - - - (W: 1,800)**

Want drew a card.

He grinned as he looked at it.

_I may have lost Famine,_ he thought, _but Sam's almost out of Life Points… And with this combo, I'll take her out once and for all…_

"Time to even the playing field, Samantha!" he shouted.

"I play Lightning Vortex! So I toss one card…"

He discarded one of his cards.

"And… Boom…"

Thunder flashed, and lightning struck Sam's side of the field, vaporizing her three Monsters.

"Now I play Monster Reborn!" shouted Want. "And I think I'll take someone from your Graveyard…"

The holy ankh appeared, and The Masked Beast appeared on his side of the field. (3,200/1,800)

"Oh boy…" said Sam. "You are gonna pay for that, buster…"

"Not likely," said Want. "Your side is clear, so I win!

"Masked Beast, attack your former master!"

The Masked Beast lifted its cudgel.

"Sorry about this, big guy," said Sam, as her facedown card lifted. "But you'll thank me later… Go, Shadow Spell!"

Want gasped as a mass of chains shot out of the ground, trying up The Masked Beast and dropping its Attack Score to 2,500.

"Well fine…" said Want. "I have to end my turn. But unless you can somehow summon a Monster with more than 2,500 Attack Points right now, you can't beat me."

Sam drew a card.

She chuckled when she saw what it was. She turned it forward.

Want turned white.

"I play my own Monster Reborn!" shouted Sam.

The ankh appeared on her own side of the field, and Messenger of Hades – Gors appeared in front of her. (2,700/2,500)

"You still haven't won!" screamed Want. "I'll still have Life Points left!"

"No you won't," said Sam. "Now's when it gets kinda ironic."

"Ironic?" asked Want.

"You're the demon of poverty Want," said Sam, taking the last card in her hand. "Ironic that I should finish you off using a guy whose job it is to prepare food.

"I summon The Bistro Butcher!"

She played the card, and the fiendish chef appeared, holding his cleaver. (1,800/1,000)

"Gors, attack The Masked Beast!" shouted Sam.

The Messenger of Hades made a slash with his zanbatô, cutting The Masked Beast in twain. The pieces shattered.

"Butcher, finish him off…"

The Bistro Butcher made a slash with his cleaver, and Want fell over.

**(S: 200) - - - - - - - - - - - - (W: 0)**

"Well, fine…" said Want, as he started to vanish. "Go back to Joan… Eat, drink, and be merry…

"Because tomorrow… you die…"

His laughter echoed over Rye as he disappeared into grains of light.

Sam took some deep breaths.

She looked where her foe had fallen. Like with Ares, his Duel Disk had been left behind.

"Careful, baby," said Erik, as she walked up to it.

Sam took the Famine card from the Disk and looked at it. Even she could feel the incredible evil coming from it.

"Let's…" she said. "Let's get this to Joan…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala had been watching the whole duel, with Skull Knight standing over her. Strangely, she didn't seem very upset right now, even though Want had been beaten and her enemies had taken the card.

"Milady," said Skull Knight. "Permission to ask a question?"

"Go ahead," she said.

"The four Apocalyptic Monsters are incredibly powerful, if I'm not mistaken, right?" he said.

"Correct," said Daala.

"Then, wouldn't it have made more sense to give all four of them to _one_ duelist?" he asked. "His deck would have been unstoppable!

"Or even better, why not use them yourself?"

Daala gave him a funny look.

"Are you kidding?" she said. "I had a hard enough time finding four duelists who were brave enough to even use _one_. And I'm certainly not dumb enough to."

Skull Knight looked dumbstruck.

"Uh…" he said. "They're, uh, _that_ dangerous?"

"Indeed," said Daala. "What was the first thing that Yugi Mouto Sr. said after he won Slifer the Sky Dragon from Strings?

"He said, 'I must be very careful with this.'

"The same applies to any item of great power. He knew that well, and so do I.

"And all is going according to plan…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi and her friends entered the temple's main room to find Joan in the middle of what seemed to be a conversation. Two attractive and scantily-clad females were speaking to her. One of them wore a white bikini top, breechcloth, cloak, and cowl, and wore a longsword by her side. The other one wore a blue bikini, headband, and boots, wore her red hair loose, and wore a very large scimitar on her back. Both of them wore jewelry that was apparently made of claws and teeth, and they also wore Duel Disks with trays that seemed to be shaped like swords.

The five humans recognized them. They were Duel Spirits, the one in white being an Amazoness Paladin, and the one in blue being an Amazoness Swords Woman.

"You have our word, Joan," said the Paladin, "our tribe will do their best to support your cause from now on."

Joan took the Paladin's hand.

"It's good to hear," she said. "Consider your offer accepted. My blessings will be with you and your tribe so long as you are with us."

The two Amazons nodded, and then turned to leave. They smiled towards Yumi's group as they passed by.

"Who were they?" asked Ren.

"Representatives," said Joan. "Diplomats from the Amazoness tribe that resides in the Tzimisce.

"Our plan is working, children. Ever since I got back at noon, Earth Monsters, most of them Warriors, have come to the temple, wishing to abandon Daala and swear allegiance to the resistance. I have no doubt that the groups of Water Monsters will soon follow.

"But anyway, I saw your battle with Want…"

"Yeah," said Sam, handing her the Famine card. "You can lock this up with War. I don't ever want to see it again."

Joan looked at the card. She shook her head with worry.

"You must be famished after that battle, Sam," she said. "Come… Dinner will be ready soon, and we'll discuss tomorrow's plans in more detail."

"What's the next move?" said Chelsea.

"The Burnt Paradise," said Joan. "The Realm of Light. It's a desert realm, and a dangerous place. But fear not… I'll have a guide for you this time too. He's on an important mission right now, but I expect him to be back by sunrise.

"And I can see you off this time… I'll have a nice repast ready in the morning."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Back in Domino City, Nicholas and Olga were eating pizza at a fast food place that was popular with students.

Nicholas's cell phone rang.

"Sheena?" he said.

"Okay, I traced all those numbers," said Sheena. "Most of them seemed harmless enough… Her hairdresser, a Chinese takeout place, basic stuff that people put on their cell phones.

"Some other numbers were for other cell phones…

"And one was incredibly suspicious. It was hard to trace, but I managed it. It's the number for an office at the Domino Sun building."

"What's that?" asked Nicholas.

"A small newspaper that went out of business five years ago. I looked up some info, and the name on the lease now is apparently a front for Yakuza."

"You got the address?" asked Nicholas.

"All right, I'll give it to you," said Sheena, "but please, be careful."

Nicholas wrote down the address and then hung up.

"A newspaper building…" he muttered. "A place with printing presses… Just the place where a counterfeiting operation could be set up…"

"Nicholas, this is heavy," said Olga. "This building may be the lion's den."

"I know…" said Nicholas, picking up his soda. "But we need to go there to help Yumi…

"But this time… We're going prepared…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ren didn't go to sleep until late that night. For a while, he sat up, looking at his cards.

He came to one in his deck that caught his eye.

Total Defense Shogun.

After Duelatopia, he had reworked his deck, and had taken the Dark Blade Union Dragons out. With Kiryu gone, it left room for another one-Tribute Monster. He had added this guy… But for some reason, he hadn't drawn him yet.

He looked at the card. There was something special about this card… He could feel it…

He sighed.

He shuffled the deck, and put it away. He was feeling very sleepy now…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**FAMINE, THE BLACK HORSEMAN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 10  
**ATK:** 2,500  
**DEF:** 2,500

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card can only be Normal Summoned by offering three Monsters as a Tribute. During each of your End Phases that this card is face-up on the field, all face-up Monsters except this one lose 500 Attack Points. During each of your opponent's End Phases that this card is face-up on the field, inflict 800 points of direct damage to your opponent's Life Points.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**STARVING ARTIST (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Zombie/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,700  
**DEF:** 1,500

**Card Description:** During your Standby Phase, you may pay 500 Life Points to Special Summon a "Canvas Token" (Zombie/Dark/Level Three/ATK 1,000/DEF 1,000) in Attack Position. "Canvas Tokens" cannot attack and cannot be switched to Defense Position. This effect can be used multiple times in the same Standby Phase.

_Note: "Starving Artist" was created by writer charizardag for his fic, "Yu-Gi-Oh Team World". Creative credit goes to him._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**STEADY COURSE (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image:** An old-fashioned boat sailing under partially cloudy skies in fair water.

**Card Description:** Pay 1,000 Life Points to activate this card. The ATKs of all face-up Monsters on your side of the field becomes their base ATKs, and cannot be increased or decreased while this card remains on the field.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GREAT FALL (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** Magician's Valkyria knocking over the Gate Guardian with a mighty blast of magic.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when a Level Ten or greater Monster that you control is destroyed. Draw two cards from your deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**Nicholas and Olga go right back to the underworld, but this time, to the top. The godfather of the Usagi Family is none too pleased with two teenagers poking around his business, and he gives the two of them an offer that they can't refuse – because they have no choice. Olga must duel for her life against a creature darker than any Spellcaster in Yumi's deck. It's not gonna be pretty.**_

_**It's a chapter called "Devil in the Dark" coming next.**_

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Name that Card!**_

"_**Vampire Lady" is a Level Four Zombie who possesses one of "Vampire Lord's" two effects. Another Level Four Zombie exists that possesses his other effect. Can you name it?**_


	20. Devil in the Dark

_**What Level Four Zombie has the effect that "Vampire Lord" has which "Vampire Lady" doesn't? If you said "Gernia", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**I'll admit… When that woman Cho forced Nicholas into that life-or-death duel just a few hours ago, I was petrified with fear. Nicholas may not be my real brother, but he's the closest thing I have to one. And in the two years since I've known him, he's done what a good brother should do: Protect his sister every way he can.**_

_**Now, I'm the one who's dueling for my life, and Nicholas can't do a thing about it. But somehow, I'm not as afraid. Am I more concerned for him than I am for myself? Am I more confident in my own ability to duel than I am in his?**_

_**Maybe a little of both, I guess. But I do know that I face a formidable foe. And something isn't right about this whole setup.**_

_**You know, I used to think that the most evil Monsters in the game were Fiends. It seems I was just proven wrong. **_

_**It's no Shadow Game, but it's just as deadly. It's time to duel.**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Devil in the Dark**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

It was eight o'clock.

The part of town where the Domino Sun building was located wasn't the best part of town. If you were to compare Domino to Gotham City, this part of town would be Crime Alley, the place where Bruce Wayne's parents were killed, where he made a pilgrimage to every year.

It was a slum that was full of condemned buildings and other firetraps, most of which held the criminal element. The only legitimate businesses in this part of town were a few grocery and liquor stores, all of which had security guards standing out front (most likely armed, which was illegal). Locals called this part of town by the name, roughly translated, "Rickety Town".

Not that Nicholas and Olga were afraid. They had been through slums like this many times while working for the mob.

Olga looked at the old Domino Sun building using a small set of binoculars.

"Sad," said Nicholas. "You know the reason why places like this get shut down, right? No one reads newspapers any more. Not with the news available twenty-four hours on the idiot box."

"Well, this is clearly the place," said Olga. "There are armed guards at every vantage point.

"So just how are we going to get in, pray tell?"

"Easy," said Nicholas. "We're going to use the same plan that Jolly Jack used to infiltrate the corsair's base in _The Emerald of Orcus Island_."

Olga paused, remembering that old pirate movie.

"You mean we're going to get ourselves captured on purpose?" she shouted.

"Bingo," said Nicholas. "It's the only way I can think of to confront the boss."

"What makes you think they won't simply shoot us and junk our bodies?" shouted Olga.

"Oh, I have a feeling that Katsu will want to see us," said Nicholas. "See, I looked up some stuff that our old legal guardian was into in this part of the world… Quite interesting, I must say…

"Just follow my lead."

He walked up to the front door. Olga reluctantly followed.

Nicholas opened the front door. As he expected, a group of men wearing three-piece suits and sunglasses with weapons were right inside the door.

"Hi there," he said. "Who do we talk to about getting a subscription?"

The guards frowned, and pointed their guns at them.

Nicholas smirked, and lifted his hands above his head.

"You'd best know what you're doing, Nicholas…" said Olga, through her teeth.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

On the lower level, as Nicholas has assumed, a group of high-tech printing presses were running, printing out illicit 10,000 yen notes. A man in an expensive-looking suit walked into the room, towards another man.

"Still working on the project, Hiro?" he asked.

"Not really, boss," said the other man. "I got writer's block."

"You can't get writer's block, Hiro," said the man with a frown. "You aren't a writer."

"That doesn't prove anything," said Hiro. "I have athlete's foot, and I'm not an athlete either."

"Katsu-sama," said a guard above the catwalk, "we found some folks who you wanted to see…"

Nicholas and Olga were led down the catwalk at gunpoint. The man who was just addressed raised an eyebrow.

"Well, well," he said. "Joshua St. John and Madelyn Clair… Or would you prefer if I addressed you by your real names?"

"And you're Katsu Hideo," said Olga. "You look a little young to be a mafia don. By the way, I could tell you where to get some much better aftershave."

Katsu frowned.

"I got started early," he said. "And as for you two, I heard you were the ones responsible for disrupting my operations at the Mermaid Cups.

"Although I never liked that bathhouse anyway… Drafty…"

_Figures,_ thought Olga. _He doesn't care one bit what happened to Cho. She was as expendable to him as a paper napkin._

He walked up to them.

"Anyway," he said, "my real argument with you two is a little exchange I had with your father…"

"Since my father is a drunken bum who's doing time in an English prison for killing someone while driving under the influence in a stolen car," said Nicholas, "I assume you mean Rasputin. He's not someone I ever considered to be my father."

"Call him whatever you desire," said Katsu. "I call him a double-crosser. He cheated me out of a rare jade dragon statuette from the Shang Dynasty. He was supposed to send a messenger to deliver it to my representative in Hiroshima. The 'messenger' was no more than a deliveryman from a public parcel service, and all he had was a replica made of glass.

"That statuette was worth millions…"

"Oh, I remember that," said Olga. "If you want it back, you're too late. It was sold to a buyer from France.

"Come to think of it, given his accent…

"Yes, if I were you, I'd try Sweden. Maybe Norway."

Katsu frowned at them again.

"Rasputin is dead," he said, "so his debts fall squarely on his heirs. You two."

"We rejected him," said Nicholas. "We left the crime business for good."

Katsu chuckled.

"There's no retirement in this business," he said. "Like it or not, when you signed up, your name was engraved in stone."

He rubbed his chin. Then he held Olga's chin.

"Such beauty…" he muttered. "Such a shame…

"So… If you two are incapable of paying me what you owe, I'll just have to take a payment in blood…"

Olga just stared at him. Katsu looked at Nicholas.

"I could just have you shot execution-style, but I won't. That would be crude. Tell you what, Nicholas…"

He snapped his fingers.

Two of his henchmen opened two briefcases. Inside were two sets of very unpleasant-looking devices that looked like shackles for the wrists, ankles, and neck.

"These are the proper pain bands for a duel like the one you had with Cho," he said.

"Fine!" shouted Nicholas. "I'll duel anyone here using them!"

"Oh no…" said Katsu. "Your sister will duel. And she'll duel me personally.

"Once it is over, I'll consider the debt paid, and you can go."

Nicholas looked at his sister.

"Olga…" he said.

"But she won't be so lucky," said Katsu. "She will suffer the same fate as Cho."

"What if I beat you?" asked Olga.

Katsu chuckled.

"Well then," he said, "if that happens, my second-in-command will see to it that you both are free to leave. But defeat me? Olga… I wouldn't be the leader of Usagi if I had ever lost…"

He turned to the henchmen holding the briefcases.

"Help her put those on," he said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Olga was incredibly nervous. More so than she had been in a long time. The fact that the shackles were kind of tight didn't help any.

"Olga," whispered Nicholas. "Keep your mind focused. You can beat this guy if you put your mind to it. You were in the finals of Duelatopia. You think this jerk could have made it there?"

"Thanks," said Olga.

"Enough talk," said Katsu, loading his deck into his own Disk. "It's time to see just how well Rasputin has taught you."

"I'm more than ready, you lunatic," said Olga.

Both Disks activated.

"Game on!" they shouted.

**(Olga: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Katsu: 8,000)**

"Take her apart boss!" shouted one of the mobsters.

"Blow her away!" shouted another of them.

"Silence!" shouted Katsu. "I can still be chivalrous when I must, so you may make the first move."

"How thoughtful," said Olga, drawing a card.

_Better play it safe for now,_ she thought.

She placed a card on her Disk, and a defensive Monster appeared.

"That's all for now," she said.

"Then I draw," said Katsu, drawing a card.

"And I start by playing the Spell Card, Climax Hour."

A Spell Card appeared, showing the image of a wild-eyed family watching television.

"Uh… Never heard of that one," said Olga.

"Here's how it works," said Katsu, as the Spell Card vanished. "Its effect doesn't activate until three turns from now. If, during my Draw Phase of that turn, the card I draw is a Monster, I can summon it to the field instantly, disregarding any summoning conditions it might have.

"In the meantime, I'll summon Plague Wolf."

He played the card, and a rotting, undead wolf appeared. (1,000/1,000)

"Attack her Monster! Breath of pestilence!"

Plague Wolf breathed a gout of rot and decay at the facedown card. A Skelengel appeared on the card, and was eroded into dust.

"Now I get to draw one card," said Olga.

"Then it's your move," said Katsu.

Olga drew another card.

"I summon Absorbing Kid from the Sky!" she shouted.

She played the card, and in a beam of light, a short, chubby kid with feathered wings, wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and sandals appeared. (1,300/1,000)

"Your Kid needs to go on a diet," said Katsu.

"Maybe," said Olga. "But not just yet. Attack his Plague Wolf!"

Absorbing Kid from the Sky inhaled, and Plague Wolf broke up into pieces, which the young Fairy drew in and swallowed.

"BLEACH!" he said, sticking his tongue out.

"I guess Zombies don't taste so good," said Olga, as she glowed with energy. "But now, I gain 300 Life Points for each Level of your Monster. Since it was Level Three, I gain 900.

"And it's your move."

**(O: 8,900) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 7,700)**

Katsu growled, and drew a card.

"I throw two cards facedown," he said, as two facedown cards appeared. "Then I summon Mist Archfiend."

In a burst of smoke and mist, a diabolic looking Fiend appeared. It had horns, wings, long claws, and mist and smoke in place of its lower body. (2,400/0)

"Oh, come on," said Olga. "Summoning a Monster that powerful with no sacrifice must have some sort of catch."

"Of course it does," said Katsu. "But first…

"Destroy her Kid! Death fog!"

A blast of foul smoke shot from the Archfiend's jowls. Absorbing Kid gasped, and was rotted alive, turning into a pile of ashes.

Olga cringed as the pain bands activated, and electricity flowed through her.

"I'm ending my turn now, and that means that the 'catch' comes into effect. Since I summoned Mist Archfiend with no sacrifice, it's destroyed, costing me 1,000 Life Points."

Mist Archfiend burst into pixels, and he winced a little.

**(O: 7,800) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 6,700)**

_I'm still in the lead,_ thought Olga, drawing a card. _And now's my chance to really get ahead…_

She looked over her cards.

"While you're considering," said Katsu, "I'm going to activate one of my facedown cards."

One of his two facedown cards lifted, revealing a Trap Card with the image of a nest of ugly-looking grubs.

"Den of Needle Worms," he said. "When I activate this Trap, I send the top five cards on my deck to the Graveyard."

He took the five cards off the top of his deck and looked over them. Then he discarded them.

"The point behind this odd strategy will come to light soon," he said.

"Whatever," said Olga. "I summon Dunames Dark Witch."

She played the card, and the pretty, female fairy in a red dress appeared. (1,800/1,050)

"Attack him directly!" she shouted. "Shadow flux!"

Dunames shot a bolt of sparkling, shadowy energy at Katsu.

"I think not," he said, as his other facedown card lifted. "Activate… Dimension Wall. Now the battle damage that was meant for me is taken by you instead."

Olga screamed as the attack was blasted right back at her. Then the pain bands activated again, and she fell on one knee.

Olga got up, with sweat pouring down her face. The thugs watching all cheered.

"That's all I can do…" she muttered.

**(O: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 6,700)**

Katsu drew a card. He looked at the other two cards in his hand.

"I play… Pot of Greed," he said, playing the card he had just drawn.

He quickly drew two cards.

_Excellent,_ he thought, looking at them.

"Now I summon… Giant Orc."

He played a new card, and a huge ogre appeared in front of him, holding a giant bone club. (2,200/0)

Olga grit her teeth…

"Attack her Dark Witch!" he shouted. "Bone basher!"

Giant Orc slammed his club down, smashing Dunames to pieces. Olga cringed as the pain bands activated again.

"Clever," muttered Olga. "But now your Orc has to move to defense. Not that he has any."

Giant Orc dropped its club, and then fell on its behind in a daze.

"It's still my turn," said Katsu. "I play this… A Feather of the Phoenix. Now, I toss one card…"

He discarded Monster Reincarnation from his hand.

"…and I can take any card from my Graveyard that I desire, and place it on top of my deck."

He played the card, and a card slipped out of his discard slot. He placed it on top of his deck.

_It's clearly a card he discarded with Den of Needle Worms,_ thought Nicholas. _It could be nearly anything…_

"And I end my turn," said Katsu.

**(O: 5,600) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 6,700)**

"Then watch out!" said Olga, drawing.

"I play Celestial Transformation!" she shouted, throwing a card into her Disk. "This lets me Special Summon a Fairy to the field from my hand, so long as I cut its Life Points in half. And I think I'll summon Royal Knight."

In a burst of energy, a metallic Fairy with wings, armor, and a longsword appeared on the field. (1,300/800) –) (650/800)

"Attack if you will," said Katsu. "My Orc is in Defense Mode, so I won't lose any Life Points."

"You don't get it do you?" asked Olga. "Royal Knight is just here for a sacrifice…"

Royal Knight vanished.

"I summon Airknight Parshath!"

In a burst of light, the winged centaur in his radiant, holy armor appeared, holding his glowing sword. (1,900/1,400)

"Oh no!" shouted Katsu. "My Orc…"

"Is like a sitting direct attack," said Olga. "Airknight, destroy his Orc with celestial blade!"

Airknight Parshath flew at Giant Orc and slashed with his sword, blowing the Fiend to pieces.

"ERGH!" shouted Katsu.

_Strange,_ thought Nicholas. _Those pain bands should have hurt him more than that…_

"Now, I get to draw one card," said Olga, as she looked at him strangely.

She made one draw, and looked at it.

The card she drew was Guardian Angel Joan.

She gave it a long look. She had drawn this card so many times…

But strangely, the smile on Joan's face seemed to be reaching out to her even more now, as if the card were trying to tell her something…

And perhaps it was…

"It's your move, Katsu," she said, adding it to her hand.

**(O: 5,600) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 4,800)**

Katsu took some deep breaths.

"Come on, boss!" shouted a thug. "She's walking all over you!"

"Silence!" shouted Katsu. "The time has arrived…"

"No!" shouted Nicholas. "He's right… This is the third round since he played Climax Hour!"

"And thanks to my combo of Den of Needle Worms and A Feather of the Phoenix," said Katsu, "I'm about to draw the most powerful Monster in my deck…"

He drew a card, and darkness started to blanket the room…

"I summon… Diabolos, King of the Abyss!"

With a roar, a huge creature that practically radiated darkness itself rose behind Katsu. Whether this Monster was a Dragon or a Fiend, it was hard to tell. It had the basic shape of a Dragon, but a hide covered with sharp plates, wicked claws, and a bladed crest surrounding its head. Its eyes glowed with an evil light.

It let out a roar of pure bloodlust. (2,800/1,000)

"Good lord!" shouted Olga. "I can barely look it in the face!"

"Normally, Diabolos would require two sacrifices, and both would have to be Dark Monsters," said Katsu. "But my Spell Card made things easier, didn't it?

"Diabolos, kill her Airknight with dark hellfire!"

The King of the Abyss breathed a blast of dark flames from its maw, and Olga screamed as Airknight Parshath was obliterated. She fell over on her behind.

**(O: 4,700) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 4,800)**

Olga pulled herself up. She panted for breath.

"I think it's my move…" she muttered.

She reached for her deck.

"Hold it," said Katsu.

"What?" said Olga, annoyed.

"Diabolos has an effect that I get to enact during your Draw Phase," said Katsu. "Before you draw, I get to look at the top card on your deck, and then decide whether to keep it on top, or place it on the bottom.

"So, Diabolos…"

The Dragon's eyes glowed, and the image of Pot of Greed appeared in front of Katsu.

"I think I'll put that on the bottom," he said.

Olga growled, and placed the card on the bottom of her deck.

"NOW I'll draw," she said, drawing a card.

She looked at the card. Then she went over the other five cards in her hand.

"I'll set a card facedown," she said. "Then a Monster in Defense Mode."

A facedown card and a facedown Monster appeared.

"Then, I'll remove two Light Monsters from play to summon Soul of Purity and Light."

Dunames Dark Witch and Absorbing Kid from the Sky slipped out of her discard slot. Then a shining, glowing, almost transparent angel with wings appeared, kneeling and shielding herself in Defense Mode. (2,000/1,800)

"And I end my turn."

_Let's just hope that thing doesn't have a trampling effect,_ she thought.

"Shoring up your defenses, huh?" said Katsu, drawing a card.

He played his other card.

"I play Recurring Nightmare! Now I get to recover two Dark Monsters from my Graveyard, so long as both of them have a Defense Score of zero."

Two cards slipped out of his own discard slot.

"Now, I summon Giant Orc again."

Giant Orc appeared in another burst of darkness.

"I should remind you," said Olga, "my Soul deducts 300 Attack Points from your Monsters during your Battle Phase."

Diabolos roared, and its Attack Score fell to 2,500.

"It's still more than strong enough to annihilate her!" shouted Katsu.

Diabolos fired its hellfire at Soul of Purity and Light, and she was burned up.

"But I won't be using my Orc this turn," said Katsu. "It's your move."

_There's only one reason why he'd refrain from attacking with a Giant Orc,_ thought Nicholas. _This could be bad…_

"Don't forget," said Katsu, "I get to see your top card first…"

A card appeared in front of him. It was Dust Tornado.

"I say bottom again," he said.

Olga placed the card on the bottom of her deck, and then drew.

"I place a second card facedown," she said, "and then a second Monster in Defense Mode."

A new facedown Monster and a second facedown card appeared.

"It's your move."

Katsu drew a card.

_Not quite time for this yet,_ he thought.

"Diabolos, take the one on the right!"

Diabolos blasted its flame, and Hysteric Fairy appeared on the card, just before it was atomized.

"Giant Orc, take the other one!"

Giant Orc lunged forward with its club. Bountiful Artemis appeared on the card, and was smashed to bits.

Giant Orc tumbled over into Defense Mode again.

"Now…" said Katsu, speaking English and holding up a card, "Say hello to my little friend!"

"That was possibly the worst Al Pacino impression I have ever heard," said Olga.

"Well, I can still summon Second Goblin," said Katsu.

He played the card, and a very small Fiend appeared. It had a bald head, and wore a sweater, black trousers, and an eyepatch. (100/100)

It hopped on Giant Orc's shoulder and then mopped the ogre's brow with a towel. Giant Orc slowly came to its senses and got up, picking up its club and standing up again.

"Second Goblin is a Union Monster that can be Equipped to Giant Orc," said Katsu. "Once per round, it can wake the big guy up, and move him into Attack Mode.

"And it's your move…

"Once again, I look at your top card…"

A card appeared in front of him. It was Negate Attack.

"Oh, _definitely_ the bottom," he said.

Olga placed it at the bottom of her deck, and then drew.

"Try as much as you like, Katsu," she said, placing a card on her Disk, "but I will beat you!"

A facedown Monster appeared.

"That's all."

"Then I draw…" said Katsu.

He looked at the card. It was Kuriboh.

"Feh," he said.

"I summon Mist Archfiend again!"

Mist Archfiend appeared again in a burst of smoke. (2,400/0)

"I'm gonna finish you off!" shouted Katsu. "Giant Orc, destroy her last Monster!"

Giant Orc charged. Radiant Jeral appeared on the card, and was smashed into green shards.

_No…_ thought Nicholas. _If both these next attacks go though, she loses…_

"Mist Archfiend, attack her directly!"

Mist Archfiend shot its death fog at Olga, and she screamed, both from the impact, and the shock from the bands. She fell to her knees.

"That's it, Olga," said Katsu. "On your knees. Just how I like my women."

"Go… to… Hell!" she shouted.

Katsu frowned.

"Diabolos, finish her off! Direct attack!"

The King of the Abyss roared…

"I activate Miraculous Descent!" screamed Olga, as one of her facedown cards lifted. "Now, I can bring back a Fairy that was removed from play!"

Dunames Dark Witch appeared, kneeling and shielding herself in Defense Mode. (1,800/1,050)

Diabolos blasted its hellfire, and she was incinerated.

Sweat poured down Olga's face. She watched as Dunames's card fell into the Graveyard.

_You saved my life…_ she thought. _Thank you…_

Katsu growled. Giant Orc tumbled into Defense Mode again.

"Once again, my Second Goblin's effect activates, moving Giant Orc from defensive to offensive."

Second Goblin mopped the giant's brow again, and it got up.

"Tell me about it," muttered Olga. "I can smell him from here, and he's the most _offensive_ thing I've ever caught whiff of."

"You won't be making jokes for long," he said. "I end my turn."

"That means Mist Archfiend is destroyed," said Olga, as she slowly got up, "and you lose 1,000 Life Points."

Mist Archfiend shattered into shards. Strangely, Katsu didn't seem to react at all as his Life Points went down.

_Seems my suspicions are correct,_ thought Olga. _But I won't be able to defend against that thing a second time… This next draw had better be the best ever, or I've had it…_

**(O: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 4,800)**

"My move," she said.

"One minute," said Katsu.

A card appeared in front of him. It was Monster Reborn.

"Bottom," he said.

Olga placed it on the bottom of her deck, and then drew a card.

She looked at what it was. She looked at her other two cards – one of which was Guardian Angel Joan – and her facedown card on the field.

A sly smirk crossed her face.

"I throw a new card facedown, and summon Winged Kuriboh!" she shouted.

A new facedown card appeared, and then the small, cute Kuriboh with wings appeared. It let out a gentle coo. (300/200)

Katsu chuckled.

"Nice try," he said. "That's would have been a clever trick if you had thought it out better, but unfortunately, you didn't.

"You obviously want me to think that the facedown card you just set is the incredibly powerful Transcendent Wings, right? If it had worked, then when I attacked, I'd lose 5,000 Life Points, and you would be the victor…

"Well, it _couldn't_ work. Do you know why? Because I happen to know that you need to discard two cards from your hand to play that Spell Card, and you only have one in your hand. I'm willing to bet that you don't even _have_ Transcendent Wings in your deck, you don't understand how it works, and putting that fuzzball in it was nothing but a pathetic attempt to emulate Jaden Yuki."

Olga bowed her head.

"Guess you're too smart for me…" she said, sadly.

"My move!" said Katsu. "I draw…"

He drew a card.

"Then I attack! You're finished. Diabolos, destroy that rodent!"

Diabolos roared. It blasted its flame at Winged Kuriboh…

"Gotcha!" said Olga, looking up.

"Gotcha?" said Katsu. "What gotcha?"

Olga's first facedown card activated.

"I activate Jar of Greed!" she shouted.

"WHAT?" shouted Katsu. "Jar of Greed?"

"Now I get to draw one card," said Olga, quickly drawing a card, "meaning I have just enough cards to activate…"

The facedown card she had just set lifted.

"…Transcendent Wings! See? I knew _exactly_ how it worked!"

She tossed the two cards in her hand, and Winged Kuriboh started to glow with a blinding light. Two huge, angelic wings sprouted from it, and a golden, draconic shape wrapped around it, transforming it into its evolved form of Winged Kuriboh LV10. (300/200)

"GO!" shouted Olga. "Wrath of the Divine!"

"NOOO!" screamed Katsu.

It was too late…

Giant Orc and Diabolos, King of the Abyss screamed as light shot out of their orifices. Then they both exploded into globules of light, knocking the crimelord on his back.

**(O: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 0)**

Winged Kuriboh vanished in a sparkle of light.

"Thanks…" said Olga, weakly.

"No way…" muttered one of the thugs.

"She beat Katsu…" said another one.

There was a long pause.

"I got dibs on his parking space," said the first one.

"Hey, look!" shouted someone.

Katsu sat up. He rubbed his head.

"He's still alive!" shouted someone else.

"Of course he is," said Nicholas, who was holding Olga close. "I was suspicious when your pain bands apparently weren't hurting you much, Katsu. And now I'm sure… You just took 5,000 points of damage, and those bands didn't even faze you.

"You deactivated them before the duel even started. While Olga had to suffer through it, you were in no danger at all.

"It seems you can dish this sort of duel out, but you can't take it. I'd say at first that success in this business may have gone to your head, and you think you're above everyone else…

"But I think the more likely reason is, you're a coward at heart."

Katsu got up, fuming with anger.

"You dare call me a coward?" he said with a scowl. "We'll see who's a coward!"

He pointed to his men.

"Kill them both! Now!"

Then, to his surprise, everyone in the room pointed their guns at him.

"Why should we listen to you?" said one thug. "You _are_ a coward!"

"We've all been tortured by this abominable dueling system you thought up," said another one, "and now we learn you won't take it yourself?"

"This is mutiny!" shouted Katsu, raising his hands.

"No it isn't, Katsu," said Nicholas. "This is just the reaction when the leader of a crime family breaks certain underworld taboos. And you broke a bunch of them."

"I say we cut his throat," said one thug.

"Naw, I got a better idea," said another. "Let's force him to duel with the pain bands for real, using an initiate's deck."

"Now people, we can work something out…" said Katsu, nervously.

_All good ideas,_ thought Nicholas, _but seeing how everyone here is far from innocent, I have a better one._

He spoke into his shirt lapel.

"Detective Akuma, it's about to get ugly in here... Anytime you want to come in…"

"Say what?" said Katsu, in surprise.

At that moment, every door leading into the room was kicked in, and a squad of police officers carrying heavy duty weapons rushed in. They positioned themselves on the catwalks and around the circumference of the room. All of them aimed their weapons.

Detective Akuma appeared with a revolver, which he pointed at Katsu.

"Everyone drop their weapons and get on the floor!" he ordered. "Everyone here except the two kids are under arrest!"

"You were wearing a wire?" shouted Katsu, as all the thugs dropped their guns.

"Did you really believe Olga and I would walk into a Yakuza den without support from the police?" asked Nicholas. "You say that our names in organized crime were engraved in stone. I say we took a sledgehammer to the stone and left anyway."

"That's right," said Akuma. "These youths told us that your counterfeiting operation was likely in this building, but we weren't about to make an illegal raid. So they volunteered to get evidence of illegal activity.

"And as soon as the chief heard that you were forcing her to duel using highly illegal equipment, it was enough for him to wire over a search warrant."

He turned to Olga.

"Sorry we took so long, but squad car fax machines aren't top of the line."

"Understandable," muttered Olga.

Akuma walked down and looked at the printing presses, full of counterfeit yen.

"Nice, Katsu, nice," he said. "With this evidence alone, you're gonna be put away for a long time."

"I'm not saying anything without my lawyer present," said Katsu with a scowl.

"Really, Katsu?" said Akuma, as the crimelord was handcuffed. "Well guess what… From what I just heard, your men all want to kill you right now. I don't think it will be much of a problem to get them all to cut plea bargains in exchange for testifying against you.

"And you aren't going to be very happy in prison either. Most Yakuza leaders aren't respected much after they've been beaten by a teenager.

"You have the right to remain silent…"

"I choose to waive that right," said Katsu, "you dirty…"

The rest of what he said was too obscene to repeat.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Are you sure you don't need medical attention, Ms. Warren?" asked Akuma.

Olga and Nicholas were sitting on a curb drinking coffee as the last of Katsu's men were being hauled away.

"Seriously, I'll be fine," she said.

"Look," said Akuma, "it isn't department policy, but I might as well tell you this…"

He took a Duel Monsters card out of his coat and handed it to Olga.

"Every place we've raided that had anything to do with this Xanadu thing turned up one of these. In fact, there was one in there just now.

"I'm willing to let you have it, but please… Leave the police work to the police from now on. We were willing to work with you here, but had you done this on your own, you'd have been arrested too."

An officer came up and said something to him.

"Excuse me for a minute," he said.

As he walked to a squad car, Nicholas and Olga looked at the Monster Card. It was a Level Six Spellcaster called Mutant Mindmaster. It had zero Attack Points and 2,500 Defense Points. Its appearance suggested more a Fiend than a Spellcaster – actually, it looked more like an alien.

"Never saw that one before," said Nicholas.

"Wait…" muttered Olga. "I know this card…"

She thought for a minute.

"Where have I seen this card?

"Yeah… This was the ace card of Dr. Edwin Ting."

"Come again?" asked Nicholas.

"He was a Pro League duelist until he retired about ten years ago," said Olga. "Known for wearing sweaters that he likely bought at a thrift shop, even though he was incredibly wealthy. When he retired, he was about forty years old or so, and he was in the top tier of the League…

"And get this… Being a duelist was just a hobby. He was a computer programmer for a government agency, who got a doctorate in computer science from Harvard!"

Nicholas looked at her with a look of shock.

"Olga…" he said, taking out his cell phone, "we may have found a smoking gun…"

He dialed Sheena's number.

"Sheena?" he said. "Yeah, it's me… Look… I need you to find an address for a Dr. Edwin Ting…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Midnight.

Yumi tossed and turned in her sleep.

She dreamed she was in Neo-Space again, but in a different location. Jaden was nowhere in sight. The place seemed to be a farm of some sort – odd vegetables were growing in organized rows, and a grain silo and a greenhouse could be seen in the distance.

A duel was taking place, and Yumi recognized one of the duelists. It was Alexis Rhodes, another of Jaden's allies whom she knew had gone with him to Neo-Space. The other duelist was a man dressed in a male version of the costume worn by that woman who had the Eraser. Same mask, and a black robe tied around the waist with a sash.

Alexis had one of her signature Monsters on the field – Cyber Blader, a woman dressed in tight purple and red spandex (or else she was naked and covered with body paint) and a visor, with long, black hair, and ice skates. (2,100/800) Her opponent, on the other hand, had something that looked weird. It seemed to simply be a featureless, formless, sphere of blackness.

Alexis seemed to be winning at the moment. She had 7,000 Life Points remaining, while her opponent had 6,000.

Behind Alexis, two creatures were shivering in fear. Yumi recognized them as two Neo-Spacians, an Air Hummingbird and a Dark Panther.

"You can't win," said the male duelist, as the globe of blackness started to shift and change shape. "No matter how powerful a Monster you summon, The Wicked Avatar will always be 100 Attack Points stronger. It's invincible!"

_The Wicked Avatar??_ thought Yumi.

It seemed true. The globe of darkness formed into an exact copy of Cyber Blader, only still made of darkness. (2,200/2,200)

"Get real," said Alexis. "The Wicked Gods may have been almost invincible once, but after that thing was beaten by Obelisk, the guy who was using them got smart, and tore them up. Sure, they were able to regenerate themselves, but at the cost of most of their powers.

"And since you have one Monster on the field, Cyber Blade can't be destroyed in battle. Think you can win by chipping my Life Points away 100 at a time?"

"Don't forget," said the man, as he drew, "due to my Avatar's other effect, you still can't activate Spells or Traps for one more turn…

"I Equip my Avatar with Shooting Star Bow – Ceal. This lets it attack directly. Now, normally, that would decrease its Attack Score by 1,000, but due its continuous effect, its Attack Score can't be lowered.

"And I think I'll give it a second Equip… Twin Swords of Flashing Light – Tryce. This lets it attack twice in one round. Again, the Spell would normally reduce its Attack Score by 500, but my Monster isn't affected by that handicap."

Yumi couldn't believe what she was hearing. He was going to attack directly with a Monster with 2,200 Attack Points? _Twice?_

It seemed he was. Yumi could almost feel the strike from where she was as the Avatar kicked Alexis in the stomach the first time, and she almost screamed as it punched her upside the head.

Alexis fell to her knees as her Life Points tumbled to 2,600.

"Get up, Alexis!" shouted Yumi.

Alexis lifted her head. She looked around…

"I'm over here!" shouted Yumi.

Alexis slowly got up. Yumi didn't know what the deal was. Could she be heard but not seen?

Alexis drew a card.

"I summon Cyber Tutu!" she shouted.

She played the card, and an adorable little girl wearing spandex, ballerina slippers, a skirt, and a visor appeared. (1,000/800)

"Your Avatar's strength is a liability now," said Alexis. "When the only Monsters you have on the field have more Attack Points than she does, Tutu gets to do a pirouette on your face!

"Attack directly!"

Cyber Tutu leapt up and kicked the masked man in the chest. He grunted as his Life Points fell to 5,000.

"Ooh, you'll pay for that…" he growled.

"I'll set three facedown cards," said Alexis, as three cards appeared in three flashes. "I end my turn, meaning that the two rounds are up. I can use Spells and Traps again."

"Good luck!" said the man, drawing a card.

He chuckled when he saw what it was.

"I summon… Big Eye!" he shouted.

In a burst of energy, a Fiend with red skin and eyes all over its body appeared on the field. It seemed to be a little confused at the fact that it was summoned in Attack Mode. (1,200/1,000)

"Since I have two Monsters on the field," said the man, "Cyber Blader's second effect activates. She's no longer invulnerable, but her Attack Score doubles to 4,200."

Cyber Blader glowed with brilliant energy. (4,200/800)

"And that's bad for you, because the stronger she gets, the stronger my Avatar gets."

The Avatar glowed as well. (4,300/4,300)

"No…" said Yumi.

"Avatar… Attack her directly!"

The Wicked Avatar flew at Alexis.

"You fool…" said Alexis. "You did exactly what I wanted you to do…"

One of her facedown cards lifted.

"I activate… Foolish Revival!"

"Huh?" said the man. "Foolish Revival?"

"This lets me choose a Monster in your Graveyard," said Alexis, "and then summon it to your side of the field in Defense Mode. I think I'll choose your Newdoria."

In a burst of energy, a thin, lanky Fiend with sharp claws, wild hair, studded leather armor, and a blindfold over its eyes appeared on the man's side of the field. It crouched in Defense Mode. (1,200/800)

"Now that you have three Monsters," said Alexis, as Cyber Blader fell back to an Attack Score of 2,100, "Cyber Blader's third effect activates, negating the effects of all Spells, Traps, and Effect Monsters on your side of the field."

"But that means…" said the man. "My Avatar's Attack Score…"

"Falls to zero…" said Alexis.

The Wicked Avatar lost its shape, reverting back to a sphere, and its Attack Score fell to nothing.

"Curse you!" shouted the man. "I'll kill your little ballerina anyway! Big Eye, attack Cyber Tutu!"

Big Eye rushed at Tutu…

"Not the best idea!" laughed Alexis, as another facedown card lifted. "Go, Doble Passe!"

"Huh?" said the man.

Tutu quickly dodged the attack, and Big Eye's claw slashed into Alexis instead. She grunted as her Life Points fell to 1,400.

Then Cyber Tutu leapt up, and licked the man across the face again. He screamed as his Life Points fell to 4,000.

"My move!" shouted Alexis, drawing a card.

"Cyber Blader, destroy The Wicked Avatar!"

Cyber Blader skated towards the huge sphere, and slashed with the blade of her ice skate. The devil god burst into globs of black goo. Its owner screamed as his Life Points fell to 1,900.

"Cyber Tutu, you're up."

"Not again…" groaned the man.

He couldn't stop it. Cyber Tutu kicked him in the chest once again, dropping his Life Points to 900.

"And I'm not done!" shouted Alexis.

Her last facedown card lifted up, showing a Quickplay.

"I play Prima Light! Cyber Tutu, step aside and make room for…"

Cyber Tutu vanished into grains of light.

"…Cyber Prima!"

In another burst of light, another dancer appeared, this one wearing a silvery bodysuit, with platinum blonde hair, and a Mardi Gras style mask. (2,300/1,600)

"Attack his Big Eye and end this!" she shouted.

Cyber Prima gave a savage kick, blowing Big Eye to pieces. The duelist screamed as his Life Points fell to zero…

Yumi woke up with a start.

She gasped for breath.

"First Neo-Space is attacked by someone using The Wicked Eraser," she muttered. "Then The Wicked Avatar…

"Someone had better warn them about Dreadroot…"

She sighed.

"I need a glass of milk…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi wandered into the kitchen of the temple. As she did, torches along the walls lit up.

_Let's see,_ she thought, _if I were a Lord of the Higher Plane, where would I keep the clean glasses?_

"Yumi?" said a gentle voice.

She turned and saw her host, her body glowing softly in the dim light.

"Oh, uh, Joan…" muttered Yumi. "Uh… I was just trying to get a glass of milk… Why are you up?"

"As I said before, I need no rest," said Joan, as she opened up a cabinet.

Water vapor escaped the cabinet, which was apparently used as a refrigerator. She took out a bottle of milk.

"Besides," said Joan, as she poured it into a glass, "I knew that more Sprits would come to the temple under cover of darkness. And a Celtic Guardian and a Warrior Lady of the Wasteland just left… Representatives for the Bronze Knights."

"Come again?" said Yumi.

"A mercenary regiment of Warriors, almost all of them Earth," said Joan. "They have decided to pledge their support."

She handed her the glass.

Yumi changed the subject.

"Joan…" she said. "What do you know about Shogarr, the Dread Emperor?"

Joan sighed.

"His tyrannical power is infamous," she answered, "in all dimensions where Duel Spirits live…

"You see Yumi, beings like Shogarr are hard to classify… Some say he's a demon lord, and they leave it at that. But his power far surpasses the more well-known rulers of the Abyss, such as Demogorgon and Orcus… He more properly belongs to a group that is most often referred to as Elder Evils…"

Yumi looked at her intently.

"They're powerful beings that have been around since before the Blood War," said Joan. "Some have supernatural roots, others cosmic backgrounds. They are beings who were around before the definitions for Good and Evil were established, and before there were laws defining the forms and abilities of living things. They're few in number, but even the gods tremble at the mention of their names…

"The Elder Evils are beings of pure Chaos and Madness. Their plans usually involve destruction on an apocalyptic scale. Fortunately, they can usually only put their plans into practice under specific circumstances.

"Their names are the stuff of legend… Pale Night… Tharazdun…"

"Cthulhu …" whispered Yumi.

Joan shook her head.

"Cthulhu is one of the Great Old Ones," she said. "They are not Elder Evils because, while incredibly powerful, they don't reach that level of power. They're on the same level as standard demon lords. Cthulhu only got so much attention because a series was named after him. However, the beings that Lovecraft named Outer Gods are indeed Elder Evils, and they are among the most powerful ones. Many are even stronger than Shogarr.

"The most powerful of them is the one that Lovecraft called Azathoth the Blind Idiot Piper, a creature that supposedly embodies Chaos itself. That would make one assume that it is the most powerful force of Chaos in the universe, but when you think of it, Chaos wouldn't be able to spawn a conceptual embodiment, due to the randomness of its own nature. The contradictory nature leads some to believe that Azathoth doesn't really exist. Indeed, there's no way to prove its existence… It is believed that its aura of chaos is so powerful, its mere presence consumes all lesser beings, so any who saw it wouldn't live to tell about it.

"Fortunately, the beings that Lovecraft described aren't intelligent enough to put plans of destruction to fruition unless some smarter being guides them. Most Elder Evils are have either minimal intelligence, or are mindless.

"The rare ones that are smart… They are the most dangerous.

"Perhaps you have studied Jaden Yuki's career?"

Joan nodded.

"Theorists of the Higher Plane believe that Jaden may have been combating one of the Elder Evils through his school years, without even knowing it."

"How?" said Yumi.

"Well, let's look at the facts," said Joan. "Jaden faced threats from two major sources. One was the Light of Ruin. The other was Nightshroud, the ruler of the World of Darkness.

"Evil forces of Light and Dark both opposed him…

"And Yumi… What is the result in Duel Monsters when Light and Dark combine?"

Yumi's eyes opened.

"Chaos…" she muttered.

Joan nodded.

"We have a feeling," she said, "that the Light of Ruin and Nightshroud may have been high-ranking servants of one of the Elder Evils, sent to start a plan in motion that would bring about Armageddon.

"For all we know, it may have been Shogarr, and his intent was to make it so the plan which you were chosen to oppose would not be opposed. If either being's plan had succeeded, the world would have been his early, and Yumi Mouto couldn't have been born into a new life.

"Another apparent proof that Jaden was one of these beings is the fact that he fought the Sacred Beasts on more than one occasion. Those creatures are almost _pure_ Chaos. No-one knows who the true master of those creatures is, but it's clearly someone with great power over Chaos."

Yumi slowly drank her milk.

"Chaos is an unrelenting force," muttered Joan. "A tragic tale told in the Higher Plane proves it…"

"Eh?" said Yumi.

"Legends say that Archlord Zerato had a brother," said Joan. "A younger brother. One day, the story says that when the older brother and most of his army had left the Sanctuary on a campaign against the Archfiends, a group of pilgrims came to the divine temple, bearing a gift… A flawless, black gemstone with a dozen facets.

"It wasn't their fault. They had nothing but good intentions. They didn't know that the Dark Jewel was an artifact created in ancient times by primal demons, infused with the very essence of the Abyss.

"The younger brother sensed the Dark Jewel's evil nature, and tried to destroy it. But its curse took hold of him, poisoning him with pure Chaos. His sanity started to erode, and his soul began to darken.

"He nobly fought it for as long as he could. While he knew he couldn't save himself, he grabbed the vile thing, and flew to the very border of the Higher Plane, where he threw it into the endless void. His heroic action prevented its curse from spreading to the rest of the Higher Plane… But he would never be the same.

"He had become dark and marred, and his virtuous soul turned evil…

"No one knows where he went, or what he is planning, but prophecies state that the cursed brother will one day return as an enemy. In whispers, he is referred to as Darklord Zerato now… The title causes any Fairy who hears it to mourn…"

Tears fell down her cheeks.

"So how do I oppose Shogarr at all?" asked Yumi. "Jaden fought some pretty serious duelists…"

"I don't know, Yumi," said Joan. "Elder Evils are normally immortal and invulnerable. Not even the gods can slay them. They can only be defeated via one method, a method that is as legendary as they are. The prophesy said that Shogarr would be opposed by a by a young mortal woman, with fair skin and golden hair. Shogarr himself seems pretty certain that it's you, and since he has made more than one attempt at your soul, he likely sees you as a serious threat. Clearly, unless he made a serious mistake in his research, he will be vulnerable when the time comes for your battle.

"But… the prophesy said you would oppose him. It did not say who the victor would be."

"Nuts," said Yumi. "I'll never sleep now…"

Joan chuckled.

She handed Yumi a Spell Card.

"What's this?" asked Yumi.

"Mesmeric Control," said Joan. "Duel Spirits use them both as ways to subdue enemies, and as sleep aids. It will let you sleep through the night. And unlike the tranquilizers used by humans, it has no side effects, and is not addictive at all."

Yumi looked at the card.

"Pleasant dreams, Yumi," said Joan, as she left the room. "You'll need all your energy for tomorrow."

Yumi sighed, and went back to her room.

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**CLIMAX HOUR (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A family of wild-eyed spectators watching a television.

**Card Description:** This card's effect resolves during your third Draw Phase after activation. If the card you draw is a Monster Card, you may disregard its summoning requirements and Special Summon it.

_Note: "Climax Hour" was first used by Jaden in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Duelfellahs" Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

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**DOBLE PASSE (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A ballerina in a red, fancy dress dancing.

**Card Description:** Activate this card when your opponent attacks a face-up Attack Position Monster you control. The attack becomes a direct attack on your Life Points. The Monster that was the original target of the attack then attacks your opponent directly.

_Note: "Doble Passe" has been used by Alexis many times in "Yu-Gi-Oh GX", originally in "A Duel in Love". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

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**PRIMA LIGHT (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** Cyber Prima dancing in a large spotlight.

**Card Description:** Tribute one "Cyber Tutu" that you control. Special Summon one "Cyber Prima" from your hand.

_Note: "Prima Light" was first used by Alexis in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Hearts are Wild". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

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**DEN OF NEEDLE WORMS (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A group of Needle Worms, crawling in a refuse pile.

**Card Description:** Send the top five cards on your deck to the Graveyard.

_Note: "Den of Needle Worms" was released in "The Duelist Genesis", now available in Japan._

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**Anyone who has seen GX knows that not all Light Monsters are necessarily nice. Some are downright evil. Some, however, are just big jerks.**_

_**In the next chapter, the team travels into the Burnt Paradise, and they are soon discovered by a Sand Gambler, who has unique reasons for working for Daala and wanting to challenge Yumi.**_

"_**Showdown" is coming up next.**_

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_**Name that Card!**_

_**There are real-life equivalents to situations in the anime where cards are so rare, common duelists can't get them. This card is legal for the TCG, but I wouldn't count on getting one. It was a promo for the first Pharaoh's Tour, and never mass produced for the TCG, so only twenty copies of it exist outside of Japan. Can you name it?**_


	21. Showdown

_**What card's TCG version has only twenty copies in existence? If you said "Des Volstgalph", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

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_**My grandparents' experiences with Duel Spirits weren't as numerous as those of Jaden Yuki and his friends. But even early on, they knew that cards were more than just cardboard and ink. They knew that cards had souls, and they told anyone who would listen that you needed to respect your deck.**_

_**They were angered by duelists like Arkana who prepared their decks using "shotgun shuffling" and cut up their cards in order to cheat. Such acts were abominable to them.**_

_**Now that we're in a dimension of walking, breathing Duel Spirits, I have all the proof I need that they were right.**_

_**But even they weren't perfect. It seems some Spirits are too sensitive, and are offended by the smallest things.**_

_**Or maybe some Spirits are just as thick-headed as some of the humans that they faced. Maybe some of them, like some humans, are just big jerks.**_

_**Reasoning with this one will get me nowhere… It's time to duel…**_

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**CHAPTER TWENTY**

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**Showdown**

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The Tzimisce Woods may have been secured, but there were still some outposts in it that were loyal to Daala. The mission that the guide was on that Joan spoke of was to make his way to these outposts and defeat their commanders, to make it known that Joan's rule over this Realm would _not_ be temporary.

The one doing it was none other than Jesse.

It was now midnight, and in a section of the Woods that could better be described as a swamp, a wooden fort stood, its front gate smashed down (courtesy of Amber Mammoth).

An explosion lit up the sky.

Jesse cringed as his Life Points fell to 3,000.

He looked at his opponent, who was none other than the fused Fiend Dark Balter the Terrible. The Fiend had Shadowslayer (1,400/200), Servants of Catabolism (700/500), Gear Golem the Moving Fortress (800/2,200) and Messenger of Peace on his side of the field. Jesse had Emerald Tortoise in Defense Mode (600/2,000) two facedown cards, and well as Cobalt Eagle and Amethyst Cat in his Spell Zone. He had 3,000 Life Points left, while the Fiend had 5,300.

Watching the duel with some worry were a Goblin Elite Attack Force, a Gene-Warped Warwolf, two Battle Steer, and two Krokodilus. All of them had a lot to lose if Balter lost. The two Reptiles were Water, but they knew that Krump had been dethroned as well. The swamplands were their best second choice.

"Give it up, Anderson!" laughed Balter. "I've already crushed the only two Monsters you've got that can both oppose my Monsters and get past my lockdown!"

"You know," said Jesse, "I'm beginning to understand why they outlawed Metamorphosis again. If I was dueling someone human, I wouldn't want to see your ugly mug either."

"Ooh!" said all the other Spirits.

"You take that back!" shouted Balter.

"Oh, lighten up," said Jesse, drawing a card.

"I play Rare Value. Now you gotta choose one Crystal Beast in my Spell Zone, and it goes to the Graveyard."

"If I must choose," said Balter, "I choose the Amethyst Cat."

"They always pick her…" muttered Jesse, as the amethyst vanished. "Now I get to draw two cards."

He drew twice.

"Now, I switch Emerald Tortoise to Attack Mode."

Emerald Tortoise peeked out of his shell.

"Huh?" said Balter. "It's not strong enough to defeat my Monsters."

"He will be in a minute," said Jesse. "Now I play… M-Force! It gives him 500 more Attack Points!

"But that's still low enough to slip by your Messenger."

Emerald Tortoise rose to 1,100 Attack Points.

"Get that Servant of Catabolism!" shouted Jesse. "Emerald cutter!"

Emerald Tortoise retreated into his shell again, and his shell started spinning like a rotary saw. Energy blades shot out of it, and the Servant exploded.

"Ergh…" groaned Balter, as his Life Points fell to 4,900.

"Now I use his effect, to move him back to Defense Mode."

Emerald Tortoise retreated back to his shell.

"And that's my turn."

"I'll show you!" shouted Balter, drawing. "I pay 100 Life Points to keep Messenger of Peace.

"Now I'll pay another 800 to attack directly with my Gear Golem! Attack!"

The Machine launched a volley of sharp spikes, flying right over Emerald Tortoise. Jesse groaned as they stabbed into him and his Life Points fell to 2,200.

"Now," said Balter, "since your turtle is in Defense Mode, Shadowslayer can do the same!"

Shadowslayer drew a katana from its back. It rushed at Jesse.

"Not so fast!" shouted Jesse. "I activate… G-Force!"

One of his Trap Cards lifted up.

"Now, instead of attacking me, your slayer has to attack a Crystal Beast while it's still in my hand. And guess what? I have Amber Mammoth right here!"

He held up a card. Amber Mammoth loomed above Shadowslayer. (1,700/1,600)

The Fiend dropped its sword in fright. The huge elephant lifted its foot, and then crushed it flat.

"Ergh!" shouted Balter again, as his Life Points fell to 3,700.

Amber Mammoth vanished, as Jesse returned the card to his hand.

"My move now…" said Jesse, drawing.

"And I play E-Force!"

"What does that do?" moaned Balter.

"It lets me move a Crystal Beast from my Spell Zone to the field," said Jesse.

The cobalt in front of him shattered, and Cobalt Eagle appeared. (1,400/800)

"Your Cobalt Eagle!" shouted Balter.

"That's right," said the Eagle. "Would you believe I have less than 1,500 Attack Points?"

"That's the idea," said Jesse. "And so does Emerald Tortoise."

Emerald Tortoise moved into Attack Mode.

Cobalt Eagle flew at Gear Golem, and dive-bombed it with its talons. It sparked, and then exploded into scrap.

Then, the same blades flew out of Emerald Tortoise, striking Balter directly. He groaned as his Life Points fell further, to 1,700.

"Do something, boss!" shouted one of the Battle Steer.

"I'm trying!" screamed Balter.

"Psst," said Jesse to Emerald Tortoise. "Better move back to Defense Mode, just in case."

The Crystal Beast nodded, and retreated into his shell.

Balter seethed with anger, and drew a card.

"Okay, Jesse," he growled. "I was hoping I didn't have to do this…

"I pay 100 Life Points to keep Messenger of Peace.

"Then I set one Monster, and then play Swords of Revealing Light."

A facedown Monster appeared, and then a blizzard of Swords shot at Jesse, forming a cage around him and his Monsters.

Balter chuckled.

_By the time those wear off,_ he thought, _my Stealth Bird will have drained all of his Life Points._

"Your move."

Jesse drew a card.

"Aw," he said.

"Got a bad draw?" said Balter with a laugh.

"Naw," said Jesse. "I got the best draw I could possibly get. I'm just sorry this has to end… I was having so much fun.

"I summon Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus!"

A brilliant Sapphire appeared on the field. It burst, and the gorgeous Pegasus appeared. (1,800/1,200)

"Big deal!" shouted Balter. "It can't bust though my two layers of protection!"

"You know, Balter," said Jesse, "your deck kinda came as a surprise to me. I always thought of you as an up-front and personal kind of guy. The lockdown direct damage thing just didn't seem to fit.

"But anyway…

"When Sapphire Pegasus is summoned, I get to take a Crystal Beast from my hand, deck, or Graveyard, and place it in my Spell Zone. And I'm going with Topaz Tiger."

A large topaz appeared in front of him.

"Now, my facedown card," he said, as his other facedown card lifted. "Beast Soul Swap. This lets me return a Beast-Type Monster to my hand. Then I get to Special Summon one from my hand that's the same Level.

"So Sapphire Pegasus, come back here."

Sapphire Pegasus vanished.

"He's Level Four, by the way. So now I gotta Special Summon a Level Four Beast from my hand. Heck, I think I'll summon Sapphire Pegasus right back."

In a burst of light, Sapphire Pegasus reappeared.

"Now, what I just did may seem pointless, but…"

"But you get to use its effect again…" muttered Balter.

"Bingo!" said Jesse. "So I'll bring up Ruby Carbuncle."

A red ruby appeared next to the topaz.

"And now… I play Take Flight!"

He played a Spell Card, and Sapphire Pegasus glowed with eldritch energy. Lightning flashed.

"What's happening?" shouted Balter.

"Take Flight lets me return every Crystal Beast except him to my hand. Everyone, come on back!"

Emerald Tortoise, Cobalt Eagle, Topaz Tiger, and Ruby Carbuncle vanished. They appeared in Jesse's hand along with Amber Mammoth.

"And now…" said Jesse, playing his last card, "I play GEM Burst!

"I'll ditch G-Force, E-Force, and M-Force…"

The three cards slipped out of his discard slot.

"And then I can bring this duel home!"

He threw all five of the Crystal Beasts into his Disk, and five gems – red, orange, yellow, green, and blue – appeared behind Sapphire Pegasus.

"All together, everyone!" shouted Jesse. "Five gem flare flash!"

The five gems glowed, and so did Sapphire Pegasus's horn. It fired a bolt of rainbow-colored energy straight at Dark Balter the Terrible. The Fiend screamed, and then erupted in an explosion of energy. His Life Points fell to nothing.

When his men looked, there was nothing left of their leader but a burned-out Duel Disk.

Jesse turned to them.

"Okay, who's next?" he said.

One of the Krokodilus shoved the Warwolf.

"You're second-in-command," he said, frantically, "you handle him!"

"Me?" shouted the Warwolf, just as frantically. "What's wrong with you?"

"We give up!" shouted a Goblin, throwing his hands in the air.

"Yeah," said a Battle Steer, dropping his trident. "I never liked Daala much anyway…"

_Well,_ thought Jesse, _three fortresses down, one more to go… Best handle it, and with any luck, I'll be back before dawn…_

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Seven AM. The sun started to rise over Nexus, and all seemed quiet there for now.

Unlike yesterday morning, Yumi was the first one up. She yawned a little as she walked into the common room of the temple.

"Wow," she thought. "That Spell Card _was_ a good idea. My head's never felt clearer."

A delicious smell came to her nose. There were eggs and bacon cooking.

"Well, look who's up with the sun," said a voice.

"Jesse?" said Yumi.

"Yep," said the young man in front of her. "Come on, Joan has everything ready. Hope you're hungry…"

"Don't you guys ever sleep?" asked Yumi.

"Only when we want to," said Jesse. "Sometimes we _do_ want to, because even an AI needs rest every once in a while."

"Heh," chuckled Yumi. "Philip K. Dick once asked the question, 'Do computers dream of electric sheep?' It was interesting…

"Which leads me to a question… DO computers dream of electric sheep?"

Jesse chuckled.

"No more than anyone else does," he said.

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The fact that Joan was there to see them off was much more reassuring. They all felt a little guilty eating in front of her and Jesse, seeing as they didn't choose to eat with them, but they eventually got over it.

They went over their decks one last time, and then took another path from the temple, and as the odd spatial effect occurred again, the temperature took a sudden shift to hot and dry. The grassy knolls faded away, and were replaced by barren sand dunes.

"Hot…" said Erik.

He looked over the scorched and arid desert that was called the Burnt Paradise. The sands seemed to go on forever.

"Yeah," said Jesse. "That's usually the first impression of one who comes here."

"It must be a hundred degrees in the shade," muttered Chelsea.

"And there is no shade," said Ren. "Sam, do you think you could use those ice powers of yours to make snow cones?"

"Won't work, Ren," said Sam. "I've been practicing, and my ice turns right into vapor when it melts. It isn't good for quenching thirst. I have a feeling that it's actually dry ice."

"Makes sense," said Erik. "I doubt that these powers would ever let anyone create water."

"I suppose I could make ice cream if I had the ingredients…" said Sam.

"Eh, forget it," muttered Ren, wiping his brow. "Man, if this is the Realm of Light, I'd hate to see the Realm of Fire."

"Haven't been there myself," said Jesse. "Atticus is in charge of that place."

"Atticus?" said Yumi, somewhat shocked. "Atticus Rhodes?"

Jesse nodded.

"The Flaming Peaks is a dangerous place," said Jesse. "Folks have compared it to depictions of Hell itself. Atticus has Monsters that are known for raw power, so he's in charge of there."

"Swell," said Chelsea. "Can't wait to go there myself… If we survive that long…"

Then she stopped short.

They had come upon a huge skeleton, half-buried in the sand, one that looked like that of a thirty-foot tall dinosaur, the bones picked clean.

"I'd hate to see what that was," said Sam.

"I'd hate to see what killed it!" shouted Ren.

"Calm down everyone!" said Yumi. "Across the desert lies the promised land, as Willy Wonka once said, and we've got to get there."

"Willy Wonka?" said Sam.

Yumi sighed.

"When I was a kid, _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_ was my favorite book," she said. "But we can't let this desert get to us. Everyone got their canteens?"

Everyone nodded.

"Do NOT drink it all at once, because we don't know when we'll be able to refill."

"Times like this I'm glad I don't have to drink," said Jesse.

"Yeah, Jesse, we know," said Yumi. "Now let's go…"

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After about half an hour, the sand dunes gave way to some rocky terrain. Some odd rock formations came into view.

"Hmm…" said Jesse. "Look sharp people…"

Then the ground started to tremble.

"What's that?" shouted Sam, turning to Jesse.

"Am I supposed to know everything?" asked Jesse. "I think there might be something underground…"

Then the ground started to shake violently.

"There must be a million things down there!" shouted Erik.

And then a titanic form burst through the surface in an explosion of rock shards and dirt. It looked like a millipede the size of a subway train, with huge mandibles and a dull, red carapace. (2,800/2,600)

"No…" said Chelsea. "Only one…"

"That's a Doom Dozer!" shouted Sam. "My mom has one in her deck… And once she manages to summon it, she's practically won the duel!"

The giant Insect looked at them and drooled. All of them drew six cards off their decks.

"Anyone?" asked Yumi.

Everyone shook their heads.

"You got a plan, Jesse?" asked Yumi. "We don't have many options…"

"Yeah…" he replied. "Run as fast as possible!"

The six duelists fled, but the huge beast gave chase.

"Ah, we'll never outrun it!" shouted Erik. "It's got a hundred legs and we only have two apiece!"

Sam and Chelsea turned to face the huge creature. They pointed, and blasts of fire and ice hit the huge thing on the underbelly. The Doom Dozer roared.

"Great," said Chelsea. "I think we made it mad."

The thing glared at them.

Then Ren stepped forward. He held his temples with his palms and closed his eyes. He started to glow with a golden light…

Then, four spires of rock shot up from the ground. The Doom Dozer looked confused.

Then it bellowed, as the rock started wrapping around it.

"I don't know what you're doing, Ren," said Chelsea, "but keep doing it!"

The Doom Dozer struggled, but Ren continued, and layers of stone wrapped around it, forming a rocky straightjacket.

Ren stopped to catch his breath. The huge Insect growled, but it wasn't struggling any more.

"So, uh, it gave you the ability to control stone?" asked Erik.

"Seems that way," said Ren. "Now let's skedaddle before it breaks free."

That was the best idea they had heard yet, so they all ran past it, the way they were going.

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"Okay, let's see…" said Erik. "I get visions of the future… Chelsea is pyrotechnic… Sam can create ice… And Ren can shape stone.

"Seems that the Devil's Fruit has delivered in spades for everyone… Except Yumi…"

Yumi sighed.

"I'm sure something will come to me soon," she said. "We'll just have to wait for the right time."

Then came something they didn't expect. Piano music started playing from ahead.

"Sounds like someone's playing 'Oh, Susana'," said Erik.

Like a shimmering mirage, the pianist appeared. He was playing a very old-fashioned piano, and a table was next to him.

He looked like a well-dressed and handsome gentleman, wearing a formal vest, shirt, slacks, and bow tie. He had a haircut that could best be described as outdated, but still formal.

He stopped playing and looked at them. He took a coin out of his pocket and started flipping it.

"You seem out of your territory, buddy," said Sam.

"Why no," said the strange man, standing up. "This desert makes me feel right at home…"

"Wait…" said Yumi. "I recognize this guy… I saw the card in a binder once… Sand Gambler, right?"

The Duel Spirit chuckled, and pocketed the coin. He took out a deck of cards (Yumi saw that they were ordinary playing cards, not Duel Monsters cards) and started to shuffle.

"You like Duel Monsters, Yumi," he said. "How good would you be at other card games, I wonder?

"Just for fun, let's see what hand you'd be dealt if you were in a poker game…"

He tossed five cards on the table, and they landed faces down.

Yumi looked him in the eye.

"Go on," said Sand Gambler. "They don't bite."

Yumi slowly picked them up.

The five cards were two aces, of clubs and spades, two eights, also of clubs and spades, and a nine of diamonds.

"Very funny," she said, turning them around.

Sand Gambler chuckled.

"I assume you know the historic significance of that combination," he said. "Aces and Eights… The hand that Wild Bill Hickok was holding right before he was murdered.

"The Dead Man's Hand."

"I'm not Wild Bill, and this isn't Deadwood!" shouted Yumi, throwing the cards down. "What's your deal?"

Sand Gambler leaned casually against the piano.

"Now why do we have to argue, Yumi?" he asked. "After all… You like Spellcasters… I'm a Spellcaster. You have a grandfather who liked to gamble. Heck, I love to gamble.

"In fact Yumi… I believe both sides of your family were good at games of chance…"

Yumi looked at him.

"True…" she said. "Solomon Mouto was one of the best gamblers of his time. After he excelled in every game of chance he knew existed, he made a bet with himself, stating that if he ever lost a game, he would retire, open a store, and wear overalls for the rest of his life…

"We can assume that he eventually lost."

Sand Gambler looked her in the eye.

"Yes, but it's your closer grandfather I remember more," he said. "Him and me… We didn't part on good terms…"

Yumi just looked at him.

"What?" she said.

"I'm a Duel Spirit, Yumi," he said, with a hint of annoyance. "And like so many, a card that bore my image was once my vessel in your world. And Joey Wheeler once owned it."

"That's crazy!" said Sam. "He used a lot of gamble cards, sure, but never yours."

"Not in an official duel," said Sand Gambler. "He got my card shortly after Battle City. He looked at it, and thought the effect was promising. And when he held it, I felt in him the soul of a true gambler… The type of human I admired the most…"

He tossed his coin again.

"But when he tried my card out in tabletop duels, it all went wrong. He could never succeed at making all three coin tosses. He eventually decided that my card wasn't worth it.

"So he traded my card… For Maximum Six.

"Give me a break! Look at me! Aren't I a lot handsomer than that brutal, six-armed ogre?"

"Maybe," said Ren. "But I saw the tape of the KaibaCorp Grand Prix. He had a lot more luck when he used him. He rolled a six, making his Attack Score 3,100."

Sand Gambler growled and crossed his arms.

"The one he traded me to was a spoiled rich grade school student named Pierre," he muttered. "He had the potential to be a great gambler, but he never became more than someone who pretended to be one. He cheated at cards… I'm surprised folks actually believed he was being honest when he was able to draw a Royal Straight Flush. That's almost impossible.

"When he became a serious duelist, his Gamble Deck, if you could call it that, would never have succeeded without his Second Coin Toss, a card that a true gambler does NOT need.

"To make things worse, once he had used his one use of Second Coin Toss for a round, he was too scared to take another chance until he could use it again the next round. He was pathetic.

"Joey was a real gambler… He could have succeeded… If he just gave me a chance."

"Maybe you're just bad luck," said Chelsea.

Sand Gambler glared at her.

"Okay, little lady," he said with a sneer. "Once I'm done with Yumi, you're next!"

He picked up a Duel Disk and slipped it on his left arm.

"Oh, good grief," said Yumi. "You want to duel me just because my grandfather traded your card? You have serious issues, pal. It's a _trading_ card game, Sand Gambler! If he hadn't been willing to trade, he'd never have gotten his Shield and Sword!"

"That Spell Card saved his butt more than once," said Erik.

"Yumi, you don't have to, you know," said Jesse.

"That's okay, Jesse," said Yumi. "I have a feeling that Daala is pulling his strings, and the more of her men we take down, the better."

Sand Gambler started to shuffle his deck.

"I'm watching you, pal!" said Yumi.

"Oh, please," said Sand Gambler. "I'm not some charlatan like that fool Arkana. I'm a Duel Spirit. Do you think I'd actually resort to card tricks?"

Yumi just stared at him.

"I dunno, would you?" she asked.

"Here," he said, handing her his deck. "Shuffle it yourself if you aren't convinced."

"I think I'll do just that," said Yumi, taking it.

"Not the first time I had a hard time with a Gamble Deck," she muttered, as she shuffled. "I remember Cassandra's Arcana Force Monsters quite plainly…"

Sand Gambler smirked.

_She thinks I'm playing a Gamble Deck,_ he thought. _Won't she be surprised… True, I am a gambler… But some things are just too important to leave to luck…_

Yumi handed the deck back, and then walked to her position.

"Time to stop beating around the bush, Yumi," said Sand Gambler. "As so many gunfighters would say in the days of the Old West…

"Draw."

**(Yumi: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Sand Gambler: 8,000)**

"I'm gonna drop you like a bad habit," said Yumi.

"Oh, does that mean to say gambling is a bad habit?" said Sand Gambler, drawing his first card. "You're a barrel of laughs…

"I summon Warrior Lady of the Wasteland."

He played a card, and a feminine figure materialized. She was dressed in a halter and short skirt, with high boots, and a wide-brimmed hat with a feather in it, along with a tattered cape. She held a longsword and carried a revolver slung to her side. (1,100/1,200)

"That's all."

"You call that an opening move?" asked Yumi. "I can do better than that…

"I summon Magician's Valkyria!"

She played the card, and Valkyria appeared in a burst of light. (1,600/1,800)

"Well, hi there," said Sand Gambler.

Valkyria looked at him. Then she blushed a little.

"Oh, for heaven's sake!" shouted Yumi. "Snap out of it!"

Valkyria shook her head a little.

"What can I say?" asked Sand Gambler. "I have a way with the ladies…"

"Attack!" shouted Yumi. "Destroy his Warrior Lady!"

Magician's Valkyria cast her burning beam of light, and Warrior Lady screamed before she was blown away.

"If there's one thing I don't need," said Yumi, "it's my Monsters getting crushes on my opponent!"

Valkyria sighed, and hung her head.

"Humph, too bad," said Sand Gambler. "But at least I get something for my troubles… I get to summon an Earth Warrior with 1,500 Attack Points or less. Like Marauding Captain."

In a burst of energy, the battle-worn Warrior appeared, holding his two swords. (1,200/400)

Yumi took a card from her hand.

"I'll set this, and that will be all," she said.

A facedown card appeared.

**(Y: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (SG: 7,500)**

Sand Gambler drew a card.

"Hmm…" he said. "Moving Marauding Captain to Defense Mode…"

The Captain sheathed his swords, and knelt in defense.

"Then, I summon another lovely lady… Command Knight."

He played the card, and a new female Warrior appeared. She had orange and brown ceremonial armor and a beret over her long hair, and held a longsword and a shield. (1,200/1,900)

"And she can…"

"I know her effect," said Yumi. "Everyone who uses Warriors has at least one. She increases the Attack Scores of all your Warriors by 400 points, and I can't attack her so long as you have at least one other Monster."

Command Knight and Marauding Captain both rose to Attack Scores of 1,600.

"Weird," said Ren. "This guy seems to have nothing more than a Toolbox Warrior Deck. Yumi will take him down without breaking a sweat."

_How little you know,_ thought Sand Gambler, as he took another card from his hand.

He placed it in his Field Slot.

"I play… Dodge City!"

As was the case with all Field Spells, the whole terrain changed, but no-one expected this. Buildings rose on both sides of them… Very old-fashioned buildings, suggesting a prospecting town of the Old West.

A tumbleweed blew between them.

"Ah, yes, Dodge City," said Sand Gambler. "Once, it was the pure definition of the West… The beginning of the Santa Fe Trail.

"You know Yumi, back then, this town had an odd law. You weren't allowed to wear or carry a gun north of the 'deadline', which was the railroad tracks that ran through the center of town. On the south side, it was a place where anything goes.

"As you can see from the tracks behind me and the position of the sun, we're on the south side right now."

"Stuff a sock in it, Sand Gambler!" shouted Yumi. "What does your Field Spell do?"

It gives two bonuses to all Warrior-Type Monsters of the Fire Attribute," said Sand Gambler. "One, they can dodge Spells, Traps, and Monster effects that target. Two, if they're attacked while in Attack Mode, they can retreat into Defense Mode."

"Uh, Sam?" asked Erik. "Exactly how many Fire Warriors are there?"

Sam looked dumbfounded.

"That one," she said, pointing to Command Knight, "Ultimate Baseball Kid, and uhm… uh…

"Well, the only other one I can think of is an incredibly powerful card that I doubt this guy could ever use… It's one of those Sing… Cinch…

"Synchros?" asked Ren.

"Yeah," said Ren. "Not the kind of card you see every day. This is weird…"

Sand Gambler smirked.

_You'd be surprised, Sam,_ he thought.

Yumi looked at her hand, which included Old Vindictive Magician.

_Whatever_ _he's_ _planning_, she thought, _my_ _plan_ _to_ _get_ _rid_ _of_ _Command_ _Knight_ _with_ _this_ _guy_ _is_ _ruined_.

"I end my turn," said Sand Gambler.

Yumi drew a card slowly.

"I, uh… I summon Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer," she said.

She played the card, and Kycoo appeared in a burst of energy. (1,800/700)

"Valkyria, attack Marauding Captain!"

Valkyria cast her Magic Illusion, and the Captain was blown to shards.

"Kycoo, attack…"

She stopped short.

"Uh, on second thought, never mind," she said. "I end my turn."

_Have_ _to_ _be_ _careful_, she thought. _He'd_ _have_ _clearly_ _used_ _the_ _effect_ _of the Field Spell if I had attacked._

Sand Gambler drew a card.

"Okay, missy…" he said. "Now I'll show you my true strategy…

"I summon Twin-Gun Fighter!"

In a burst of flame, a new Warrior appeared, one who truly seemed at home in the Dodge City Field Spell. It was a young, ragged cowboy, dressed in a leather buckskin and matching hat, holding two Colt Peacemaker revolvers. (1,600/1,000) –) (2,000/1,000)

"What the…" said Yumi. "A cowboy Monster?"

"Yep," said Sand Gambler. "And since he and his ilk use firearms as weapons, Fire is their Attribute. So they benefit from the Field Spell. Not to mention the added bonus that Command Knight helps them, and she's right at home here too.

"Anyway… Twin-Gun Fighter, plug her Magician's Valkyria."

Valkyria looked at Sand Gambler in shock…

Twin-Gun Fighter fired two shots at the female mage. Valkyria clutched her chest, and fell to her knees. Then she shattered into shards.

"Whoa, talk about cruel," said Ren.

Then Twin-Gun Fighter aimed his gun at Yumi and fired again. Yumi screamed.

"How?" she shouted, clutching her stomach. "How did he manage to attack directly?"

"Technically, he didn't," said Sand Gambler. "See, due to his effect, when he destroys one of your Monsters, you take damage equal to his Attack Score."

"Good lord," said Chelsea. "That means Yumi will lose Life Points 2,000 at a time, if she's lucky!"

"You know how when kids ask for BB guns, their mothers' usual excuse for not letting them have one is 'you'll shoot your eye out'?" said Sand Gambler. "Well let me tell you… Mothers think too small. Let a kid have a gun, he can do far more damage than THAT.

"And I'm not done... I play Mirage."

He played a Spell Card, and the air around him started to turn blurry and hazy.

"What does that do?" asked Yumi.

"It stays on my side of the field for three full turns," said Sand Gambler. "During that time, you can only use attacks or Spells on my Monsters. You won't be able to reach me with them.

"And I end my turn."

**(Y: 5,600) - - - - - - - - - - (SG: 7,500)**

Yumi drew a card.

"Okay…" she said. "I play… Pot of Greed."

She played the card, and drew two cards, and looked at them.

"I'll toss two cards facedown," she said.

Two facedown cards appeared.

"Then I'll move Kycoo to Defense Mode, and set a new Monster in Defense Mode."

Kycoo knelt and crossed his arms. Then a facedown Monster appeared.

"That's all."

Sand Gambler drew a card.

"I'll summon another fine lady," he said. "Meet my Pierce Musketeer."

He played another card, and another Monster that matched the Old West theme appeared. It was a woman dressed in a low cut, country Victorian-style dress with a fancy hat. She held a long rifle. (1,700/1,000) –) (2,100/1,000)

"Considering the stunt you just pulled," said Yumi, "I'm surprised she even listens to you."

"Life is full of mysteries," said Sand Gambler. "Twin-Gun Fighter, take care of Kycoo."

The gunfighter aimed his two Colts.

"Activate, Draining Shield!" shouted Yumi.

As Twin-Gun Fighter fired, Yumi's Trap Card lifted, and the bullets were absorbed by an invisible shield.

"Well, ain't that a shame," said Sand Gambler. "But I still have Pierce Musketeer, and she has a special ability of her own. When she attacks a Monster in Defense Mode, and her Attack Score is higher than that Monster's Defense Score, the difference is taken out of your Life Points.

"Why don't you show her, honey?"

Pierce Musketeer aimed her rifle.

"No!" shouted Chelsea. "Kycoo has a weak Defense!"

Pierce Musketeer fired, and the Ghost Destroyer was blown to shards. Yumi clutched her chest in pain.

"All right, Command Knight, attack her last Monster."

Command Knight raised her Sword, and rushed at the facedown Monster. Blast Magician appeared on the card. (1,400/1,700) He parried the Warrior's blow with his staff, and then pushed her back.

"Ah, well," said Sand Gambler. "I'll get him next time…"

**(Y: 6,200) - - - - - - - - - - (SG: 7,400)**

Yumi drew a card.

"Time to turn this around!" she shouted.

One of her two facedown cards lifted.

"I activate Call of the Haunted!"

A coffin appeared on her side of the field, and Magician's Valkyria stepped out of it. (1,600/1,800)

She gave an angry sneer at Sand Gambler.

"Next," she said, "I summon Old Vindictive Magician."

She played the card, and the old, wizened witch doctor in colorful clothes appeared. (450/600)

"Huh?" said Sand Gambler. "You _summoned_ him? But why?"

"I'll show you," said Yumi, "I play Magical Dimension. So I sacrifice him…"

Old Vindictive Magician vanished into sparkles of light.

"And there's a new sheriff in town! Come on out, Dark Magician!"

In a burst of energy, Dark Magician leapt onto the field. (2,500/2,100)

"Aw, crud…" said Sand Gambler.

"Magical Dimension also lets me destroy one Monster," said Yumi. "And this Spell doesn't target, by the way."

Command Knight shattered into pixels. Both Twin-Gun Fighter and Pierce Musketeer lost 400 Attack Points.

"I move Blast Magician into Attack Mode," she continued, as the crimson-robed mage stood up.

"Dark Magician, send Twin-Gun Fighter to Boot Hill!"

"Forget?" said Sand Gambler, as Dark Magician aimed his staff. "Due to my Field Spell, he gets to move into Defense Mode."

Twin-Gun Fighter put away his revolvers and then crouched down.

"Then why don't I activate this," said Yumi, as her other facedown card lifted. "Magician's Circle! Now, we each must summon to the field in Attack Mode, a Spellcaster that has 2,000 Attack Points or less."

Sand Gambler growled.

"All right…" he muttered, taking a card from his deck, "I'll summon this one… Gambler of Legend."

In a dark shadow, a new figure appeared. He was also dressed in a buckskin, with a bandana around his neck and a black cowboy hat. He casually tossed a coin. (500/1,400)

Dark Magician Girl appeared next to Dark Magician in a flash of light. (2,000/1,700)

"Whoa!" shouted Sand Gambler. "Now there's a lady I'd really like to get to know!"

"You wish," said Yumi. "And that triggered a replay, by the way… And your Gambler is no Fire Warrior."

"Dark Magician, switch your target to Gambler of Legend!"

Dark Magician aimed his staff at Gambler of Legend, and he was blown to pieces in a mighty blast.

"ERGH!" shouted Sand Gambler.

"Dark Magician Girl, you take care of Twin-Gun Fighter! Dark burning attack!"

Dark Magician Girl aimed her staff. The gunslinger was blown to pieces.

Yumi sighed.

"I end my turn," she said.

**(Y: 6,200) - - - - - - - - - - (SG: 5,400)**

"Strange," said Erik. "You'd think he would have used his own card…"

"He was smart, Erik," said Sam. "Sand Gambler has only 300 Attack Points. If this guy even has his own card in his deck, summoning Gambler of Legend cost him less Life Points. An extra 200 can make a difference in the long run."

Sand Gambler smiled at Dark Magician Girl as he drew. She crossed her arms and turned her head from him with an audible "Humph!"

"Sand Gambler!" said Daala's voice in his head.

He stopped short.

"Uh, yes milady?" he replied.

"You're reputation as a lady's man is well known," said Daala's voice. "But know this well… Being distracted by Dark Magician Girl is a sure way to lose.

"She is closer to Yumi than any other card in her deck. Crushing her may well be the key to victory.

"Is that understood?"

"Yes, milady," he whispered.

"Good," she replied. "Now prove your loyalty to me and kill her."

Sand Gambler sighed, and drew a card.

"I switch Pierce Musketeer to Defense Mode," he said.

Pierce Musketeer lifted up her dress and knelt down, holding her rifle in her lap.

"I set a facedown, and that will be all."

A facedown card appeared in front of him.

"Remember," he said, "Mirage is still in play until my next Standby Phase. Until then, you can't touch me."

Yumi drew a card.

"Dark Magician Girl," she said, "destroy Pierce Musketeer!"

Dark Magician Girl's aimed her staff at the Musketeer, and her spell blasted her to atoms.

"In that case, I'll set this in Defense Mode, and end my turn," she said.

A facedown Monster appeared.

Sand Gambler drew a card. The Mirage card shattered, and the shimmering mist cleared up.

He chuckled.

"I'll play Premature Burial," he said. "So I'll pay 800 Life Points to bring Twin-Gun Fighter back."

He glowed with a red aura, and Twin-Gun Fighter appeared once more. (1,600/1,000)

"Next up, I play The Warrior Returning Alive. So I can get Pierce Musketeer back too, and summon her."

A card slipped out of his discard slot. He played it, and Pierce Musketeer appeared. (1,700/1,000)

He threw a Spell Card into his Disk.

"Next, I play Double Summon. This Spell gives me a second Normal Summon for the round. So I'll summon Grenader as well."

"Huh?" said Yumi. "Grenader?"

A new Monster to fit the theme appeared. It was a man in a black overcoat and top hat, holding an old-fashioned hand-mortar. (1,500/1,100)

"Time for a real showdown," said Sand Gambler. "Pierce Musketeer, destroy Valkyria."

The Musketeer fired her rifle, and Valkyria exploded into shards.

"Grenader, attack Blast Magician!"

Grenader pointed his weapon, and launched an explosive from it. Blast Magician was blown to bits, and not only did Yumi cringe, but so did Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl.

"Grenader has a special effect as well," said Sand Gambler. "When he destroys a Monster, your other Monsters lose 500 Attack Points."

Dark Magician fell to an Attack of 2,000, while Dark Magician Girl fell to an Attack of 1,500.

Sand Gambler sighed again. He pointed. Twin-Gun Fighter aimed his gun at Dark Magician Girl…

_No_… thought Yumi.

The shot rang out, and Dark Magician Girl fell to her knees with a bullet in her breast…

She looked at Yumi weakly. Yumi reached out with her hand, and she tried to reach it with hers, but she dissolved into pixilated remains before they reached each other.

A tear fell down Yumi's cheek. She couldn't react when she was struck by the shot from Twin-Gun Fighter's weapon. She fell to her knees herself.

**(Y: 4,300) - - - - - - - - - - (SG: 4,600)**

"Get up, Yumi!" shouted Chelsea.

"Yeah, don't let that bastard beat you!" shouted Sam.

Yumi closed her eyes tight. Then they opened, showing great anger.

"He won't beat me…" she whispered.

She stood up.

"You know Sand Gambler," she said. "I almost felt sorry for you a while ago… But I think you just destroyed her to make yourself feel big, not as part of any real strategy…"

Sand Gambler paused. He looked at his facedown card.

"You, my friend, are going to regret this," said Yumi. "You're going to regret it bad…"

She drew a card.

"First I set this," she said, as a facedown card appeared. "Then I flip my Morphing Jar into Attack Mode."

Her facedown Monster flipped up, and the vase with the one-eyed shadowy creature appeared. (700/600)

"How odd," said Sand Gambler, as he drew five cards. "I thought you hated me…"

"Don't take it the wrong way!" shouted Yumi, looking at her new hand. "It was either do that or lose.

"Now I play Dedication Through Light and Darkness! I sacrifice Dark Magician to summon someone better!"

Dark Magician vanished, and the mighty Dark Magician of Chaos appeared an explosion of dark energy. (2,800/2,300)

"And just by summoning him, I get to take a Spell Card back from my Graveyard."

A card slipped out of her discard slot.

"Now I'll play it… Pot of Greed!"

She played the card, and drew two cards.

She frowned, and added them to her hand.

"Attack his Twin-Gun Fighter!" shouted Yumi. "Scepter strike!"

Dark Magician of Chaos prepared to cast a mighty spell…

"I activate a Trap!" shouted Sand Gambler, as his facedown card flipped up. "Grazing Bullet!"

Twin-Gun Fighter fired his weapon at Dark Magician of Chaos, and the bullet nicked his ear, knocking him over.

"Dark Magician of Chaos…" said Yumi. "Are you…"

And then she groaned in pain.

"Grazing Bullet stops him from attacking this round," muttered Sand Gambler, "and inflicts damage to both players equal to his Attack Score. Powerful Trap Card, wouldn't you say?"

"Ring of Destruction would have been better," muttered Sam. "If they hadn't outlawed it…"

"Sam…" muttered Erik, holding her shoulders. "You gotta let it go sometime…"

"I end my turn…" muttered Yumi.

**(Y: 1,500) - - - - - - - - - - (SG: 1,800)**

Sand Gambler drew a card.

_Seems this duel is as good as mine,_ he thought. _All I have to do is attack Morphing Jar with Twin-Gun Fighter, and Yumi will lose all her Life Points…_

Then Yumi's facedown card lifted.

"Threatening Roar!" she shouted.

A bellowing roar echoed over the field.

"Or… maybe not…" muttered Sand Gambler.

He turned the cards on his Disk. His three Monsters knelt and crouched in Defense Mode. Then he placed a card on his Disk, and another defensive Monster appeared.

"Your move…" he said.

Yumi drew a card.

"I move Morphing Jar to Defense Mode," she said.

The creature retreated into its vase.

"Then I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior."

Breaker appeared, holding his sword menacingly. (1,600/1,000) –) (1,900/1,000)

"Breaker has the power to destroy one Spell or Trap Card," said Yumi, "so it's time to get out of Dodge."

Breaker's shield glowed with energy, and the buildings around them crumbled into dust and disintegrated. The arena turned back to the rocky desert that it started as.

"Big deal," said Sand Gambler. "My Monsters are already in Defense Mode. And you can't take them all out in one round."

"Want a bet?" said Yumi, playing a card.

"I play Diffusion-Wave Motion! Now, for the cost of 1,000 Life Points, my Dark Magician of Chaos can attack every Monster on your side of the field!"

Dark Magician of Chaos glowed with incredible energy…

He fired four powerful blasts, and Twin-Gun Fighter, Pierce Musketeer, Grenader, and the facedown Monster, revealed to be another Twin-Gun Fighter, were all blown to bits.

Yumi placed a card in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"Your move…" she muttered.

**(Y: 500) - - - - - - - - - - (SG: 1,800)**

Sand Gambler's hand shook as he drew a card.

"Okay, Yumi…" he muttered. "I hoped I wouldn't have to do this…

"First, I set a facedown…"

A facedown card appeared in front of him.

"Then… remember my Gambler of Legend? Well, I packed another one…"

He played a card, and another of the buckskin-wearing gamblers appeared. (500/1,400)

"Now, listen up," he said, "because this gets complicated. To use his effect, I toss a coin three times…"

A gold coin appeared in his hand.

"This is heads…"

He showed a side that had the Eye of Wdjat on it.

"…this is tails."

He flipped it around, showing a blank side.

"Now, if I get three heads, my Gambler can destroy all your Monsters. Two heads, and you lose one card in your hand. One head, and I have to destroy one of my cards on the field. No heads, and I lose every card in my hand.

"You get all that?"

"Yeah," muttered Yumi.

"I hope she did," said Ren, "because I sure didn't."

Sand Gambler tossed the coin. He slapped it on his wrist.

It was heads.

"That's one," he said. "Again…"

He tossed it again. He slapped it again.

It was heads again.

"Third time's the charm…" he said, tossing it again.

He slapped it on his wrist again.

Everyone was horrified to see that it was heads again.

"Did someone actually say I was unlucky?" he laughed, as Gambler of Legend started to glow with a ghostly, dark aura.

Yumi's Dark Magician of Chaos, Breaker, and Morphing Jar exploded into pixels.

"No!" screamed Chelsea. "That guy only has 500 Attack Points, but that's just enough to end this duel!"

"You're right," said Sand Gambler. "Gambler of Legend, attack directly."

Gambler of Legend shrugged. He made a rush towards Yumi…

"Go, Trap Card!" shouted Yumi. "A Hero Emerges!"

"Huh?" said Sand Gambler, as her facedown card lifted.

"Here's the deal, Sand Gambler," said Yumi, holding up her hand of four cards. "You gotta pick a card in my hand. If it's a Monster, I get to Special Summon it.

"Time to see who's luck is really better."

Sand Gambler stared at her. It was clear that Yumi was visibly nervous.

"Far left…" he said.

Yumi sighed in relief, and placed the card on her Disk.

"Injection Fairy Lily, Defense Mode," she said.

In a burst of light, the cute, winged Spellcaster dressed like a nurse, holding a huge syringe appeared. She knelt down, and held the syringe in her lap. (400/1,500)

"In that case…" said Sand Gambler, "I call off my attack, and end my turn."

"How the mighty have fallen," muttered Sam.

"What?" said Erik.

"Normally, Lily would have been one of Yumi's strongest Monsters," said Sam. "But now, she's only good as a shield. Yumi's Life Points aren't even close to being high enough to use her effect. And her Attack Points fall just short of being able to beat that Gambler."

Yumi drew a card.

She looked at the Monster on the card.

She set it on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared next to Lily.

"Go ahead…" she said.

Sand Gambler drew a card.

"By the way," he said, taking the coin, "I can use his effect every round…"

He tossed it once, and slapped it on his wrist.

It was heads. He grinned.

He tossed it again.

"Huh?" he said, when he saw it.

It was tails.

He frowned, and tossed it a third time. He slapped it on his wrist again.

It was another tails.

"HA!" laughed Erik. "You gotta destroy one of your cards now, fellah!"

Sand Gambler gestured, and his facedown card lifted, and shattered. Yumi's eyes opened wide.

"Another Grazing Bullet?" she said.

"The only protection I had at the time," said Sand Gambler, as Gambler of Legend moved to Defense Mode.

"But… If I had attacked with someone who had 1,800 Attack Points or higher…" said Yumi.

"I know, I know!" said Sand Gambler. "The duel would have ended in a draw. But that beats losing, right?"

"Uh, Jesse?" asked Ren. "What happens in Xanadu when a duel ends in a draw? As far as Daala is concerned?"

"Well, in a draw, technically, neither player loses," said Jesse. "So Daala really can't do anything. It's the equivalent of getting off on a technicality."

"Well," said Yumi. "Here goes…"

She drew a card. Her eyes narrowed.

"I Flip-Summon my facedown Monster!" she shouted. "The Crystal Seer!"

Her facedown card flipped, up, and a new Spellcaster appeared. It was a gypsy wearing expensive, silken clothing, a turban, cape, and a veil. She held her hands out, and a glowing, crystal sphere hovered between her hands. (100/100)

"When she's flipped, I get to look at the top two cards on my deck," said Yumi. "I add one to my hand, and put the other at the bottom of my deck.

"So let's see…"

She took the top two cards off her deck.

She smirked.

She slid one of them under her deck.

"Now I play it… Monster Reborn!"

In a flash of light, the holy ankh appeared.

Then, Dark Magician Girl appeared in a burst of energy.

Her eyes fixed on Sand Gambler, burning with fury. (2,000/1,700) –) (2,300/1,700)

"Oh no…" muttered Sand Gambler.

"It's only gonna get worse," said Yumi, taking the card she had actually drawn. "You fancy yourself a real ladies man, Sand Gambler… Although I think that Dark Magician Girl was repulsed by you. Maybe that made you all the more anxious to attack her…

"Well, here's a woman who isn't going to be fooled by your charms either… I sacrifice my Seer and Lily…"

The two Spellcasters vanished into grains of light…

"…to summon Cosmo Queen!"

In an explosion of magical power, the mighty Queen of the Galaxy appeared, glowing with an aura of eldritch energy. (2,900/2,450)

"No…" gasped Sand Gambler. "Empress…"

Cosmo Queen looked at him with a look of incredible anger.

"I didn't know you were…" stammered Sand Gambler. "I didn't mean to…"

"Save it!" shouted Yumi. "Dark Magician Girl, wipe out Gambler of Legend!"

Dark Magician Girl cast her dark burning attack, and Gambler of Legend was blown to pieces.

"Cosmo Queen…" said Yumi. "Attack directly with cosmic nova!"

Cosmo Queen's eyes glowed. She put her hands together, and conjured up a mass of dark matter, which she hurled at Sand Gambler. He screamed in agony…

**(Y: 500) - - - - - - - - - - (SG: 0)**

Sand Gambler fell to his knees, still glowing with dark energy from the attack… And then he simply vanished, as he was seemingly overcome by it.

Cosmo Queen looked at Yumi. She gave a slight smile before she and Dark Magician Girl slowly disappeared.

"That was… strange…" said Yumi.

"Jesse…" said Chelsea. "He really freaked out when Cosmo Queen appeared. And he called her 'Empress'. What did he mean?"

"Yeah…" said Ren. "Isn't Daala the empress of Xanadu?"

"Dunno," said Jesse, shrugging his shoulders. "Everyone I know addresses Daala as 'milady', and she calls herself a queen. I have no idea why he reacted like that…"

Yumi looked at the Cosmo Queen card.

She had a few ideas about what it meant. But to find out, she had to use her against more opponents who were Duel Spirits. It depended on which ones acted that way.

Until she found out, one thing was clear: She had someone with some authority in her deck.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

None of them knew that Daala and Skull Knight had been watching the whole time, Daala with a scowl on her face.

"Ah, well…" she muttered. "At least he managed to hurt Yumi a little before she did him in."

She felt a soft, warm creature rubbing against her foot. She smiled, and picked up her pet Catnipped Kitty that was purring against her leg.

"Aren't cats adorable?" she asked.

"Uhm, yeah…" said Skull Knight.

He wasn't going to say it out loud, but he personally preferred dogs.

Then a dark, flaming portal appeared in front of her. Skull Knight looked startled, while Daala looked downright annoyed.

Daala turned to Skull Knight.

"LEAVE," she ordered.

Skull Knight didn't question. He was gone in a minute.

Once Daala heard the door close, she turned to the portal.

"What do you want?" she asked. "I have until Sunday night, you know…"

"I just have an update, and it's bad news," said a voice from the portal. "The mission to Neo-Space has thus far been a failure."

"So, Phoebe and Pollux couldn't cut the mustard, huh?" muttered Daala.

"So it seems," said the voice. "Phoebe was so drunk with power with the Eraser, she not only challenged Jaden, but challenged him and Chazz simultaneously, and lost. Pollux had a little more sense. He tried to defeat Alexis to take her as a hostage. But she was too much for him, it seemed.

"They're both in prison now, and the Eraser and the Avatar have been confiscated."

"What about Damocles?" asked Daala.

"He hasn't been detected yet," said the voice. "But if he's caught as well, I'll have to destroy the portal to Neo-Space and leave them to their fates."

"So what now, oh great wise one?" said Daala, sarcastically.

"You know the answer to that, Daala," said the voice. "Continue the plan, and don't stray from it. One of them must have the Key. It's essential that you get it.

"Joan is the most dire threat to our plans at this point. Our efforts to capture her so far have been abysmal at best. Nothing seems to be able to get into that temple. Not teleportation, astral travel, ethereal jaunt… You even tried breaking down its gates with the Ram Stone."

"Technically, it wasn't the Ram Stone," said Daala, nervously. "Technically, it was a lesser version of the true Ram Stone made from the same tablet that the true one had been made from."

"Well it _technically_ didn't work!" shouted the voice. "I'm beginning to think that not even the real one can do it.

"This rebellion simply can't continue. Joan must be stopped. I don't care if you have to sacrifice all six Realms before you find that Key, but we simply _must_ find it. Either scan them, or capture them!

"And you'll come here Sunday night, and you won't be late. We had a bargain, in case you forgot…"

"How could I ever forget…" muttered Daala. "You just remind me every time we talk to each other."

"You'd best not," said the voice. "If you aren't here, I'm going to come and get you."

The dark portal vanished. Daala sighed.

"Pushy son of a…" she muttered.

She stroked the cat for a minute. Then she waved her hand, and the channel changed.

"Are you there?" she said.

"Of course," said a deep voice. "I'm always here. It's not like I have anywhere to go."

"Listen closely," she said. "The Burnt Paradise is the Realm of Light. Do you know what that means?"

"Uhm," said the voice. "It contains the power source for all Light Monsters in Xanadu, meaning…"

"I'll tell you what it means!" she interrupted. "Light is Joan's Attribute, not to mention the Attribute of almost all her fellow Fairies in the Higher Plane. If she takes control of that Realm away from you, her grip on it will be incredibly tight. The only way we'd ever get it back is by taking her out.

"If they get to your fortress, I need the scan done… But should you lose…"

"I won't lose!" said the voice, nervously. "Trust me. My strategy has been analyzed to deal with any opposition that I might have to deal with. I'm not as incompetent as those two fools Gansley and Krump."

"See to it," said Daala. "You don't want to be in their shoes right now…

"In the meantime, tell the guy at the Colosseum to keep an eye out for them. He has to slow them down so you can be ready for them. And tell that guy you have working the quarry to be vigilant. Why you put such a worthless Duel Spirit in charge, I'll never know."

"He's an excellent duelist," said the voice. "Even if he isn't much of a Monster. He's been adequate defense of that project so far."

"Make sure," said Daala. "Because if that location is taken out, I'm recycling him for scrap.

"Over and out."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Burnt Paradise was the Realm of Light.

On the other side of Xanadu was Darkspire, the Realm of Dark.

Darkspire was a city realm, polluted by smoke and soot that obscured the sky. This place was cursed not only by evil magic, but by the pollution spewed by the many factories that catered to Daala's whim, building infernal devices that only she and a select few others knew the ultimate purpose for.

Most Duel Spirits didn't like this place. The only ones who lived here on a permanent basis were ones who couldn't get sick from the constant smog – mostly Zombies and Machines. Machines benefited from Darkspire, because this was the industrial center of Xanadu, and they never wanted for work here.

One would think that bars and taverns didn't exist in such a place, but there were a few. One place stood at a main thoroughfare. The place didn't have a name, but Machine Duel Spirits knew to go there. Inside, several of them were consuming odd formulas and smoking from strange hookah-like devices – the purpose of each of these was known only to Machines.

The door opened.

A Warrior stepped in. He was a tall, powerful-looking man, dressed in fancy plate armor with a sword strapped to his back and a Duel Disk on his left arm. He had long, blonde hair that fell neatly to his shoulders, and a moustache.

A nervous-looking Command Knight was behind him.

Every optic sensor in the place turned to him.

"I need information about Guardian Angel Joan," said the Warrior. "Does anyone have it?"

The Machines looked at each other. Two Pendulum Machines got up.

"Calm down," said the Warrior. "I always prefer to talk over a situation before resorting to brawn! Perhaps we can discuss this over some Earl Grey tea?"

Then a Dice Armadillo and a Slot Machine also stood up.

"Oh-kay…" said the Warrior, narrowing his eyes. "I guess you folks don't care for tea…"

He quickly drew his sword from the sheath on his back. Runes on the blade glowed with mystical power.

"How about four feet of cold steel?"

The Command Knight dove for cover as the Machines rushed for him. The first Pendulum Machine swung its blade at him, but he deftly cut it in twain and the creature was blown to pixels. The Dice Armadillo rushed at him, but the Warrior stabbed it through the center, and it burst.

The Slot Machine fired a blast from the laser cannon on its arm. The Warrior dodged, and the blast blew a table into splinters.

"GENERAL!" screamed the Command Knight. "It's getting a little too hot to handle!"

The Warrior slashed with his sword, cleaving the Slot Machine down the middle.

"Eh, you're right…" he said. "These things aren't worth me dulling my sword on… We'll have to find Joan some other way…"

As he started to run for the door, Command Knight activated her Disk, and drew a card.

"Jigen Bakudan!" she shouted, playing it.

The explosive Pyro appeared in the middle of the bar, ticking…

As the two Warriors fled, the bar exploded from the inside, and went up in flames.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**TWIN GUN FIGHTER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,600  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description:** When this card destroys an opposing Monster as a result of battle, after damage calculation, inflict direct damage to your opponent's Life Points equal to the ATK of this card.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**MIRAGE (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A shimmering mirage in the desert.

**Card Description:** This card remains on the field until your third Standby Phase after it is played. During the time this card is on the field, negate the effects of any Spell or Trap Cards that target a player, and you cannot be attacked directly.

_Note: "Twin Gun Fighter" and "Mirage" were first used by Richie Merced in the "Yu-Gi-Oh R" issue "Starts Richie's Battle!!". Creative credit goes to the writers of that issue._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**PIERCE MUSKETEER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,700  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description:** When this card attacks a Defense Position monster with a DEF lower than the ATK of this card, inflict the difference as battle damage to your opponent's Life Points.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GRENADER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,500  
**DEF:** 1,100

**Card Description:** When this card destroys an opposing Monster as a result of battle, after damage calculation, decrease the ATK of all face-up Monsters on your opponent's side of the field by 500 points.

_Note: "Pierce Musketeer" and "Grenader" were first used by Richie Merced in the "Yu-Gi-Oh R" issue "Pegasus's Minion!!". Creative credit goes to the writers of that issue._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GRAZING BULLET (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** Grenader shooting at a man, the bullet flying past his ear.

**Card Description:** Activate only during your opponent's Battle Phase. Target one face-up Monster on your opponent's side of the field. The targeted Monster cannot attack during this Battle Phase. Inflict direct damage to both players equal to the ATK of the targeted Monster.

**Note: "Grazing Bullet" was first used by Richie Merced in the "Yu-Gi-Oh R" issue "Respective Battle!!". Creative credit goes to the writers of that issue.**

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DODGE CITY (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image:** The street of an Old West style town with tumbleweeds blowing through the street.

**Card Description:** All FIRE-Attribute Warrior-Type Monsters gain the following effects.

- They are not affected by Spell Cards, Trap Cards, and Monster effects that target a specific Monster.

- If one is attacked while in Attack Position, the controller can shift it to Defense Position. The controller chooses the timing for this effect.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**G-FORCE (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A letter G made of amber.

**Card Description:** You can activate this card when your opponent declares an attack. Select one "Crystal Beast" Monster in your hand. The attacking Monster conducts battle with the selected Monster, treating the selected Monster as being in Attack Position. The results of the battle and Damage Calculation are treated as they would for a normal battle.

_Note: "G-Force" was first used by Jesse in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Trapper Keeper (Part One)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**E-FORCE (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** A letter E made of ruby.

**Card Description:** Select one "Crystal Beast" Monster in your Spell/Trap Zone and Special Summon it.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**M-FORCE (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** A letter M made of emerald.

**Card Description:** Increase the ATK of a face-up "Crystal Beast" Monster that you control by 500. When that Monster attacks a Defense Position Monster with an ATK greater than the target's DEF, inflict the difference as battle damage to Life Points of the attack target's controller. Both effects last until the End Phase of the current turn.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**TAKE FLIGHT (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** The image on this card was not clear.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when you have a "Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus" face-up on your side of the field. Return all "Crystal Beast" Monsters on the field except for "Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus" to their owner's hands.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GEM BURST (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** The word "GEM" in purple, red, and green letters.

**Card Description:** Remove one "G-Force", one "E-Force" and one "M-Force" in your Graveyard from play to activate this card. After the activation of this card, place as many "Crystal Beast" Monsters from your hand as possible in your Spell/Trap Zone. For each "Crystal Beast" Monster placed in your Spell/Trap Zone via this effect, inflict 500 points of direct damage to your opponent,

_Note: "E-Force", "M-Force", "Take Flight", and "GEM Burst" were first used by Jesse in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Trapper Keeper (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next, the team continues its trek into the Burnt Paradise. Sam faces an opponent who…**_

_**Well, I can't say much. I'm so proud of being able to write the duel that follows, I don't want to ruin it by giving any clues. But I will say that Sam will finally get to use that card that her mother gave her in the Prologue.**_

_**Will it be enough to defeat this new foe? Only time will tell.**_

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Name that Card!**_

_**Or rather, cards. And you may have to be a "Where's Waldo" expert to do this one.**_

"_**The Big March of Animals" has nineteen Monsters on its artwork. Can you identify them all? Good luck. And PM me if you want to try, so we won't clutter the replies board.**_


	22. Perfect Tempo

_Could you identify every Monster?_

_They were: "Ojama King", "Sleeping Lion", "Behemoth the King of All Animals", "Giant Rat", "Burglar", "3-Hump Lacooda", "Des Koala", "Synchar", "Bazoo the Soul Eater", "Great Bill", "Lesark", "Dig Beak", "Nekogal #1", "Nimble Momonga", "Wimee", "Dark Grey", "Fusionist", "Mystical Sheep #2", and "Rescue Cat"._

_That's a lot!_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"_**Cowards die many times before their deaths;**_

"_**The valiant never taste death but once."**_

_**So said Julius Caesar in Shakespeare's tragedy that bears his name. Caesar's wife was having nightmares about her husband being murdered (which turned out to be prophetic, as you later discovered) and he tried to comfort her with this quote. What he meant was, he found it strange that men feared death so much, when death was an inevitable thing that happened to everyone. He had been a strong and brave man who had not wasted time anticipating death.**_

_**I like to consider myself 'valiant'… I wouldn't have come to Xanadu if I wasn't, and I wouldn't have accepted this challenge in this place where Caesar would be right at home, facing creatures who wouldn't deny his philosophy…**_

_**But while I don't anticipate death, if I don't get my game on, so to speak, I'm going to have to accept its inevitability more than ever…**_

_**Duel…**_

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**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**

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**Perfect Tempo**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

One hour later, Daala was speaking to someone via a screen.

"Freed the Matchless General?" she shouted.

"That's what the surviving witnesses said, milady," said a voice. "They said he was looking for Joan."

Daala's fist slammed down on the armrest of her couch, shattering it. She stood up and started to pace.

"This is bad…" she muttered. "Really bad… Freed commands the most powerful army in the Twelve Dimensions… If he's come here personally to meet with Joan…"

She clenched her fist again.

"If Joan convinces him to help the resistance, we're in big trouble…"

"What should I do, milady?" asked the voice.

"Send word to every minion you have," said Daala. "I'm doing the same for the rulers of the other three Realms I still control. Whoever defeats Freed the Matchless General may have forty cards which he may choose from cards taken from defeated members of the resistance!"

"Right away, milady," said the voice. "And we'll… Uhm…"

There was a pause.

"Really? Uh, does that include Aster if we apprehend him first?"

"Any at all!" shouted Daala. "Now make the announcement! We can't waste any more time!"

"Yes, milady…"

In the largest building in Darkspire, its Lord turned off the screen.

"If that's the case," he said, "I'll devote more time to completing the Hunter. If I cancel my other plans he should be ready to face Aster by tomorrow…

"And then I'll find Freed personally…"

He looked at his deck, and drew a card off of it. He looked at the powerful Monster.

"I almost feel sorry for Freed… Once he faces this, he'll no longer be able to call himself the Matchless General…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

But tomorrow, as the song goes, was a day away.

Leaving the rocky area behind, the group soon came to a large expanse of sand dunes again. Only the position of the sun enabled them to tell they were going the right way as they trudged through the deep sand, which was starting to get into their shoes and other parts of their clothing.

"Man…" muttered Yumi. "I suddenly wish I had found room for grandpa Joey's Red Eyes in my deck. We could have just flown there on his back."

"Not a good idea," said Jesse. "We'd have stuck out like a sore thumb. You ride into the sky on a big, black Dragon, and sooner or later, something stronger is going to come out and shoot you down.

"There are rumors of both a Felgrand Dragon and a Super Conductor Tyranno making their lairs in this Realm… If one of them saw Joey's Red Eyes, it would think it was the Spirit of the real Red Eyes, and every high-level Monster wants a piece of him."

"Really?" said Sam. "What about the Blue Eyes?"

"Oh, those guys don't live in any dimensions where Duel Spirits live," said Jesse. "They've been bound to your world for a long time. They're special Duel Spirits.

"Kaiba was entrusted as their keeper by his beloved in his former life, and Kaiba inherited the role in his most recent life. And Siegfried inherited it from him…

"And now that the cards are in the museum in Duelatopia, they've gone to sleep, and it is said that their dreams spawn the Spirits of new Dragons. Among Duel Spirits, they're like celebrities that no-one ever sees."

"Whoa…" said Ren.

Chelsea coughed.

"Man, I've got sand in my ears!" she shouted. "And in my hair! And…"

She spit.

"…and in my mouth!"

The wind started to pick up.

"Uh, people…" said Jesse. "I think we're in trouble."

"A sandstorm is starting…" said Yumi.

"No…" said Jesse.

He stepped up the next sand dune.

"It looks like the sandstorm is a barrier of some sort," he said. "I don't know how we're going to…"

And then the storm parted.

A building appeared inside the storm, about three-hundred feet ahead. It looked like how Roman Colosseum would look, as if it were new and not in ruins.

"Uh…" said Chelsea, "we aren't really going down there, are we?"

"Well," said Jesse, "one rule for desert survival is, always take shelter in a sandstorm…

"But… I've never seen that place before… It must be a new structure."

"When Jaden and his allies saw a place that looked like this," said Ren, "it had been built by Tania, one of the Shadow Riders…"

"Well, we can count Tania out as being the one who we'll find down there," said Yumi. "Even if she's still alive, she and Jaden parted on friendly terms, more or less. And as for any real Amazons, they're allied with Joan now, remember?"

"Still," said Sam, "I don't believe for one minute that it's unoccupied."

"People, I hate to say this," said Erik, "but what choice do we have? It's either that or take our chances in this storm."

Everyone looked at the Colosseum.

They nodded. They covered their mouths with the tops of their shirts, and walked down to the large structure.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Friends! Romans! Countrymen!" shouted Ren, as they walked into the huge arena. "Lend me your ears!"

"He'll give them back, we promise," added Chelsea.

"Will you two shut up?" shouted Sam. "Maybe whoever lives here doesn't know we're here yet."

"Oh, I'm afraid it's too late for that, Samantha," said a voice from the other end.

They turned, and saw a figure seated on a marble throne at the other end.

At first, they thought it was Ares. However, looking closer, they saw that the armor was of a different design. It suggested more Roman than Greek. The man carried a bronze sword by his side, and a large, circular, and also bronze shield on his left arm.

"And you are?" asked Sam.

The man took off his helmet and set it aside. He seemed to be somewhat older than Ares had looked, and the style of his hair and beard was different, and both were graying with age.

"You may call me Scipio," he said. "Keeper of the Colosseum, and guardian of the mid-border."

"Mid-border?" said Jesse.

"The sandstorm," said Scipio, as he stood up. "It forms a border across the middle of the Realm. If you try to go though it without a Duel Spirit as a guide who can part its sands, you'll likely be flayed alive by its stinging winds.

"Only certain Duel Spirits can do so. I'm afraid that I don't sense the presence of one that qualifies in any of your decks. Only Beast-Warriors that are at least Level Eight can open a pathway."

He stood up. His shield glowed and changed shape, turning into a bronze Disk.

"Let me guess," said Sam. "You want to duel, and if one of us can beat you, you'll arrange for one to come here."

"I have one residing in my deck," said Scipio. "If you defeat me, he'll remain, and he'll gladly guide you through the storm.

"If not, whoever is left will have to find another way through it."

"Level Eight Beast-Warriors?" muttered Ren.

"I can only think of two," said Yumi. "Sengenjin, and Mythical Beastking Barbaros. Sengenjin is only a fan card that was never used much...

"Barbaros on the other hand… Well, if he uses it, let's just say that he's a tough Monster to deal with…"

"I suppose you work for the Realm Lord," said Sam.

Scipio frowned.

"Technically," he said. "But I try to avoid him when I can. I have no patience for his confusing dialogue."

"Confusing dialogue?" muttered Ren.

"Johnson, maybe?" said Chelsea. "He always spoke in 'legalese', pardon the expression."

"This is serious, people," said Yumi. "We might be stuck here if we can't win this."

"You already dueled, Yumi," said Sam. "I can take this guy."

Scipio chuckled. He shuffled his deck.

"You know…" he said, "in the original gladiatorial contests, some gladiators were women…"

"True…" said Sam. "Anything to make a fight interesting, especially when the fighters were expendable. But this one is going to bring the crowd to its feet."

"Uh Sam?" said Erik. "There is no crowd…"

"Oh, that may quickly change…" said Scipio.

The two Disks activated.

"But first…" said Scipio, "we need a few more players… Bring out your Deck Lord."

"Huh?" said Sam. "Oh… Yeah…"

Messenger of Hades – Gors appeared behind her.

"Now meet mine," said Scipio.

A sinister form appeared behind him. It was a female figure, reclining on a couch that had appeared with her. She seemed to be part woman and part snake, wearing a gold and red halter top and holding a ruby scepter.

"Her name is Serpentine Princess, and I wouldn't underestimate her," said Scipio.

"Serpentine Princess?" said Ren. "What does she do?"

"Uhm, I think her effect is," said Yumi, "she lets you Special Summon a Monster from your deck when she is sent from the field to your deck."

"Sent from the field to your deck?" said Chelsea. "When the heck would _that_ ever happen?"

"She was designed to combo with Fiber Jar," said Yumi.

Serpentine Princess bowed her head.

"But, Fiber Jar has been illegal for some time," said Yumi. "The only legal cards that can do it are Morphing Jar #2 and Monster Recovery. And since the Monster her effect summons has to be Level Three or less, she's really fallen out of use."

"Cheer up…" muttered Scipio to the Princess. "You'll prove to them you still have worth…"

He spoke up.

"My Princess may not be able to fight like she used to without Fiber Jar," he said, "but given the unique nature of the Monsters in my deck, her Deck Lord ability is quite potent.

"Now that everything is in place…"

"Game on!" they both shouted.

**(Sam: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Scipio: 8,000)**

"Let's start off with a bang!" shouted Sam, drawing a card.

"Perfect!" she said. "I'll summon Malice Doll of Demise."

She played the card, and the wicked wooded doll appeared. (1,600/1,700)

"Now I play a fiendish Spell Card… Ectoplasmer!"

She played a Spell Card, and it appeared on her side of the field.

"I'll throw down a facedown card," she said, as a facedown card materialized. "Now, I'll move right to my End Phase, and sacrifice my Doll for Ectoplasmer's effect. Go!"

Malice Doll of Demise slumped over, and a ghostly spirit flew out of it. It flew at Scipio with a scream, striking him in the chest.

The Doll vanished, and Scipio held his chest.

**(S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 7,200)**

"Not bad for a first move…" he said. "Although I see that it left you completely defenseless."

"Attack me if you want," said Sam. "I can take it."

He drew a card.

"Maybe so," said Scipio. "But it's time to begin the true show… I play Graceful Charity."

He played the card, and the angel appeared above him… But she was somewhat different this time. She was wearing armor and a helmet similar to his, and carried a sword.

Her feathers fell on his deck, and he drew three cards.

"I think I'll discard… Wild Nature's Release, and Gladiator Beast Torax," he said.

He discarded the two cards.

_Huh?_ thought Sam. _Okay… Wild Nature's Release I've heard of… But who the heck is Gladiator Beast Torax?_

"Moving right along," said Scipio. "I summon Gladiator Beast Secutor."

He played the card, and a horn sounded from somewhere. A trapdoor in front of him opened and a Monster rose out of it. It looked like a lizard-man, dressed in a toga. Mounted on its back were two large, odd, mechanical devices that might have been cannons of some sort… It was hard to tell. (400/300)

"I'm guessing your gladiator doesn't win many matches," said Sam. "Not with an Attack Score that low."

"Don't be too quick to judge," said Scipio. "Most gladiators only lose one match in their entire careers… Because the match that they lose is the one in which they perish.

"Anyway, since I now have one Gladiator Beast on the field, I can Special Summon my Test Tiger."

"Huh?" said Sam. "There are more of these… Gladiator Beasts?"

A new creature leapt onto the field. It was clearly a tiger, dressed in a colorful costume. (600/300)

Jesse turned to see the Spirit of Topaz Tiger watching beside him.

"That a friend of yours?" asked Jesse.

"It's a long story," growled the Crystal Beast. "Basically, he started hanging out with the wrong crowd. These Gladiator Beasts aren't exactly the nicest Monsters you'll ever meet."

"Now," said Scipio, "I can use Test Tiger's effect, and sacrifice it to summon another Gladiator Beast from my deck. And by the way, when a Gladiator Beast is summoned by Test Tiger's effect, it gains the same powers it would have gotten if it were summoned by another Gladiator Beast's effect."

"Say again?" said Sam. "I'm losing you."

"Test Tiger, begone," said Scipio, as the Tiger vanished. "Come forth, Gladiator Beast Bestiari!"

Another Monster rose out of the trapdoor. This one was a Winged Beast of some type, with green feathers, armor, and metallic wings, with blasters mounted on his arms. (1,500/800)

"Like I said," said Scipio. "Bestiari gains the ability he would have gained if he was summoned by the effect of another Gladiator Beast. That ability is the power to destroy one Spell or Trap Card.

"Bestiari, destroy Ectoplasmer!"

Bestiari aimed one of his blasters and pointed at the Ectoplasmer card. He fired a bolt of energy, and it was blown to pieces.

"Well, so much for that edge," said Sam.

"Attack…" started Scipio.

"Activate, Threatening Roar!" shouted Sam.

Her facedown card flipped up, and a loud bellow echoed across the field.

"Afraid you can't attack me this turn."

_Yumi can be a pain in the ass sometimes,_ she thought, _but she has good taste in cards._

"In that case," said Scipio, "I end my turn."

Sam quickly drew a card.

"Due to its effect, my Doll is Special Summoned to field," she said.

Malice Doll of Demise appeared again, chuckling evilly. (1,600/1,700)

"Next, I summon The Bistro Butcher!"

She played a new card, and the fiendish chef appeared. (1,800/1,000)

"Butcher, carve up that bird! Attack Gladiator Beast Bestiari!"

The Bistro Butcher lunged at Bestiari, and made a slash. The Winged Beast shattered into pieces and Scipio cringed.

"Thanks to your Butcher," said Scipio, "I get to draw two cards."

He made two draws.

"Fine," said Sam. "Malice Doll of Demise, attack the other one! Cleaver heaver!"

Malice Doll of Demise threw its axe at Secutor, and the Reptile was blown to bits. Scipio cringed again.

"And that's all for me," said Sam.

**(S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,700)**

"A minor setback, you can be sure," said Scipio, drawing a card.

"First I play… Pot of Greed."

He played the card, and the green jug appeared. He drew twice.

"Now I play the Spell Card, Gladiator's Return. This lets me take three Gladiator Beasts from my Graveyard, and return them to my deck."

He played the card, and three cards – Secutor, Bestiari, and the one he discarded with Graceful Charity – slipped out of his discard slot. He combined them with his deck, and reshuffled.

"Now, I get to draw once."

He made one draw.

"Time for a new gladiator…"

The trapdoor opened again…

A strange creature rose out of the trapdoor. It looked like an aquatic fish-man, with blue scales and flippers. Mounted on its back were two devices that looked similar to Secutor's cannons. (800/400)

"Meet Gladiator Beast Murmillo," said Scipio.

"What the heck are these things?" asked Yumi.

"Your Monsters are all third-rate!" laughed Sam.

"Don't be so quick to judge," said Scipio, taking another card from his hand.

"What are gladiators without spectators to watch them fight? They're nothing, that's what they are… I play a Field Spell…

"Take us to Colosseum – Cage of the Gladiator Beasts!"

He placed a card in his Field Slot, and the whole arena around them changed. The most obvious addition was that the seats now had a crowd of cheering spectators. And they weren't human. The human duelists on the floor looked up, and saw that they were all Duel Spirits, most of them Beast-Warriors. Yumi could make out several Battle Ox, Battle Steer, Beaver Warriors, Vorse Raiders, Panther Warriors, Boar Soldiers… Practically anything in Duel Monsters that was half-human and half-animal. There were also a few Winged Beasts; Yumi saw the three Harpie Lady Sisters in some VIP seating, and here and there was a Sonic Shooter and a Hunter Owl (she wasn't quick to point it out to Chelsea).

"Talk about a rowdy crowd," said Chelsea.

"Yeah," said Jesse. "All they need are some torches and a castle to raid."

"Uhm, these are holograms, right?" asked Erik, nervously.

The Colosseum itself had changed too, having acquired a more bestial theme, with gargoyles and statues depicting great cats, dinosaurs, and birds of prey.

Ren looked at the menagerie of spectators.

"Uhm…" he said. "Somehow, I don't think that Sam is the crowd favorite here…"

"As you said," said Scipio, "Murmillo isn't very strong… Thus, I can play the Spell Card, Secret Pass to the Treasures. _Because_ he's so weak, this lets him get past your Monsters, and strike at you."

"Not again…" muttered Sam.

Murmillo's two cannons glowed, and then a blast of water shot out of them, hitting Sam and knocking her down. The bestial crowd cheered.

"Ooh, he's gonna pay for that!" she shouted.

"Sorry," said Scipio. "You can't reach him now…"

"What do you…" started Sam.

As she said this, Murmillo knelt on the trapdoor, and retreated back into the floor.

"HEY!" shouted Sam. "Where'd he go?"

"Back to my deck," said Scipio. "Gladiator Beasts never stay around for an encore."

"It's tag team," said Topaz Tiger, with a growl. "That's the whole system with these things. Whenever one of them survives a fight, it can retreat back to the deck. Then a new one comes out, and it gets special powers as a result of being summoned by the previous one. As a result, they're very hard to hurt!"

"Thus," said Scipio, "I summon Gladiator Beast Dimacari."

He played a new card, and a new Monster emerged from the trapdoor. This one appeared to be a humanoid ram of some sort, with blue fur, wearing a breastplate and a kilt. It lifted its fists, which looked partially like hooves. (1,600/1,200)

"His appearance triggers two effects," said Scipio. "First, my Deck Lord. Whenever I Special Summon a Monster from my deck using an effect that involves sending one to my deck, I get to draw one card."

Serpentine Princess glowed, and he drew once.

"Next… Observe…"

On the top of the Colosseum, a large beacon lit, sending flames into the air.

"Each time one of us Special Summons a Monster from our decks to the field," said Scipio, "my Colosseum lights one beacon, and for each one, all Gladiator Beasts gain 100 Attack and Defense Points."

Dimacari glowed with energy. (1,700/1,300)

He played a Spell Card.

"I'm not done. I play Gladiator Beast's Respite. Now, I take two cards with the words 'Gladiator Beast' in my hand, and shuffle them back into my deck."

He added two of the three cards in his hand to his deck, and quickly shuffled.

"Now, I get to draw three times."

He made three draws.

He looked over the new cards.

He placed two of them in his Disk, and two facedown cards appeared.

"And with that, I conclude my turn."

"FINALLY!" shouted Sam.

**(S: 7,200) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,700)**

"Now I recognize the name!" shouted Yumi.

"What?" said Ren.

"Scipio," said Yumi. "He was a general of the Roman Empire, known mostly for defeating Hannibal during the Second Punic War. Clearly, this guy is another virtual construct."

"Well, that explains the gladiator theme," said Erik. "If only we knew what Sam was up against…"

Sam drew a card and looked at Dimacari.

_I have absolutely no idea what I'm up against,_ she thought. _He obviously knew that Dimacari is still weaker than The Bistro Butcher, so one of his facedown cards is likely something else to stop an attack._

She looked at the card she had just drawn.

_But now I can get rid of his main edge…_

"Sorry, Scipio," she said, "but I'm sending this crowd home early, and tearing your Cage down. I play Mystical Space Typhoon!"

She played the card and a cyclone started to form from it.

"A dire mistake lass!" exclaimed Scipio. "My Colosseum is hardier than most structures!"

He took one of the last two cards in his hand.

"I have a second Colosseum right here! And by sending it to the Graveyard, I can prevent the one on the field from being destroyed!"

He quickly discarded it, and the cyclone died down.

"Crud," said Sam. "Well, time to go for broke… I summon Gil Garth."

She played a new card, and the metal, sword-wielding Fiend appeared on the field. (1,800/1,200)

Sam was startled as the crowd started to boo.

"Yeah, yeah, you're all not the first ones to hate me," she said. "Butcher, attack Dimacari!"

The Bistro Butcher rushed at the Gladiator Beast, swinging his cleaver.

"I activate, Defensive Tactics!" shouted Scipio, as one of his facedown cards lifted.

As The Bistro Butcher swung his weapon, Dimacari blocked with his gauntlets, and the cleaver's blow was deflected. Dimacari gave the Fiend a solid kick with his hoof, and he fell backwards.

"Since I have at least one Gladiator Beast on the field," said Scipio, "Defensive Tactics prevents my Monsters from being destroyed in battle this round, and reduces the battle damage to zero."

"Sounds like a fancy version of Waboku," said Sam, putting her hand on her hip.

Scipio laughed.

"This Trap has a benefit that Waboku doesn't have," he said, holding up the card. "After it's triggered, it doesn't go to the Graveyard, it goes to bottom of my deck."

He slid the card under his deck.

"At least he won't get to it again," said Chelsea.

"Actually, he might," said Jesse. "If his strategy involves summoning Monsters from his deck, he has to shuffle each time he does it. He may well draw it again."

"That's probably the whole point to that effect," said Yumi.

"I end my turn," said Sam.

Scipio drew a card.

"Let's continue," said Scipio. "I summon Witch Doctor of Sparta."

He played a card, and a dark figure appeared next to Murmillo. It was a sorcerer clad in dark robes and a cape, his head fully covered by a helmet made from a bull's skull. (400/2,000)

"Now I activate… Shield Spear," he said, as his other facedown card lifted. "This Trap increases my Monster's Attack and Defense by 400."

Dimacari glowed again. (2,100/1,700)

"Now, my gladiator attacks… And since he was summoned by the effect of another Gladiator Beast, Dimacari can do it twice!"

"HUH?" said Sam.

"Attack her Butcher and Gil Garth!" ordered Scipio. "Ram slam!"

Dimacari charged at Gil Garth, and slugged him hard with his fist. The Fiend shattered.

Then he turned and kicked The Bistro Butcher with its hoof, and he shattered too.

"Now, retreat Dimacari…" said Scipio.

Dimacari knelt on the trapdoor, and he retreated into the floor, just as Murmillo had.

"Now that I've whetted the crowd's appetite," he said, "the time has come to bring out one the champions of my Colosseum…"

The crowd began to cheer louder, as the trapdoor opened again.

"Emerge, Gladiator Beast Alexander!"

The Monster that appeared was a large, muscular creature with the head of a lion, wearing golden armor with golden wings on his back. He radiated a powerful aura of light. (2,400/600)

"Super…" said Sam.

"Alexander is so powerful," said Scipio, "that he refuses to emerge unless it's right after Dimacari leaves. And since he was summoned via the effect of another Gladiator Beast, he is now immune to Spell Cards. To be fair, that includes my own. So my Colosseum has no effect on him.

"However, I get to draw one card due to my Deck Lord…"

He drew one card.

"…my Colosseum nonetheless gains a second beacon…"

A second bonfire erupted on the opposite side of the first.

"And finally…"

Witch Doctor of Sparta cast a dark hex, and fired a blast of black magic, hitting Sam in the chest.

"OW!" she shouted. "What gives?"

"His curse will cost you 500 Life Points," said Scipio, "each time a Monster is Special Summoned from either deck."

**(S: 6,100) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,700)**

"And my turn is over," he said.

"About time," said Sam, drawing a card. "Do your turns always take this long?"

She looked over her hand.

_Nuts,_ she thought. _He brought out Alexander the Great himself, and I have nothing that can beat him, even if he wasn't immune to Spell Cards. If only I had Ha Des…_

Yumi looked at Alexander.

_I'm beginning to see how Scipio's strategy works,_ she thought. _It's a tempo. And he's trying to make it perfect._

_Summoning each Monster leads to another, and if my guess is right, unless Sam manages to break this tempo, it will cumulate in the summoning of an incredibly powerful Monster, that may well be too difficult to defeat…_

_Come on Sam, do something…_

"I move Malice Doll of Demise to Defense Mode," said Sam.

The puppet knelt, and shielded itself with its axe.

"Now I set this in Defense Mode."

A facedown Monster appeared.

"And that will do it."

Scipio drew a card.

He looked at the Monster on the card, who was a Level Seven Gladiator Beast named Octavius.

_Eh, he's more trouble than he's worth,_ he thought.

"Alexander, attack her Malice Doll of Demise!" she shouted. "Great slash!"

Alexander spread his wings and took to the air. Then he swooped down of the Doll, and his wings turned to blades, slashing the puppet in half. The remains shattered.

"Good job," said Scipio.

"Don't tell me he's going to send a Monster that powerful back to his deck?" asked Ren.

"Oh, but indeed I am," said Scipio.

Alexander knelt, and was lowered through the trapdoor.

"I now summon a gladiator known for his ability to take punishment far more than his ability to dish it out… Come to the field, Gladiator Beast Hoplomus!"

A new and much larger Monster emerged from the trapdoor. It was a hulking, rocky ogre, dressed in plate armor, with the head of a rhinoceros. He knelt and crossed his arms, clearly in Defense Mode. (1,000/2,100)

Serpentine Princess glowed, and Scipio drew a card.

Then the Witch Doctor pointed, and cast his curse at Sam again.

"Ergh…" muttered Sam.

Scipio chuckled, as a third bonfire lit.

"Since Hoplomus was summoned using another Gladiator Beast's effect," he said, "his Defense Score becomes 2,400. And then the effect of my Colosseum is applied."

(1,300/2,700)

"Now I Equip Hoplomus with one the Gladiator Beasts' weapons. The Gladiator Beast's Battle Manica."

He played a Spell Card, and Hoplomus's right arm glowed. A fancy gauntlet appeared on it.

"With this Equipped to a Gladiator Beast, he can't be destroyed in battle."

"Maybe so," said Erik, "but wouldn't it be destroyed if you used the effect to return him to your deck?"

Scipio chuckled again.

"I set a card facedown," he said.

A facedown card appeared behind Hoplomus.

"My Witch Doctor moves to Defense Mode, and my turn is over."

Witch Doctor of Sparta knelt and crossed his arms.

**(S: 5,600) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,700)**

Sam quickly drew a card.

_Okay,_ she thought. _Time to take a risk._

"I flip Morphing Jar into Attack Mode," she said.

Her facedown Monster flipped, and Morphing Jar appeared. (700/600)

"Now we gotta ditch all the cards in our hands and draw five more."

Scipio shrugged. They discarded their cards, and made five draws.

"Perfect!" shouted Sam. "I play Premature Burial, to bring back Gil Garth."

She played the card, and Gil Garth appeared again. (1,800/1,200)

"Now… I sacrifice my Morphing Jar…"

Morphing Jar vanished into a dark shadow. Thunder rumbled over the Colosseum.

"I summon Dark Ruler Ha Des!"

Ha Des appeared, looming over Sam's side of the field. The crowd was silenced… (2,450/1,600)

"You think you can frighten me by calling on the power of the King of the Underworld?" said Scipio. "Humph. Even he cannot defeat Hoplomus."

"True," said Sam, "but your gladiator isn't who he's gonna aim for. Ha Des, wipe out his Witch Doctor! Stygian blast!"

Ha Des blasted his dark flames, and Witch Doctor of Sparta was burned to a crisp. The crowd started to boo again.

"Aw, shut up!" shouted Sam. "I end my turn."

**(S: 4,800) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,700)**

Scipio drew a card.

"Hoplomus, move to Attack Mode," he said.

"Huh?" said Sam, as the gladiator stood up.

"Attack her Gil Garth!" shouted Scipio. "Rhino rampage!"

"What are you doing!" shouted Sam. "Gil Garth is stronger!"

Hoplomus charged at Gil Garth like the rhino he resembled, and the Fiend caught him by the horn, shoving him backwards.

"True," said Scipio, "but due to the Manica, he isn't destroyed. And nothing ever said a Gladiator Beast had to win a battle to use its effect.

"Thus, Hoplomus retreats…"

Hoplomus knelt, and descended into the trapdoor.

"As for your friend's presumption," continued Scipio, "when a Gladiator Beast is returned to my deck while armed with one of its weapons, the weapon does indeed go to the Graveyard…"

Then a card slipped out of his discard slot.

"However," he continued, "when it is sent to the Graveyard that way, it is quickly returned to my hand.

"And now, it's time to bring out another champion…

"Come out, Gladiator Beast Spartacus!"

"Huh?" said Yumi. "Spartacus? As in the legendary gladiator of Rome who led a slave uprising?"

"He wasn't successful," said Erik.

"Still," said Jesse, "I have a feeling this guy is gonna mean business."

Indeed, that seemed to be the case. The Monster that rose out of the trapdoor this time seemed far more ferocious that any gladiator yet. It was a seven-foot tall, humanoid Dinosaur, with spines all over its body, holding a large halberd. (2,200/1,600)

Serpentine Princess glowed, and Scipio drew a card. Then a fourth bonfire lit. (2,600/2,000)

"Spartacus will only enter the arena if Hoplomus precedes him," said Scipio. "Now I use his effect, which lets me take another Gladiator Beast weapon from my deck."

A card slipped out of his deck.

"Now," he said, taking a card from his hand. "It's time for some teamwork. Making a return appearance, Gladiator Beast Bestiari."

He placed another card on his Disk, and another Monster rose out of the trapdoor. This one they had seen before – the Winged Beast with green feathers and blasters on his wrists. (1,500/800) –) (1,900/1,200)

The three Harpie Ladies stood up in their seats and started cheering loudly.

"Looks like Bestiari has his own fan club," said Jesse.

"But neither of these two gladiators will be here for long," said Scipio. "You see, whenever Spartacus is on the field with a fellow gladiator, the two of them can combine to form a much stronger fighting force."

"You mean… A fusion?" asked Sam.

Scipio chuckled.

"With Gladiator Beasts," he said, "it's not simply a fusion…

"It's Contact Fusion! Spartacus… Bestiari… Combine!"

_Contact Fusion?_ thought Yumi, her eyes opening wide. _That's the type of special fusion that Neos can do with the Neo-Spacians! These Gladiator Beasts can do it too?_

Spartacus and Bestiari leapt into the air, and they collided in a flash of light…

A new Monster fell to the floor of the arena with a crash. He looked similar to Spartacus at first glance – same Dinosaur body with the same skin texture. But he wore far more elaborate gauntlets and a fancy kilt. He carried a huge battle axe. (2,600/1,500) –) (3,000/1,900)

"Oh, just great," muttered Sam.

"Meet Gladiator Beast Gaiodiaz," said Scipio, playing two cards. "To make him even stronger, I'll Equip him with both the Manica, and the Gladiator Beast's Battle Gladius."

The Manica appeared on Gaiodiaz's left arm, and his axe vanished, replaced by a fancy short sword. His Attack Score rose to 3,300.

"And that will end my turn."

**(S: 4,800) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,200)**

Sam nervously drew a card.

_All right,_ she thought, looking at it. _This can't destroy that thing so long as he has that gauntlet, but at least I'll be safe for one round._

"I throw a card facedown, and move Gil Garth to Defense Mode," she said.

A facedown card appeared behind Ha Des, and Gil Garth knelt and shielded himself.

"My move," said Scipio, drawing a card.

He looked at it, and added it to his hand.

He smirked.

_She moved Gil Garth to Defense Mode, but kept Ha Des in Attack Mode,_ he thought. _I know exactly what that facedown card is…_

"Gaiodiaz, slay her Dark Ruler!" he shouted. "Berserker slash!"

Gaiodiaz rushed at Dark Ruler Ha Des, thrusting his Gladius…

"I activate, Bark of Dark Ruler!" shouted Sam, as her Trap Card lifted. "I'll pay 900 Life Points, and your Gladiator will have to back off!"

"No he won't," replied Scipio.

His own facedown card lifted.

"A Counter Trap?!" shouted Sam.

"It's called Parry," said Scipio. "I simply return one Gladiator Beast in my hand to my deck, and your Trap is negated."

He took a Monster named Gladiator Beast Laquari from his hand and reshuffled it back into his deck, and the Bark card was blown to bits.

"No…" thought Sam.

Gaiodiaz stabbed Ha Des, and the Dark Ruler exploded into a burst of dark smoke. The menagerie of Monsters in the crowd let out a loud cheer.

"Gaiodiaz has a powerful effect, by the way," said Scipio. "When he defeats an opponent, _my_ opponent loses Life Points equal to its Defense Score. So you lose 2,450 total.

Sam screamed and fell to her knees as a dark aura surrounded her, leeching the life from her skin.

"My turn is now over," said Scipio.

"No new Beast?" asked Ren.

"I don't feel like bringing any new ones out yet," said Scipio. "If that becomes necessary, I will."

_And it would be pointless anyway,_ he thought, looking at his hand. _Until I draw a Gladiator Beast that I can Normal Summon, I can't summon one that's even stronger than Gaiodiaz._

**(S: 1,450) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,200)**

Sam slowly stood up. She drew a card. She looked at it.

"I play Pot of Greed," she said, playing it.

She slowly drew two cards. She looked at them.

"Ready, Gors?" she said to the Fiend behind her.

Gors nodded.

"I play Monster Reborn!" shouted Sam.

The ankh appeared on the field.

What came next was a surprise. The Monster that appeared was Dark Ruler Ha Des, crouching in Defense Mode. (2,450/1,600)

"Impossible," said Scipio. "He can't be summoned from the Graveyard."

"Normally, that's true," said Sam. "But due to my Deck Lord's new power, which he got by draining the energy from a moth, I can disregard that liability and indeed Special Summon Ha Des from the Graveyard.

"And now it's time for a change of scenery."

She opened her own Field slot and played a card.

"I play Domicile of the Dark Ruler!"

Scipio gasped as the Colosseum with its bloodthirsty crowd faded away, and a new Field formed. It was a blasted wasteland, full of lava pits and twisted trees. A terrible palace of skulls rose behind Sam. Gaiodiaz fell to a score of (2,900/1,500).

"That's all for me," said Sam.

Scipio drew a card angrily.

He smirked when he saw what it was.

_This one will do nicely,_ he thought.

"Gaiodiaz, attack the Dark Ruler again!" he commanded.

Gaiodiaz slashed with his blade, but this time, he couldn't scratch Ha Des.

"You see the effects of my Field Spell?" asked Sam. "It can only be here so long as Ha Des is on the field, but so long as it is, Fiends can't be destroyed in battle."

"So be it," said Scipio. "It won't last long.

"I activate Gaiodiaz's other effect. By sending him back to my Fusion Deck, I can summon not one, but _two_ Gladiator Beasts!"

The trapdoor was gone, so Gaiodiaz merely vanished.

"So now I summon Gladiator Beasts Laquari, and another gladiator making an encore, Murmillo!"

The first gladiator to appear was a Beast-Warrior who seemed to be part boar and part tiger. He was surrounded by a ring of burning flames. (1,800/400) The second one was another one they had seen before – the aquatic, finned fish-man with blue scales and cannons mounted on its back. (800/400)

"I get to draw one card due to my Deck Lord's effect," said Scipio, drawing a card. "And Murmillo didn't get a chance to use his effect last time, but he will now. When he is summoned via the effect of another Gladiator Beast, one Monster on the field is destroyed."

Murmillo's eyes glowed with golden light. Sam gasped as the Dark Ruler exploded into black shards.

"And with him gone, your Field Spell goes as well," said Scipio.

The palace behind Sam crumbled into a pile of rubble, and the wasteland vanished, returning them to the empty arena.

"Fine," said Sam, "but at least I can bring Ha Des back…"

Her facedown card lifted, revealing Call of the Haunted.

"Don't forget," she said, "with my Deck Lord, I can break the rules, and use cards that Special Summon from the Graveyard on Ha Des."

Ha Des appeared again in a burst of fire and smoke. (2,450/1,600)

"He won't last long," said Scipio. "From my hand, I summon Gladiator Beast Darius."

He played another card, and another gladiator appeared. This one looked like a humanoid stallion with black fur, wearing a breastplate, shoulder pads, and a kilt, holding a whip that crackled with electricity. (1,700/300)

"Just how many of these guys do you have?" asked Sam.

Scipio chuckled.

"One more…" he said. "And I saved the best for last…

"When Laquari is on the field with two other Gladiator Beasts, all three of them can perform a triple Contact Fusion, to summon the champion of champions… A name that's legendary among the Gladiator Beasts…"

All three Gladiator Beasts leapt into the air, and collided in a burst of light…

A creature that was fully eight feet tall crashed down in front of Scipio and let out a roar. The best way to describe him was to say that he was an amalgamation of all the other Gladiator Beasts. He had Alexander's wings, Secutor's cannons (mounted on his shield, rather than his back), Spartacus's tail, and so forth. His face was a combination of a tiger and a fierce wolf, and he burned with an aura of flames. He looked more than ready to fight.

"Meet the champion of the Gladiator Beasts," said Scipio, "Gladiator Beast Heraklinos!"

(3,000/2,800)

"Oh, crud…" muttered Erik.

"Now, to make him stronger," said Scipio, "I'll Equip him with both the Manica and the Gladius."

The two weapons appeared on Heraklinos's right arm. (3,300/2,800)

"You might as well surrender," said Scipio. "My Monster is unbeatable now."

"Says who?" said Sam.

"Says his incredibly powerful effect," said Scipio. "You see, if you try to play either a Spell or Trap Card, he can negate it if I simply discard one card."

He held up his hand.

"As you can see, I have five cards to discard. And after you draw, you'll only have three cards to play.

"Don't forget, due to the Manica, my Monster can't be destroyed in battle."

_This is it,_ thought Yumi. _The end result of his perfect tempo… Oh, Sam, God help you…_

Scipio chuckled.

"Your move…" he said.

Sam paused.

She looked at the two cards in her hand, which were Curse of the Masked Beast and Pot of Avarice. Both of them would be worthless right now, even if he couldn't negate them.

She took a deep breath.

She drew a card.

Her eyes opened wide.

_It's the card mom gave me!_ she thought. _The one she had I2 design especially for me!_

She held the card to her heart.

_If I'm lucky, I just may be able to win this duel yet…_

"Your Heraklinos may have a powerful effect, Scipio," she said, "but he has one major weakness – he can't negate Monster effects."

"Well… That's true…" muttered Scipio.

He looked at his hand.

_She likely drew Night Assailant,_ he thought. _Or maybe Newdoria. What she doesn't know is, I have Nobleman of Crossout in my hand, which I can use to obliterate any Monster that she sets in Defense Mode._

"Gil Garth, move to Attack Mode!" ordered Sam.

"Huh?" said Scipio.

Gil Garth stood up.

"Now…" said Sam. "It is my pleasure to introduce a lady who's making her debut appearance in Duel Monsters. She's Level Six, but when Ha Des is on the field, she can be Special Summoned…

"I summon… Dark Queen Per Sephone!"

She threw a card on her Disk, and a dark shadow fell across the field…

A feminine form materialized, appearing as a fiendish woman of cold beauty. She had wings, small horns, and pale skin, and was dressed in a black leather halter and short skirt. She wore gold bracelets and anklets, and a tiara set with a red ruby.

Then Yumi and the others got a good look at the Monster. It was an image of Sam herself, what she might have looked like as a Fiend. She had the same hair, same eyes, and the same expression…

(2,200/1,200)

Yumi smirked.

_Figures,_ she thought. _In mythology, Persephone was Hades's consort, and the Queen of the Underworld. Now Sam has found a way to truly become the Consort of Ha Des…_

"And just how is she going to help?" asked Scipio.

"I'm activating her effect," said Sam. "By tossing one card, I can Special Summon from my deck a Fiend-Type Monster that's Level Four or less."

She discarded her Pot of Avarice.

"So… I summon… Snipe Hunter!"

In a burst of energy, a nasty little winged imp dressed in black leather appeared. It held what looked like a toy gun, with a roulette wheel on top with the numbers one through six on it. (1,500/600)

"Here's how it's gonna go, Scipio," said Sam. "I choose one card on the field. And I think I'll choose… Oh, I dunno, your Gladiator Beast Heraklinos.

"Then, I toss one card…"

She discarded the last card in her hand.

"Then my Snipe Hunter is going to give that little roulette wheel on that little toy pistol of his a spin. If it lands on the one or the six, well… I lose. But anything else, and the card I just chose is blown into a million pieces."

"Hey, wait a minute…" said Scipio.

"Snipe Hunter," said Sam, "you know what to do…"

Snipe Hunter let out a cackle, and spun the roulette wheel… Everybody tensed as it spun…

It started to slow, it went past the six, then slowly past the one…

It landed on the two.

Snipe Hunter fired a blast of energy from the pistol, and Heraklinos was blown to atoms.

"Ergh…" muttered Scipio, holding his chest.

"Yeah!" shouted Ren.

"Time to end this!" shouted Sam. "Ha Des, attack directly!"

Ha Des fired his Stygian blast, and Scipio hollered.

"Gil Garth, you next!"

Gil Garth gripped his scimitar in both hands, and charged at Scipio, slashing at him with the blade. Scipio's armor was smashed to pieces, and he was knocked over.

He slowly got up and scowled at Sam.

"Per Sephone…" said Sam. "Attack directly with dark claw!"

Per Sephone flew at Scipio, and slashed across his chest with her long nails, leaving four deep gashes. He groaned, and fell to his knees…

**(S: 1,450) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 0)**

Serpentine Princess shrieked as she saw Scipio fall. Then Gors pointed at her, and she screamed as she glowed with dark flames.

The screams died, as the flames consumed her.

Gors nodded to Sam, and then slowly vanished.

"So now what?" asked Ren.

Scipio started to glow with red, fiery energy. He started to slowly blur, and change shape, becoming bigger and more muscular.

In a minute, Scipio was gone, and Gladiator Beast Heraklinos was where he stood – albeit without the shield he had when he had been summoned during the duel. His Disk replaced it. He slowly stood up.

He turned to everyone who was watching.

"Scipio?" asked Sam, opening her eyes wide.

"An illusion," said the Gladiator Beast, in a much deeper and powerful voice than Scipio's. "I couldn't assume my true form if I wanted to use Serpentine Princess. But it doesn't matter now."

He sighed.

"Well, humans, I believe the deal was that I was to guide you through the storm…"

"Really?" said Sam. "No tricks?"

"No…" he said with another sigh. "I'm not the vindictive sort.

"You know, most gladiators have to be reasonably tough to survive long in such a profession… Ones like Secutor are rare.

"But on the other hand, very powerful ones like me are rare too, because sooner or later, every gladiator meets his match. Defeat is something we learn to accept."

He started walking towards the exit.

"Everyone stay close to me," he said. "I can only protect you from the stinging sands so long as you stay close…"

Chelsea looked up.

"Hey, Daala," she said. "Are you watching? If you are, it seems your plan to stop us fell flat on its face!"

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"No it didn't, Chelsea," said Daala, who was indeed watching. "Heraklinos may not have known it, but his job was merely to slow you down. I never dreamed he would have actually succeeded in using his own card.

"So I'd say my plan worked admirably…"

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Outside the building, Heraklinos raised his hand, and a pathway opened in the raging storm.

Suddenly, something came to Chelsea… Something had sort of… Called out to her.

_Something is waiting for me on the other side of that storm,_ she thought. _I don't know what…_

_Whatever it is, I want to find out…_

_Whoever is calling, I'm coming…_

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**DARK QUEEN PER SEPHONE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 6  
**ATK:** 2,200  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description:** If you have a "Dark Ruler Ha Des" face-up on your side of the field, you may Special Summon this card from your hand. You may not have more than one "Dark Queen Per Sephone" face-up on your side of the field at one time. This card cannot be the target of an attack if there is a "Dark Ruler Ha Des" face-up on your side of the field. Once per your turn, you may discard one card from your hand to Special Summon a Fiend-Type Monster from your deck that is Level Four or less.

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**DOMICILE OF THE DARK RULER (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image:** A hideous palace of bones standing on a dark wasteland.

**Card Description:** If there is no "Dark Ruler Ha Des" face-up on your side of the field, destroy this card. Fiend-Type Monsters on both sides of the field cannot be destroyed in battle (damage calculation still applies).

_Note: "Domicile of the Dark Ruler" first appeared in "Dark Messiah"._

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**Scipio's Deck Lord: "Serpentine Princess":** "Gladiator Purse": Every time one or more Monsters is Special Summoned from your deck to your side of the field via an effect that involves a card being sent back to your deck or Fusion Deck, draw one card. (Greater Power)

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**Sam's Deck Lord: "Messenger of Hades – Gors":** "Summon Subjects": When "Dark Ruler Ha Des" is face-up on your side of the field, you may spend 800 Life Points to Special Summon a Level Four or lower Fiend-Type Monster from your Graveyard. You may use this effect once per turn, during your Main Phase. (Minor Power) "Immortal Ruler": You may disregard the summoning restrictions for "Dark Ruler Ha Des" and Special Summon it from your Graveyard using an appropriate card. (Minor Power)

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**Why won't Chelsea's ghost whisperer abilities work on Xanadu? Do Duel Spirits have no afterlife? Or do their ghosts simply just not want to speak to a human?**_

_**To find out why, and possibly restore her abilities, Chelsea will have to duel a hard battle against someone who claims to know a piece of Penelope's legacy that was previously unknown. And she may come out stronger for the experience.**_

_**It's coming up in "These Shattered Senses", coming soon.**_

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_**Name that Card!**_

_**This Normal Monster was released long before the Dark World Fiends were. However, its flavor text had the first ever mention of Dark World, albeit not capitalized. Can you name it?**_


	23. These Shattered Senses

_**What Monster's flavor test had the first ever mention of Dark World? If you said "Dark Blade", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

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_**As far back as I can remember, I've been able to see the restless spirits of the dead. They never scared me… Annoyed me at times, maybe, but I could deal with them. They hung out around me all the time, many of them seemingly glad that they could speak to a living human, seeing as almost none of them were bound to the world via their free will.**_

_**In Duelatopia, I defeated the Midnight Caller, a duelist who claimed to be an honest-to-goodness vampire. I'm not sure if I believe that or not, but his powers over the supernatural could not be denied. He rewarded me by increasing my powers, letting me see the secrets behind each ghost, and letting me tell them what they needed to do in order to rest. It made them come to me even more, and it felt satisfying to know that I could help these lost souls after watching them suffer for so long.**_

_**Now… I'm trapped in a realm of Duel Spirits, and if they spawn ghosts at all, they either won't or can't speak to me. With my powers apparently shut down, I feel an emptiness inside me that I haven't felt all my life.**_

_**But in a world full of enemies, an ally has appeared who will help open my eyes… So long as I win this duel…**_

_**Time to get my game on…**_

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**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO**

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**These Shattered Senses**

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Sheena leaned back in her swivel chair. She had been trying for hours, and she was no closer than she had been last night.

She sighed.

On a whim, she opened up the deck case on the desk, which held her own deck – she was never far from it – and took it out. She picked up the top card.

Skull-Mark Ladybug.

She looked closely at the Monster on the card.

_That's not a ladybug,_ she thought. _That's a tick with six legs!_

Only someone who had studied entomology, as she had, would have noticed something like that. And she was surprised she hadn't noticed it sooner.

Her cell phone rang. She picked it up.

"Any luck, Ms. Arachne?" asked Nicholas's voice.

"I'm trying," said Sheena. "But this Edwin Ting is a guy who apparently likes his privacy. His phone number and address aren't listed in any public registry, and trying to hack through the unlisted registry is getting me nowhere fast.

"I tried asking the record keeper at the Pro League, but apparently, the files on him are classified. I suppose I could eventually get permission to look at them, seeing as my company supplies their equipment, but cutting through the red tape could take days."

"Bureaucrats…" muttered Nicholas.

"It may well be possible, you know," said Sheena, "that he no longer lives in Domino… Or even in Japan for that matter. For all we know, he may not even be alive any more."

"We have to keep our fingers crossed," said Nicholas. "Right now, he's the only lead we have as far as Xanadu is concerned."

"I know…" muttered Sheena.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Following Heraklinos, the six duelists made their way though the pathway he had opened in the sandstorm, which was strangely like a tunnel that cut through the dangerous winds.

"Uh, Yumi?" asked Ren. "He can lead us to the other side… But what about the way back?"

"I'm hoping that if we defeat the Realm Lord, this barrier will disappear," said Yumi. "Let's just hope one of us can do it."

Eventually, the tunnel opened, and the party exited on the top of a short hill.

They looked down, and saw a large cliffside to the north. Built into its wall was a large temple, whose design was clearly Egyptian. Very large statues depicting the jackal-headed god Anubis and the ibis-headed Thoth flanked a large entrance.

_There…_ thought Chelsea. _Whatever is calling me is in there…_

"This is as far as I go, humans," said Heraklinos. "Follow the path due west, and you should get to the place you seek in a few hours."

"Hey, pal," said Chelsea. "What's down there in that temple?"

A look of fear appeared on the Beast-Warrior's face.

"I don't know," he said. "All I know is, I daren't go near that building.

"Good luck…"

He turned, and walked back into the sandstorm.

"Well…" said Sam.

"Let's check out that temple, guys," said Chelsea, starting to walk down the path.

Everyone looked at each other.

"Uhm, hello?" shouted Erik. "Chelsea, Heraklinos is a Level Eight Monster with 3,000 Attack Points! And he's afraid to go near that temple! So why do you want to go there instead of going in the opposite direction as fast as possible?"

"Okay, Erik…" said Chelsea. "Uhm… I know this sounds strange, but… Ever since we left the Colosseum, something has been calling me…

"And it's in there."

Everyone looked at her.

"Ho boy…" said Sam. "Chelsea, you're WAY too trusting. How do you know that it isn't some hungry dragon who does that to attract tender young maidens?"

"Hey, why not?" said Jesse. "Let's go down there."

They all turned to him.

"If it is a trap, I'll deal with it personally," he said. "But you gotta remember, anything that might help is welcome."

"Okay…" said Yumi. "We'll check it out… But everyone be ready to summon a Monster in case this is an ambush."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It took about ten minutes to get to the entrance of the temple, which at first seemed a difficult access. Between Anubis and Thoth were a set of iron doors, each one fifteen feet high.

"How the heck are we gonna get in?" asked Sam. "Knock?"

"Eh, I don't think even Amber Mammoth could force those doors down," said Jesse.

Then, the two doors slowly opened inward.

"Problem solved," said Chelsea.

They slowly walked in, into a large, torch-lit chamber. Hieroglyphics were painted on the walls, and more statues were in each corner. Yumi looked at them. They depicted the four gods of the fourth generation of the Egyptian pantheon, Osiris, Isis, Set, and Nephthys.

She looked at the ceiling. Painted on the ceiling was a mural depicting the higher parts of the celestial hierarchy. At the lowest part of the mural were their parents of the four gods depicted in the statues, Geb and Nut; above them were Shu and Tefnut. At the highest point was a radiant form which was clearly supposed to depict Re himself.

Another set of doors was at the far end of the otherwise empty chamber.

"Anyone home?" shouted Chelsea.

Then the doors opened.

A man walked out of the two doors. The first thing you noticed about him was his helmet, which was shaped like a jackal's head and covered the whole upper half of his face. He wore a golden shirt, a black jacket, a blue scarf, brown pantaloons, and sandals. He held a long staff with a gold tip, shaped like a cobra.

"Eh?" said Chelsea. "Gravekeeper's Commandant?"

The Duel Spirit silently looked at the assembled duelists for a few seconds.

"A Gravekeeper?" asked Yumi. "How can there be Gravekeepers here? There are no graves to protect. All the Spirits who die go poof."

The Spellcaster silently looked them over for a few more seconds.

"Which of you is the one who holds the power of the Lady of the Night?" he finally asked.

There was a long pause.

"You mean Penelope?" asked Chelsea. "Well, that's me, I guess."

The Gravekeeper looked at her.

"Yes…" he said, tucking the staff under his shoulder.

He looked her over.

"I'm guessing this guy is the strong, silent type," said Ren.

"I see you have the power to speak to the deceased," said the Commandant.

"Huh?" said Chelsea. "Well, yes… But none of them have shown up for a while. I don't know why… I'm guessing that Duel Spirits have no afterlife…"

The Gravekeeper smirked.

"Oh, but they do," he said. "Good ones have their rewards, evil ones have their punishments… And like you humans, some can't pass on for one reason or another… But for humans, reaching out to deceased Duel Spirits is no easy task. Usually, only other Duel Spirits with this gift can do so. Ones such as myself…"

"Can you see any now?" asked Chelsea.

The Commandant nodded.

"I was put here to protect a part of Penelope's legacy that I'm certain you don't know about yet," he said. "It lies in the other room. It is something of great power… A holy force that symbolizes the end of her dark curse, and her true reward.

"Penelope is the card that lies closest to you. There is a symbiosis between the two of you. Once you have the power that is within that room, Penelope's power will be complete. I daresay, if that doesn't make your own power complete, nothing will."

"Uhm…" said Chelsea. "I assume you aren't just going to give it to me…"

The Commandant nodded. He lifted something up.

It was a deck of cards.

"Ho boy…" said Chelsea, holding her head.

"What's Chelsea worried about?" asked Sam. "Is she suddenly afraid to duel?"

"Uhm, Sam, this guy is a Gravekeeper," said Ren. "He more than likely plays a Gravekeeper Deck.

"And Chelsea dueled a guy who used one before.

"She, uhm… She lost."

"Do you work for Daala?" asked Yumi.

"No," said the Commandant, bluntly.

"Guys," said Jesse, "this guy definitely doesn't work for Joan. If he doesn't work for her or Daala, I have no idea who he answers to."

"You needn't worry about Daala," said the Commandant. "Joan's temple is not the only safe house in Xanadu. This temple is protected by spiritual magic of a special type that masks its presence from everyone's senses. No-one, not Daala, not Joan, not anyone can spy upon this sacred ground.

"As for who I answer too, let's just say that there are higher powers in the dimensional realms, ones that are only known to a select few."

Yumi went up to Chelsea and took hold of her shoulders.

"Chelsea," she said, "that duel was last year! You've gotten better since then! You were a Duelatopia finalist! Keep telling yourself that!"

Chelsea sighed.

"Okay, buddy," she said. "I accept…"

She took her deck out of the holder and looked through it until she found Penelope.

_I won't fail you,_ she thought.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala grumbled as she walked down a hallway in a special part of her palace.

This was her prison, a place for residents of Xanadu who had defied or otherwise displeased her. Most captured members of the rebellion weren't here, or at least didn't stay here long – they were brainwashed and made into slave labor, a more ironic punishment. But others were kept in this place, located beneath her palace.

The prison was divided into two major wings – one for Duel Spirits and one for other creatures, such as humans. The latter resembled a typical prison. The one for Duel Spirits was somewhat different, as Duel Spirits couldn't be held in simple cells. They were slippery creatures.

A special device was needed to hold a Duel Spirit prisoner. It was a capsule-like device, which, naturally, needed to be large enough to hold the Spirit, and needed to be set to the Spirit's Type and Attribute. Jesse would have remembered these devices – his old nemesis who specialized in hunting such creatures used them as part of his equipment. Daala had a great number of prisoners interred in these things.

And right now, she was interested in one who was under extra security.

She approached a metal door which was guarded by two Shadow Tamers. Not the strongest Warriors, but ones who were trained in the best ways to subdue this particular type of prisoner if he somehow got free.

"Open it up," said Daala.

The Tamers didn't question. One of them slid a keycard into a slot next to the door, and it slowly opened.

A chamber inside was dark. Daala pulled a switch down, and a dim light came on.

A capsule was in the center of the room, and inside it was a fiendish creature. He had branchlike growths growing from his scalp instead of hair, and course, gray skin. His skull-like face had cold, green eyes with no pupils, and his sharp teeth looked like they had been built more for fright value than for the ability to eat. His hands and feet were clawed. A straightjacket restrained him – which was as much to keep him from hurting himself as it was to keep him from hurting anyone else.

He let out a chuckle that clearly wasn't lucid.

"Why Daala," he said. "To what do I owe this visit?"

"You know why, Brron," said Daala. "My excavators still haven't found it."

"Pity…" said the Fiend, leaning back. "Guess they'll have to try harder…"

"Listen to me, Brron!" shouted Daala. "If I were you, I would cooperate. It wasn't easy for me to bring you back from that Hell that Jaden sent you to. And if you ask me, the fact that you lost that duel was your own fault.

"You might have been able to finish the Super Polymerization card and summon Colorless… _If you had only been able to count to five!_"

"I know how to count!" said Brron, with a sneer. "It was Sillva and Goldd's fault, not mine. If I had won that duel, I would have had them drawn and quartered."

Daala glared at him.

"I'd say you owe me a lot, Mr. Mad King of Dark World," she whispered. "And your life is gonna be a whole lot more pleasant if you just tell me where it is."

"What makes you think I even _know_ where it is?" asked Brron. "I don't keep track of every card that appears in Xanadu. I hardly keep track of my own cards. I never play with a full deck!"

"Very funny," said Daala. "I know you know because it's a Spirit that was spawned from the very essence of Dark World, Brron. As the ruler of Dark World in the Supreme King's absence, your senses regarding such Spirits, especially such powerful ones, are acute. You likely were able to pinpoint its exact location the minute it landed. It would have cried out to you."

Brron chuckled again.

"Another voice in my head?" he chuckled. "That's all I need.

"Well… I might know where it is… I might not…

"But I may be crazy, Daala, but I'm not _stupid_. I know you'll never let me out of here, no matter what I tell you. You're more of a Fiend than any native of Dark World… A pity, really… We could have been allies in another place and time…"

"Brron…" said Daala. "In case you forgot, the Higher Plane still regards you as a fugitive for the atrocities committed while you were ruler of Dark World. I could deposit you on Voltanis's doorstep at any time."

"Oh, but you won't," chuckled Brron. "I know that you won't risk sending anyone to the Higher Plane, because he also has several outstanding warrants for _your_ arrest! That's why Joan came here in the first place, remember?"

Daala looked at him and crossed her arms. He was right, of course…

"I will say this…" said Brron. "What you're looking for is a treasure that can't be dug up using picks and shovels. X simply doesn't mark the spot. What you're looking for is still a Duel Monster…

"You're going to have to find it the way a duelist does."

"What do you mean?" asked Daala. "Who would I have to duel? You?"

Brron threw back his head and laughed hysterically.

"Is that an offer?" he asked. "Let me out of this thing, hand me a Disk, and I'll show you who the better monarch is!"

Daala looked at him. Then she smirked.

She turned to the two Shadow Tamers.

"You," she said, pointing to one of them. "Unlock his capsule. You… Give him your Disk."

"Milady…" said one of the Tamers. "Are you certain that's wise?"

"NOW!" ordered Daala.

One of the Tamers quickly punched in a code in the controls in the capsule, and it opened. Brron stepped out.

He stretched to get the stiffness out of his legs. Then, he deftly threw his arms up, tearing the straightjacket apart.

The other Tamer shivered. She removed her deck from her Disk, and then handed the Disk to Brron. He snatched it.

A deck appeared in Brron's hand, and he placed it in the Disk. Daala activated her own.

"Game on!" they both shouted.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Chelsea nervously sipped from her canteen as the Commandant shuffled his deck.

Then he removed his helmet, and placed it in an alcove behind him. He was a handsome young man, with long, raven black hair that fell neatly to his shoulders.

He gestured, and a Duel Disk with a tray resembling the elongated head of a jackal appeared on his arm.

"Before I forget, Chelsea," he said, "we'll be using Deck Lords in this duel. So bring yours out now."

"Oh…" said Chelsea.

Her deck glowed, and Vampire Genesis appeared in a burst of dark energy.

"Fine," said the Commandant. "And as you may have already guessed, I will be my own Deck Lord."

"Then let's stop beating around the bush," said Chelsea.

"Game on!" they both shouted.

**(Chelsea: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Gravekeeper's Commandant: 8,000)**

"Don't choke, Chelsea!" shouted Ren from behind her. "You can beat this guy!"

"We'll soon see," said the Commandant, making his first draw.

He chose a card from his hand.

"I will set one Monster in Defense Mode, and that will be all for now…"

A facedown Monster appeared in front of him.

"Okay, I draw…" said Chelsea.

She drew a card, and looked at her hand.

"I summon Vampire Lady," she said.

She played the card, and the sultry vampiress appeared. (1,550/1,550)

"Now I'll…"

Then she stopped short.

"Yes?" said the Commandant.

_If he's playing a Gravekeeper Deck,_ thought Chelsea, _his facedown Monster is likely Gravekeeper's Spy… And her Defense Score is too much for Vampire Lady…Not to mention the fact that her Flip-Effect is hard to handle._

"I, uh," she said. "I end my turn."

Commandant made a draw.

"I Flip-Summon my Monster," he said. "Gravekeeper's Guard."

His facedown Monster flipped, and a bulky, bald man appeared, dressed in a loose robe and pantaloons. He carried a spear. (1,000/1,900)

_It wasn't a Spy?_ thought Chelsea, nervously.

"His effect sends your Monster back to your hand," said Commandant.

The Guard pointed his spear, and Vampire Lady vanished in a ripple of light. Her card appeared back in Chelsea's hand.

"Next," said Commandant, "I summon Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier."

He played another card, and another Gravekeeper appeared, this one holding a long, ornate spear. (1,500/1,000)

Chelsea gulped.

"Go!" shouted Commandant. "Attack her directly!"

Gravekeeper's Guard rushed at Chelsea and jabbed his spear into her torso. She fell over on her behind.

She slowly got up. Then she screamed as the Spear Soldier stabbed her with his own weapon. She fell over again.

**(C: 5,500) - - - - - - - - - - (GC: 8,000)**

"Chelsea's off to a rough start," said Sam, shaking her head.

"Don't worry," said Ren. "Our girl can handle it."

"I'll set one card facedown," said Commandant, as a facedown card appeared, "and my turn concludes."

Chelsea took some deep breaths.

Then Vampire Genesis put his hand on her shoulder.

"I know, I know," she muttered. "I'm all right…"

She drew a card.

_All right!_ she thought.

She played it.

"I play… Call of the Mummy!" she shouted, as it appeared. "Now I'll use it to summon… Ryu Kokki!"

In an explosion of dust and dirt, the huge ogre made entirely of bones and skulls burst out of the floor. (2,400/1,000)

"Next," she said, "I'll summon Vampire Lady again."

In a dark shadow, Vampire Lady appeared once more. (1,550/1,550)

"Ryu Kokki, attack Gravekeeper's Guard!"

The Bone Dragon Ogre lumbered over and slammed its fist down. Gravekeeper's Guard was thrown backwards, and shattered into pixels.

"Vampire Lady, attack the Spear Soldier!"

Vampire Lady flew at the other Gravekeeper, and made a slash with her claw. He dropped his weapon and shattered into shards.

"Yes!" shouted Ren.

"Now I activate her effect," said Chelsea. "I declare Spell Card."

The Commandant made a slight smirk. A card slipped out of his deck, and he discarded it.

_Huh?_ thought Chelsea. _It was almost as if he wanted me to do that…_

"I uh…" she said. "I end my turn…"

**(C: 5,500) - - - - - - - - - - (GC: 6,550)**

The Commandant drew a card.

He chuckled.

"Well…" he said. "I just drew my favorite card…"

He showed it to her.

"Your own card?" asked Chelsea.

"Indeed," he replied. "But it isn't a Monster that you summon…"

He discarded the card.

"By sending my namesake to the Graveyard, I get to take a specific Spell Card from my deck…"

"Don't tell me…" said Chelsea.

The Commandant took a card from his deck. Then he opened his Field slot and placed the card in it.

"I call forth Necrovalley!" he shouted.

The walls of the room faded, and fell away. In the next instant, they were transported to a large, rocky canyon under the desert sun. A dusty wind blew through the ominous place.

"As you know," said the Commandant, "this place negates the effects of all cards that must reach into the Graveyards to function. And all Gravekeepers are strengthened, gaining 500 points for both attacking and defending.

"To conclude my turn, I'll set a Monster in Defense Mode."

A facedown Monster appeared in front of him.

Chelsea drew a card.

It was Heavy Storm.

_HA!_ she thought. _How lucky can you get?_

"Chelsea, beware," said Vampire Genesis. "He has a facedown card. It may well be a Counter Trap. Maybe even Judgment of Anubis."

"Well, then why would he have set it a round before he had Necrovalley?" asked Chelsea.

"Mmm, good point," said Genesis.

"I play Heavy Storm!" shouted Chelsea.

She played the card, and the wind started to pick up…

"Not so fast!" shouted the Commandant.

He took a card from his hand (it was Hieroglyph Lithograph) and discarded it. The Heavy Storm card was blown to pieces, and the wind died.

"Huh?" said Chelsea.

"You forget that we're using Deck Lords," said the Commandant, "and my power is potent. If you use a card effect whose effect would destroy or counter one or more of my Spell or Trap Cards, I can discard one card to negate that effect."

"Crud…" muttered Chelsea.

She looked over the field. Then she looked at the cards in her hand.

_I have Penelope,_ she thought, _but I have no way to summon her right now…_

_Wait…_

"I use one of my Deck Lord abilities," she said. "It's called Zombie Swap. I send one Zombie in my hand back to my deck…"

She placed Penelope back in her deck.

"Then I get to search for another one, that's of an equal or lower Level."

She took a card from her deck. Then she reshuffled.

"Now I summon him… Zombie Werewolf."

The undead wolfman appeared, and let out a howl. (1,200/1,200)

"Ryu Kokki, attack his Monster!"

Ryu Kokki lunged at the facedown Monster. A woman wearing a dark robe appeared on the card, kneeling down. (1,200/2,000) –) (1,700/2,500)

_Eh?_ said Chelsea. _THAT one WAS the Spy._

The Spy gave Ryu Kokki a shove, and the Zombie fell backwards. But then she screamed and exploded into pixels.

"What?" said the Commandant. "My Spy had a stronger Defense!"

"But you forgot about Ryu Kokki's effect," said Chelsea. "It automatically destroys any Spellcaster it battles."

"Hmm…" said the Commandant. "Nonetheless, I can still use my Spy's Flip-Effect, and Special Summon another Gravekeeper. I'll summon a second Spy, in Defense Mode."

A second of the female Spellcasters appeared, kneeling and shielding herself. (1,200/2,000) –) (1,700/2,500)

"I'll throw two cards facedown, and then play Mirage of Nightmare," said Chelsea.

Two facedown cards appeared, followed by the Mirage card.

**(C: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (GC: 6,550)**

"Chelsea's in a fix," muttered Sam.

"How so?" asked Erik.

"Think about it," said Sam. "Zombies specialize in Special Summoning themselves from the Graveyard. But with that Field Spell, that advantage is shut down. Chelsea lost a big edge against this guy."

The Commandant made a draw.

"I activate the effect of Mirage of Nightmare," said Chelsea.

She quickly drew four cards.

"Now, I send it and my other facedown card to the Graveyard with Emergency Provisions!"

Her facedown card lifted up, revealed to be Symbol of Heritage, right before a huge mouth devoured it and the Mirage card.

"So be it," said the Commandant. "I call forth Gravekeeper's Assailant!"

He played the card, and a woman dressed in a dark assassin's cloak, hood, and mask appeared. She held a long dagger with a curved blade. (1,500/1,500) –) (2,000/2,000)

_Oh no…_ thought Chelsea. _I definitely remember her. She can move Ryu Kokki to Defense Mode…_

"Attack Ryu Kokki!" shouted Commandant.

Assailant's eyes glowed with silvery light, and Ryu Kokki knelt and shielded itself. Assailant leapt at the ogre with her dagger.

"Forget?" asked Chelsea. "It'll take her with it!"

Assailant stabbed with her dagger, and Ryu Kokki burst in an explosion of shrapnel that obliterated both Monsters.

"Perhaps," said Commandant, "but she'll be coming right back…"

His facedown card lifted.

"I activate Rite of Spirit! Now, despite Necrovalley, I can raise Assailant from my Graveyard."

Assailant appeared again, and formed a fighting stance. (1,500/1,500) –) (2,000/2,000)

"Now, slay her Werewolf!"

Assailant leapt at Zombie Werewolf and stabbed him through the chest. Zombie Werewolf howled, and shattered.

"I activate his effect!" shouted Chelsea. "I get to summon another one from my deck. And Necrovalley can't prevent card effects that activate when a card is sent _to_ the Graveyard."

"Someone's done her homework," said the Commandant.

A second Zombie Werewolf appeared in a burst of energy. (1,700/1,200)

"I'll set one card facedown," said the Commandant.

A facedown card appeared in front of him.

"And my turn is now over."

**(C: 6,600) - - - - - - - - - - (GC: 6,550)**

Chelsea looked at the four cards she had drawn with Mirage. She couldn't believe how bad her luck had suddenly gotten.

She drew a fifth card.

_Nuts,_ she thought, looking at it. _Without being able to take cards out of my Graveyard, this guy is almost worthless._

She chose another card.

"I set one Monster in Defense Mode," she said.

A facedown Monster appeared.

"Then I attack your Assailant with Zombie Werewolf!"

"Huh?" said Commandant.

Zombie Werewolf leapt at Assailant. She gave him a swift kick in the groin, and he shattered. Chelsea cringed.

"Now I get to summon a third one," said Chelsea, "and this one will be even stronger."

A third Werewolf appeared. (2,200/1,200)

"Now you attack," ordered Chelsea.

The third Werewolf leapt at the assassin.

"I activate… Eye of Wdjat!" shouted the Commandant, as his facedown card flew up.

Chelsea had never seen this Trap Card before. It bore the picture of an Egyptian eye, surrounded by hieroglyphics.

Zombie Werewolf roared, as a glowing golden eye appeared on its forehead.

"The mystical powers of the sacred Eye of Wdjat allow me to control your Werewolf's mind," said Commandant, and force him to attack his ally!"

Zombie Werewolf turned around in mid-leap, and flew at Vampire Lady. She screamed as he tore her in two.

The Eye vanished from Zombie Werewolf's forehead, and he glared at the Gravekeeper in anger.

Chelsea sighed.

"I end my turn…" she muttered.

**(C: 5,650) - - - - - - - - - - (GC: 6,550)**

The Gravekeeper drew a card.

"I sacrifice my Spy…" said the Gravekeeper.

Gravekeeper's Spy vanished.

"To call forth Gravekeeper's Chief!"

In a burst of energy, a more powerful Spellcaster appeared. He was dressed in white and black priestly robes, and held a golden staff topped with a golden cobra and hawk. (1,900/1,200) –) (2,400/1,700)

"With him on the field," continued Commandant, "my Graveyard is no longer sealed by Necrovalley. In addition, by summoning him, I can bring another Gravekeeper back from my Graveyard…"

Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier appeared again. (1,500/1,000) –) (2,000/1,000)

_This is gonna sting…_ thought Chelsea.

"Assailant," he exclaimed. "Annihilate that cur!"

Gravekeeper's Assailant leapt at Zombie Werewolf, and he knelt in Defense Mode. She jabbed the dagger between his shoulder blades, and he shattered.

"Spear Soldier, attack with soul piece!"

Spear Solider lunged at the facedown Monster. Blood Sucker appeared on the card and was skewered. Chelsea groaned in pain as it the piercing attack stabbed into her.

"Gravekeeper's Chief… Doomsday purge."

The Chief formed a glowing ball of magical energy in his palm, and then hurled it at Chelsea, striking her in the chest. She shrieked and fell over.

She slowly got up, panting heavily.

**(C: 2,750) - - - - - - - - - - (GC: 6,550)**

"I'm not done," said the Commandant, playing the last card in his hand. "I play the Spell Card, Royal Tribute. With Necrovalley on the field, this sends every Monster in each players' hands to the Graveyard."

The one Monster in Chelsea's hand vanished.

_Well, so much for that, _she thought.

"It's your move," he said.

Chelsea looked at the three cards left in her hand, which were Monster Reborn, Axe of Despair, and Interdimensional Matter Transporter. None of them were any good right now.

She made a draw.

_This is the last chance…_ she thought.

"I play Graceful Charity!" she shouted.

She played the card, and it glowed with golden light. She drew three cards.

She looked at them.

_Hey…_ she thought. _I got an idea…_

She discarded Dust Tornado and Axe of Despair.

"All right, fellah," she said. "I use the effect of Call of the Mummy to Special Summon Vampire's Curse!"

She played the card, and a new vampire appeared in front of her. He was older than Vampire Lord, was dressed in blue armor, and had batlike wings on his back. (2,000/800)

"Eh?" said Commandant.

"I'm not done," she said. "I play Monster Reborn."

"You can't," said Commandant. "My Field Spell…"

"…isn't affecting your Graveyard, thanks to your Chief," interrupted Chelsea. "So I'm using it to summon a Monster from there. Gravekeeper's Spy, in Defense Mode!"

Gravekeeper's Spy appeared in a burst of dark energy. She knelt and crossed her arms. (1,200/2,000) –) (1,700/2,500)

"Now, my Vampire attacks your Assailant."

Vampire's Curse leapt at Assailant. She leapt at him with her dagger drawn. The two Monsters collided in mid-air, and exploded.

"Now I activate his effect," she said. "I pay 500 Life Points, and next round, he'll be back, and he'll be even stronger than before. Since his effect activates _in_ the Graveyard, Necrovalley can't stop that either."

"That will be all for now," she said

**(C: 2,250) - - - - - - - - - - (GC: 4,550)**

Commandant nervously drew a card.

He quickly played it.

"I summon Gravekeeper's Curse," he said.

He played the card, and a new Gravekeeper appeared, this one wearing dark mystic robes and holding a long staff topped with an ankh design. (800/800) –) (1,300/1,300)

"Just by summoning him, he inflicts 500 points of damage to you."

The Curse was surrounded by a dark aura, and Chelsea cringed in pain as the same aura surrounded her.

"Hang tight, Chelsea!" shouted Ren. "It's not over yet!"

"We'll soon see," said Commandant. "That will be all for now."

**(C: 1,750) - - - - - - - - - - (GC: 4,550)**

Chelsea quickly drew.

"As promised, Vampire's Curse returns," she said.

The Curse appeared in an aura of dark energy. (2,500/800)

"Next, I summon Zombie Master!"

She played another card, and Zombie Master burst out of the ground. (1,800/0)

"Next up, I play a Spell Card. Overpowering Eyes. This lets me choose a Zombie that has 2,000 Attack Points or less, and gives it the ability to attack directly this turn.

"So, Zombie Master… Attack directly with wrath of the undead!"

Zombie Master cast bolts of lightning at the Commandant, and he was hollered as they hit him. He tumbled over.

"Vampire's Curse, attack his Curse with night shade!"

Vampire's Curse formed a ball of blackness in his hands, and hurled it at Gravekeeper's Curse. The Gravekeeper was blown to bits.

"URGH!" shouted Commandant.

"I'll set a facedown, and that will be all," said Chelsea, setting her last card.

A facedown card appeared behind her Monsters.

**(C: 1,750) - - - - - - - - - - (GC: 1,550)**

The Gravekeeper drew a card.

"Chief…" he ordered, "attack Zombie Master!"

Gravekeeper's Chief prepared to cast his lethal spell…

"Gotcha!" shouted Chelsea as her facedown card shot up. "Go, Rush Recklessly!"

Zombie Master shot up to an Attack Score of 2,500. Gravekeeper's Chief cast his spell, but Zombie Master cast one of his own. The two bursts of magic collided in the center of the arena, and the Chief was thrown backwards.

He slowly vanished into pixilated remains.

"Uh…" said Commandant. "I set one card facedown, move Spear Soldier to Defense Mode, and end my turn."

Spear Soldier knelt, and held his weapon in his lap as a facedown card appeared.

**(C: 1,750) - - - - - - - - - - (GC: 1,450)**

Chelsea drew a card.

"I move Gravekeeper's Spy to Attack Mode," she said.

The Spy stood up and drew a dagger from her robe.

"You…" she said, pointing to Zombie Master, "attack the Spear Soldier! Wrath of the undead!"

Zombie Master shot bolts of lightning at the Gravekeeper, and he screamed before being blown to pieces.

"Yes!" shouted Ren. "If both these attacks go through, she wins!"

"Vampire's Curse, Gravekeeper's Spy, attack directly!"

Vampire's Curse hurled a ball of inky blackness at the Commandant, while Gravekeeper's Spy leapt at him with her dagger…

"Not so fast!" shouted the Commandant. "I activate Dark Wall of Wind!"

His facedown Quickplay shot up, and a tornado of dark wind formed around him, completely concealing him. The Spy was thrown backwards, and Curse's night shade glanced off.

"Darn…" muttered Chelsea.

She looked at the last card in her hand. It was Monster Reincarnation, which she couldn't use, due to the Field Spell.

"I have to end my turn…" she muttered.

"I draw one card," said Commandant.

He drew and looked at the card.

Ironically, it was Pot of Avarice, which he couldn't use right now since the Chief was gone.

But he did have one other option…

"Well, it's about that time," he said.

"Time for what?" asked Chelsea.

"Remember when you forced me to discard a Spell Card using Vampire Lady's effect?" he replied. "I was prepared for that. The Spell Card I discarded was called Tomb Treasury.

"You obviously know that the kings of Egypt were a possessive group, and they didn't believe in the phrase 'You can't take it with you'. Thus, they had all their possessions interred with them upon death, and their tombs were troves of wealth.

"When this card is in my Graveyard, and the only card I have on the field is Necrovalley, I can remove it from play to draw two cards."

The Treasury card slipped out of his discard slot, and then he made two draws.

He looked at them.

He threw one of them into his Disk.

"I play Lightning Vortex!" he shouted.

He discarded Pot of Avarice, and lighting flashed over Necrovalley. A bolt came crashing down, and Vampire's Curse, Zombie Master, and Gravekeeper's Spy were incinerated.

"NO!" screamed Ren. "She's defenseless! If that other card he drew is a Monster…"

Commandant grinned.

Then he took the card and placed it in his Disk. A facedown card appeared.

"It's your move, Chelsea," he said. "I guess it's all up to fate now…"

_He got that right,_ thought Chelsea.

She had no cards in her hand that she could use, nothing on the field, and she couldn't even use her Deck Lord ability because of Necrovalley…

And that facedown card… What was it?

Then it hit her…

He said he had prepared…

What if that facedown card was one of the few Traps she knew of that could take a Zombie out for good?

She drew a card.

She chuckled when she saw what it was.

"What?" said the Commandant.

"You know…" she said. "If this duel were to have a mythic ending, the card I just drew would have been Pot of Greed, and I'd use it to draw two cards that I could use to combo with that I'd beat you with…"

She looked at the card.

"A bad draw?" he asked.

"No, I'm still going to beat you," she said. "It's just not going to mythic. It's going to be… Ironic."

"Ironic?" he said.

"Yes. I play Mystical Space Typhoon! And I'm tearing this valley down!"

She played the card, and the savage cyclone tore across the field. The rocky cliffsides of Necrovalley started to crumble, and fell into dust.

"See," she said, "I remembered you had to discard a card to use that Deck Lord ability of yours. But since you have no cards in your hand…"

The cliffs faded away, returning them to the chamber.

"Now, I use my one of my own Deck Lord's abilities," she said, as Vampire Genesis started to glow. "I remove two Zombies in my Graveyard from play to summon another Zombie from it…"

Vampire Lady and Zombie Master fell out of her discard slot.

"Let's all welcome… The Kick Man!"

A new Zombie burst out of the floor. It was a pug-faced Zombie with a sloping forehead and purple skin, wearing jeans and no shirt. He had the words "I Luv Kick" printed on his forehead. (1,300/300)

"The Kick Man?" shouted Commandant.

"Yeah, I figured out what your facedown card is," said Chelsea. "Bottomless Trap Hole, one of the few cards that can make sure a Zombie doesn't come back after you get rid of it. However, Kick Man has less than 1,500 Attack Points, so he's immune to it.

"But he's gonna get stronger in a second…

"Okay, Kick Man, show him how you get your kicks!"

The Kick Man leapt up, and stomped on the floor. The Axe of Despair flew out of the ground, and he caught it.

"See, when The Kick Man is Special Summoned, he gets to dig up an Equip Spell from my Graveyard."

(2,300/300)

"Attack him directly! Quick stick kick!"

The Kick Man rushed at Gravekeeper's Commandant, and made a leap, kicking him in the teeth. The Gravekeeper fell backwards ten feet and fell over.

**(C: 1,750) - - - - - - - - - - (GC: 0)**

"Ouch…" he muttered sitting up.

Chelsea wiped sweat off of her forehead as The Kick Man vanished.

"Well?" she asked. "Aren't I supposed to get something?"

The Commandant got up. He smirked.

"Of course," he said. "I have to admit, Chelsea, that was a brilliant deduction.

"But first, as per the rules of Xanadu…"

He gestured, and Vampire Genesis glowed with a dark aura.

"My powers as Deck Lord are granted to yours."

As he did this, he started to turn translucent, as if he was fading.

"What's happening to you?" asked Chelsea.

"My work here is almost complete," said the Commandant. "It will soon be time for me to leave…

"But first…"

He gestured, and the doors behind him opened.

"Go on… You have earned it…"

Chelsea walked through the doors. Inside the dimly lit room was a pedestal, and on it was a single card.

Her eyes narrowed.

She picked it up, and as she did, visions came to her mind. She saw Penelope at various times in her life, as a pious holy woman… Her death at the hands of a cruel vampire… Her period of despair as she rose as one of the undead… Her triumphs as a crusader against the creatures of darkness… And the release, as a warm hand reached down from above to take her to her just reward.

Then she saw a new chapter added that she didn't know existed…

She read the text on the card.

"What?" she said. "But… How am I supposed to use it? My deck doesn't have what it needs…"

"Penelope was resourceful, and you are too," said the Commandant. "You will find out how to use it when the need is great enough…

"Before I leave, a warning… Chelsea… My faith is an ally to the forces that aided Penelope… But I know that she also has an enemy in Xanadu. I recently sensed it.'

"An enemy?" asked Chelsea. "Who?"

"I do not know this creature's identity," he replied. "But whoever it is will strike eventually. And since you control Penelope's power, this enemy will strike at her through you.

"Do all you can to strengthen yourself before this enemy strikes, for I predict, it will not be easy…

"Farwell…"

And then he vanished.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In Daala's prison.

Brron, the Fiend formerly known as the Mad King of Dark World, screamed as he was hit by a tremendous bolt of dark energy.

He fell flat on his face.

"Thanks, Brron, that was fun," said Daala, as her Disk deactivated.

She turned to the two Shadow Tamers.

"Get another straightjacket and put him back," she ordered. "If he breaks that one too, then start sedating him. Use Paralyzing Potions if you have to.

"It's clear to me that this psychopath is never going to tell us anything… But we'll find it sooner or later. There are just so many places that a Spirit as powerful as that one can hide…"

"Milady," said one of the Tamers, "if a lowly guard can make a suggestion, I think that keeping him alive is a bad idea. He's dangerous, and you just said he's never going to give you what you want…"

"A valid concern," said Daala, "but he still has one other use to me alive…

"And when it comes time for that use to come into play, he's not gonna have a choice."

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"So, Chelsea," said Jesse, as they left the building. "Are you sure you're okay? That was a tough duel…"

Chelsea let out a pleasant sigh.

"I'm okay, Jesse…" she said. "In fact, I feel a lot better now…"

She was the only one who saw the phantoms of a Fire Sorcerer, Hibikime, and Rhaimundos of the Red Sword following behind her. She turned to them and smiled.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**EYE OF WDJAT (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** An Egyptian eye surrounded by hieroglyphics.

**Card Description:** Activate when your opponent declares an attack. Change the attack target to a Monster your opponent controls, other than the attacking Monster.

_Note: "Eye of Wdjat" was first used by Odion in the original anime episode "Awakening of Evil (Part One)" Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

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**DARK WALL OF WIND (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image: A cloaked, hooded man in the center of a dark fog.**

**Card Description:** Activate only during your opponent's Battle Phase. Damage deal to you by direct attacks is reduced to zero.

_Note: "Dark Wall of Wind" was first used by Marik in the original anime episode "The Darkness Returns (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

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**0**

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**OVERPOWERING EYES (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A gentlemanly vampire with two sinister eyes behind him.

**Card Description:** Select one Zombie-Type Monster you control with an ATK of 2,000 or less. The selected Monster may attack directly this round.

_Note: "Overpowering Eyes" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States._

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**TOMB TREASURY (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A golden sarcophagus surrounded by golden artifacts and tomb treasures.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when it is in your Graveyard and the only card on your side of the field is "Necrovalley". Disregard the effect of "Necrovalley" to remove this card from play. Then draw two cards from your deck.

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**Chelsea's Deck Lord: "Vampire Genesis":** "Zombie Swap": You may shuffle one Zombie-Type Monster from your hand into your deck to search your deck for a Zombie-Type Monster that is an equal or lower Level than the one you sent back to your deck. You may use this effect once per round. (Intermediate Power) "Vampire Regeneration": When a Monster with the word "Vampire" in its name is destroyed as a result of battle, you may discard one card from your hand to Special Summon it from the Graveyard in face-up Defense Mode. (Minor Power) "Graveyard Sacrifice": You may remove two Zombies in your Graveyard from play to Special Summon one Zombie from your Graveyard. This effect may be used a total of three times, once per turn. (Minor Power)

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**Gravekeeper's Commandant's Deck Lord:** "Defiler Barrier": If your opponent activates a card effect whose effect includes destroying or countering one or more of your Spell or Trap Cards, you may discard one card from your hand to negate the activation of the card and destroy it. (Greater Power)

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**Yugi Mouto had a lot of philosophies. One of them was the one that said no card is without value. But if you study the history of the game, you have to wonder if he was right. It's hard to see the value of some cards.**_

_**Some cards are of limited use. Some cards are downright useless. And with some cards, you wonder what the heck the guy who designed it was thinking, and you wonder even more about the guy who approved it.**_

_**In the dimensions were Duel Spirits live, even Monsters whom no sane duelist would use spawn Spirits. And Spirits of worthless cards have a lot of pent-up aggression towards the world.**_

_**Coming up next, Erik is challenged by one such Spirit, and while it may look like a joke, its strategy is deadly serious. **_

"_**Perceptions" is coming soon.**_

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_**Name that Card!**_

_**Like Gigobyte, this Monster went through several evolutions, three in fact. With its first evolution, its Type and Attribute changed. With its second evolution, its Level changed. With its third evolution, it regained its original Type, but again changed its Level. What was it originally? Can you name it?**_


	24. Perceptions

What Monster had three evolutions and one heck of an identity crisis

_**What Monster had three evolutions and one heck of an identity crisis? If you said "Inpachi", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

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_**Yumi's grandfather had a lot of good ideas. One of his philosophies regarding Duel Monsters was that no card was worthless. **_

_**However, with some cards, you have to wonder just how to use them with any effectiveness.**_

_**How does one make any use out of Djinn the Watcher of the Wind? It only has 700 Attack Points, and no effect. If it were Level Two, it might be used in a deck that used Thousand Energy, but it's Level Three.**_

_**No offense to his old friend Tristan, but I fail to find any use for Cyber Commander either. You might use Thousand Energy on that one, but there are much better Level Two Monsters to use that Spell Card with. And not only is it weak, it isn't weak enough to use with Machine Duplication.**_

_**And if anyone can find a practical use for the Trap Card, An Unfortunate Report, I'll give him half my savings. If you have another card that's triggered by your opponent making an attack, activating this one and giving him two Battle Phases is a sure way to tell him NOT to attack.**_

_**Maybe I'm being too hasty… There probably ARE good uses for these cards if you search long enough…**_

_**But I'm learning right now that, just because a Monster Card seems useless, that doesn't mean that no Duel Spirit version of it exists… I'm up against one whose face appears on the most useless card of all…**_

_**And I have a nagging feeling… This guy's deck might have cards in it that are far more potent than his own…**_

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**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE**

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**Perceptions**

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"Strange," said Jesse. "We should have gotten there by now…"

"You sure?" asked Yumi.

Jesse took a pair of binoculars out of a pouch on his belt.

"I've seen the fortress from a distance," he said. "I never had to go this far before to do so…"

He lifted the binoculars to his eyes, and he started to scan the horizon with it.

"Huh?" he said.

"What?" said Sam.

"I don't see the fortress," said Jesse, "but I see something… There's some activity going on down there about half a mile…"

"Should we check it out?" asked Chelsea.

"Well…" said Jesse, "it is on our way…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A short walk later…

The team had reached what seemed to be a large, open quarry of some sort. Several Machine Duel Spirits were busy digging through the sand and the stone surrounding the open mine.

They could identify the Monsters, which seemed to consist of several members of four types: Shovel Crushers, Ancient Gear Engineers, one Labyrinth Tank, and a few Mighty Guards. The first three were all busy digging away with the tools built into their bodies. The Mighty Guards were watching them, possibly ready to do any job that required hands.

"What's going on here?" said Ren.

"Seems to be a rock quarry," said Sam.

"Or some sort of excavating project," said Yumi. "Jesse, are there any gems or precious metals in this Realm?"

"Maybe," said Jesse, with a shrug. "But you got me what they would do with any that they found. Gold, silver, and gems have no monetary value to Duel Spirits. Some use them as lucky charms though… Like a Lord of the Lamp I used to know… Boy, that guy really liked jewelry…"

Yumi looked down and rubbed her chin.

"Let's get down and get a closer look," she said.

"Uh, Yumi," said Erik. "In case you didn't notice, that place is full of Monsters."

"They aren't anything we can't outfight with our own Monsters," said Yumi. "The Tank is the biggest problem, but we can still handle it. Just be ready to summon something, just in case."

They walked down a pathway into the quarry. As they did, one of the Engineers noticed them. It stopped working, and tapped a Shovel Crusher next to it. The two Machines looked at the six humans.

Slowly, the other Machines took notice. One by one, they stopped, and looked at the intruders.

The duelists all activated their Disks.

"Something's wrong," said Sam. "They're just standing there instead of attacking…"

There was a long pause.

"They were making a lot of noise a minute ago," said Ren. "Whoever is in charge is gonna notice that they've stopped!"

Indeed someone did. A metallic voice shouted from the other side of the quarry:

"Why'd you guys stop!" it shouted. "Get back to work!"

They noticed a wooden shack at the other end, which appeared to be a foreman's shack. A door opened, and someone came out.

It was another Machine, but one that appeared more humanoid. It was bulky, squat, and blocky, made from chrome metal. Its head looked like a short, thick cylinder, with eyes on each side, and no other features. It had a wide-brimmed hat on top… And it had a bow tie underneath it.

"What are you guys…" it said.

Then it noticed the duelists.

"Oh…" it said.

"Who the heck is this?" asked Ren.

"You got me," said Chelsea.

Then Erik started to chuckle.

"I recognize it!" he said with a laugh. "It's a Shapesnatch, people!"

Chelsea snickered.

"Shapesnatch?" she laughed. "Heh, for a minute I thought we were in trouble…"

"Could have been worse," said Sam, with a laugh. "We could have had to deal with a Skull Servant!

"Oh wait, they're kinda useful… I once saw a guy use them in a Human Wave Deck once."

Everyone broke out laughing.

The Shapesnatch's eyes glowed red. It was clear that it was incredibly angry.

"ENOUGH!" it shouted. "That's it, laugh! Laugh at me!

"That's the whole problem! I've been made fun of my whole life! Folks point at me and say, 'Look at the most worthless Monster in the game'.

"A Level Five who's worse at attacking than a Celtic Guardian, and worse at defending than Magician's Valkyria. People call me pathetic.

"Some people say that a card designer at I2 designed my card as a joke. And you know what? Sometimes I believe that it's true!"

"Hey, easy!" said Erik.

"Uhm, you know…" said Yumi, "if it makes you feel better, I did once know a duelist who found a semi-useful way to use your card…"

Shapesnatch glared at her.

"Yeah…" said Yumi. "See, he used Mystic Tomato to Special Summon it… Then he used Metamorphosis to sacrifice it for Dark Balter the Terrible.

"That's something, isn't it? Of course, when Metamorphosis started to go on and off the Forbidden List with increasing frequency, he gave the strategy up…"

"You aren't making me feel better…" growled Shapesnatch. "His deck likely had all Dark Monsters. If his deck had enough Earth Monsters to make it feasible, he'd probably have done the same trick with Giant Rat and that guy."

He pointed to one of the Ancient Gear Engineers.

"At least he's somewhat useful on his own."

"Hey, buddy, it could be worse!" exclaimed Sam.

"Oh?" asked Shapesnatch. "How?"

"Well…"said Sam. "You could be a… Uhm… A Bolt Escargot. You could have the same problem AND be a big, ugly snail."

Shapesnatch glared at her.

"Bolt Escargots are pretty much mindless," it said. "So they really don't mind the cruel hand they've been dealt. Ignorance is bliss, as they say…

"I once knew another Shapesnatch… Know what happened to it? It couldn't take it anymore! It stole a Limiter Removal, used it on itself, and killed as many Spirits as it could before the Spell killed it.

"Now, Johnson finally gives me a decent job, making me foreman of this excavation. I can get a little respect from Monsters that are pretty dumb… But whenever anything smart comes to check up on the work, I still can't get any respect!"

There was a long pause.

"So you admit that the Realm Lord is Johnson?" asked Yumi.

Shapesnatch's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah…" it muttered. "Maybe I shouldn't have told you that. And Daala has us digging up places at several sites around Xanadu. At some places, rare cards can be mined like gems. We're looking for a specific one that Daala wants."

Everyone looked at each other. Then Erik stepped forward.

"If Daala wants something important dug up," he said, "then we want to stop her from getting it. We're shutting this mine down."

"By all means, try…" said Shapesnatch.

It held out its left arm, and a slot opened on it. A Duel Disk unfolded from out of its arm.

"When you're a guy like me," it said, "you've got a lot of pent-up aggression… And I'm just aching to take it out on someone."

_And even if this quarry is destroyed, I don't care,_ it thought. _Johnson treats me like dirt as much as anyone else. I _deliberately _let it slip that he was the Lord._

"Fine, Shapesnatch," said Erik, as his Disk activated. "You don't look so tough…"

"Well then, let's pull out all the stops," said the Machine. "Bring your Deck Lord out while you're at it.

"You think I'm worthless? Well, that's your perception."

Erik's deck glowed, and Blockman appeared behind him.

"We're all set, Erik," said Blockman. "My new ability is ready to go."

Erik gave it a thumb's up.

"And I'll be my own Deck Lord," said Shapesnatch.

"I know the drill," said Erik.

"Drill?" said Shapesnatch. "THAT'S the drill!"

He pointed to the Labyrinth Tank behind him.

"Game on!" they shouted.

**(Erik: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Shapesnatch: 8,000)**

"Let's go!" shouted Erik.

He drew a card, and looked over his hand. He chose a card.

"Thanks to Gadget Soldier," he said, "my Deck Lord now has two abilities, but one of them I must activate on my first turn. I toss one Spell or Trap Card…"

He threw his Tragedy card into his discard slot.

"…and in return, I can take Toy Town from my deck, and activate it."

In a flash of light, the quarry had been transformed into the fairy tale city, with its gingerbread houses and sugarplum trees.

"Now, I play a facedown, and summon Toy Soldier."

A facedown card appeared, and then the little wooden soldier appeared. (800/300) –) (1,100/300)

"That'll do for now…"

"Interesting…" said Shapesnatch, drawing a card.

It looked over its hand.

"I also play a facedown, and then summon Giant Rat."

A facedown card appeared, and then a huge rodent, holding a skull in its claw appeared. (1,400/1,450)

"And I end my turn."

Erik raised an eyebrow. He looked at his facedown card.

_He didn't attack…_ he thought. _Smarter than I thought…_

_Oh well…_

He drew a card.

"My Toy Soldier's effect activates," he said, "so I get to summon two more…"

Two more of the mini-militants appeared.

"Then I summon… Toy Wind-Up."

The stronger, tin version of the Toy Soldier appeared, holding its blunderbuss. (1,000/700) –) (1,300/700)

"Now I activate, Shrink," he said. "So my Wind-Up can stomp your Rat!"

He played the card, and Giant Rat shrank to half its size, and an Attack Score of 700.

_I don't know what he intends to summon with that Rat,_ he thought, _but with my Mirror Force on the field, I think I can take my chances…_

"Toy Wind-Up, attack with blunderbuss blast!"

The Wind-Up's gun blasted with a boom, and Giant Rat was blown to bits. Shapesnatch shielded itself as the pieces flew past it.

**(E: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 7,400)**

"I use Giant Rat's effect!" exclaimed Shapesnatch. "I can summon an Earth Monster with 1,500 or less Attack Points. So come on out, Sand Doodlebug!"

The ground started to rumble, and a huge creature burrowed up from underground. It sort of resembled a giant scorpion, with multiple legs and pincers. What really made it stand out was the fact that a huge claw was growing out of the back of its thorax, sticking upright. (1,200/800)

"What the?" said Sam. "An Insect? Mom never used this thing…"

"It doesn't exactly fit in with Insect Decks," said Shapesnatch.

"I'll stomp your scorpion!" shouted Erik. "Since my Wind-Up damaged your Life Points, I get to Special Summon another one…"

A second Toy Wind-Up appeared. (1,000/700) –) (1,300/700)

"And that was just what I was waiting for…" said Shapesnatch.

His facedown card lifted, showing a Quickplay with the image of a broken wasteland.

"Demise of the Land," said Shapesnatch. "I can activate this when you Special Summon a Monster. It lets me take a Field Spell from my deck and activate it.

"The Field Spell I choose… Is Wasteland."

Toy Town crumbled into dust, and a desert even more parched and barren than the one they left appeared around the duelists.

"What the heck?" said Sam. "That makes no sense! Insects don't benefit from Wasteland…"

"Mine does," said Shapesnatch.

All five of Erik's Monsters lost 300 Attack Points. Erik frowned.

"I end my turn!" he shouted. "That's one ability wasted…"

"And that means I can do this…" said Shapesnatch.

The sand started to shift, and then, one of the three Toy Soldiers was pulled under. It sank under the sand, and disappeared.

"What gives?" shouted Erik.

"It's one of Sand Doodlebug's effects," said Shapesnatch. "During each End Phase, it can destroy a Monster that's Level Three or less.

"And it's my move…"

It drew a card.

"I play Pot of Greed."

It drew two cards. It took one of them.

"Next, I don't like your facedown card. So I'm getting rid of it by playing Nobleman of Extermination."

It played the card, and a huge sword crashed down on Erik's Mirror Force, blowing it to splinters.

"If you have one, your Spell just took it out too!" shouted Erik.

Shapesnatch growled. He held up a copy of Mirror Force, and it burst into shards.

'Easy come, easy go," he said. "Next up, I summon Gamma the Magnet Warrior."

He played the card, and one of Yugi Mouto's signature Monsters appeared. It was the pink, blocky robot, with oversized hands and feet, wings on its back, and a big S on its chest.

"Due to my Field Spell, it gets a little boost."

(1,500/1,800) –) (1,700/2,000)

"You know, I often wondered about that Monster," said Erik. "Why does it have a big S on its chest? I mean, that isn't the Greek symbol for Gamma."

"Don't know, don't care," said Shapesnatch. "Gamma, destroy one of those Toy Wind-Ups."

Gamma flew forward, and punched the tin soldier. It shattered into pieces.

_Boy, this guy needs an attitude adjustment,_ thought Erik.

"Sand Doodlebug, attack the other Wind-Up!" shouted Shapesnatch.

The Doodlebug's big claw reached down, and grabbed a handful of sand. It launched the sand like a catapult, and the Wind-Up exploded.

"I end my turn… And again…"

The second Toy Soldier was pulled under the sand, and disappeared.

"Seems all you've got left is that last puny Soldier," said Shapesnatch. "And it'll be gone too once your next turn ends. Pathetic."

**(E: 7,100) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 7,400)**

"Great…" muttered Chelsea. "He's already losing…"

"He can turn it around!" said Sam, nervously.

She watched as Erik drew a card.

"C'mon, baby, turn it around…"

Erik looked at the card in his hand.

_Man, this is bad,_ he thought. _I thought this guy was about as serious as canned pizza… But this duel is as serious as any other duel in Xanadu._

_If he summoned Gamma, then logic states that his ultimate goal is to summon Valkyrion… And as any of Yumi's grandfather's opponents would tell you, that would be pretty bad…_

He looked at the Trap Card in his hand.

_I'll save this in case he manages to do so…_

He took the card he had just drawn.

"I play my own Pot of Greed!" he shouted, as he played it.

He quickly drew two cards.

"All right!" he shouted. "My Soldier may be puny, but that doesn't mean I can't use him…

"I play Crowning of the Emperor! So I'll sacrifice my last Toy Soldier…"

Toy Soldier vanished.

"…to bring out Toy Emperor!"

With a whinny, Toy Emperor rode onto the field on his steed. (2,300/800)

"Attack his Magnet Warrior!" he shouted.

Toy Emperor charged towards Gamma…

And then a sandstorm started, forming a wall of wind between him and his target. The toy monarch was thrown backwards.

"What happened?" asked Erik.

"Sand Doodlebug has another effect," said Shapesnatch. "Once per round, when Wasteland is on the field, it can negate one attack."

_Oh, come on…_ thought Erik.

"I throw a card facedown," he said, as a facedown card appeared, "and that will be all. And my Emperor is much higher than Level Three, in case you didn't notice."

Shapesnatch drew a card.

"Indeed," said Shapesnatch.

It looked at the card it had drawn. It would have grinned if it had a mouth.

"I bring out Sangan," it said.

He played a new card, and the spherical, three-eyed Fiend appeared. (1,000/600)

"Sangan, attack the Toy Emperor," it said.

"Huh?" said Erik.

Sangan leapt at Toy Emperor. The monarch slashed with his sword, and it shattered. Shapesnatch cringed a little.

"Bad idea!" laughed Erik. "When Toy Emperor wins a battle, I get to take a Trap Card from my deck."

A card slipped out of his deck and he took it.

A card slipped out of Shapesnatch's deck as well.

"Maybe so," it said, "but Monsters are much more reliable than Traps.

"You know, that's one thing that guys like me never have to worry about… Bottomless Trap Holes. An advantage to having low Attack Points.

"Anyway, I'll end with these."

Two facedown cards appeared.

**(E: 7,100) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 6,100)**

Erik drew a card.

He looked over his hand.

"I'll summon Toy Magician!" he shouted.

In a flash of light, the plastic, scepter-carrying Spellcaster appeared. (1,600/1,500)

"Attack Sand Doodlebug! Sparkle blast!"

Toy Magician aimed his staff at the huge Insect. Once again, the sandstorm rose, and Toy Magician was blown backwards.

"HA!" laughed Erik. "I got you now! You can only do that once per round!

"Toy Emperor, YOU attack Sand Doodlebug!"

Toy Emperor galloped towards the huge bug and stabbed it in the underbelly with his blade. Sand Doodlebug moaned, and then exploded into a burst of sand.

"Ergh…" muttered Shapesnatch.

"Once again," said Erik. "I get a Trap Card from my deck…"

A card slipped out of his Disk.

"I'll set two cards facedown, and that will be all."

Two facedown cards appeared.

**(E: 7,100) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 5,000)**

"I don't get it," said Chelsea. "Why didn't Erik attack Gamma? If he doesn't get rid of it, Shapesnatch will be able to summon something much worse."

"Don't worry," said Sam. "I think Erik has a plan…"

"I draw…" said Shapesnatch, drawing a card.

"And here goes my Trap!" shouted Erik, as a facedown card lifted. "I play Dust Tornado! And I think I'll destroy your Field Spell!"

The Tornado tore across the field, causing a cloud of sand. After a few seconds, the barren desert vanished, returning them to the quarry.

"Is that so?" said Shapesnatch. "Well, it hardly matters…"

He showed Erik the three cards in his hand.

"…because I'm sacrificing Gamma along with Alpha and Beta in my hand to bring out the big guns!"

In a flash, two new Monsters appeared in front of him. One was a silvery droid, with a helmet shaped like a magnet, carrying a sword and shield. The other was a cute yellow droid with a magnet surrounding its head, and magnets for hands.

Then the three Magnet Warriors all split apart into pieces…

The pieces flew around, and then joined together, forming into a ten-foot-tall, faceless robot with wings, a sword, and magnets for joints. (3,500/3,850)

"That's just what I was waiting for, Shapesnatch," said Erik.

One of his facedown cards lifted.

"Go! Toy Cannon!"

The cannon appeared next to Toy Emperor, and the squad of Soldiers appeared and loaded it. They covered their ears as it went off with a boom, striking Valkyrion and sending it tumbling over. Shapesnatch was knocked over from the impact.

"And now that your Valkyrion has switched to Defense Mode," said Erik, as his other facedown card lifted, "I activate Gulliver Chain!"

A mass of chains shot out of the ground, latching onto the Magna Warrior and tying it down.

"Seems I rendered your best Monster helpless," said Erik, with a grin. "If you try to move it back to Attack Mode, those chains will rip it to pieces.

"Looks like your big plan was a big bust."

**(E: 7,100) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 4,600)**

Shapesnatch got up.

"Then it seems I'll just have to improvise…" it muttered.

One of his two facedown cards lifted.

"I activate Coins From Heaven!" it shouted.

Gold coins started to rain from the sky. Erik frowned. He quickly drew four cards, while his opponent drew six.

Shapesnatch chuckled.

"Before I use any of these," it said. "I'm going to use my Deck Lord ability. Once per turn, I get to take any Dark Attribute Machine Type Monster from my deck that I want."

"HUH?" shouted Yumi. "That's pretty powerful!"

"It's a Greater Power, Yumi," said Shapesnatch, taking a card from its deck. "Make no mistake, I'm an excellent duelist. That's why Johnson gave me this job. Most of my opponents make the mistake of underestimating me.

"Of course, this ability does have one drawback… If I don't successfully summon the Monster by the end of my turn, it goes to the Graveyard.

"Anyway, the Monster I chose is one that has to be Special Summoned by sacrificing a Monster that's at least Level Seven. So goodbye Valkyrion…"

The Magna Warrior vanished, taking the Gulliver Chain with it.

"…and hello Plasma Warrior Eitom!"

A huge, intimidating robot appeared where Valkyrion had been. It had black armor, oversized hands and feet, a mirrored panel on its chest, and an expressionless face with only a single optic sensor. It was clear that this Machine was the type that was programmed to fight with no emotions to hinder it. (3,000/1,600)

"I'm far from done," said Shapesnatch, as his other facedown card lifted. "I activate Dark Factory of Mass Production. Now I get to take two Monsters from my Graveyard, so long as they're Normal Monsters."

Gama and Beta slipped out of his discard slot, and it took them.

"Next," it said, taking a card from its hand, "I play Monster Reincarnation. I'll toss this…"

It discarded a second Sand Doodlebug.

"…And I get Valkyrion back…"

He took the card from his discard slot.

"And since my Coins From Heaven let me draw my second Alpha, I can sacrifice the three Magnet Warriors in my hand to summon Valkyrion again!"

The three Magnet Warriors appeared on the field again. Once again, the broke into pieces, and once again, they pieced together into Valkyrion the Magna Warrior. (3,500/3,850)

"Not good…" muttered Erik.

"But wait, there's more!" laughed Shapesnatch. "I play a second Wasteland!"

He played another Field Spell, and the arid desert returned. Valkyrion rose to (3,700/4,050)

"Valkyrion… Attack his Toy Emperor!"

The Magna Warrior flew at Toy Emperor…

"I activate my other Deck Lord effect!" shouted Erik. "I can use this three times… You get to draw one card, but my Emperor isn't destroyed!"

Valkyrion's sword slammed into Toy Emperor, and Erik hollered in pain.

Shapesnatch drew a card.

"Well then," it said. "I guess I'll activate Eitom's effect then. If I cut its Attack Points in half, it can attack directly."

Eitom fell to 1,500 Attack Points. It blasted a ray of energy from the panel on its chest, striking Erik. Erik screamed and fell down.

**(E: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 4,600)**

"Erik!" shouted Sam. "Erik baby, please get up!"

"He doesn't have to get up right away," said Shapesnatch. "It's still my turn, thanks to the free card he gave me.

"I sacrifice Valkyrion to summon the three Magnet Warriors to the field.

Valkyrion split into pieces. The pieces formed together into three humanoid shapes, forming Alpha (1,400/1,700) –) (1,600/1,900), Beta (1,700/1,600) –) (1,900/1,800), and Gamma (1,500/1,800) –) (1,700/2,000)

"Now, I'll sacrifice them to summon a second Valkyrion."

The three Warriors split apart and fused together again, forming the giant Valkyrion once more. (3,500/3,850) –) (3,700/4,085)

"Confused?" asked Shapesnatch, taking one of the two remaining cards in his hand. "I play Monster Reborn!"

The golden ankh appeared in the air, and the first Valkyrion appeared next to the new one in a flash of light. (3,500/3,850) –) (3,700/4,085)

"_Two_ of them?" shouted Ren.

"Aw, man…" muttered Chelsea. "Erik's in big trouble…"

"Heh, heh," said Shapesnatch. "I guess that's enough for one turn. It's your move…"

_I guess this guy is much more serious than canned pizza,_ thought Erik, as he drew a card.

He looked at the seven cards in his hand.

_Let's see here…_

"Toy Emperor, Toy Magician, both of you take a breather and move to Defense Mode."

Toy Magician knelt and held his scepter in his lap. Toy Emperor sheathed his saber, and his horse crouched down.

"Now, said Erik, "I remove one Spell Card from play…"

Crowning of the Emperor slipped out of his discard slot, and he pocketed it.

"…in order to summon Spell Striker."

In a burst of light, the toy wizard in his cape and helmet appeared. (600/200)

"And now I'll summon a friend of his… Meet Armor Breaker!"

He played a card, and a new toy Warrior appeared. This one had a huge helmet shaped like the head of a hammer. (800/800)

"You think those little guys can stand up to my titans?" asked Shapesnatch.

"I do," said Erik. "Watch…"

Armor Breaker leapt up into the air and started spinning, changing shape. After a few seconds, he had turned into a big mallet. Spell Striker caught the mallet.

"By the way," said Erik. "Spell Striker has the ability to attack directly.

"Get him!"

Spell Striker flew at Shapesnatch and bonked it on the head with the mallet. Shapesnatch grunted.

"There's more," said Erik. "When a Monster deals damage when swinging Armor Breaker, he gets to destroy one card on the field."

Spell Striker slammed the hammer into the ground, and a shockwave shook the whole field. One of the two Valkyrion shattered into rocky pieces.

"You'll pay for that…" growled Shapesnatch.

"I play a facedown, and end my turn," said Erik.

A facedown card appeared.

**(E: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 4,000)**

Shapesnatch drew a card.

"I summon Alpha the Magnet Warrior," it said.

He played the card, and the first of the Magnet Warriors appeared. (1,400/1,700) –) (1,600/1,900)

"Eitom, attack him directly again!" it shouted.

Erik screamed again as he was hit by the beam.

"Now let's see how dedicated you are to protecting your Monsters," said Shapesnatch. "Alpha, attack Toy Emperor!"

Alpha flew at the Emperor.

"I use my Deck Lord's effect again!" shouted Erik.

Alpha's sword glanced off the Emperor's wooden body. Shapesnatch grinned, and drew a card.

"Now Valkyrion attacks your Emperor," it said.

Valkyrion flew at Toy Emperor.

"I hate to do it…" said Erik. "But I'll use my last use…"

Valkyrion swung his sword, and the blow was deflected. Shapesnatch drew another card.

"That was three times," said Shapesnatch. "Your Deck Lord is utterly worthless now. Unlike me… My true strategy remains to be revealed.

"To end my turn, I'll set this."

A facedown card appeared.

**(E: 2,700) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 4,000)**

Erik drew a card.

"Armor Breaker…" he said. "Separate from Spell Striker!"

The mallet flew from Spell Striker's hand, and it changed shape again, turning back into the Warrior with the huge helmet. (800/800)

"Now, my Trap Card activates… Curse of Anubis!"

His facedown card lifted, and the ghostly form of the jackal god appeared over the field. He howled, and Spell Striker, Armor Breaker, Plasma Warrior Eitom, and Valkyrion all shifted into Defense Mode.

"This Trap Card moves all Effect Monsters to Defense Mode, and reduces their Defense Scores to zero.

"Next I play… Heavy Storm!"

He played the card, and violent wind tore across the field. Shapesnatch's facedown Sakuretsu Armor card was blown to bits, and the Field Spell was swept up in a storm of dust.

"Now, I sacrifice Armor Breaker and Spell Striker…"

The two Warriors vanished into grains of light.

"To summon Puppet King!"

The hulking, royal puppet appeared, looming over Erik's side of the field, standing almost as big as Valkyrion. (2,800/2,600)

"All right!" shouted Erik. "Attack Plasma Warrior Eitom with Majestic Checker!"

Moving incredibly fast for someone his size, Puppet King charged at Eitom, and slugged it hard with his fist. The robot exploded into fiery debris.

"I throw three cards facedown…" he said.

He threw his last three cards into his Disk, and three facedown cards appeared.

"And with that… I end my turn…"

Shapesnatch quickly drew a card.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh," it chuckled. "I just drew the card that will spell your doom, Erik…It's time to initiate the true strategy behind my deck.

"Now observe…

"Once again, I sacrifice Valkyrion to summon its three component Monsters."

Valkyrion vanished, and once again Alpha (1,400/1,700), Beta (1,700/1,600), and Gamma (1,500/1,800) appeared.

"Next, I use my Deck Lord ability again. You remember how it works, right? I get to take any Dark Machine from my deck."

It took a card from its deck.

"And now… I sacrifice my two Alphas to summon it."

The two Alphas vanished into grains of light…

"Meet… The big SATURN!"

With a loud rumble, a huge Machine rose out of the ground. It was even bigger than Eitom, humanoid, but bulky, with seamless chrome armor, oversized limbs, and an energy aura around it. Clearly, it was a deadly machine. (2,800/2,200)

"What?" said Chelsea. "I don't… I don't get it… Why would he get rid of Valkyrion to summon a less powerful Monster?"

"Attack Points aren't everything," chuckled Shapesnatch. "When used right, this creature is far more powerful than Valkyrion.

"I'm activating its first effect right now. By discarding one card and paying 1,000 Life Points, I can increase its Attack Points by 1,000 for one round."

It discarded a copy of Silent Doom, and The big SATURN glowed with dark energy. (3,800/2,200)

"Attack his Puppet King!" it shouted. "Cosmic rings!"

The Machine shot a volley of energy rings at Puppet King, and the Warrior exploded into shards. Erik groaned.

"Gamma, Beta, destroy his last two Monsters!"

Beta fired a beam of energy from his hands, and Toy Magician was vaporized. Then Gamma punched Toy Emperor, blowing him to shards.

**(E: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 3,000)**

"Now, for the coup de grace," said Shapesnatch. "I play the Spell Card, Shien's Spy."

He played the card, which and in an aura of mystical energy, a mysterious woman wearing a kimono, a straw hat, a veil over her face, and carrying a pack over her back appeared.

"Shien's Spy's spell transfer's control of one of my Monster's to your side of the field until the End Phase of the turn," said Shapesnatch.

Erik looked shocked as The Big SATURN vanished and reappeared on his side of the field.

"What's the point?" he asked.

"Simple," said Shapesnatch, turning the last card in his hand around.

Erik's eyes bugged out.

"Acid Rain?" he shouted. "That will destroy your robot!"

"But it's considered yours right now," said Shapesnatch. "And The big SATURN has another effect. When it's destroyed by its opponent's card effect, both players take damage equal to its base Attack Score.

"No…" said Sam. "If that's true… Shapesnatch will still have 200 Life Points left… But…"

"But Erik won't have any…" said Chelsea.

Shapesnatch played the card, and the Acid Rain card appeared on the field.

Dark, red clouds appeared in the sky, and four, dirty rain started to pour. The big SATURN started to rust and corrode…

Then it exploded in a mighty blast, and the explosion seemingly consumed the whole field.

"ERIK!" screamed Sam.

She collapsed, and tears fell down her cheeks.

The smoke started to clear. Shapesnatch appeared first, chuckling.

"Well, I guess that's that…" it said.

Then Erik appeared out of the smoke. He was a little burned by the blast…

However…

**(E: 900) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 200)**

"HOW?" screamed Shapesnatch.

"Remember those three facedown cards I set on my last turn?" asked Erik. "I set them as bluffs, but they turned out to be just what I needed.

"One of them was Emergency Provisions, pal. And when you used Acid Rain, I chained it, sending those two other cards to the Graveyard to gain 2,000 Life Points, just as the blast hit."

"Heh," chuckled Shapesnatch. "Big deal. You have no Monsters left, and I have two of them!

"It's your move… Just try to turn this around."

Erik quickly drew a card.

He played it immediately. It appeared on the field.

It was Premature Burial.

Shapesnatch's eyes widened.

Puppet King appeared again in an explosion of energy. (2,800/2,600)

"Crush his Gamma the Magnet Warrior," shouted Erik. "Majestic Checker!"

Puppet King walloped Gamma, and the rocky android shattered into bits.

**(E: 100) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 0)**

The remaining Monsters disappeared.

"You lose, Shapesnatch," said Erik, as Blockman glowed with energy. "Now if you don't mind, we'll be shutting this mining operation down."

Shapesnatch chuckled.

"You folks are so naïve…" it said. "Did you really think that Daala would leave such an important project with no strong guards?"

Then it shattered into black pixels, that evaporated.

Erik turned to Blockman.

"What did it mean?" he asked.

Blockman shrugged.

Then the ground started shaking. The Machines that had been surrounding them ran to the edges of the quarry.

All six duelists quickly activated their Disks. Magician's Valkyria, Getsu Fuhma, Zombie Master, Opticlops, and Topaz Tiger all appeared in bursts of energy.

Then a titanic creature rose from out of the ground where it had been buried. They had seen this Machine before, when Ares had ambushed them. But this time, the Ancient Gear Golem seemed like it was more than willing to fight. (3,000/3,000)

"Oh, great!" shouted Ren. "Now what?"

The Golem threw a punch, flattening Getsu Fuhma. Ren fell backwards from the impact.

It didn't look good. The other Machines were forming a fighting stance behind the Golem, and were apparently ready to help as soon as it took care of their Monsters.

"Okay, Jesse…" muttered Yumi. "There better be some truth to that rumor you mentioned…"

Then her eyes glowed with golden light…

Then a roar echoed over the whole desert. The Golem paused…

The ground started shaking, like some huge creature was charging towards them…

A Monster just a big as Ancient Gear Golem leapt into the quarry. It looked like it was part Dinosaur and part Machine, with armor plating, surrounded by an electric aura. (3,300/1,400)

"Super Conductor Tyranno?" shouted Chelsea. "Where the heck did that come from?"

Ancient Gear Golem turned to face the Dinosaur, but it blasted a beam of electromagnetic energy from its jaws, and the Machine exploded into hot debris.

"I don't know," said Ren, drawing a card, "but I'm not complaining!"

Yumi played another card, and Magician's Valkyria and Zombie Master vanished. Dark Magician appeared in a flash of light. He cast his dark Spell, and the Labyrinth Tank exploded.

The other Machines tried to flee, but they didn't get far. Ren quickly summoned Dark Blade and Chelsea summoned Blood Sucker, and the huge Dinosaur and the six duelist's Monsters quickly devastated Shapesnatch's operation. In minutes, the quarry lay in burning ruins.

Super Conductor Tyranno didn't stay to chat. It climbed out of the quarry and let out another roar before retreating.

"Yumi…" said Erik. "Did you… Did you…"

Yumi nodded.

"I seem to be able to communicate with the Spirits, Erik," she said. "I just called it and asked for help, and it came. That must be what the Devil's Fruit gave me… The ability to be in touch with the world of Spirits, and request their aid.

"We'll just have to wait and see how we can use it to our advantage…"

She sighed.

"A strange world this is…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala frowned as she watched.

"I hope our insurance covers collision," she muttered.

She turned to Skull Knight.

"Make sure that Shapesnatch is punished," she muttered. "Telling them that Johnson was in charge was no slip of the tongue. I'm no idiot."

"I'll let them know," said Skull Knight. "Incidentally, milady, when they get to the fortress, I think I'll sit this one out… That Monster that Johnson uses…

"Well… It kinda gives me the creeps…"

"The Heralds tend to do that," said Daala.

"Pardon?" he asked.

"That Monster is one of three Heralds," said Daala. "Three beings who closely serve a greater cause that is the source of Xanadu's power.

"Heck, it's the source of _your_ power.

"I'm not sure who at I2 thought them up… Only the bravest duelists use them… They, like you, get 'the creeps' from them. It's said that these beings can see through the eyes of the holograms that bear their images every time they're used.

"Freaky, huh?

"But not much scares Johnson, so he was willing to take three copies of one of them. And he's… Heh, heh, 'convicted' six of Joan's men using them.

"Anyway, you're excused if you want, but you're gonna miss the fun…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ren drank the last of the water from his canteen, and it wasn't enough to quench his thirst.

"That's it…" he muttered. "If we don't get there soon…"

Then a dust cloud started to rise, and the odd spatial effect of Xanadu warped the surroundings again.

Before and above them was their goal. It looked like an old frontier-style military fort, surrounded by a wall made out of logs.

"Well…" said Yumi. "We're here…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Nicholas and Olga were sitting in Domino City Park. Nicholas had bought a bag of popcorn, but he was feeling so worried right now, he was throwing most of it to the pigeons.

His cell phone rang.

"Sheena?" he said, answering it.

"Listen up, Nicholas," said Sheena. "I found out where this Ting lives, and it wasn't easy. The reason I couldn't find a phone number was because he doesn't own a phone!"

"No phone?" exclaimed Nicholas.

"He apparently lives in one of Domino's quieter suburbs," said Sheena. "He conducts every interaction with others via a broadband internet line. He rarely even leaves his house. His servants run errands for him, and when he needs to see a doctor or similar professional, he knows ones that make house calls."

"This guy must be loaded," said Nicholas.

"Incredibly," said Sheena. "I was able to do some hacking, and he has several bank accounts, one of which has over ten billion yen. As for how he made his money, he holds a lot of patents on a lot of software that's used globally by powerful corporations, including several that KaibaCorp installed in its computers."

"So he's loaded _and_ a genius," said Nicholas.

"Yes," said Sheena. "His IQ measured 170 when it was last tested."

Nicholas let out a low whistle. He had once read that Einstein's IQ was believed to be in that area.

"And he's also a genius in virtual reality technology, so we may have found our answer.

"Now Nicholas, I'll give you the means to get to his house, but be very careful. This is not some thug. This is a respected scientist who once worked for the government. If you accuse him of wrongdoing without proof, he may not stand for it."

"Okay, Sheena, okay…" said Nicholas. "We'll be careful…

"_Very_ careful…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GULLIVER CHAIN (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image:** A group of Toy Soldiers amid a tangle of chains.

**Card Description:** You can activate this card when the battle position of an opposing Monster switches. Place that Monster in Defense Position. If that Monster switches to Attack Position while this card is in play, destroy the Monster and this card.

**Note: "Gulliver Chain" was first used by Bonaparte in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Dormitory Demolition". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.**

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**SAND DOODLEBUG (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Insect/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,200  
**DEF:** 800

**Card Description:** During each End Phase of each players' turn that this card is face-up on your side of the field, you can destroy a face-up Monster that is Level Three or lower. If "Wasteland" is face-up on the field, you can negate one attack from your opponent per round.

_Note: "Sand Doodlebug" was first used by The Rock Spirit in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Sub-Desert Duel". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

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**PLASMA WARRIOR EITOM (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 3,000  
**DEF:** 1,600

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card can only be Special Summoned by offering a Monster that is Level Seven or higher on your side of the field as a Tribute. This card may attack your opponent directly. If this card attacks directly using its effect, reduce its ATK by half during damage calculation.

_Note: "Plasma Warrior Eitom" was first used by Bastion in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Magnetic Personality". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

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**THE BIG SATURN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,800  
**DEF:** 2,200

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Special Summoned from your hand or deck. Discard one card in your hand to the Graveyard and pay 1,000 Life Points to increase the ATK of this card by 1,000 until the End Phase of the turn. This effect can be used once per turn, during your Main Phase. If this card is destroyed by a card effect controlled by your opponent and is sent to the Graveyard, both players lose Life Points equal to this card's base ATK.

_Note: "The big SATURN" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States._

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**Erik's Deck Lord: "Blockman":** "Toy Blocker": Three times per duel, you can negate a "Toy" Monster's destruction as a result of battle (damage calculation still applies). If you use this effect, your opponent gets to draw one card. (Minor Power) "Realm of Toys": You must use this effect on your first turn. Discard one Spell or Trap Card in your hand in order to take one "Toy Town" from your deck and activate it. (Minor Power)

**0**

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**Shapesnatch's Deck Lord:** "Infernal Machinery": Once per round, you may take a DARK Machine-Type Monster from your deck and add it to your hand. You must summon or set this Monster on the turn you search for it. If you do not, send it to the Graveyard. (Greater Power)

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**As both Joan and Daala have said, the Burnt Paradise is a very valuable Realm. It stands to reason then, that the Realm Lord that Daala has assigned as its governor is a very powerful duelist.**_

_**Both Gansley and Krump got much better while they were in hiding, and as you just heard, Johnson did as well. As Ren soon discovers, the one-time legal advisor for KaibaCorp has a deadly strategy that will push him to his limits.**_

_**It's all coming up in a chapter that I just had to call "Chaos Theory", coming soon.**_

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_**Name that Card!**_

_**If I were Shapesnatch, I'd know that there was one other Monster I could find to commiserate with. This one that was never released for the TCG is also Level Five, with the same ATK and DEF as Shapesnatch… But it's a Spellcaster. Can you name it?**_


	25. Chaos Theory

_**What Spellcaster-Type Monster has just as much reason as Shapesnatch to be upset? If you said "LaMoon", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

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_**Evil comes in many forms, and takes many shapes. It shows many faces, and wears many masks. Most would say that those who break the law, stealing from others or committing crimes of violence against them, are evil men.**_

_**But some would say that a worse evil exists than criminals. This evil lies in men who work within the laws of a society, and manipulate it for their own selfish and greedy reasons.**_

_**The member of the Big Five known as Johnson, KaibaCorp's legal advisor, was one such man. In every case he presided at, he really didn't care much about guilt or innocence. His job was to ensure that his side won. He knew where to find the loopholes in the law and the technicalities that would ensure that the case would go as he desired. If all else failed, he wasn't above perjury to win a case, and he knew how to avoid being caught.**_

_**Johnson thus believed that he was above the law, much like all of the Big Five did, so he challenged Joey Wheeler, knowing that he could use Noah's virtual technology to rig the results of any card that depended on randomness or chance. Ironically, in the one gamble that he couldn't rig, he was beaten at his own game, and defeated.**_

_**Not many of my cards depend on chance to function, but I have a feeling that Johnson is hiding a dark secret this time. **_

_**Can it be that he is attempting to decipher the law in a concept that defies Law itself?**_

_**Only time will tell…**_

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**CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR**

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**Chaos Theory**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Everyone looked up at the very large, fenced-in, wooden structure.

"Hmm…" said Erik. "If I know my American history… It looks kinda like the type of fort used by the Confederate army in the American Civil War."

"Johnson built a fortress resembling those of a rebel nation in order to fight against Joan's rebellion," muttered Ren. "And I thought he was a hypocrite before…"

Chelsea looked up at the guard towers. They were empty.

"No guards?" she said.

Erik pushed at the front gate. It opened slightly.

"And the front gate is unlocked," he said.

"People I've seen landfills that smelled better than this," said Yumi.

"Well, we can't just stay out here," said Sam. "Even if this is… Obvious…"

Yumi nodded.

"We're gonna have to fight regardless," she said, opening the gate, "so everyone just stay close and watch your backs."

They walked inside, into a large parade ground. The main building was to their left…

…and to their right was a large, metal pen. They were surprised to see that it was holding prisoners inside.

"What the…?" said Yumi.

She motioned, and everyone ran up to the pen. Six haggard-looking prisoners – four boys and two girls – were inside, and they had clearly seen better days. They sat up when they saw Jesse.

"Jesse?" said one of them.

"I know these guys!" said Jesse. "Mark… Kammy… Did Johnson do this to you?"

The one who he addressed first sighed and nodded.

"He's gotten incredibly powerful," he said. "I barely even knew what hit me… Such power…"

"What?" said Ren. "What sort of deck is he using?"

"Behind you!" shouted another one of the prisoners.

They turned around.

"Yep," said Ren. "This was a trap all right."

Facing them were eight Duel Spirits. They recognized six of them right away – three Swamp Battleguards and three Lava Battleguards.

The last two seemed to be two creatures who had some authority. One was a sinister-looking figure in dark armor, a red cape, and a white fright mask covering his face, holding a scythe. The other was a woman wearing armor shaped like a dragon (wings included) holding two swords.

"Kamionwizard and Dragoness the Wicked Knight," muttered Yumi. "The two Fusion Monsters Johnson used against my grandfather."

"And we were happy to help when he set up shop in Xanadu," said the Kamionwizard. "Now, do you folks want to do this the easy way or the hard way?"

"We can take these guys," said Sam.

"Uh, Sam?" said Ren. "The Battleguards are kinda old, but I think I remember how they work… The Swamp Battleguards gain 500 Attack Points for each Lava Battleguard, and vice versa. That would give the Swamp Battleguards each an Attack Score of… 3,300?"

The six Battleguards chuckled, and tapped their clubs against their palms.

Ren turned to the two Fusion Monsters.

"To answer your question," he said, "it depends. Will the 'easy way' involve being able to avoid dealing with you guys and getting straight to your boss?"

Kamionwizard nodded.

"He's very anxious to meet you all," he said.

"Then how can we say no?" said Ren.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As this was happening, Noriko was driving a limousine through the more rural parts of Domino. Nicholas and Olga were riding in the back.

"So what's the plan this time Nicholas?" asked Olga.

Nicholas sighed.

"I'm not exactly sure," said Nicholas. "I'm leaning towards posing as encyclopedia salesmen."

"That's not gonna work, Nicholas," said Olga. "People this rich don't listen to salesmen. They throw catalogues away unless they're selling things that cost at least five-hundred thousand dollars. Maybe we should just… I dunno, be honest with him."

"And where will that get us?" asked Nicholas. "What if he's working for Daala? We won't get past the front door!"

"If he's working for Daala, he may let something slip," said Olga. "If we find out anything we can use at this point, it will be beneficial.

"And besides, this guy is a duelist… Maybe he'll agree to settle it with us that way…"

"That's likely the best we can hope for…" sighed Nicholas.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Everyone in Yumi's party pretty much expected the place where the two Fusion Monsters led them two. The main chamber was set up like a courtroom, albeit a very old-fashioned one.

Yumi noticed the flagpole. The flag wasn't of any nationality she recognized. It had a black field, with an odd symbol – a white infinity sign with an arrow pointing downward through the middle.

"Be seated," said Dragoness, pointing to the spectators' seats.

The Battleguards stood over them as they sat down. Dragoness stepped to the spot where the bailiff usually stood in a court proceeding. She stashed her two weapons on her back.

"Hey, Chelsea," said Ren, "this reminds me of a funny one I heard the other day… A lawyer, a rabbi, and Elvis walk into a bar…"

"No lawyer jokes!!" shouted Kamionwizard.

"Well _excuse_ me…" said Ren.

"All rise," said Dragoness.

The six duelists just looked at her. They didn't get up.

"So much for formalities," she muttered, as a door behind her opened. A pair of glowing red eyes appeared in it.

"This court is now in session, the honorable Judge Man presiding."

For a Monster who was very outdated, the one who entered was quite intimidating. He was eight feet tall, and incredibly muscular. His clothing suggested royal finery, with a cape and high collar, and a crown with a cross-like symbol in front. His face was brutish, however, with upward-pointing fangs and an ugly frown.

"Well, Johnson," said Ren, "I'm guessing this is why you chose Battleguards as henchmen. Hang around them, and they make you look less ugly in comparison. I'd say it didn't work."

Johnson frowned even more as he took a seat on the judge's bench.

"You aren't the first one to mock my looks, Reginald," he said. "I'll tell you the same thing I told those six duelists you met out in the courtyard…

"Be wary of having so sharp a tongue, lest you cut your own throat."

"Yeah," said Ren, standing up. "Well, I'm really sick of you guys and what you've been doing to these poor duelists. I'm guessing that since Xanadu is another dimension, you think you can completely disregard the Geneva Convention."

He got up, and walked to the witness stand.

"All Xanadu is under Daala's rule is a terrorist nation. You work for her, and that makes you guilty of being an accessory to everything she has done. You may be Judge Man on the outside, but on the inside you're an Archfiend to serving a pretty powerful Infernalqueen."

"You take that back!" shouted Johnson.

"No," said Ren. "I'm not afraid of you in the least, just because you're sitting at that judge's bench pretending it makes you all-powerful. I don't know what happened to you five after Noah's world blew up and where you've been all this time, and frankly, I don't care! I don't care if the five of you broke out of the fiery bowels of Hell itself, but we're gonna send you back there!"

"Uh, boss…" said Dragoness, looking a little nervous. "Can I go use the lady's room?"

"What's the matter, bailiff?" asked Johnson. "If a defendant intimidates you so much, perhaps I should get a new bailiff."

The Wicked Knight slunk back against the wall. Johnson turned to Ren.

"Such strong words," he said Johnson. "Very well, Reginald, if you think such things, I'll give you a chance to prove them.

"This duel will come to order. State of Xanadu versus Reginald Marris…"

He paused.

"Uhm, will the court reporter please start doing what he's supposed to be doing?"

Kamionwizard moaned, and then sat at a desk next to the bench where a high-tech typewriter was positioned.

"This… is… embarrassing…" he muttered.

Johnson reached down and grabbed him by the throat.

"You either do it," whispered Johnson, "or you can explain to Daala why it wasn't done…"

He released the Spellcaster. Kamionwizard gulped, and turned the typewriter on. Ren glared at him.

"Nice guy," whispered Sam. "It's a wonder why these Spirits even put up with this garbage."

"Don't worry," said Yumi. "They're afraid of Daala now. But once Joan gets even stronger, most of them will realize that they don't have to take it. Joan will offer them a much better option.

"And I think that speech that Ren gave might have given everyone here a little doubt. That may be what he intended to do. Causing discord among enemy troops is always a good strategy."

"How does the defendant plead?" asked Johnson.

"Guilty with an explanation," said Ren.

"And what explanation would that be?" asked Johnson.

"I'm not guilty," said Ren.

Ren's allies started to laugh. Then the six Battleguards started to laugh too. Johnson scowled.

"Heh, you gotta admit," said Kamionwizard, "that was kinda funny…"

"Who asked you?" shouted Johnson.

He turned to Ren.

"You think this is a joke?"

"No more of a joke than you thinking you're a judge," muttered Ren, leaning on the witness stand. "Or thinking that you even deserved to be a lawyer.

"Well, fine. If we're going to play by this farce, Johnson, I'd like to request a dismissal, on the grounds that the judge is corrupt."

"WHAT?" shouted Johnson.

"Let's face it, Johnson," said Ren, "you aren't exactly the most trustworthy opponent. I know all about what happened with you and Yumi's grandfather."

Johnson leaned his head on his hand and sighed.

"They always remind you of the dumb things you did in the past…" he muttered.

He lifted his head and cleared his throat.

"A valid concern, perhaps," he said. "However, you may remember, due to the alleged cheating…"

"Alleged?" shouted Yumi.

"Fine, due to the cheating, I was caught," continued Johnson. "You will notice from the evidence outside that I have won at least six duels since being appointed governor of the Burnt Paradise. Don't you think that if I was still cheating, I would have been caught again by now?"

"Dunno," said Ren, with a yawn. "Maybe Daala approves of cheating more than Noah did."

"I'll make you all a deal," said Johnson. "If your friends can find any proof of wrongdoing on my part during these proceedings, I'll rule in your favor, Iand/I reverse the sentences of the six duelists outside."

"Fine, Johnson," said Jesse.

He took his deck and started to shuffle it.

"It's a deal. And I have someone in my deck who will make sure you keep that promise."

Johnson looked a little nervous.

"Whatever," he said. "I can duel fair and square, after all…"

_Especially with the power that Daala has given me,_ he thought, looking at his deck. _If he knew what the three copies of the Monster I had could do, he'd change his plea to guilty._

"Is your lawyer ready to give testimony?" asked Johnson.

"If you mean my Deck Lord," said Ren, standing up straight, "she's right here."

Penumbral Soldier Lady appeared behind him in a dark aura.

"And as for me," said Johnson, "as you know doubt can see, I've taken the form of Judge Man."

Chelsea looked nervously at Johnson.

"He can beat this guy, Chelsea," said Sam.

"He has to be careful," said Chelsea. "I know the powers he had in Noah's world… They didn't exactly make the duel a fair fight…

'Not to mention that we're playing with rules that give each duelist an 8,000 Life Point total now. Having to pay 1,000 of them to use that effect isn't as expensive a cost as it was back then."

The two Disks activated. Ren noticed that Johnson's Disk was only slightly different – it looked like a standard Disk made of black metal.

"Game on," said Johnson.

**(Ren: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Johnson: 8,000)**

"Since the prosecution makes its case before the defense," said Johnson, "it's my draw."

He drew a card.

"First up, I'll summon Hysteric Fairy," he said.

In a flash of light, the fussy-looking, bespectacled angel holding a tome appeared in front of him. (1,800/500)

Yumi lifted an eyebrow.

_Odd,_ she thought. _That's the exact same opening move he used last time…_

"Next, a Spell Card," said Johnson, as a card appeared in front of him. "Double Summon. This gives me a second Normal Summon this turn.

"So I'll also summon Shadowslayer."

A creeping, dark shadow fell across his side of the field, and a fiendish figure emerged, in a crouching position. It was an assassin with a horse's skull for a head, in a leather guerilla outfit, holding a long blade. (1,400/200)

"Eh?" said Ren. "A Fairy AND a Fiend? Where's the common thread?"

"You'll see," said Johnson, taking two more cards. "I'll end with two facedown cards."

Two facedown cards materialized.

"Your witness."

"Uh, I take it that means it's my turn," muttered Ren, drawing a card.

"I summon Dark Blade!"

The knight in dark armor leapt up in front of him. (1,800/1,500)

"Now, with a little help from my Deck Lord, I can pay 800 Life Points to increase his Attack Score by the same amount for one round. So say goodbye to your Fairy!"

Penumbral Soldier Lady and Dark Blade glowed with shadowy energy, and Dark Blade rose to an Attack Score of 2,600. He thrust forward with his sword, and Hysteric Fairy screamed before falling backwards and shattering.

**(R: 7,200) - - - - - - - - - - (J: 7,200)**

"I'll set this," said Ren, as a facedown card appeared, "and then you can go."

"Very well," said Johnson, drawing a card.

He smirked a little when he saw what it was. He added it to his hand and chose another one.

"I'll set a Monster in Defense Mode, and then move Shadowslayer to Defense Mode as well."

A facedown Monster appeared. Shadowslayer sheathed its sword and then knelt and crossed its arms.

"My move," said Ren, drawing a card.

He looked over his hand.

"I'll…" he said, reaching for a card.

Then he stopped short.

"Uh, then again… Check that…

"Dark Blade, attack Shadowslayer!"

Dark Blade made another swipe with his sword, and the Fiend assassin shattered.

"Think I'll set another card facedown, and that will be all for me…"

A second facedown card appeared.

Johnson chuckled as he drew a card.

"Tell me, Reginald," he said. "Have a bad hand? Shadowslayer has a weak Defense… You could have taken out both my Monsters if you had summoned a second one of yours…"

"None of your business," muttered Ren.

"Oh… wait…" said Johnson. "I think I see the problem… You're afraid of what I'm capable of, right? You remember how I was able to wipe out a whole opposing side way back when I dueled Yumi's grandfather.

"Well, let me come clean with you… I wouldn't want you to think I was some sort of liar…"

"Too late for that, Johnson," said Ren.

Johnson frowned again.

"The truth is," said Johnson, "I lost that power a long time ago. I gave it up for something far more useful."

Yumi raised her eyebrow again.

_More useful than the ability to destroy all his opponent's Monsters,_ she thought, _AND deal direct damage in the process?_

_His new Deck Lord ability must be pretty exceptional…_

"It's my move," said Johnson, "and I'm activating my facedown cards.

"First, Call of the Haunted."

The floor in front of him burst open, and Shadowslayer rose to the surface.

"Next," he said, as his second facedown card lifted, "Inferno Reckless Summon."

In two bursts of dark energy, two more Shadowslayers appeared. (1,400/200 x3)

Two more Dark Blades appeared on Ren's side of the field. (1,800/1,500 x3)

"What is Johnson up to?" asked Chelsea.

"I dunno," said Sam. "If Ren's Monsters were in Defense Mode, those guys could attack him directly. But Ren's Monsters are clearly in Attack Mode."

"That will be all," said Johnson.

Ren quickly drew a card.

His eyes opened wide as he saw who it was.

_I finally drew it!_ he thought. _But… should I use this guy?_

"_Ren,"_ said a voice.

It came so suddenly that Ren almost dropped his cards. It was a deep, commanding voice that seemed to come from the card itself.

"Did you talk?" he whispered.

"_Indeed,"_ said the voice. _"Listen well, Ren…_

"_My name was once Burgundy… The General of Total Defense. When the armies of the Supreme King swept across the lands of my home dimension, subjugating and enslaving all in their path, I did my best to protect my small part of it…_

"_In this effort, I failed…_

"_I've been wandering the dimensions for some time, trying to regain physical form. It's harder than you might think…"_

"I'll bet…" said Ren.

"_But, when you added this card to your deck, your duel energy was like a beacon that drew me to it. I can't fight as a general any more, but if I can help you and your friends free Xanadu from its vile curse, perhaps my strength will return…"_

Ren looked at the card.

"I understand…" he said.

"All right, Johnson!" he shouted, "I sacrifice one Dark Blade…"

The Warrior in the middle vanished.

"…for Total Defense Shogun!"

A much larger, much more hulking Warrior appeared. He was dressed in the armor of a barbarian, with large metal shoulder pads and a cape, holding a huge sword and an even larger shield. (1,550/2,500)

"He's not the strongest Level Six Monster for attacking, but when I summon him, he moves right into Defense Mode."

The Shogun knelt, and held up his shield.

"And guess what, Johnson? He can attack even when he's in Defense Mode!

"Attack his facedown Monster!"

Then Shogun slashed with his sword, sending a blade of energy towards the facedown card. A winged cherub appeared on the card, and shattered.

"You flipped my Skelengel," said Johnson. "Now I get to draw once."

He made a draw.

"Dark Blades," said Ren, "take out two of his Shadowslayers!"

The two Dark Blades charged at two of the Fiends, and they were cut down.

"Ugh…" muttered Johnson.

**(R: 7,200) - - - - - - - - - - (J: 6,400)**

"Your move, Johnson," said Ren.

Johnson quickly made a draw.

"Mokey Mokey," said a voice.

"Huh?" said Johnson.

He looked up, and saw that a Mokey Mokey had flown into the chamber.

"Mokey Mokey," it said.

"Order!" shouted Johnson, slamming his gavel on his bench. "Bailiff, apprehend that creature!"

Dragoness made a rush for the little Fairy, but it turned tail and fled the way it came before she reached it.

"If we may continue without any further interruptions," muttered Johnson, taking the card he just drew, "I play Offerings to the Doomed."

_Oh no!_ thought Ren. _Now he can destroy one of my Monsters!_

"Shadowslayer," said Johnson, "you are dismissed."

As he played the card, his last Shadowslayer burst in an explosion of dark shards.

Ren gave him a funny look.

"You destroyed your own Monster?" shouted Ren. "Why?"

"So I can summon my star witness," said Johnson. "A creature who represents the dark side of the force of Chaos… A force of incredible destruction…"

"Johnson!" shouted Yumi, standing up. "If you're planning to summon Chaos Emperor Dragon, that card is illegal!"

"Whoever said I was going to summon him?" asked Johnson. "I would never dream of it… That thing scares even me. The Monster I'm going to summon is perfectly legal.

"But before I summon him, I'm going to use my Deck Lord ability. It's called Evidence Locker, and I can use it three times per duel total. I get to take any card from my hand, deck, or Graveyard, and place it on the top of my deck."

A card slipped out of his deck, and he placed it on top.

"Now…" said Johnson. "I remove one Light Fairy and three Dark Fiends in my Graveyard from play…"

Hysteric Fairy and the three Shadowslayers appeared behind him, and vanished into grains of light. The room darkened…

"…in order to summon… _Sky Scourge Norleras_!"

A cold chill wafted across the room as the new Monster appeared. The Fiend – of this there was no doubt – was muscular, and had black, scaly skin, a bare skull for a face with two diabolic horns, and wings that seemed to be made of tattered leather. It had no legs; below the waist was only a shadowy mist. It didn't make a sound – it simply glared at Ren in ominous silence. (2,400/1,500)

"What in the world?" said Yumi.

"Personally…" said Chelsea, "I would have preferred to see the Dragon."

"Sam…" said Erik. "What the heck is that?"

"I have no idea, Erik," said Sam. "And I thought I was an expert on Fiends…"

Ren looked nervously at the creature. He looked at his two facedown cards.

_What am I worried about?_ he thought. _Unless it's immune to Traps, my Sakuretsu Armor will handle it… And even if it is, my Rush Recklessly will destroy it… And even if that doesn't work, it can't beat my Shogun's Defense…_

"Now…" said Johnson, "I activate Norleras's ability. By paying 1,000 Life Points, I can send every card on the field and in each player's hand to the Graveyard."

"Say WHAT?" shouted Ren.

Norleras's eyes glowed with fiery pinpoints, and it started to burn with a bonfire of black flames…

It burst in a shadowy explosion, and Ren shielded himself as his three Monsters and the cards in his hand were vaporized.

"Sorry, Burgundy…" he muttered.

And then he chuckled.

"Boy, Johnson…" he said, "I've seen some dumb moves before, but that one takes the cake! Norleras even took itself out! You're totally defenseless now!

"And it's my move…"

He reached for his deck.

Then Johnson slammed his gavel down.

"Objection!" shouted Johnson. "I did not end my turn."

"But…" said Ren. "You have no more cards to play…"

Johnson chuckled.

"Norleras's effect also allows me to make one draw," said Johnson.

Ren's eyes opened in horror.

"The card you put on top of your deck with your Deck Lord effect…" he whispered.

Johnson drew a card. He held it up.

"It's a very powerful Spell," said Johnson, "which works perfectly with Norleras… And I intend to use it…

"I play Dimension Fusion! It costs me 2,000 more Life Points, but now both players are able to readmit every witness that's been removed from play. You have none, but as you recall, I just removed four of my own to summon Norleras."

In four bright flashes of light, Hysteric Fairy (1,800/500) and all three Shadowslayers (1,400/200 x3) appeared in front of him.

"Still think it was a dumb move?" asked Johnson. "For someone who was so vocal a while ago, you don't seem to be saying much now."

Ren started to sweat…

"In most courts of law," said Johnson, "badgering a witness is generally frowned upon. However, in my court, it's encouraged.

"All of you, attack him directly."

Hysteric Fairy adjusted its glasses, and fired a beam of pure light from them, striking Ren in the chest. He screamed.

He barely had a chance to get up before the three Shadowslayers pounced and slashed at him with their swords.

Ren fell to his knees, clutching his chest.

"REN!" shouted Chelsea.

**(R: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (J: 3,400)**

"The prosecution rests," said Johnson. "Make your move, if you can."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In a quiet suburb outside Domino, a large but modest manor house rested. Neighbors rarely saw the owner. The only human they regularly saw on the grounds was a professional gardener who came every two weeks to mow the lawn.

The limousine pulled up to the front gate.

"This is the address," said Noriko.

"We don't know how long we'll be," said Nicholas.

"It's okay," said Noriko. "I'm well occupied, thanks to a little thing called XM radio."

Nicholas and Olga went up to the well-secured front gate, which held a speaker box with a buzzer. A sign said: **No solicitors. Visitors please ring bell.**

Nicholas looked at the box, and then pushed the button.

After a few seconds, a gruff voice said, "May I help you?"

"Uh, we'd like to see Mr. Ting, if that's possible," said Nicholas.

"For what purpose?" asked the voice.

Nicholas cleared his throat.

"Xanadu…" he said.

There was a long pause.

"Wait one minute, and I'll ask him," said the voice.

They waited one minute, but there was no response. After five minutes, they started to wonder if there would be any.

Then, the gate unlatched, and swung open.

"Come in," said the voice.

Nicholas looked at Olga, and shrugged. They walked to the front door.

The front door opened, and the two teenagers stepped back in shock. The man who had opened it was huge. He was seven feet tall, and incredibly muscular. The top of his head was completely bald, but he had a neatly trimmed goatee. He had tanned skin and features that suggested the Middle East. He wore a black formal suit and tie (clearly, it had been custom tailored) and sunglasses.

The man looked at them for a few seconds.

"Follow me, please…" he said.

They followed him into the house.

_Okay…_ thought Olga. _We go looking for a reclusive millionaire genius, and we find out that he has a butler who can likely break a man in two with his bare hands… What have we gotten ourselves into?_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ren slowly crawled to his feet.

"You know, Johnson…" he muttered. "There's something funny about this whole setup…"

"Funny?" asked Johnson.

"Well, not ha-ha funny," said Ren, "but more ironic funny. See, you may not have been the most moral lawyer, but you still studied in order to be one. You practiced law, Johnson. I'm guessing you must have at least _gone_ to law school.

"I find it ironic that your strategy now is the exact opposite of Law… You're reduced to using Chaos."

"I admit it might seem a bit... odd," said Johnson. "But I like to think of Chaos as the ultimate challenge of Law. Some say that you can actually find laws that define how Chaos works, as much of a contradiction as that may seem.

"You ever hear of Chaos Theory?"

"Chaos Theory?" said Ren. "You mean… Like the Butterfly Effect?"

"No…" muttered Johnson. "The Butterfly Effect is stupid in practice when people take it literally. There's no way that a fly sneezing in Prague is going to make it rain in Guatemala. It's meant as a metaphor.

"However, there are several theories that are used to predict outcomes when something seems random or even chaotic. I personally believe that nothing occurs entirely by chance. Even the Abyss must have some sort of rules that govern it, and if we search hard enough, we may eventually find them.

"Once you know the laws, you know how things work. To know the laws is to know power."

"People like you only want to learn laws so you can learn how to break them…" said Ren.

"A common misconception," said Johnson. "When you know how laws work, you don't _have_ to break them. You're able to use them, so they benefit you in all areas.

"Finding the laws in what seems to be the lawless part of the universe is the finals step. The last step in knowing how everything works. And it is my belief that once you know all the laws for how everything works, you'll… well, you'll know everything."

"And what will you do then, Johnson?" asked Ren. "Rule the world?"

"Give me time," said Johnson. "After all, I have the body of a Duel Spirit now… My lifespan is virtually without limit. I have years and years to study laws unlike any I ever had before.

"But that's to come, and this is now… It's still your move…

"Your friend Yumi is so fond of saying that one draw can change everything. Well, you only get one draw. We'll see if that philosophy comes through now…"

Ren started to sweat as he looked at his deck.

"This is bad people…" said Erik. "That move left him with nothing but his Deck Lord."

"Even worse," said Sam, "defending is no good against those Shadowslayers. This is one time when Ren's really gonna need a miracle…"

Ren closed his eyes and drew a card.

He looked at it.

It was La Sombra.

He sighed. He remembered how her effect had failed in his duel with Ares…

"_Ren,"_ said a voice.

"Burgundy?" whispered Ren.

He looked at his Disk.

"That you?"

"_Indeed,"_ said the Spirit. _"You should know that cards are immortal in this game._

"_You can't give up yet. La Sombra's effect is a matter of luck. If your luck is better than his, you can turn this around._

"_Remember, when he couldn't cheat, Johnson's luck was terrible. He thinks nothing happens by chance, but he is fooling himself. Try as he might, he can't control probability. No-one can._

"_In a way, the reason he wants to find laws in Chaos is because the concept scares him. Folks like him hate things that they can't control. Things that depend on chance drive them mad. They are only comfortable with things that have definite outcomes._

"_That is the reason why he cheated in his duel with Yumi's grandfather. He could not abide the chaos of chance. He rigged Joey Wheeler's dice rolls and coin tosses because Wheeler's uncanny luck frightened him."_

"But…" said Ren.

"_What other choice do you have, Ren?"_ asked Burgundy. _"Your Deck Lord is powerless to help you right now unless you want to risk summoning her. And Johnson may have other powers that would make that risk too great."_

"Good point…" said Ren.

"_Before you do…"_ said Burgundy, _"a suggestion…"_

Ren listened. Then he tapped a button on his Disk, and a card slipped out of his discard slot.

"I remove one Dark Warrior from play," he said, "to summon La Sombra!"

In a burst of darkness, the sexy, masked, female swashbuckler appeared. (1,800/1,000)

"Alright Johnson," said Ren. "Now you gotta draw a card. Let's see who's luckier…"

Johnson frowned. He made a draw. Everyone tensed.

Johnson scowled. He turned the card forward.

It was A Feather of the Phoenix.

"That's a Spell, Johnson!" shouted Ren. "So La Sombra gets to destroy one Monster!

"Go! Take out his Hysteric Fairy!"

La Sombra lashed her whip forward, and it coiled around Hysteric Fairy's waist. The Fairy screamed as it was yanked towards La Sombra, who delivered a kick that blew it to shards.

"I've still got her normal attack!" shouted Ren. "Attack one of the Shadowslayers!"

La Sombra leapt up, and slashed with her whip, blowing one of the Fiends to pieces.

"Ugh…" muttered Johnson.

"Well, that's all I can do," said Ren. "I end my turn…"

**(R: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (J: 3,000)**

"Uh, boss?" said Kamionwizard.

"Quiet!" shouted Johnson. "Just do your job!"

The Spellcaster sighed, and looked at the typewriter. Ren's eyes narrowed.

"My draw…" muttered Johnson.

"Hold it!" shouted Ren. "Objection."

"Huh?" said Johnson.

"You played Offerings to the Doomed last turn, Johnson, remember?" he said. "You can't draw this turn."

"Uh, he's right boss…" said Kamionwizard.

"Who's side are you on?" scowled Johnson.

Sweat ran down his brow. He was nervous now. He was tempted to overrule that objection, but he remembered the deal he had made before the duel… And the subtle threat that Jesse had made…

_The only card I have is A Feather of the Phoenix…_ he thought. _I can't use it without making a discard, and since he knows what it is, it's not even good for a bluff!_

"Well?" asked Ren.

"Sustained…" growled Johnson. "Now give me a minute… I have one option, I'm just not sure whether or not I want to use it…"

_Even if I used it on my next turn,_ he thought, _I wouldn't get anything out of its effect until the turn after. And with only 3,000 Life Points left right now, I don't have enough to use the combo with Norleras and Dimension Fusion again unless I increase them…_

_No choice… I hate to do this, but…_

"Okay, Reginald," he said, "you've forced me to use my other Deck Lord ability. I've never had to use it before, but there's a first time for everything.

"It's called Hostile Witness. I can only do this when I have two or less cards in my hand. Then, I have to remove a high-Level Monster in my Graveyard from play. So I'll remove Norleras."

The card slipped out of his discard slot.

"Then, both players get to draw once for each Level it has over four. Norleras is Level Eight, so we each draw four times."

Each of them made four draws. Johnson looked over the cards.

"Still my turn, I believe," he said. "I play Nightmare's Steelcage."

He fit a card into his Disk, and flames erupted around Ren in a wide circumference. An iron, domed mesh appeared around him and his Monsters.

"Now neither of us can attack for two full turns."

"Big deal," said Ren.

"Next, I'll move my two Shadowslayers to Defense Mode," said Johnson, "and then summon Spirit of the Breeze in Attack Mode."

The two Fiends sheathed their swords and knelt. Then a delicate, female Fairy in gossamer robes with blue hair and dragonfly wings appeared next to them. (0/1,800)

"She has zero Attack Points…" said Erik.

"Yes," said Sam, "but every round that she's in Attack Mode, Johnson gains 1,000 Life Points. Assuming Ren can't break free of that Cage, he's got two rounds of that effect."

_I don't like this,_ thought Yumi. _Clearly, Johnson has at least one more copy of Norleras in his deck… Heck, he probably has two more… And he still has two uses of his first Deck Lord ability. Clearly, he's planning to do the same thing again…_

"I end my turn," said Johnson.

Ren drew a card.

"I throw this facedown, and end my turn with that," he said.

A facedown card appeared behind La Sombra.

The Steelcage began to rust over and chip.

Johnson drew a card. Spirit of the Breeze glowed with energy, and Johnson glowed with a golden light.

"I'll use my second use of my first Deck Lord ability," he said. "You remember my Evidence Locker ability, right?"

A card slipped out of his deck, and he placed it on top.

"I'll set one card facedown, and that's all."

A facedown card appeared in front of him.

**(R: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (J: 4,000)**

Ren drew a card.

"All right, your honor," he said, sarcastically, "defense Exhibit A… My Dark Eruption Spell Card."

He played a card.

"This lets me add a Dark Monster from the Graveyard to my hand, so long as its Attack Score is no higher than 1,500. And I have a good one there, thanks to Norleras."

He took a card from his discard slot.

"And now I'm summoning him… Mataza the Zapper."

He played the card, and in a burst of darkness, the dark ronin in green armor and a headband, holding a katana appeared. (1,300/800)

"I end my turn," said Ren, "which means your Cage goes away…"

"Not before I activate this," said Johnson.

His facedown card lifted.

"Emergency Provisions. Now I can sacrifice my Steelcage right before its effect expires, and gain 1,000 Life Points."

The Cage vanished into grains of light, and Johnson glowed with energy.

**(R: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (J: 5,000)**

"My draw now…" he said.

He drew a card and looked at it. It was the card he had put there, his second copy of Sky Scourge Norleras.

Spirit of the Breeze glowed again, and he glowed with energy.

"I move Spirit of the Breeze to Defense Mode," he said, as the Fairy knelt and crossed her arms. "Her effect is now invalid, but she has 1,800 Defense Points, more than any low-Level Monster in your deck has Attack Points.

"I end my turn."

**(R: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (J: 6,000)**

"We'll see about that, Johnson!" shouted Ren.

He drew a card.

"Perfect!" he said. "I activate my second Deck Lord ability. By paying 800 Life Points and tossing a Spell Card…"

He discarded his Magical Mallet.

"I can summon one of those low-Level Dark Monsters from my Graveyard. Here comes Dark Blade!"

Dark Blade appeared, holding his swords aloft. (1,800/1,500)

"Now…" said Ren, "I play the Field Spell Mystic Plasma Zone!"

He fit the card into his Field Slot, and the whole courtroom became covered in an aura of darkness. Dark Blade went up to (2,300/1,100), La Sombra to (2,300/600) and Mataza to (1,800/400)

"Uh… oh…" said Johnson.

"By the way," said Ren, "Mataza gets to attack twice.

"Mataza, wipe out his Shadowslayers! Double zapping blade!"

Mataza rushed at the two Fiends, and with two swipes of his sword, they were blown to bits.

"Dark Blade, blow Spirit of the Breeze away!"

Dark Blade made a slash with his sword, and the Fairy dissipated into formless mist.

"La Sombra, attack his honor directly!"

The swashbuckler leapt towards Johnson, and made a savage slash with her whip. Johnson roared and clutched his chest.

**(R: 400) - - - - - - - - - - (J: 3,700)**

"Reginald, I hold you and your Monsters in contempt!" shouted Johnson, standing up.

"Yeah?" said Ren. "Take your best shot, ugly…"

"What is Ren doing?" said Chelsea. "He's playing with fire here!"

"He's trying to make Johnson angry," said Yumi. "Angry and careless. Classic psyche-out warfare…"

Johnson growled as he drew a card.

"With three Dark Fiends and one Light Fairy in my Graveyard again," he said, "I can remove them from play to summon my second Norleras!

"And by the way, since it's a Dark Monster, it benefits from this Field Spell as well."

In a burst of shadowy energy, a twin of the first Sky Scourge appeared. (2,400/1,500) –) (2,900/1,100)

"No…" said Chelsea.

"Now, Reginald…" said Johnson, "I could use Norleras's effect… But I'm not going to…

"After all, Norleras has 2,900 Attack Points, and La Sombra has only 2,300. You have only 400 Life Points left… I can win this duel without the effect.

"Norleras, attack La Sombra! Chaos elemental blast!"

Norleras's eyes glowed, and a blast of pure darkness shot at La Sombra.

"I activate… Rising Energy!" shouted Ren, as his facedown card lifted. "Now, I toss one card, and La Sombra gets a power surge!"

He discarded a card from his hand, and La Sombra rose to an Attack Score of 3,800. She leapt into the air over the blast, and lashed with her whip…

Then Norleras caught the whip, and gave a savage yank. La Sombra yelped, and then fell on her face.

"What?" said Ren. "How did he…"

Then he noticed that Johnson had activated a Quickplay Spell.

"It's a Spell called Class System, Reginald," he said. "Since La Sombra is a lower Level than Norleras, she couldn't harm it or my Life Points.

"And it seems I have to use Norleras's effect after all.

"But… I'm not going to make the same mistake I made last time…

"I already ended my Battle Phase, which means you'll get one turn before I can attack. So I'm going to make certain before I use it that using the effect now is a good idea. I don't want to be caught by surprise by any more miracle draws."

He took one of the last two cards in his hand.

"I play Ancient Telescope. Now I can see the top five cards on your deck."

He played the card, and five cards appeared next to Ren. Everyone gasped when they saw that the top card was Hidden Soldiers.

"Well," said Johnson. "Seems that using the effect now is a _very_ good idea. I use the third and final use of my Deck Lord ability."

A card slipped out of his Graveyard, and he placed it on the top of his deck.

"I'd suggest making plea bargain, but I don't accept them. I pay 1,000 Life Points to activate Norleras's effect!"

Once again, Norleras burst in a dark explosion. Ren shielded himself, as his Field Spell was blown to pieces, and his three Monsters were vaporized.

"I draw one card," said Johnson, drawing, "and now I play it! Dimension Fusion!"

His Life Points went down, as Hysteric Fairy (1,800/500) and the three Shadowslayers (1,400/200 x3) appeared.

**(R: 400) - - - - - - - - - - (J: 700)**

"Well," said Johnson. "It's your…"

Then he gasped and dropped his gavel.

"…move?!"

Standing in front of Ren was Crescent Moon Queen, looking incredibly angry. (2,600/1,700)

"Meet my own key witness," said Ren. "In courtroom slang, she's the smoking gun, in more ways than one."

"HOW?" shouted Johnson.

"Simple," said Ren. "She was in my hand the first time you activated Norleras's effect, so she was sent to the Graveyard. She was the Dark Warrior I removed from play to summon La Sombra.

"Seems you forgot that one has to be very careful when using Dimension Fusion… It lets _both_ players use its effect, Johnson. Or maybe you forgot what I had to do to summon La Sombra."

"You…" said Johnson. "You removed your most powerful Monster instead of a weakling? WHY?"

"Because," said Ren, "your deck has only one strategy. I knew you'd try the same trick if it failed to finish me the first time.

"See, Johnson, I can manipulate the laws to my advantage too.

"And due to your own strategy, you have no more cards to play. It's my move…"

He quickly drew.

"Wait…" said Johnson, in terror.

"Crescent Moon Queen," ordered Ren, "attack the Shadowslayer!"

Johnson screamed as the monarch's mighty sword cleaved the Shadowslayer in two.

**(R: 400) - - - - - - - - - - (J: 0)**

When he looked up, Ren was standing over the bench with Crescent Moon Queen, Penumbral Soldier Lady, and Total Defense Shogun behind him. Kamionwizard cowered behind his typewriter.

Ren lifted his fist, and it turned into solid rock.

"Case dismissed," he said.

Then he punched the "typewriter", crushing it.

"Spill it, Johnson!" shouted Ren. "I know that thing was scanning my mind! Just like Gansley and Krump were doing. And you're gonna tell me why, or I'm gonna do that to your ugly face next."

"Do what you want with me," said Johnson. "I'll never tell you…"

Ren raised his fist.

"REN!" shouted Yumi. "NO! It isn't worth it!"

Ren lowered his fist.

"Fine, Johnson…" he muttered. "But when Daala is finally overthrown, you're the one who's gonna have to face a judge for the crimes she, you, and the rest of the Big Five have committed against Duel Spirits… And Voltanis the Adjudicator is one judge who can't be bought and who won't dismiss a case on a technicality."

He motioned to Penumbral Soldier Lady.

She lifted her sword, and Johnson screamed in pain as his power was siphoned off. Then he shattered into black shards.

"What are we waiting for!" shouted one of the Swamp Battleguards. "We're stronger than they are!"

Ren played a Spell Card, and a Fusion Sword Murasame Blade appeared in Crescent Moon Queen's hand. (3,400/1,700)

She walked towards the Warriors, and they lost their courage very quickly. They dropped their clubs, and lifted their hands into the air.

Sam activated her Disk, and threw five cards on it. Opticlops, Gil Garth, Archfiend Solder, The Bistro Butcher, and La Jinn appeared. All of them looked very angry.

Dragoness and Kamionwizard looked at each other. They put their hands in the air.

"We give up!" shouted Dragoness.

"Just call them off, please!" shouted Kamionwizard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Half an hour later, a snag in their plans had been realized. They didn't know how to free the prisoners from that awful pen. They couldn't find the key, and attempts to break it were so far unsuccessful.

As everyone was attempting both, Yumi walked up to Kamionwizard, who was being guarded by Sam's Fiends, along with his partner.

"Look, buddy," she said, "half of you is a Monster that my grandfather trusted a great deal. There must be enough of Mystical Elf left in you to consider cooperating."

"Look, I would, Yumi," said the Duel Spirit. "After all, I have no choice but to join with Joan now. Going back to Daala will mean going to prison. But the fact is, Johnson never told me where he kept the keys to that pen."

"He really never told us anything," muttered Dragoness. "Once he got Norleras, we weren't even welcome in his deck any more… We were his bailiffs, but just for show, really… A Level Six Monster doesn't need two low-Level Monsters to keep order in a courtroom."

Then they noticed someone walking towards them from out of the building.

"Huh?" said Yumi.

It was Vita.

Everyone turned towards the masked woman. They activated their Disks.

Vita didn't say anything. She held up an object. It was a key.

"Easy…" said Yumi to her allies.

Vita walked forward. Everyone tensed. The strange woman simply handed it to Yumi.

Then she turned around and started to walk in the other direction.

"Let's grab her," said Chelsea.

Fire started to form around her hands.

"Let her go," said Yumi.

"Huh?" said Chelsea.

Yumi tried the key in the lock to the pen, and it fit.

"Whatever secrets Vita is hiding," she said, "I have a feeling she'll reveal them in time. For now, if she wants to give us help, let's just accept it and not ask why…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The flames surrounding Daala's head were burning fuller than normal. Two Giant Orcs were standing by as her attendants fanned her.

"Well, Johnson?" she said. "Was the duel a _total_ bust?"

"No, milady," said Johnson. "Reginald destroyed the scanner that was inside the typewriter…

"But not the one in my Duel Disk! If the Key was in his head, we'll have the last laugh on that brat after all.

"Now, I just have to open the casing… Let's see, how does this mechanism work again?"

He started trying to unscrew a latch on the Disk, which was hard to do with his big, thick-fingered hands.

"Give me that!" shouted Daala, getting up.

She grabbed the Disk from him, and then tore it apart, causing all the cards to scatter.

"Hey!" shouted Johnson.

Daala took the miniature scanner, and plugged it into a device under the screen near her couch. Information started to come up. Johnson started to sweat, nervously…

Then Daala punched the screen, smashing it.

"You don't seem pleased…" said Johnson.

Daala picked up one of the Norleras cards, and held it up.

"Johnson..." she said, "this Monster is more than just a Duel Spirit. It is a sacred being who serves a higher power. By using this card, and failing miserably, you've more than likely made both the real Norleras and its master angry. And that's something we really don't need right now…"

"Milady," said Johnson, "let me state the reasons…"

Then the halo around Daala's head started to burn like an inferno. Then her eyes glowed with the same fire.

"**Johnson,"** she said, in a far more demonic voice, **"your legal jargon may once have impressed attorneys and judges, but Ren was right. It doesn't work with Voltanis. He is one judge who will not listen to it. And you can bet that he would just love to hear from Joan that the rulers of Xanadu are in custody. Each victory by those kids brings us closer to that danger.**

"**So I'm not going to listen to it either. Try it with me, and I'll rip your vocal cords out.**

"_**So shut up!"**_

Johnson did shut up. In fact, he stumbled and fell backwards.

Daala whistled, and the two Orcs lumbered over.

"Get this disgrace to the legal profession out of my sight," she said, as the flames started to subside.

The two ogres grabbed him, and he was dragged away. Daala sat on her couch in a sulk as the flames returned to normal.

She collapsed on her back.

"So, Ren didn't have it either…" she mumbled. "Three of my governors, beaten, and we still don't have the Key… This is no longer amusing…

"Seems it's true what they say… If you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself…"

She stared at the ceiling.

And then the frown slowly turned into a smile. She sat up.

"Do it yourself!" she exclaimed. "Now that's a novel idea!"

She picked up her own Duel Disk from a table next to the couch.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to be more… social… It's time to see who the better duelist is… The Queen of Games of Earth, or the Queen of Games of Xanadu!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Right now, Nicholas and Olga were very nervous. Mostly, they were afraid of breaking something.

They were sitting in a lounge where everything looked antique, expensive, or both. Having lived with Rasputin, they had seen people who owned Picassos before, but never two in one room.

"This guy has more bread than Wonder," said Nicholas. "How does one become so rich?"

"It all starts with one idea," said a voice.

They looked up, and saw a man walk in. He looked about fifty, with receding, gray hair. He wore slacks, and a sweater that didn't look nearly as expensive as his other belongings. He was carrying a leather-bound briefcase.

"One good idea often leads to others," said the man. "And they start a chain reaction that blossoms into more and more ideas.

"And when one is wise enough to market those ideas and invest them wisely, profit can be made.

"Thomas Edison had hundreds of ideas… There are 1,093 patents in his name in the United States alone, more in Europe…"

"Dr. Edwin Ting, I presume?" asked Nicholas.

The man nodded, and then sat down.

"I hope that Ashraf didn't scare you too much," he said. "He tends to be intimidating…"

"Let me guess," said Olga, "his bark is worse than his bite."

"Oh no, no," said Ting. "He's quite dangerous. He was a member of a crack counter-terrorist team for the Saudi government during Al-Nasr's uprising ten years ago."

Nicholas and Olga looked at each other.

"Riyad Al-Nasr?" asked Olga. "The terrorist leader who… uhm…"

Ting shook his head sadly.

"…who was known for killing via incredibly sadistic methods," he said. "Such as having victims impaled. He was a madman with an evil mind and wicked plans. But Ashraf was part of the group responsible for hunting him down… And they succeeded.

"He retired soon after, and I needed a bodyguard. He fit the bill nicely…"

"Riyad Al-Nasr…" muttered Nicholas. "Wow, we have nightmares about that guy…"

"So…" muttered Ting, "you two came to me for information about Xanadu and Daala…

"Tell me…

"What took you so long to find me?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CLASS SYSTEM (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** A man in regal clothing walking down the steps of a palace as two servants bow before him.

**Card Description:** Activate this card when your Monster would be destroyed in battle or by an opposing Monster effect. If the opposing Monster's Level is equal to or less than that of your Monster, your Monster is not destroyed, and battle damage (if applicable) is reduced to zero.

_Note: "Class System" was first used by Marik in "The Final Face-Off (Part Four)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

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**Ren's Deck Lord: "Penumbral Soldier Lady":** "Dark Rush": You may pay 800 Life Points to increase the ATK of one of your DARK Warrior-Type Monsters by the same amount during your own Battle Phase. If you use this effect, you may not use it again until three of your Standby Phases have passed. (Minor Power) "Dark Resurrection": By paying 800 Life Points and discarding a Spell Card to the Graveyard, you may Special Summon a DARK Warrior-Type Monster that is Level Four or less from your Graveyard. You may use this effect a total of three times. (Minor Power)

**Johnson's Deck Lord: "Judge Man":** "Evidence Locker": You may take any card from your hand, deck, or Graveyard, and place it on the top of your deck. This ability may be used a total of three times. (Greater Power) "Hostile Witness": You may only use this effect if you have two or less cards in your hand. Remove from play one Monster in your Graveyard that is Level Five or higher. For each Level of the removed Monster over four, both players draw one card. This effect may be used once per round. (Greater Power)

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**Daala finally gets off her couch and decides to challenge Yumi personally! And while that's happening, Nicholas and Olga learn the secret origin of both Daala and Xanadu! And there'll be another surprise that I'll never reveal until it happens. Be here for "Queen's Gambit".**_

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_**Name that Card!**_

_**Whoever designed "Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning" and "Chaos Emperor Dragon – Envoy of the End" likely thought they were good ideas at the time. So much that this accessory card was designed especially for them. Can you name it?**_


	26. Queen's Gambit

_**What was the accessory card for the two star Monsters from "Invasion of Chaos"? If you said "Primal Seed", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

_This is the type of chapter where you miss a lot if you miss even a small part. So pay attention._

_**We were almost counting on an ambush on the way back from Johnson's fortress. It happened twice before, once with Ares, and once with Want.**_

_**But I didn't expect this. An ambush has indeed come – and the one who has ambushed us is Daala herself. She has come out of hiding to challenge me personally.**_

_**How can I refuse? I'm not stupid enough to think that Daala will be a pushover… But If I can win, it might be over. We might be able to take the ruler of Xanadu herself prisoner, and the rebellion would end in victory!**_

_**I only wish it was as easy as it sounded…**_

_**Because I know that Daala isn't stupid either…**_

_**The Queen has made a gambit… Consider this gambit accepted…**_

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**CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE**

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**Queen's Gambit**

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The hulking butler placed a tray of scones and a pot of coffee on the coffee table that was between Dr. Ting and the two teenagers.

"Thank you, Ashraf," said Dr. Ting. "That will be all for now. I'll call you if I need anything else."

Ashraf nodded, and walked out of the room.

Nicholas looked at the briefcase that Ting had put on the table. He wondered what was in it, but wasn't rude enough to ask.

"So what's the story, Dr. Ting?" asked Olga. "Who is Daala? Why did she want to kidnap Yumi? You realize she may well…"

She paused.

"Well, you know… Kill them…"

Dr. Ting sighed.

"The Daala I used to know would never have hurt anyone," he said, sadly. "But she's changed a great deal…"

"You… you knew her?" asked Nicholas.

"She once had a different name," said Ting, still in the sad tone of voice. "Her name was once Phyllis Ting…

"She is… Or rather she was… My daughter…"

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Five four-wheeled ATVs sped across the sands of the Burnt Paradise.

Yumi and the others had left Jesse and the freed prisoners behind to set up shop at the fort, and had taken these vehicles, knowing that Johnson was in no position to stop them. As Yumi had hoped, the sandstorm at the mid-border had been quelled, and no opposition hindered them as they drove over the desert.

"We're almost there!" shouted Yumi. "I see the border to Nexus up ahead."

The five of them drove past the border point, and the odd spatial effect kicked in, transporting them to the grassy knolls with the ruined temples. As they shifted gears, they noticed a figure up ahead.

"Who's that?" said Sam, as they slowed down.

The question was quickly answered as they slowed to a stop.

"DAALA!" everyone shouted.

There was no mistaking that it was Daala. She had changed her wardrobe again, wearing a leather halter, skirt, and jacket ensemble that was almost the same as Yumi's. Her Duel Disk appeared to be standard issue, which surprised them a little.

Yumi removed her helmet and dismounted her vehicle. She looked Daala in the eye.

"What's the big deal, Daala?" she asked. "The head of state doesn't usually show herself to five armed members of a group that wants to overthrow her. That's poor judgment."

"Really?" said Daala. "What are you going to do? Hold me down and tie me up? Well, you can't. Joan didn't mention that the rule she imposed over Xanadu works both ways.

"I can't forcibly apprehend a member of the rebellion unless he loses a duel or attacks a member of my forces outright… And the rebellion can't do it to a member of my forces either, so long as I'm still head of state. Joan couldn't make the rule one-sided, Yumi. The Higher Plane has laws.

"On the other hand, if you do try to make a rush for me like a bunch of thugs right now, the rule restricting me becomes void… Not that the five of you would even be capable of restraining me… I still control enough of Xanadu to call upon powers that would give Marik nightmares."

Yumi looked at her closely.

"Okay, Daala," she said, "What's this all about?"

"Why jump to conclusions, Yumi?" asked Daala. "We're so much alike… We're both young, smart, attractive… We're both duelists…"

She threw open her arms, showing off her outfit.

"Look! We even shop at the same store!

"One might say we're two sides of the same coin, Yumi… I'm the Yin to your Yang, the Hyde to your Jekyll…"

"Mr. Hyde was entirely Dr. Jekyll's fault," said Yumi, with a scowl. "I had nothing to do with however you came to be."

Daala chuckled.

"I guess literature classes do teach you some useful stuff after all," she said. "I was always better at math and physical sciences myself…

"So what do you say, Yumi? Why don't we see which Queen of Games is more deserving of that title?"

"You want to duel me?" asked Yumi, in shock. "You came here to challenge me? To a duel?"

"Well, I don't mean to Pinochle," said Daala. "My butt was falling asleep sitting on that couch and watching you. Besides, I don't consider myself a good ruler if I don't crush a member of the rebellion personally at least twice a week. I've dealt with a lot of tough ones… And you're a challenge I might actually enjoy."

"Yumi…" said Sam. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"Oh, you bet I am…" muttered Yumi.

"Yumi!" shouted Chelsea. "Daala is the Queen of Xanadu! Remember what Joan said about Deck Lord abilities? Daala knows how to give Deck Lords Extraordinary Abilities!"

"Yes, and I'll gladly tell you how it's done," said Daala. "A Deck Lord can only acquire an Extraordinary Ability if it absorbs power from the Core. The source of Xanadu's power.

"Now, if you defeat me and your Deck Lord absorbs the power from mine, your Deck Lord might be able to learn the trick… In due time…

"However, it isn't that easy with my Deck Lord. Its prolonged exposure to the Core has made it much hardier than most Deck Lords. So even if you win this duel, your Deck Lord will have no power over it…

"_Unless_… Unless, that is, your personal power at the time has improved since the start. In other words, your Life Points at the end of the duel have to be more than they were when you started."

"Say WHAT?" shouted Yumi.

"No fair!" shouted Ren. "Just because you rule Xanadu doesn't mean you can tack on any house rule you want!"

"I'd say that it means I'm allowed to pose _any_ house rules that I want," said Daala. "So you'll either accept that condition and like it, or I'll be leaving, and…"

"I accept!" shouted Yumi.

"What?" said Erik. "Yumi, it's impossible!"

"I don't need the power from her Deck Lord, Erik," said Yumi. "If I can simply defeat her, this nightmare will be over, and Xanadu will be freed. I won't need a Deck Lord after that."

They all looked at her.

"Good luck, Yumi," said Ren.

Daala smirked.

_She apparently didn't take into account the fact that Extraordinary Abilities are _incredibly_ powerful,_ thought Daala. _With the one I have, my strategy is almost impossible to beat. _

_Once Yumi is defeated, it will crush the others' spirits, and they'll be easy pickings. I'll be able to defeat Sam and Erik easily, and I'll be able to get the Key, whichever one has it, at my leisure._

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"Your _daughter_?" shouted Nicholas and Olga at once.

Ting sighed and poured the coffee.

"I was a Pro League Duelist," he said, "even though it was only a part-time hobby. One that I happened to be rather good at, but a hobby nonetheless. Phyllis loved to duel too, and I encouraged her.

"You know, Phyllis had a dream as a child… She had read the stories about Jaden Yuki, and his ability to see Duel Spirits… She wanted to see them too. She wanted to see them, and the places where they lived. Worlds where Spirits were the dominant species… It was her dream to reach one. But I didn't know how to give her that gift. I was certain that there was a science that governed how Spirits could be seen and communicated with, but I never studied it in detail.

"Still, Phyllis tried to live her dream by dueling, giving the cards at least a pseudo-life. But she had a problem that gave her a severe disadvantage whenever she dueled using a Disk.

"She suffered from asthma. The excitement of a duel would often lead to her becoming breathless and coughing, and unable to continue. It was a shame, because she was an excellent duelist when she didn't use a Disk.

"I wanted my daughter to be able to duel like a pro, able to experience the excitement that most duelists felt, and do it without succumbing to her sickness…

"That's why, ten years ago when she was sixteen, I used my vast knowledge of virtual technology to create Xanadu…

"At first, Xanadu was a small virtual world. Phyllis could enter it, and without her physical body to hinder her, she could duel like a perfectly healthy teenager. She could download the information stored in databases to create virtual avatars of any duelist, living or dead, for her to oppose. She could even create virtual Duel Spirits as opponents. The computer would create a deck from an online database that would match the Monster's Type and Attribute, as well as any reports on their personalities it could find.

"And for a while, she was happy.

"But eventually, she apparently decided that the virtual world I had given her was too small…

"I found out that she was downloading technology to upgrade and enlarge Xanadu. It grew in size, and she added places to it, places which she told me she had envisioned in her dreams. When I saw them, I was worried. These dreams were apparently not very pleasant.

"I realized eventually that Phyllis had created a much larger world than my intention. She was spending more time in Xanadu, and less in reality.

"I didn't like this. I had to stop it. I told Phyllis that I was going to destroy Xanadu.

"She begged me to reconsider. She cried and wept, pleading with me not to destroy her paradise. It tugged at my heartstrings, but I knew that I had to do it. It was affecting my daughter's mind.

"Then, she somberly asked me for one more week. She begged me to let her have Xanadu for just one week more, and then she would give it up forever.

"I thought that a week more couldn't hurt. I didn't want her to hate me, after all. I told her she could have one more week…"

Ting let out a great sigh.

"To this very day," he said, "I regard that decision as the worst mistake I ever made…"

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Yumi and Daala stared each other down.

Suddenly, Yumi was startled by Joan's voice in her head.

"Yumi!" shouted the voice.

Yumi quite jumped, because she hadn't been expecting it.

"Don't talk, just listen," said Joan's voice. "Something you should know about Daala's strategy. She does not play fair.

"She combines an incredibly powerful Deck Lord ability with an incredibly rare and powerful card. With this combination, she is nearly impossible to defeat. She has no intention of even giving you a fair chance."

"Then what do I do?" whispered Yumi.

There was a long pause.

"I'm sending you something that might even the score a little," said Joan. "Use it wisely…"

Yumi's deck glowed with golden light.

"Enough talk, Yumi," said Daala. "Bring out your Deck Lord."

Dark Magician Girl appeared behind Yumi.

"And here's mine!" shouted Daala.

In an explosion of energy, a fierce creature appeared behind Daala. From the waist up, he was Lord of Dragons, albeit radiating a majestic aura. He held a golden scepter topped with a dragon's head. From the waist down, he was a long, serpentine dragon.

"Meet King Dragun," said Daala. "Quite a looker, isn't he?"

"He doesn't scare me," said Yumi.

"That may change," said Daala.

"Hey, take a look," said Ren, pointing behind them.

They looked. Vita was watching again, partially hidden behind a building.

Daala looked at her and scowled. The flames around her head intensified.

"What are YOU doing here?" she shouted. "Who asked you to come? Get lost or I'll have you impaled!"

This seemed to spook Vita. She took off, and ran away again.

"Daala…" said Yumi. "You know who Vita is?"

"Do NOT concern yourself with that thing!" shouted Daala. "That is nothing more than a failed experiment!"

She seemed to calm down a little.

"Now where were we… Oh yes, we were about to duel…"

"Game on!" they shouted.

**(Yumi: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Daala: 8,000)**

"Let's go!" shouted Yumi, drawing a card.

"I'll summon Gemini Elf in Attack Mode!"

In a burst of energy, the two elf sisters appeared. (1,900/900)

"Then I'll set these…"

Three facedown cards appeared.

"And I'll end there…"

"Not a bad opening move," said Daala, drawing a card. "But I can trump it.

"I summon the Lord of Dragons!"

In another burst of energy, a different Spellcaster appeared on Daala's side of the field. He was dressed in black, with a cape with a high collar, wearing a helmet that resembled a fanged mouth. (1,200/1,100)

"Now I activate his favorite Spell Card," she said, throwing a card into her Disk, "The Flute of Summoning Dragon!"

A golden flute shaped like a dragon's head appeared in mid-air, and Lord of Dragons grabbed it.

"When he uses it, I get to Special Summon two Dragons from my hand. So Lord of Dragons, play some corn on that old gold horn, will you?"

Lord of Dragons put the Flute to his mouth, and a rousing tune echoed over the field.

"So, let's welcome Blizzard Dragon and Prime Material Dragon!"

Two large Dragons appeared in bursts of energy. One of them had blue scales, and wings on its forearms. (1,800/1,000) The other one was odd. It looked more like a large plant that had been molded into the shape of a dragon. (2,400/2,000)

"Three Monsters in one turn?" shouted Chelsea.

"Nope," said Daala. "Four. My Deck Lord's less powerful ability is a watered-down version of one of its regular effects. I can Special Summon one Dragon every round, so long as it's Level Four or less.

"So I summon Twin-Headed Behemoth!"

She played another card, and a scaly, purple Dragon with two heads appeared in front of her. (1,500/1,200)

"Forgot to mention," said Daala. "One of my informal titles as ruler of Xanadu is the Dragon Queen!"

"Man, those facedown cards Yumi has had better be good ones…" said Ren.

"Guess again," said Daala.

"Huh?" said Ren.

"My Deck Lord has an Extraordinary Ability, remember? It protects my Dragons from being destroyed by anything except battle. Spells, Traps, and Monster effects can't destroy them. So those three facedown cards really don't concern me.

"Besides, with Lord of Dragons on the field, they're protected from ALL card effects that target.

"So let's get down to business, shall we? Prime Material Dragon, vaporize Gemini Elf with hyper blast!"

Prime Material Dragon roared, and blasted a beam of pure light from its jaws…

"Can only be destroyed in battle, huh?" asked Yumi. "Fine by me… Activate… Rush Recklessly!"

One of her facedown cards lifted, and Gemini Elf's Attack Score shot up to 2,600. They shot a bolt of lightning, intercepting the Dragon's blast. Prime Material Dragon roared, and was blown to pieces.

"Ergh…" muttered Daala. "Lucky…"

She looked at the last card in her hand.

"I can still use Blizzard Dragon's effect," she said.

Blizzard Dragon shot a bolt of blue energy from its jaws, and the two elves screamed as it hit them.

When Yumi looked, they had been frozen in a block of ice.

"WHAT?" shouted Yumi.

"They won't defrost until the end of your next turn," said Daala. "Until then, they're helpless to attack or change their battle position.

"And it's your move."

**(Y: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 7,800)**

Yumi angrily drew a card.

_I can't use this until I get rid of Lord of Dragons,_ she thought, looking at it. _I'll have to save Blizzard Dragon for later…_

"Since my elves can't attack, I'll sacrifice them," said Yumi.

Gemini Elf vanished into grains of light.

"Come on out, Chaos Command Magician!"

The powerful chaos mage appeared, brandishing his staff. (2,400/1,900)

"He's immune to your Blizzard Dragon's effect, I'll have you know. And now he's going to wipe out your Lord of Dragons!"

Chaos Command Magician aimed his staff at the Dragon Lord, and it glowed with energy.

"And I'll also activate this!" shouted Yumi, as another facedown card lifted. "Magician's Circle! Now, both players must summon in Attack Mode, a Spellcaster with 2,000 Attack Points or less.

"And I summon Magician's Valkyria."

In a burst of dark energy, the brunette, female mage appeared. (1,600/1,800)

"Then I'll summon my second Lord of Dragons!" shouted Daala.

A second of the draconic Spellcasters appeared on her side. (1,200/1,100)

Chaos Command Magician fired his blast of multicolored energy, and the first Lord of Dragons was blown to pieces.

"Ergh…" groaned Daala, shielding herself.

"Valkyria, magic illusion!" shouted Yumi.

Valkyria blasted her burning beam of light forward. The second Lord of Dragons was atomized.

"I'll throw another card facedown, and that ends my turn," said Yumi.

A facedown card appeared in front of her next to her other one.

**(Y: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 6,200)**

Daala drew a card.

"Well, what do you know?" she said. "It's my old friend Luster Dragon.

"I'll use my Deck Lord ability to Special Summon him, and then set a Monster in Defense Mode."

She played the card, and a large dragon that seemed to have been carved out a single large sapphire appeared in a flash of light. (1,900/1,600) Then a facedown Monster appeared.

"Luster Dragon, attack Valkyria! Sapphire spark!"

The Dragon exhaled a burst of blue energy at Magician's Valkyria…

"GO!" shouted Yumi. "Draining Shield!"

Her facedown card shot up, and the blast plowed into an invisible shield. Energy flowed into Yumi.

"Your Deck Lord ability is impressive, Daala," she said. "But it's making you careless."

"Fine!" shouted Daala. "Blizzard Dragon, you attack her!"

Blizzard Dragon blasted its freezing breath at Valkyria and she screamed. She was coated in a coffin of solid ice, and then was blown to shards.

"I move Behemoth to Defense Mode, and end my turn," said Daala.

Twin-Headed Behemoth curled up in a lying position.

**(Y: 9,700) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 6,200)**

"This is weird," said Sam. "Daala is the ruler of Xanadu, but her Deck Lord aside, this is little more than any other Dragon Deck I've seen a hundred times before."

"I know," said Erik. "And that worries me. She's hiding something…"

Yumi drew a card.

"I'll set a Monster of my own," she said.

A facedown Monster appeared.

"Chaos Command Magician, destroy her Blizzard Dragon!"

The Spellcaster fired his blast, and Blizzard Dragon shattered into shards of ice.

"So what now, Daala?" she said.

**(Y: 9,700) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 5,600)**

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Dr. Ting didn't talk for some time. A very sad look appeared on his face. He slowly sipped his coffee.

"So, you gave her a week…" said Nicholas.

Ting nodded.

"And the very day before her week would be up," he said, "disaster struck.

"I was monitoring her unconscious body in the virtual pod, as I did every hour, when the computer's anti-intrusion alarm went off.

"I went to see what was the matter… And I discovered that we were the target of an online attack. Someone was trying to sabotage the computer!

"I tried to stop it, but the strange nature of the attack confused even me. I had never seen a security breaker like this.

"Then Phyllis's vital signs started to react. Her breathing and heartbeat increased to dangerous levels. To my horror, this attack was attacking her as well.

"My goal at this point was not to stop the attack, but to rescue my daughter. But my attempt to safely bring her mind back to her body was foiled by this mysterious saboteur. Whoever was doing this apparently knew exactly how the computer worked. Even so, I tried every option…"

Tears started to fall down his cheeks at this point.

"I failed…" he said. "By the time I had regained control of the computer, Phyllis's physical body had perished."

"I mourned, but only for an hour or two. Soon, grief turned to rage. I did a complete scan of the computer, searching it with a fine-toothed comb, file by file, vowing not to rest until I found the identity of the saboteur… The one who had murdered my daughter…

"The true horror came when I succeeded in doing so…"

Nicholas and Olga looked at him.

"The attack had… Not come from outside…" he said. "It had come from within… From within Xanadu… Phyllis had done it herself…

"She had given me an ultimatum… Her mortal body was now dead, but she still lived in Xanadu. If I destroyed Xanadu now, I would truly kill her.

"What was a father to do?

"So, I left Phyllis to her… paradise, at least for a while… Which was another mistake…"

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"You know, Daala," said Yumi, "for someone who claims to be the Queen of Games in Xanadu, you're not doing too well. Just look at the scores. You're losing."

"Your grandfather pulled plenty of come-from-behind victories in his day," said Daala. "No-one would ever doubt that he was the King of Games."

She drew a card.

"I flip my Morphing Jar into Attack Mode."

Her facedown Monster flipped up, and the giggling, one-eyed creature in the ceramic vase appeared. (700/600)

"All right, fine," muttered Yumi, discarding the card in her hand.

Daala discarded the card she had just drawn and they both drew five cards.

"Now I play… Monster Gate," said Daala. "I have to sacrifice a Monster to use this, so I'll sacrifice Morphing Jar."

Morphing Jar vanished into grains of light.

"Then I get to pick up Monsters from my deck until I reach a Monster that I can Normal Summon. Then I Special Summon it…"

She picked up one card, then a second. She picked up a third, and then placed it on her Disk.

"The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave, in Defense Mode."

A large, rocky, scaly Dragon appeared, curling up in a defensive position. (1,300/2,000)

She discarded a Burst Breath and a Dragon's Gunfire.

"I'll throw a card facedown, and move Luster Dragon to Defense Mode. And then you go. As a wise man once said, I have not yet begun to fight."

A facedown card appeared, and Luster Dragon curled up in the same defensive position.

**(Y: 9,700) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 5,600)**

Yumi made a draw. She looked over her hand.

"I flip Crystal Seer into Attack Mode!" she shouted.

Her facedown card flipped up, and the mysterious, veiled gypsy appeared. (100/100)

"Now, I get to look at the top two cards on my deck, and add one to my hand."

She took the top two cards off her deck.

One was Cosmo Queen. One was Sage's Stone.

_Crud,_ she thought. _Should have swapped that one… Dark Magician Girl is my Deck Lord… Sage's Stone is no good… Oh well…_

She placed the Spell Card on the bottom of her deck.

"Now, I activate Call of the Haunted."

Her facedown card lifted, and a dark coffin appeared on her side of the field. Valkyria appeared again, looking a little pissed. (1,600/1,800)

"Next, I sacrifice Valkyria and Crystal Seer…"

The two Spellcasters faded into grains of light.

"To bring out Cosmo Queen!"

In a burst of energy, the mighty galactic empress appeared, her eyes glowing with cosmic power. (2,900/2,450)

"Humph…" said Daala. "Nice hat. Never been a big fan of royal raiment myself… It chaffs. I just like to dress in a way that shows who I am…"

"Does that mean you're a slut?" asked Chelsea.

Daala looked at her.

_Once Chelsea is defeated,_ she thought, _I'll promote my personal handmaiden and fill the role with her. It will teach her some respect…_

"No more jokes!" shouted Yumi. "Cosmo Queen, attack with cosmic nova!"

Cosmo Queen blasted her bolt of eldritch energy, and The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave exploded into bits.

"Chaos Command Magician, chaos magic!"

Chaos Command Magician fired his own blast, and Luster Dragon was blown to shards.

"Your Behemoth is next!" shouted Yumi.

"Oh, I'm shaking in my boots…" said Daala, sarcastically.

"I end my turn!" shouted Yumi.

Daala drew a card.

"I play… Pot of Greed," she said, playing it.

She quickly made two draws.

"Time to get serious, Yumi!" she shouted.

Her eyes glowed with pinpoints of red light, and the flames around her head burned fiercer.

"I activate… My own Call of the Haunted!"

Her facedown card flipped up, and Luster Dragon appeared again. (1,900/1,600)

"Now, I sacrifice both my Monsters…"

Luster Dragon and Twin-Headed Behemoth vanished into bursts of flame…

"To summon… Tyrant Dragon!"

A much larger Dragon appeared in an explosion of fire. It towered over the field, its wingspan reached forty feet, and its eyes smoldered like embers. (2,900/2,500)

"Okay!" said Erik. "I think that qualifies as 'serious'!"

"Tyrant Dragon is one of the most powerful Monsters in the game," said Daala. "It not only has 2,900 Attack Points, it can attack two Monsters in one turn, and it's impervious to Trap Cards.

"And I'm gonna make it even stronger! I play the Equip Spell, Megamorph!"

She threw a card into her Disk.

"I seem to recall you saying that I was losing. Well, good! Since I am, this Spell doubles my Monster's Attack Points!"

Tyrant Dragon glowed with an aura of fiery energy… (5,800/2,500)

"It's too powerful!" screamed Chelsea.

"Tyrant Dragon…" ordered Daala, "obliterate Cosmo Queen with imperial inferno!"

The Dragon shot a super-intense blast of flames at the Spellcaster. Yumi shielded herself and cringed in pain as Cosmo Queen exploded.

"I'm not done!" shouted Daala. "It gets to attack again, remember? Destroy Chaos Command Magician! Show him who controls Chaos in this world!"

Yumi was thrown to the ground as the second blast hit Chaos Command Magician, reducing him to hot ash.

"Of course," said Daala, "I'm not losing any more, so now, Megamorph doesn't double its Attack Score any more. It halves it. So I'll get rid of my Equip Spell by using Emergency Provisions."

She played a card, and the mouth appeared, devouring the Equip Spell. Tyrant Dragon returned to its base Attack Score of 2,900.

"I'm not done yet!" she continued, throwing another card into her Disk. "I play another Spell Card… Super Rejuvenation. When it's my End Phase, I get to draw one card for each Dragon I sacrificed this turn.

"Okay… I'll set one card facedown. Then I'll move to my End Phase."

She placed her last card in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared. She drew two cards and looked at them.

She smiled evilly when she saw what they were.

"It's your move…"

**(Y: 3,800) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 6,600)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Phyllis didn't think I was watching, but I checked on her every now and then," said Ting. "She started doing things that were illegal, and morally questionable.

"I believe she used a proxy – I don't know who it was – to use the internet to make deals with Yakuza, arranging for them to download software and information into Xanadu to make her more powerful. I dared ask her what she had promised those mobsters. She told me that she was playing them for fools. Once she got all that she wanted from the Yakuza, they would get nothing and like it.

"I could have called the police… But I knew that if they found the location of my equipment, I would be questioned, and they would shut it down, destroying Xanadu and killing Phyllis. So I kept my mouth shut…

"But strangely, Phyllis didn't. She had her proxy tell everyone whom he made deals with to keep a copy of Mutant Mindmaster, my signature card in the Pro League, telling them it was the symbol of her ultimate benefactor. I didn't know at first why she left such a clue…

"And then I realized why… She wanted me to be found out. She wanted to get rid of me. Whether I was arrested by the police or murdered by the vindictive Yakuza, she didn't care.

"Fortunately, no mobster or police officer ever made the connection, but I decided to look closer into Xanadu…

"Using my hacking skills to look past the veil Phyllis had erected, I discovered that Xanadu had grown indeed. It was now a vast nation in what I assumed was a virtual world. I saw that it was populated by hundreds of creatures whom I assumed were virtual constructs made in the image of Duel Spirits.

"And my daughter was ruling this land as a queen… Ruling with an iron fist… She had even upgraded her own form, turning herself into someone I hardly recognized. Apparently, she had given in to vanity, and used the technology to make herself more beautiful, in a diabolic and intimidating way.

"I made up my mind then and there. Heaven might damn me for what I was about to do, and I would hate myself the whole time, and forever after… But it had to be done. My daughter had clearly become evil. I had to destroy Xanadu even if it meant killing my own daughter…

"But, when I entered the delete command, I found it did nothing. I was terrified to learn that I could not destroy Xanadu, because it was no longer a virtual world. It was now truly a dimension onto itself. The creatures I had assumed were virtual constructs were nothing of the kind… They were real Duel Spirits…"

He took some deep breaths.

"I had no doubt that my daughter was plotting sinister plans… And I was determined to do anything I could do to put a stop to it…

"As I told you before, I was certain that a science existed governing the society of Duel Spirits. I graduated first in my class at Harvard, with multiple honors. I hold fifty-seven patents for software, many of which are used by most of the Fortune 500 companies, and hundreds of others, globally. I worked for the government of Japan, and was once an unofficial advisor for the Prime Minister in technology matters. I'm a man who learns quickly, and I figured that there was no science that I couldn't learn…

"I started to do research…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi clutched her chest as she got up.

_Man!_ she thought. _I really shouldn't have provoked her! She's pretty good after all!_

She looked at her hand of cards.

_All I need is one card… One card, and I can summon a creature that will bring Daala to her knees…_

She quickly made a draw.

_YES!_

"All right, Daala," she said, throwing the card into her Disk, "take THIS!"

"Polymerization?" asked Daala as the Spell Card appeared.

"That's right," said Yumi. "I'll fuse together Dark Magician and Goddess With the Third Eye…"

Two Monsters appeared on the field. One was the Mouto family's signature Spellcaster. The other was a woman in a long, green robe, with three eyes, only the extra one open.

The two of them faded into two swirls of darkness and light, and a powerful burst erupted over the field…

Slowly, a powerful form landed on the field. He looked like Dark Magician at first glance, but was dressed in armor rather than robes, and held a decorated staff with a large blade on the end. (2,900/2,400)

"Yeah!" shouted Ren.

"Go, Dark Paladin!" yelled Chelsea.

"Dark Paladin gains 500 more Attack Points for every Dragon on the field and in both Graveyards," said Yumi. "You have one on the field, and five in your Graveyard."

"Six, actually," said Daala, with a bored expression. "I tossed a Decoy Dragon when I flipped that Morphing Jar."

Yumi frowned.

"You seem awfully calm for someone who's facing a super-powered Dark Paladin," she said, as the Spellcaster in front of her started to glow with incredible power.

(6,400/2,400)

"Attack Tyrant Dragon!" shouted Yumi. "Fierce slashing wave!"

Dark Paladin cast a mighty spell, and a blade of magical energy tore across the field. Tyrant Dragon roared in rage, and then exploded into a fiery blast of slag and ashes.

**(Y: 3,800) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 3,100)**

When the smoke cleared, Daala had apparently fallen on her rump from the impact. But she was laughing.

"Oh, this is great, Yumi!" she laughed. "I knew you'd be the challenge I was looking for…"

"This is nuts!" shouted Sam. "Yumi just killed her best Monster, and she's _happy_?"

Daala got up.

"Now who ever said that Tyrant Dragon was my best Monster?" she said.

"Well then, Daala," said Yumi, "I set one Monster, and end my turn…"

A facedown Monster appeared next to Dark Paladin.

"By all means, try to summon this Monster that's even stronger than Tyrant Dragon…

"However, I'm pretty sure that if you have such a Monster, it's the kind that can't be Normal Summoned. And should you try to play a Spell Card, my Paladin can negate it, if I simply discard one card."

Daala drew a card.

"I know that, Yumi," she said. "You see, I knew you'd summon that guy… And I came prepared…"

She took another card in her hand.

"I summon Goblin of Greed."

The Fiend that appeared in front of her was very recognizable, as he had appeared on several cards other than his own. He was a fat goblin wearing expensive clothes that suggested those of a sultan, albeit torn and ragged. He held a Pot of Greed in his right hand, and carried a Jar of Greed under his left shoulder. (1,000/1,800)

"You see, Yumi," said Daala, "so long as this guy is on the field, neither player is allowed to discard cards as a cost."

"But that means…" said Yumi.

"It means that Dark Paladin's ability to negate Spells is effectively shut down," said Daala. "So I can use them all I want.

"And I'm going to use one… A very powerful one…"

The sky started to darken as she held up another card.

"I have a question for you Yumi," she said. "What's the difference between a great Monster and a truly spectacular Monster?"

"Uh… what?" asked Yumi.

"A great Monster is one that your opponent has never seen before," said Daala. "A truly spectacular Monster is one that she likely will never see again.

"I play… Dragon's Mirror!"

She played the card, and lightning flashed. A large mirror with a frame shaped like a classic dragon appeared beside Daala, and images of Decoy Dragon, Luster Dragon, Blizzard Dragon, Twin-Headed Behemoth, and The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave appeared inside it. Then it cracked, and black smoke started to pour out of it.

"I'll banish five of my Dragons from the game…" she said, as the smoke started to form into a thick cloud, "in order to summon the ultimate beast!"

The sky turned pitch-black and the mirror itself vanished, as a huge, dark form rose behind her…

"No…" gasped Sam. "It's the F.G.D.!"

It was indeed the F.G.D. The towering monstrosity stood fifty feet tall, and almost as wide, with five hideous heads – one blue with a finned mane, one black with a spined mane, one pale yellow with a spiked mane, one metallic with horns, and one that was literally made of fire. Its body was scaly and green, and its wingspan reached a hundred feet on both sides.

It bellowed a roar that shook all of Nexus… (5,000/5,000)

"By the way, Yumi," said Daala. "By summoning this Monster, I added one Dragon to Dark Paladin's total… But I also subtracted five. That gives him a net gain of three Dragons."

Dark Paladin's score fell to (4,400/2,400).

"No…" muttered Yumi.

"Told you I was good at math," said Daala. "F.G.D… destroy her Paladin with Pentecost Holocaust!"

A steam of fire, a bolt of ice, a bolt of lightning, a spray of corrosive gas, and a beam of pure darkness blasted from the Dragon's five mouths, combining into one lethal blast of energy. Yumi shielded herself as Dark Paladin was blown to pieces.

"Ergh…" she muttered.

**(Y: 3,200) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 3,100)**

"Goblin of Greed," ordered Daala, "wipe out her facedown Monster!"

The Goblin rushed at the facedown Monster. Apprentice Magician appeared on the card. He clubbed her over the head with his jar, and she shattered.

"Daala…" growled Yumi, as a new facedown Monster appeared, "I will beat you!"

"Oh?" said Daala. "Let's look at the facts, shall we? My Monster has 5,000 Attack Points. Due to its own effect, it can't be destroyed in battle by any type of Monster except Light Monsters. And thanks to my Deck Lord, it can't be destroyed any way except through battle.

"You obviously see the backbone of my strategy now, why I'm the ruler of this land. With this Monster combined with my Deck Lord, I'm unbeatable!"

"You are not!" shouted Ren. "All she has to do is summon her Mirage Knight, and it's game over!"

"Uhm…" muttered Yumi, getting up, "actually, Ren, my chances of summoning that guy aren't very high…"

"What are the chances?" asked Ren.

"Well, to be perfectly honest," said Yumi, "none at all."

Daala gave an evil laugh.

"He isn't even in your deck, right?" she asked. "Well, I don't blame you… After all, you weren't expecting to face this thing, and there's only so much room in a deck…

"Still my turn, I believe, and I'm going to lessen the chances of you being able to pull something off even more."

Her facedown card lifted, revealing The Transmigration Prophesy.

"I know you have Double Spell in your deck," she said. "So you may think you can win if you bring back Chaos Command Magician, get back your Rush Recklessly, and then use my Megamorph.

"Well, it's not gonna be as easy now. I'm sending both your Chaos Command Magician and Rush Recklessly back to your deck. Even with your luck, I defy you to draw all three cards before I finish you."

Yumi started to sweat as the two cards slipped out of her discard slot. She added them to her deck, and slowly reshuffled.

"It's your move, Yumi," said Daala. "Feel free to give up at any time…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"How's the coffee, lads?" asked Dr. Ting. "I've found that a touch of nutmeg mixed in with the grounds makes all the difference."

"Very good," said Nicholas. "But please, continue…"

"Well," said Ting, "I studied Xanadu as best I could. As luck would have it, Phyllis didn't pay much attention to me anymore. I discovered that somehow, she had combined the technology with magic to expand it beyond the limitations I had set.

"As a man of science, sorcery was a foreign concept to me. But I started studying the world of Spirits, trying to find a solution. My history as an unofficial advisor to several government agencies helped. I was able to gain access to libraries and media morgues that most researchers only dream of accessing. I interviewed scientists who had studied under the late Dr. Eisenstein, likely the greatest genius of his time on the subject of duel energy. I traveled to the original Duel Academy, and to all four of its splinter schools around the world. I sought information from the archives of I2 itself…

"KaibaCorp was the only company that turned me away, as they deemed the trumped-up reasons I gave for wanting to access their archives 'insufficient', and I didn't dare tell them the truth. I guess I couldn't blame them… KaibaCorp is a grand prize, and so many others have tried to seize its power. They have to protect what they have.

"I worked on this solution for three long years. It looked hopeless at times, but I wouldn't give up. Men of science learn patience early.

"Finally, I managed to do something. I was able to open a window. Using the rudimentary knowledge I had gained, I sent a message into the Twelve Dimensions, the places where Duel Spirits lived. It was more or less a plea for help. I begged someone to stop my daughter and whatever she was planning. All I could offer at that point was my thanks, and the gratitude of the Spirits who were suffering under my daughter's rule, which, of course, wasn't much to offer. All I could do was pray for someone to hear who sympathized enough.

"And my prayers were answered…

"I got a reply… Guardian Angel Joan heard my plea, and said she would help.

"I know now that a war is happening in Xanadu, one that has been going on ever since then. Joan is trying to overthrow my daughter, even though Xanadu continues to grow, and my daughter's plans, whatever they are, remain. I know that my daughter may well perish…"

He sighed.

"But maybe it's for the best… Maybe Heaven can forgive this old fool for letting it get out of control if… Daala is stopped before her plans come to fruition."

He opened the briefcase by his side.

He took out a CD disk in a case.

"Give that to Ms. Arachne," he said, handing it to Olga. "It's a program that will drive out the Duel Spirit that's controlling her company's computer, and prevent another one from invading it. She'll be able to regain control easily.

"Take this too…"

He handed her a flash drive.

"It contains the blueprints for the original Xanadu program, and all the data I've been able to garner on how… Daala has changed it over the past ten years… It even has an index. It should help in rescuing your friends."

"You're… you're just giving us these?" asked Olga.

"You can thank me by leaving me in peace," said Ting. "You must admit… I've been through enough…"

He stopped for a minute.

"Oh… I almost forgot… There is… one more thing…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi paused before she drew.

_There's only one way I can win this duel…_ she thought. _And that's to use Magic Cylinder to blast her Dragon's attack back at her…_

She drew. She looked at the card.

_But I don't have it!_

She set a card on her Disk, and a new facedown Monster appeared.

"That's all," she said.

"My move," said Daala, drawing a card.

She grinned when she saw what it was.

"I throw one card facedown," she said, as a facedown card appeared.

"Then I attack with my F.G.D.!"

The huge Dragon fired its multiple blasts at the facedown Monster on the right, and Skilled Dark Magician was incinerated.

"Goblin of Greed, your turn."

Goblin of Greed charged at the facedown Monster, and Old Vindictive Magician appeared on the card, right before he was smashed to pieces.

"Forget?" asked Daala. "My Dragon's can't be destroyed by effects."

"True," said Yumi. "But Goblin of Greed is no Dragon."

The Goblin screamed and shattered into pixels.

"Crud…" said Daala. "Oh well… It will all be over soon anyway…"

_And I mean it,_ she thought. _My facedown card is Dragon's Rage. When I trigger it next turn, Yumi won't be safe by defending. This duel will be over._

"My move," said Yumi.

She drew a card.

_Still not Magic Cylinder…_ she thought.

Indeed, right now she had a pretty bad hand. The card she had just drawn was Dark Magician of Chaos, and the other cards in her hand were Mausoleum of the Emperor, Magic Stone Excavation, and Premature Burial.

She could use the Mausoleum to summon Dark Magician of Chaos, but if she did, he'd be destroyed, and she'd lose.

"Okay, Daala," she said, as Dark Magician Girl started to glow, "I'm using one of my Deck Lord's abilities.

"It's called Spellcaster Shuffle. I send one Spellcaster in my hand back to my deck…"

She placed Dark Magician of Chaos in her deck.

"Then, I get to take a Spellcaster from it, that's at least two Levels lower than the one I sent back there."

She took a card from her deck and looked at it.

"Now I summon her… My second Magician Valkyria!"

In a flash of light, a twin of the first Valkyria appeared. (1,600/1,800)

"Next, I play Premature Burial to summon my first one."

She played the card, and the first Valkyria appeared. (1,600/1,800)

"A Valkyria lock!" laughed Daala. "Whatever will I do?

"I'll admit that's very clever, Yumi, but your barrier won't last long.

"Every duelist who uses Premature Burial, which is to say, nearly all of them, knows that if it's destroyed, so is the Monster that it Special Summoned. My deck has one Mystical Space Typhoon, one Heavy Storm, and two Stamping Destructions. So your barrier is at most a weak and temporary defense. You're like a marooned sailor desperately clinging to a piece of driftwood that will fall apart at any minute."

"Heh…" chucked Yumi. "Now you're being melodramatic."

"As soon as I draw even one, you're finished!" shouted Daala.

Yumi sighed. Daala was right…

"I end my turn," she muttered.

**(Y: 2,400) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 3,100)**

Daala quickly drew. She looked at the card.

_I'll save this,_ she thought.

"You're safe for now, Yumi," she said. "I'm just going to pass for my turn."

Yumi's hand sweat as she drew a card.

She looked at it.

_Still not Magic Cylinder…_ she thought. _I have one last gambit… And if it fails, I'm dead meat…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"What?" asked Olga. "There's more?"

"Yes…" said Ting. "It happened just last week, in fact…

"An e-mail came. It had apparently come from Xanadu itself. But I didn't recognize the user name. It seemed to be gibberish.

"It was a simple and short, but very mysterious message…

"It said, 'I want to help. I can help free Xanadu. I want to help the Queen of Games. I am the Testament.'

"Unfortunately, I have no idea what it meant…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I use another of my Deck Lord's abilities!" shouted Yumi. "Spellcaster Recycle!

"I get to take five Spellcasters from my Graveyard, and shuffle them into my deck…"

Dark Magician, Gemini Elf, Cosmo Queen, Skilled Dark Magician, and Dark Paladin slipped out of her discard slot. She combined them with her deck, and reshuffled.

"Then I get to draw twice…"

She quickly made two draws.

She looked at them.

And then she almost fell over in surprise.

"You gotta be kidding…" she said.

"Yumi!" said Dark Magician Girl. "It's the card that Joan sent you! You can turn this duel around!"

Yumi grinned.

"Right…" she said, giving a thumbs up.

"I sacrifice my two Valkyria…" she said.

The two Spellcasters started to glow with a soft light.

"What are you up to?" shouted Daala. "Not even a Monster you could summon with two sacrifices could defeat my Dragon!"

"I beg to differ!" shouted Yumi.

The two Valkyria nodded to each other. They flew into the sky, and vanished as a brilliant light started to form above…

Flying out of the light was a beautiful, winged figure…

Everyone couldn't believe their eyes. It was Guardian Angel Joan herself, looking more lovely and radiant then ever. She landed in front of Yumi, and glared at Daala and her giant Dragon. (2,800/2,000)

Daala laughed out loud.

"Unbelievable," she said. "I never thought Joan would take such a risk…"

"Risk?" said Yumi. "What risk? What do you mean?"

"You think that's a hologram in front of you?" asked Daala. "Uh-uh. Joan has used a special power that only very powerful Spirits can manage to come help you personally. She's here in the flesh now.

"You know how when I apprehend a duelist, his deck usually goes with him? I can confiscate his deck, Yumi. Well, when you lose now, I not only get you, I get Joan, because she's in your deck!"

"That's what you think, Daala," said Yumi. "I'm not going to lose."

"Yeah?" said Daala. "How is Joan going to beat my Dragon? She may be a Light Monster, but it has 2,200 more Attack Points!"

"Watch!" said Yumi, taking three of the cards in her hand. "I start by setting this facedown…"

A facedown card appeared behind Joan.

"Now, the exact strategy you were trying to prevent me from using is going to take that thing down!

"I play… Double Spell! I toss one Spell Card…"

She discarded her Magical Stone Excavation.

"And I get to use one Spell Card in your Graveyard. I'll bet you can guess which one… Your Megamorph!"

The card flew out of Daala's discard slot, flew over to Yumi, and she caught it. She threw it into her Disk, and Joan clenched her fists and glowed with energy… (5,600/2,000)

Joan flew into the air. F.G.D. roared.

"Evil beast!" shouted Joan. "Feel the wrath of my Divine Flame Strike!"

Joan formed a ball of flaming light in her hands, and it grew into a large, fiery orb. She lifted it over her head, and hurled it at the F.G.D., and Yumi's friends cheered as the huge Dragon screamed in death throes and exploded into a burst of dark shards.

"And guess what, Daala?" said Yumi. "Joan has a powerful effect. I gain Life Points equal to your Monster's Attack Points. And your Dragon had a LOT of Attack Points!"

**(Y: 7,400) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 2,500)**

"Well," chuckled Daala, closing her eyes. "That certainly makes things easier…"

Everyone looked at her.

"Thanks to Joan's own ability," said Daala, "your Life Points are ahead of mine now… So Megamorph doesn't double her Attack Score anymore. It halves it."

Everyone looked at Joan. It was true. (1,400/2,000)

"No…" said Chelsea.

"It's your move…" muttered Yumi.

Daala drew a card.

"Well, what do you know?" she said. "I may rule Chaos in this world, but I often make use of a powerful creature of Law as well… A Dragon native to Hell…

"I summon Infernal Dragon!"

In a bonfire of dark flames, a seven-foot-tall Dragon with black scales, large claws, spurs all over its body, and a forked tail appeared. (2,000/0)

"Now," she said, taking another card in her hand, "I use my Deck Lord effect to Special Summon Mirage Dragon!"

She played the card, and small, wispy Dragon with golden scales appeared. It seemed almost translucent, and seemed to glow with light. (1,600/600)

"In case you're thinking about using that facedown card to help you," said Daala, "forget it. Mirage Dragon prevents you from using Traps during the Battle Phase.

"I've been waiting a long time for this… Infernal Dragon… Attack Guardian Angel Joan with infernal darkfire!"

The Dragon roared. Dark flames appeared in its jaws…

"Your plan may seem flawless, Daala," said Yumi, "but it has one small, fatal flaw…

"This is NOT a Trap Card."

Her facedown card shot up.

"I activate… Mystical Space Typhoon!" she shouted. "Destroy Megamorph!"

The cyclone shot out of the card, blowing the Equip Spell to pieces. Joan rose back to an Attack Score of 2,800.

She fired a blast of light, blowing Infernal Dragon to particles.

"All right!" shouted Ren. "And now Yumi gains 2,000 more Life Points!"

**(Y: 9,400) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 1,700)**

"This isn't over, Yumi!" shouted Daala. "I activate Infernal Dragon's effect, sacrificing Mirage Dragon to bring it back from the Graveyard."

Mirage Dragon dissolved into grains of light, and Infernal Dragon appeared again in Attack Mode. (2,000/0)

"I dunno, Daala," said Yumi. "My turn is coming up… All I need now is the right Monster, and I can take this duel home…"

She drew a card.

"That's the ticket…

"I summon Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer!"

She played the card, and the bald, scarred monk appeared, holding his set of prayer beads. (1,800/700)

"Let's end this battle, Joan," said Yumi.

Joan nodded.

She blasted her searing light, and Infernal Dragon was blown to pieces again.

Kycoo cast his spell, hitting Daala directly. Daala screamed and toppled over.

Daala sat up, and gasped for breath.

"Impossible…" she muttered. "I couldn't have lost…"

"You not only lost, Daala," said Sam. "Check out Yumi's score."

"Huh?" said Daala.

**(Y: 11,400) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 0)**

"Despite how unfair your condition was," said Erik, "Yumi was able to meet it."

Dark Magician Girl aimed her scepter, and King Dragun howled in pain.

"NO!" screamed Daala, getting up. "I can't lose King Dragun! I can't…"

She couldn't stop it. King Dragun shattered into dark particles.

"Joan," said Yumi, "you'd best get back to the temple fast. We'll handle her."

Joan nodded, and vanished.

"It's over, Daala!" shouted Yumi. "Your reign of terror ends now!"

"Well, Yumi," said Daala, standing up, "that kinda depends on one thing…"

"What?" said Yumi.

"Whether or not you guys can catch me," said Daala.

Then she took off running.

"After her!" shouted Sam.

The five duelists started chasing their enemy, and as they did, their Disks activated. Skilled Dark Magician, Opticlops, Vampire Lady, Getsu Fuhma, and Toy Magician joined them.

"She's going into the Tzimisce," said Ren.

"Why?" said Chelsea. "She doesn't have authority there any more…"

They chased Daala into the heavily forested domain…

And there they were met by a surprise. Daala was standing there, and five Manticores of Darkness were in front of her. (2,300/1,000 x5)

"Fools," she said. "Joan may be the nominal ruler of this part of Xanadu now, but it will take more than that for some of the native beasts to recognize a new ruler."

The five Beast-Warriors breathed streams of fire, and the duelists' five Monsters were blown to pieces.

Daala quickly mounted one of the Manticores.

"Hear me now, Yumi!" she shouted. "For your act of… desecration, by order of the Queen of Xanadu, you and your friends are now sentenced to die! I didn't defeat you, but once you are defeated, it will be your last stand."

The Manticore spread its wings and flew to the treetops, taking her with it.

The five of them backed away from the four other Manticores.

"Any suggestions?" asked Erik.

Yumi's eyes glowed with the same light as when she had called on the Dinosaur back in the quarry…

With a roar, a familiar Beast charged out of the woods. It was Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest. (2,600/1,800)

"Not _him_ again!" shouted Chelsea.

"Don't worry," said Yumi. "He's on our side now."

Greed Baboon roared, and clobbered one of the Manticores with his club, smashing it. The other three turned on him, and a brutal fight started. Yumi and the others took this opportunity to make a run for it back the way they came.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala walked into her throne room, with a look of anger on her face.

"Milady!" gasped Skull Knight. "Thank goodness you're all right! I knew it was a bad idea…"

Daala sat on her couch.

"Take this down," she said.

Skull Knight reached for a notepad and pen.

"Tell the stewards of the prisoner reception area to look through all the decks we've confiscated from captured members of the rebellion," she said. "If they find a King Dragun, have it delivered to me at once.

"If one is not found, send word out to every member of my army. There will be a reward for anyone who has one or obtains one quickly. Assuming they hand it over, of course."

"Yes, milady," said Skull Knight.

"And if I discover that anyone has one and is withholding it from me," she continued, "he will suffer dearly."

"Uhm… Yes…" said Skull Knight.

"A couple of other things," said Daala. "Go tell Jean-Claude to bring me that pint of mocha fudge ice cream I was saving… If he ate it himself again, have him flogged."

Skull Knight nervously took it down.

"And contact you-know-who," she said. "I need her tomorrow…"

Skull Knight gulped. That order sounded strange, but he knew what it meant…

Daala waved, and a screen appeared in front of her. The scene showed the image of her five enemies walking towards the temple.

"You may have won, Yumi," she said, "but I wouldn't flaunt your victory. We both know that you only won because you had help from that accursed Fairy.

"By the time we meet again, I'll have finally found the Dark Exemplar…"

She touched a pouch on the belt on her waist. Most assumed it contained a side deck. It actually contained a deck that was nearly complete. All it needed was one card.

"…and once I have it, the Council will recognize me as master… And even with Joan's help, you won't stand a chance…"

The pouch glowed with a sinister, shadowy aura…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"We failed, Joan…" said Chelsea, sadly.

"Whatever makes you say that?" asked Joan.

"We couldn't capture Daala!" said Erik. "And we tried…"

"Fret not, children," said Joan. "We've won a great victory today. Daala has lost King Dragun. Until she can empower a new Deck Lord, she is helpless to duel via the system that she herself designed.

"You saw her usual strategy. She combines the F.G.D. with her Deck Lord, making her almost unstoppable. But now, she has lost the ability to use that combo."

"She still has F.G.D.," said Chelsea.

Joan sighed.

"Yes…" she said. "Only one copy of that incredibly powerful card – Daala's – exists in Xanadu. The more powerful a card is, the harder it is to download into Xanadu, and the longer it takes. Now that we know that the Big Five are her governors, they may well have helped her with that one."

"Hey Joan…" said Ren with a chuckle. "How did it feel to blast that ugly thing to Kingdom Come?"

Joan smiled slightly.

"It has been a while…" she said, "but it reminded me of the old days… The days when the armies of the Higher Plane repelled the attacks of the Archfiends, sending them fleeing back to Pandemonium with their tails between their legs…"

"Well, let's not take that risk again," said Yumi. "You had me worried there."

"Indeed," said Joan. "And speaking of cards, Yumi…"

She handed Yumi a card.

"Ever since you came to Xanadu, I've been trying to download a card that will help you immensely. I take it you recognize this Monster."

Yumi took the card. Her eyes lit up.

"Oh, great!" shouted Sam. "Yumi beats Daala, and she gets all the good stuff…"

"Calm down, Sam," said Joan. "I have one for you too."

She handed Sam another card. Sam turned beet red from embarrassment as she took it.

"Hey…" she said, looking at it. "I've heard of this guy…"

"Since we likely are fighting the demons of Chaos," said Joan, "I figured you needed someone who specializes in that area.

"I predict that rest of you will grow stronger too, in time…"

Yumi sighed.

It felt good to have beaten Daala, but she knew as much as Daala did that she had countered Daala's dishonest strategy with one that was just as morally dishonest. She didn't have any choice but to use Joan's card… But she really wished there had been another option…

"And now is the perfect time to strike when Daala is weakened," said Joan. "Tomorrow our next target is Darkspire, the Realm of Dark."

"Darkspire?" asked Sam.

"It's a city Realm," said Joan. "A dirty, dark metropolis. It is not only cursed with evil magic, but with terrible pollution as well. Only Machines and other Spirits who don't mind the smog live there on a permanent basis.

"The way into it is a stretch of road referred to as Route 13. But once again, I'll have a guide for you in this leg of your journey."

"Uhm, Joan…" said Ren. "I know we have to take every Realm, but we've been working nonstop in these life-or-death duels. Can't we just take a break and…"

He paused.

"Say no more, Ren," said Joan. "Maybe a little recreation would be good. Your guide likely won't be back from his current mission until noon tomorrow anyway. If you'd care for a less dangerous duel, one that will help you relax, I have just the man who can help you. I can point you in the right direction tomorrow morning."

"Yeah…" said Ren. "I would like that…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"We can't thank you enough Mr. Ting," said Olga, as they walked out the door. "And if we manage to contact Yumi, we'll tell her about this… Testament…"

"Good luck…" said Ting. "I'll pray for you and your friends… That's all I can do at this point…"

"Come on," said Nicholas. "Sheena's going to love this…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BLIZZARD DRAGON (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Dragon/Effect  
**Attribute: **Water  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description:** Once per turn, you can select one Monster that your opponent controls. The selected Monster cannot attack or change its battle position until the End Phase of the next turn.

_Note: "Blizzard Dragon" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States._

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**Yumi's Deck Lord: "Dark Magician Girl":** "Spellcaster Recycle": Once per duel, you may return five Spellcaster-Type Monsters in your Graveyard to your deck and reshuffle. Then, draw two cards. If you currently have no cards on your side of the field and in your hand, draw an extra card. (Intermediate Power) "Contribution": Once per duel, you may draw one card for each face-up Spellcaster-Type Monster on your side of the field. At the End Phase of the turn in which you use this effect, send all cards in your hand to the Graveyard. (Minor Power) "Spellcaster Shuffle": Once per round, you can send one Spellcaster-Type Monster in your hand to your deck. Then, take a Spellcaster-Type Monster from your deck that is at least two Levels lower than the one you sent back to your deck, and add it to your hand. Then, shuffle your deck. (Minor Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Daala's Deck Lord: "King Dragun":** "Dragon Summoning": Once per round, you can Special Summon a Dragon-Type Monster from your hand that is Level Four or less. (Greater Power) "Dragon Immortality": Dragon-Type Monsters on your side of the field cannot be destroyed by the effects of Spell Cards, Trap Cards, or Monster effects. (Extraordinary Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**More information is revealed about that mysterious Chaos Sorcerer who Ren defeated. Meanwhile, Ren engages in this duel that supposedly will help him relax, even though his opponent comes at him with both barrels loaded. A duelist who looks at dueling from a unique perspective gives him and the others an exclusive performance. Can Ren see this one to the finish? It's called "Amphitheater", and it's coming soon.**_

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_**Name that Card!**_

_**The image on this Spell Card is based on a popular product produced by Milton Bradley. However, you will not find the Spell Card's name on this product. Can you name it? (The Spell Card, not the product.)**_


	27. Amphitheater

_**What Spell Card's image was inspired by Milton Bradley's **_**The Game of Life**_**? If you said "Back to Square One", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

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_Author's note:_

_This chapter features a character who appeared in the anime, who used mostly anime-only cards. As was often the case, when the show was translated into the English dub, the character's name and most of his cards' names were changed._

_As usual, the dub names ruined the whole idea behind the character, and were at times, silly. Therefore, in this chapter, I will do my best to use the original names, of both the character and his cards. I just hope I can get the translations as accurate as possible, because I'm no expert._

_I hope this doesn't cause too much confusion._

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_**I'm gonna ask you a question. Be honest when you answer, okay? How many live theater performances have you been to in the past year?**_

_**If you answered honestly and you're a guy like me, I'll bet the number you said small or zero. And if you went to any, they were probably parts of field trips that your teachers dragged you to.**_

_**I just don't understand dramatic theater that much. Sam is good at it, but she had a lot of private tutors. My English teacher assigns the works of the great William Shakespeare all the time, giving us at most three days to read them. When we complain about the short time, his response is that they can **_**perform**_** these plays in two hours, so I guess my argument falls flat. Of course, my English teacher has a bad sense of humor. His response when we ask what the play is about is always, "It's about a hundred pages, so start reading."**_

_**Anyway, Joan said this would help me relax, and if it can do that, I'm willing to try. I'm going to have to risk my life again once this is over, after all.**_

_**One thing's for sure…**_

_**If I ever make it back to Domino, I'm going to start going to more shows.**_

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**CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX**

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**Amphitheater**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Early the next morning, Yumi was dreaming again.

She dreamt she was once again, back in Neo-Space, in front of a very large, very important looking building. A duelist was in front of the building, and he seemed to be both dueling and guarding the entrance at the same time.

Yumi recognized him quickly. It was another of Jaden's allies, the short, bespectacled, and rather geeky-looking Syrus Truesdale. Like all of the members of Jaden's group she had seen so far, he apparently hadn't aged at all since the fateful plane flight where he was last seen by earthlings.

His opponent was dressed in the same outfit and mask as the previous two invaders, but he seemed to be somewhat older, with graying hair.

Syrus had Drillroid (1,600/1,600) in Defense Mode, and 4,500 Life Points remaining. His opponent had a Monster that Yumi recognized as The Tricky. (2,000/1,200) He had 5,100 Life Points left.

"It's pointless to keep fighting, Syrus," said the man. "You're going to lose no matter what you do, and once that happens, no-one will be here to help. Your allies may not know it yet, but the three emergency distress signals they responded to were three carefully crafted false alarms. They won't even receive your real distress signal, much less get here, until it's too late.

"My offer still stands, by the way… Release Pollux and Phoebe, and we can forget that all of this ever happened."

"Pardon me if I say I don't believe you, Damocles," said Syrus. "This invasion of yours is ending here and now."

"Have it your way," said Damocles, drawing a card.

"I remove my Slate Warrior from play, in order to summon Slipheed."

In a whirlwind of energy, a tall man with white hair in a pure white suit, holding a scepter appeared. (1,700/700)

"Even if you destroy him," said Damocles, "it will cost you one card from your hand.

"Destroy Drillroid with gust blast!"

Slipheed cast a powerful spell, and a whirlwind of energy shot at the Machine, blowing it to scrap.

"Tricky, attack directly with trick illusion!"

The Tricky cast a bolt of multicolored lights. Syrus hollered as his Life Points fell to 2,500 and his glasses flew off his face.

He took some deep breaths. He bent down and picked up his glasses, which were now half-broken.

Damocles burst out laughing.

"Well…" he said. "Looks like you have a choice. You can surrender, or continue to duel me blind in one eye."

Syrus frowned, and then threw the spectacles away.

"The glasses are strictly for show these days," he said. "When we came to Neo-Space, the natives gave us perfect health. I can see just fine without them.

"Heck, they were even able to restore Jim's right eye entirely, that he lost when he was a kid. The healing power of Neo-Space can work miracles."

"Really…" said Damocles, holding his chin. "You might consider getting rid of them for good then. You look better without them."

"I don't need your advice!" shouted Syrus, drawing.

"I play Graceful Charity!"

He quickly drew three cards. He looked over his hand, and then discarded two cards.

"I summon Submarineroid!"

Another Machine broke surface in front of him. It was a large, cartoonish submarine, with eyes on the front. (800/1,800)

"Go!" he shouted. "Subterranean sneak attack!"

Submarineroid dove underground, and started to rush towards Damocles…

"Huh?" he said.

"Things always look different when you're staring down the barrel of a submarine, huh?" asked Syrus.

Then an explosion burst around Damocles. He screamed as his Life Points fell to 4,300.

Submarineroid reappeared on Syrus's side of the field.

"It moves into Defense Mode," he said, as it crossed its arms. "I throw one card facedown, and I end my turn."

A facedown card appeared in a flash of light.

Damocles angrily drew a card.

"Okay, Truesdale," he said. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but you're making me mad.

"I play System Down! I pay 1,000 Life Points, and all Machines on your side of the field and Graveyard are removed from play."

His Life Points fell to 3,300. Syrus gasped, as Submarineroid vanished.

"Time to finish you off!" shouted Damocles. "Tricky, attack!"

The Tricky started to cast his spell…

Syrus quickly discarded a card. A weird creature resembling a hang glider with eyes appeared in front of him, and The Tricky's spell was deflected.

"What was THAT?" shouted Damocles.

"My Kiteroid," said Syrus. "By discarding it, I can reduce the damage from a direct attack to zero."

"Do you have another one?" asked Damocles. "Silpheed, you attack!"

Syrus cringed as the Fairy blasted him with his own spell. His Life Points fell to 800.

"That's all for now…"

Syrus drew a card.

"Time to end this!" he shouted, taking the three cards in his hand. "I play… Power Bond!"

"Huh?" said Damocles.

"I'll fuse Steamroid and Gyroid together," said Syrus, as the two Vehicroids appeared behind him and swirled into one vortex. "And summon Steam Gyroid!"

A large Machine appeared, looking if anything like a large steam locomotive with helicopter blades and a grinning face on the front. It glowed with an aura of pure power. (2,200/1,600) –) (4,400/1,600)

"Tell me, Syrus, did that brother of yours ever tell you why he gave you that card in the first place?" asked Damocles. "I'd love to hear the reason."

"Yes he did, as a matter of fact," said Syrus, "and I really don't think what happens between me and my family is any of your business!"

"Well, he was an idiot to trust you with it, because you just made a fatal mistake!" laughed Damocles. "Even if you attack Slipheed, I'll still have 500 Life Points left, and when you end your turn, Power Bond's side effect kicks in, dealing you 2,200 points of damage, which is more than you have left!"

Syrus grinned.

His facedown card lifted.

"Activate… Call of the Haunted!" he shouted.

"And that's supposed to scare me?" asked Damocles. "Thanks to my System Down, the best Monster you have in your Graveyard is Steamroid. It still won't be enough."

"Wrong," said Syrus. "Your Spell Card didn't get a certain one that I tossed with Graceful Charity."

"Please," said Damocles. "You can't fool me. I played that card _after_ you used Graceful Charity."

"I bring back Dragonroid!" shouted Syrus.

In a burst of energy, a very large Vehicroid appeared. It looked like a comical dragon robot, colored fire engine red, with claws and a long tail, standing upright. (2,900/1,000)

"That… That's impossible…" gasped Damocles. "How could it have resisted my Spell Card?"

"Because Dragonroid isn't a Machine all the time," said Syrus. "It's a Machine when it's in my deck, hand, and on the field. But when it's in the Graveyard, it's a Dragon. So System Down missed it.

"You think this is the first time I dueled someone who used System Down? I was in the Pro League, remember? My opponents put that in their deck all the time.

"And just like them, you're finished.

"Steam Gyroid, Dragonroid, take him down."

Dragonroid blasted a cone of frost from its mouth, and The Tricky burst into shards. Then Steam Gyroid sped at Slipheed. Damocles screamed and collapsed as his Life Points fell to zero.

Yumi woke up with a start.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi walked into the common room, where breakfast had been set out again. Once again, Joan was nowhere in sight, and a note had been left. She picked it up and started to read.

_**Children,**_

_**Once again I must consult my peers in my home plane. I should be back soon. I should tell you that, given your results so far, my superiors are becoming more optimistic, and the support they have given me is growing.**_

_**Once you have refreshed yourself, take the back door from this temple and follow the winding road. You will come to the Amphitheater, where one waits for the duel I promised Ren.**_

_**Once that is done follow the map to the entrance to Route 13. Your guide will be waiting to escort you to Darkspire, and then to the Realm Lord's fortress.**_

_**I stress incredible caution once you get there. No less than five of my duelists have made it that far, and all are missing. We can assume at this point that one of the remaining two members of the Big Five rules this Realm, but which one, I cannot say. Leichter took the form of a Monster of the Dark Attribute, but on the other hand, Darkspire is a popular place for Machine Spirits, so it might also fit Nezbitt.**_

_**I cannot stress the importance of this mission. Along with Light, Dark is one of the most powerful Attributes in Duel Monsters. Darkspire holds great power, and seizing it for ourselves would certainly be beneficial.**_

_**One final thing. If you are challenged by a duelist whom you suspect holds the third Apocalyptic Monster, be well-prepared. Utilize your side decks, and add any cards you believe would help against incredibly powerful Monsters. And one point I cannot stress among all others: Should you confiscate the card from one of these duelists, do not, under ANY condition, use it yourself!**_

_**Stay safe. May Shinato's hand guide you.**_

_**- Guardian Angel Joan**_

Yumi folded the letter and reached for the pot of hot chocolate.

"Wonder who the Lord is this time?" she said out loud.

"If it is Nezbitt, he shouldn't be too hard," said Sam, as she and the others walked in.

"Sam's right," said Ren. "He was a big coward. He forced Duke, Tristan, and Serenity to duel him, because he knew they were amateurs. And to make things worse, they beat him anyway."

"So he was a big coward AND a big loser," said Chelsea.

"He may have gotten better," said Yumi, handing them the note.

"Come to think of it," said Erik, as Ren read the note, "the Big Five were all losers way back then. Johnson would have been beaten right away if he hadn't resorted to cheating. And in the end, he fell for the oldest trick in the book."

"Ah, Leichter wasn't half bad," said Sam. "He just didn't know that challenging Seto Kaiba was a good way to lose."

"Well, Gansley, Krump, and Johnson certainly got better," said Chelsea, "even if their attitudes didn't. Those guys need to be cut down a peg. Krump may not have been my first hard duel, and he won't be the last… The difference was, beating him felt good."

"Well, let's eat breakfast and find this guy," said Ren. "I need this more than anything… I had the worst nightmare last night…"

"Oh?" said Yumi.

"Yeah…" muttered Ren. "Strangest nightmare… I was dueling, and my opponent summoned a Monster I had never seen before… It must have been Level Seven or higher, since he sacrificed two Monsters… And it looked like a cross between a Fiend and a Dragon, sealed inside a glass prism…

"And it killed Crescent Moon Queen with its breath… Her screams…"

He held his chest.

"Hang on, Ren," said Chelsea, putting her arm around him. "If such a Monster exists… Uhm… Uh…"

She paused.

_Man, I hate talking myself into a corner,_ she thought.

Yumi held her chin, thinking.

"What Monsters were used as sacrifice?" she asked.

"I didn't recognize them either," said Ren.

Yumi sighed.

Strange things were afoot…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Inside Daala's palace, right outside her throne room, Skull Knight was speaking to two other Duel Spirits, a Vanity's Fiend and an Exarion Universe. They were two other members of Daala's inner circle, but not quite as loyal as Skull Knight.

"You're kidding," said the Vanity's Fiend. "Daala was beaten?"

"And to think we were afraid of her!" said the Universe. "We can take her out right now…"

"Quiet!" exclaimed Skull Knight. "She's in a rotten mood… I had to give her my own stash of mocha fudge ice cream last night to keep the chef from being flogged. Not that he didn't deserve it, but I didn't want the guy who was in charge of making dinner to be tortured.

"If she hears you two…"

"She'll do what?" said the Fiend. "It's time for a change."

"Oh, really?" said a voice.

They all turned around, and saw the Chaos Sorcerer walking towards them.

"Did I just hear talk of treason?" he said.

"Not from me…" said Skull Knight, backing up. "It was them…"

"And who's gonna stop us?" asked the Universe. "You? You yourself lost to Ren."

Chaos Sorcerer chuckled. He slipped a Disk onto his arm, which oddly enough, was a standard one, rather than the strange one that he had when he dueled Ren.

"You two are free to go in there and challenge Daala for the crown," he said. "But you have to get by me first."

"You know," said Vanity's Fiend, lifting his own Disk, "I see no problem with that…"

"Well, let's make it interesting…" said Chaos Sorcerer. "I'll take you both on at once!"

Simultaneously, three Disks activated…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"So…" said Chelsea, as they walked down the dirt road. "We're looking for some sort of amphitheater?"

"That's what the note said," said Yumi. "Although I'd think that if there was a theater in this place, we would have…"

They stopped short.

"…seen… it… already…"

In front of them was a structure that was indeed an amphitheater. It looked very old, just like everything in Nexus.

It was a very large, outdoor stage, the back a dome shape for amplifying sound, in front of rows of seats. Statues were posed at various points, and the two masks of Comedy and Tragedy were perched at the apex.

Yumi shook her head as they walked down to the huge stage. The spatial laws of Xanadu got pretty creepy at times.

"Well, we're here," said Ren. "So who's in charge?"

"Say there!" said a voice from the stage. "Are you folks here for the show?"

They looked up, and saw a man who had apparently come from backstage. He was dressed in a very odd costume – odd to say the least. It was a traditional Japanese costume; a flowing robe with a long, white wig, and white makeup with red lines on his face. He also wore a standard-issue Duel Disk on his arm.

"Who are you?" said Sam. "Some sort of cosplay duelist?"

The costumed duelist crossed his arms.

"I am Kabukid," he said. "Duelist and showman, who was once the best performing duelist on the Pro League circuit."

"Performing duelist?" asked Erik.

"Wait, I heard about this guy…" said Yumi. "Jaden Yuki mentioned him in his autobiography… He dueled him in the Genex tournament. This guy was able to combine dueling with acting in order to entertain."

"Indeed," said Kabukid. "Ah, yes, I remember Jaden… Such spirit for one so young…

"But enough of that… Who has come to be my opponent?"

"This guy is another AI program, right?" asked Chelsea.

"Who cares?" chuckled Ren, "I like him already!"

He climbed up onto the stage.

"Okay, pal, I think that would be me."

"Very well, Nii-Chan," said Kabuki. "The rest of you have a seat…"

_Nii-Chan?_ thought Ren. _Whoa, I barely even know this guy…_

"Before we begin, lest I forget," said Kabukid, "I assume you have one of these?"

He pulled one of Joan's feathers out of his robe.

Ren nodded and took out his own.

"Daala would love to tear this theater down," said Kabukid, "but the members of the resistance are sure to run to defend it at the first sign of trouble. And I'm no slouch myself."

Ren readied his Disk as his allies sat down.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said Kabukid, "thank you all for coming. It is my pleasure to present, in duel form, 'Yoshitsune's Thousand Cherry Trees'.

"Lights…"

Then the lights around them dimmed, which was incredibly odd, seeing as they were outdoors. A spotlight fell on the stage.

Kabukid made a bow. Ren shrugged, and then bowed back.

"Game on," he said.

**(Ren: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Kabukid: 8,000)**

"You ever seen that one, Sam?" asked Chelsea.

"I may be rich, Chelsea, but I'm not that much into high-society events," replied Sam.

Kabukid made his first draw and quickly chose a card.

"It begins!" he said. "If I may quote from the immortal Bard, 'All the world's a stage, the men and women merely players'.

"If such a statement is true… Welcome to my world…"

He placed the card into his Field Slot.

"I play Kabuki Stage – Big Bridge!"

As he played the card, a foggy mist rose around them, and the backdrop of the huge amphitheater behind him opened, showing some elaborately painted scenery. It depicted a wooden bridge over a river, with a meadow on the other side, with a rainbow in the sky.

"Uh, very pretty…" said Ren.

"Next," said Kabukid, "I'll summon one of my stars… I bring a flower to the set… Yoshitsune, the Tengu Beauty!"

In a burst of energy, a female figure appeared in mid air. She wore a white martial arts battle dress, had a fancy hairstyle, and carried a katana by her side.

She gracefully landed on the stage. (800/800)

"Odd," said Erik. "I always thought that Yoshitsune was more… Masculine…"

"In Kabuki, it's quite common for men to play female roles," said Yumi.

_And I expected him to be stronger,_ thought Ren.

"Next, I play a facedown card, and then play Footsteps of Fharlanghn," said Kabukid.

A facedown card appeared, followed by a Continuous Spell. It bore the image of a man in traveling clothes and a long beard, traveling down a scenic path.

"End scene," said Kabuki.

"Uh, I take that to mean you're ending your turn…" said Ren.

He drew a card.

He looked over his six cards.

_Not bad…_ he thought. _I have a feeling that Yoshitsune is tougher than she looks, but it's not like my life is riding on this duel…_

"I'm summoning a leading lady of my own," he said. "Go, Getsu Fuhma!"

With a war cry, the dark, lady ronin appeared, brandishing her katana. (1,700/1,200)

"Attack his Tengu!" he shouted. "Whirlwind blade!"

Getsu Fuhma leapt at Yoshitsune.

"My star won't let your upstage her!" shouted Kabukid. "She has a special ability… Since Getsu Fuhma has more than 1,000 points, my Tengu can move into Defense Mode."

Yoshitsune knelt down and crossed her arms.

"She still won't survive this attack!" said Ren.

"Yes she will," said Kabukid. "Because if she's in Defense Mode, she gains the ability to dodge one attack per turn."

Yoshitsune leapt up, and over Getsu's head, clear of her sword.

_I was right…_ thought Ren. _She's tougher than she looks…_

"That's not all," said Kabukid. "Due to your attack, the effect of my Stage activates, and a new character is introduced from my hand…

"Presenting, Mataza the Zapper!"

He played the card, and a stern-faced ronin in green, leather armor, wearing a headband and holding a katana, materialized next to Yoshitsune. (1,300/800)

"Oh, just great…" muttered Ren.

He knew how dangerous Mataza could be… He had him in his own deck.

"I'll throw this facedown, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared behind Getsu.

Kabukid drew, and looked at the card.

"I activate Pot of Greed," he said.

He played the card, and the green jar appeared in front of him.

"And in response to that, I activate this…"

His facedown card activated.

"Serial Spell. Now, I just discard the last card in my hand…"

He discarded his last card, which was Arms Hole.

"…and Pot of Greed's effect activates twice."

A second Pot of Greed appeared next to the first. Both of them vanished, and he drew four times.

"Man, this guy is good," said Chelsea.

"Yeah, but I doubt that Pot of Greed is the only card he could use Serial Spell with," said Yumi. "Ren had better be careful."

"Now, I move Yoshitsune back to Attack Mode…" said Kabukid.

Yoshitsune stood up.

"And then I give Mataza the powerful Halberd of the Sohei!"

Mataza's sword vanished, and a long naginata appeared in his hands. His Attack Score went up to 1,800.

"Mataza, attack Getsu Fuhma!" ordered Kabukid.

Mataza charged at Getsu, halberd-first.

"Not so fast!" shouted Ren. "I activate Rush Recklessly!"

His facedown card lifted. Getsu's Attack Score shot up to 2,400.

"So I'm cutting his act short!"

"Not quite," said Kabukid. "He can use that Halberd as a shield."

Getsu slashed at Mataza with her katana, and Mataza parried the blow with his weapon. The Halberd of the Sohei shattered into splinters, but he was unharmed.

Then the blade of the Halberd flew at Ren, and he grunted in pain.

"Also," said Kabukid with a chuckle, "when that happens, you lose 500 Life Points."

**(R: 7,500) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 7,400)**

"Yeah?" said Ren with a frown, taking a card from his hand. "Well, if this Stage of yours is a Field Spell, that means I can use it too. I summon Familiar Knight!"

In a burst of energy, the knight in shining armor appeared next to Getsu. (1,200/1,400)

"You forget," said Kabukid, "Mataza gets two attacks."

Mataza drew his katana, and slashed at Familiar Knight with it. The Knight shattered into pixels.

"Now I'm using Familiar Knight's effect!" shouted Ren. "We can both summon a Level Four Monster from our hands. And I'm going with Dark Blade!"

In another burst, the dark, armored Warrior appeared with his two scimitars. (1,800/1,500)

"Well, if I simply must," said Kabukid. "I summon Armed Samurai – Ben Kei!"

In a dark shadow, another Warrior appeared on Kabukid's side of the field. It was a battle-worn soldier, his tunic pierced with arrows, holding a pitted and well-worn naginata. He carried a pack of weapons slung to his back. (500/800)

"Ho… boy…" muttered Ren.

"To end this scene on a high note," said Kabukid, "I play Fairy of the Spring."

He played the card, and a glowing, humanoid form holding two long rods appeared behind him.

"Now the Halberd of the Sohei returns to me, so it will be making a return appearance next scene."

He took the card from his discard slot.

"And with that, my turn comes to a close…"

**(R: 7,400) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 7,400)**

Ren drew a card and surveyed the field.

_Okay,_ he thought. _I could take out Yoshitsune now…_

_But he has that nasty Halberd again, and even if he gave it to her, she wouldn't be strong enough to defeat either Getsu Fuhma or Dark Blade._

_On the other hand, Mataza is a problem…_

_And Ben Kei plus Equips is always bad news._

_I'll save her for later._

"Getsu, attack Mataza!"

Getsu Fuhma slashed with her katana. Mataza the Zapper was thrown backwards and shattered.

"Dark Blade, attack Ben Kei! Dark sword slash!"

Dark Blade made a savage cut with his sword, and the Armed Samurai burst into pixels.

"That's all for now…"

**(R: 7,400) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 5,700)**

"Not bad," said Kabukid. "If a bit crude…"

He drew a card.

He placed it in his Disk, and it appeared facedown. Then he played another card.

"Now I play The Warrior Returning Alive. Ben Kei will return once more."

The card slipped out of his discard slot. Then he played it, and Ben Kei appeared again. (500/800)

"Our first act is almost over," he said. "One more scene remains before the interlude, and I promise, it will bring an ovation. For now, it's your move…"

Ren slowly drew.

_I don't like that facedown card,_ he thought. _But, seeing as I can't get rid of it…_

"I summon Double Pinaska!"

With another war cry, the rapier-wielding Spaniard somersaulted onto the field. (1,500/1,500)

"Attack Ben Kei!" he shouted.

Double Pinaska charged at the Armed Samurai…

"Not this time!" shouted Kabukid. "Activate… Negate Attack!"

His facedown card lifted up, and a wave of energy emitted from the card, pushing Double Pinaska back.

"Ho… kay," said Ren. "In that case, I end my turn…"

Kabukid quickly drew a card.

"Now, the Halberd of the Sohei goes to Ben Kei," he said.

The Halberd appeared in Ben Kei's hands, and his Attack Score rose to 1,000.

"And now… I play Great Mié."

"Great what?" said Ren.

"This Spell Card takes 500 Attack Points from your Monsters, and adds them to mine," said Kabukid.

All five Monsters on the field glowed with energy. Yoshitsune rose to an Attack Score of 1,300, while Ben Kei rose to 1,500. Meanwhile, on Ren's side of the field, Dark Blade decreased to 1,300, Getsu Fuhma to 1,200, and Double Pinaska to 1,000.

"Super…" muttered Ren.

"Ben Kei…" ordered Kabukid, "attack his Dark Blade!"

Ben Kei rushed at Dark Blade.

"Not so fast!" shouted Ren. "I activate Double Pinaska's special ability, to deflect your attack!"

Double Pinaska rushed in front of Dark Blade, and parried Ben Kei's thrust with his rapiers . He gave the Samurai a kick, and he fell backwards.

"And I activate Ben Kei's effect," said Kabukid, "letting him attack an extra time for each Equip Spell he has.

"Attack that armored rogue!"

Ben Kei slashed at Dark Blade again, and the knight exploded into shards.

"Yoshitsune, attack Getsu Fuhma!"

The Tengu Beauty leapt into the air gracefully and drew her katana…

She slashed at Getsu, and the ronin fell to her knees. She burst into pixels.

"Act One comes to a close," said Kabukid, as the backdrop behind him closed, "but our production is far from over. I'll send my Stage to the Graveyard to set the scene for Act Two…

"Kabuki Stage – Cherry Blossom Mountain!"

Cherry blossoms started to fill the air as the backdrop opened again, with new scenery. This time, it depicted a sugarloaf mountain, surrounded by a forest of cherry trees and fluffy purple clouds.

"At this point, the effect of Footsteps of Fharlanghn comes into play," he said. "Due to the fact that a new Field Spell was played, I can now draw two cards."

He made two draws, and looked at the cards.

"And now, a new character enters the fray," he said, playing a new card. "The lovely Shizuka, the Heavenly Dancing Girl."

He played a card, and a new female figure appeared in front of him. It was a lovely young woman in traditional Japanese costume and a fancy hairstyle, holding a decorated fan. (300/600)

"Eh?" said Ren.

"Now, I give her this…" said Kabukid. "Drum of the Fabled Curse."

He played a new Equip Spell, and Shizuka glowed slightly for a few seconds.

_Strange,_ thought Yumi. _That Equip Spell didn't seem to do anything. Ren had better watch himself._

"I set this," said Kabukid, as a facedown card appeared. "My turn now ends, and with it, so do the effects of Great Mié."

Yoshitsune fell back down to an Attack Score of 800, while Ben Kei fell to 1,000. Double Pinaska rose to 1,500.

**(R: 7,100) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 5,700)**

"So, what'd I miss?" said a voice next to Yumi.

Yumi turned her head, and saw Jesse sitting in the chair next to her.

"Jesse?!" she said.

"Nice to see you too," he said. "I heard that Kabukid was helping Ren before you guys went out… Kabukid is a great morale boost…"

"Why?" said Sam. "Does he always lose?"

"No…" said Jesse. "He's got style. Style is something that most people in Xanadu sincerely lack. Most of Daala's men are a bit on the crude side. After all the big, scary Monsters, Kabukid's a refreshing change of pace.

"I just hope this ends before he brings out his star Monster… It's pretty big and scary itself…"

"Ho boy…" said Yumi.

"Okay, let's see here…" said Ren, drawing a card.

"I play… Graceful Charity!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and quickly drew three cards. He looked them over.

_Damn, where's Heavy Storm when you need it?_ he thought.

He discarded Dark Eruption and Penumbral Soldier Lady.

"Next," he said, "I play Premature Burial, to bring Penumbral Soldier Lady back to the field."

He played the card, and the armored, dark, female Warrior with a longsword and shield appeared. (2,100/1,400)

"Next, I play my own Warrior Returning Alive. I'll bring back my own Dark Blade, and summon him."

Dark Blade slipped out of his discard slot. He played the card, and the armored Warrior appeared again. (1,800/1,500)

"Now, Dark Blade, attack…

"Huh?"

His command had apparently started something… A storm of cherry blossoms.

"HA, HA, HA!" laughed Kabukid. "It's my signature move! Whenever a battle occurs on Cherry Blossom Mountain, the attacker's target is chosen at random!"

Dark Blade raised his sword, and a figure started to appear in the middle of the storm.

It came into view. It was Shizuka.

"HA!" laughed Ren. "She was the one I was aiming for, sucker!"

"You might have reconsidered once you knew about her effect," said Kabukid, as Dark Blade flew at the Heavenly Dancing Girl. "When she's attacked, I gain 600 Life Points."

"Well, you're about to lose a lot more," said Ren.

"Not as many as you think," said Kabukid. "Remember her Drum of the Fabled Curse? Since she has it, I can now summon Battle Claw Kitsune, and redirect the attack to her."

"Huh?" said Ren. "Who?"

Then, in a burst of energy, a new feminine figure appeared, but this one was not as innocent-looking as Shizuka. It was a wild-looking young woman, dressed in peasant's clothing, with sharp claws in place of hands. (800/800)

Dark Blade swung his sword, and the Kitsune was blown to pixels.

"Ergh!" grunted Kabukid. "Enjoy that while you can. Anyone who battles Battle Claw Kitsune is slain at the end of the scene."

"Nuts," said Ren. "Sorry about that, Blade…

"But let's try this again…

"Penumbral Soldier Lady… Attack!"

Penumbral Soldier Lady lifted her sword, and the storm of cherry blossoms started again. A figure appeared in them…

She was heading right for Shizuka again.

"Aw, naw!" shouted Ren.

"Once again, I gain 600 Life Points," said Kabukid. "And once again…"

A second Battle Claw Kitsune appeared with a hiss. (800/800) Penumbral Soldier Lady swung her sword, smashing her to bits.

"Third time's the charm," muttered Ren. "Double Pinaska, attack!"

Double Pinaska lifted his blades, and the storm started again. Ren was relieved to see Ben Kei appear out of the storm this time.

"Don't forget," said Kabukid, "he still has the Halberd of the Sohei."

Double Pinaska slashed with his rapier, but Ben Kei blocked with his weapon. The Halberd shattered, and the blade flew into Ren. Ren cried out in pain.

"All right…" muttered Ren. "So that round was a big bust. I guess I'll set these facedown, and end my turn…"

Two facedown cards appeared behind Double Pinaska. The two phantoms of the Kitsune appeared behind Dark Blade and Penumbral Soldier Lady. The two Warriors shattered into shards.

**(R: 5,800) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 4,100)**

Kabukid drew a card and looked at it.

"My friends," he said, "it's time to bring us to the closing act of our play…"

The backdrop closed again.

"We bid adieu to Cherry Blossom Mountain, and in its place I bring you… Kabuki Stage – The Rough Seas!"

Lightning flashed, and the backdrop opened again, revealing a scene of a stormy ocean, with a ship tossing amid the waves.

"Once again, Footsteps of Fharlanghn activates…"

He drew two cards, and added them to his hand.

"With this backdrop in place," he continued, taking a card from his deck, "each duelist may take a high-level player from his deck each round, which is just what I need to bring out my true star…

"Shizuka, Ben Kei, exit stage left…"

Shizuka and Ben Kei vanished into grains of light.

_A double sacrifice?_ thought Ren. _Whoa, this must be some Monster…_

"Come forth!" shouted Kabukid. "Ghengis Ghun the Dragon Lord!"

Lightning flashed again, and a huge Monster appeared, not on the stage, but _above_ it. A giant, oriental dragon with a thick, serpentine torso and golden scales loomed over the field, with flames in its eyes. (2,800/2,300)

"Aw, man…" said Yumi. "Ren's in trouble… Big time…"

Ren's eyes slowly moved to one of his facedown cards…

"Now, I play Pot of Avarice," said Kabukid, playing a Spell Card.

Shizuka, Ben Kei, Mataza, and both Kitsune slipped out of his discard slot, and he shuffled them into his deck. He made two draws.

"Hmm," he said, looking at them. "Now, my Trap Card activates… Reinforcements!"

His facedown card lifted up, and Ghengis Ghun rose to an Attack Score of 3,300.

Ren gulped.

"Ghengis Ghun, attack his Spaniard!" ordered Kabukid.

The Dragon Lord opened its huge jowls. Amazingly, it had a cannon in its mouth.

A blast of pure energy blasted from the cannon. Ren cringed as Double Pinaska was blown to atoms.

"Beauty," shouted Kabukid, "attack him directly!"

Yoshitsune leapt at Ren, and drew her katana again…

She slashed at him with her weapon, causing him to fall on his back.

Kabukid placed a card in his Disk and a new facedown card appeared.

"And… That should be all for now…" he said.

**(R: 3,200) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 4,100)**

Then Ren started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" asked Kabukid.

"Man…" said Ren, getting up. "To think… I used to think that live theater was boring!

"I guess it's true what they say… You just have to look at something in a different way, and you'll find the beauty in it."

"Indeed," said Kabukid.

"My move," said Ren, drawing a card.

"And I play Card of Demise. Now I get to draw until I have five cards."

He made three draws. He looked them over.

"Next, I'm going to use the effect of your Field Spell to add a Monster of my own to my hand."

A card slipped out of his deck and he took it.

"And since you have two Monsters, and I have none, I can Special Summon him… The Fiend Megacyber!"

In an explosion of dark energy, the armored, cybernetic Warrior appeared. (2,200/1,200)

"Not quite strong enough," said Kabukid.

"I was getting to that," said Ren. "Next, I summon Armageddon Knight."

He played a new card, and the Dark Warrior in worn, rusty armor, wearing a scarf and holding a cutlass appeared. (1,400/1,200)

"When he's summoned, I get to send a Dark Monster from my deck to the Graveyard."

A card slipped out of his deck. He looked at it, and then discarded it.

"Now I play… Double Spell. I toss this…"

He discarded his copy of Magical Mallet.

"…and I can use one Spell Card in your Graveyard. And the one I think I'll use… is your Great Mié."

The art for Double Spell turned into that for Great Mié. All four Monsters on the field glowed, and Yoshitsune fell to an Attack of 300, and Ghengis Ghun fell to 2,300. Armageddon Knight rose to 1,900, while The Fiend Megacyber rose to 2,700.

"Not a bad idea," chuckled Kabukid. "Do you suppose it will actually work?"

"Let's find out!" shouted Ren. "Fiend Megacyber, attack that big Dragon!"

The Fiend Megacyber bore his blades, and then made a great leap, flying towards Ghengis Ghun. The huge Dragon roared.

"Time for a plot twist!" shouted Kabukid. "I activate the Trap Card, Thousand Strings!"

His facedown card lifted, and a mass of strings shot out of it. All the Monsters on the field – Yoshitsune, The Fiend Megacyber, Armageddon Knight, and Ghengis Ghun itself – were ensnared and tangled in them.

"This Trap Card negates your attack, and strips all Monsters on the field of all their strength!" laughed Kabukid.

Ren watched, as the Attack Scores of all four Monsters fell to zero.

"Uhm… Interesting…" he said. "Well then… I guess it's time for that plot device that always makes for a good movie, at least…"

One of his facedown cards lifted.

"The ironic surprise ending! Go, Call of the Haunted!"

Another burst of dark energy appeared on the field, and Crescent Moon Queen appeared, holding her scimitars aloft. (2,600/1,700)

"HUH?" shouted Kabukid.

"And now…" said Ren, as his second facedown card lifted, "Rising Energy!"

He quickly discarded the last card in his hand, and the Queen's Attack Score rose to 4,100.

Crescent Moon Queen leapt at the huge Dragon Lord, and with one swipe of her sword, cut it in twain. Kabukid cringed, and fell over as the remains shattered.

**(R: 3,200) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 0)**

The Monsters and the backdrop vanished.

Ren walked up to Kabukid.

"Need a hand pal?" he asked. "I have no idea how you can duel wearing that costume."

Kabukid sighed.

"I guess I need to practice more…" he said. "The ending didn't turn out quite according to script…"

"Don't sweat it," said Ren. "You almost had me. I think I saw what you were planning."

"Oh?" said Kabukid.

"Yeah," said Ren. "If I hadn't won that turn, you would have used the effect of your Stage to get a second Ghengis Ghun. Then you would have sacrificed Yoshitsune and the powerless Ghengis Ghun for a full-strength one, and come close to finishing me off.

"Bottom line is, you aren't bad."

Yumi sighed.

"Well said," she said, standing up. "Now, I hope that we've had enough entertainment. We've dilly-dallied enough.

"Any time you guys are ready, Darkspire is waiting."

"I sure am ready," said Erik.

"Well, be careful!" said Sam. "This time, if we meet up with Ansatsu or Doma the Angel of Silence, or Ocubeam, or some other Spirit of an outdated card, don't insult it like you did with Shapesnatch. These creatures can be pretty sensitive…"

"There are so many old Monster Cards that no-one uses any more because they're high-Level, weak, and have no effects," muttered Erik. "Maybe they should form a club…

"Hey, that's an idea!"

"What?" said Chelsea.

"I'll suggest it to Joan," said Erik. "She can make offers to any Duel Spirits that are scorned for lack of value in the game. The recruits for the rebellion will come in even faster!

"I mean, if Shapesnatch is any indication, they can still duel with cards that are better than their own."

Everyone looked at him.

"Not a bad idea…" said Jesse. "Hey, I'll stick around and mention it to her when she gets back. I'll be sure to tell her it was your idea."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Vanity's Fiend and Exarion Universe fell to the floor with a crash.

"Well, let's see now…" said Chaos Sorcerer, as his Disk deactivated. "What to do with you clowns… I could report this to Daala… She'd have you locked up and tortured for plotting against her, of course. And _that's_ if she's in a _good_ mood.

"Which she isn't…

"But… I'm feeling rather generous today… I think I'll keep my mouth shut for now, so long as there's no more talk of treason.

"You two can consider this your once-in-a-lifetime, gods-know-why-I'm-being-so-nice-to-you, get-out-of-jail-free ticket. And you only get one."

The two Spirits got up, as he turned and walked away.

"Skull Knight…" muttered Vanity's Fiend, "you're second in command, right?"

"Uh, yeah…" said Skull Knight.

"Well what the devil _is_ he?" asked the Universe.

Skull Knight sighed.

"I don't know for sure," he said, "but I believe that Daala has a… benefactor of some sort who lives outside of Xanadu. I think that Chaos Sorcerer may well be an intermediary between her and this benefactor.

"Whatever the case, Chaos Sorcerer is definitely an ally, not a servant. He exists outside the rules of Xanadu. And you'd best not make him mad."

They both looked in the direction where he had gone.

"So Daala is keeping secrets from us?" said Universe with a scowl.

"They're hers to keep," said Chaos Sorcerer's voice.

The two Spirits jumped at this comment.

They had no idea he had still been listening.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**YOSHITSUNE, THE TENGU BEAUTY (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 800  
**DEF:** 800

**Card Description:** If this card is attacked by a Monster with 1,000 Attack Points or more while in Attack Position, switch it into face-up Defense Position. While this card is in face-up Defense Position, you can negate one attack against it per turn.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**SHIZUKA THE HEAVENLY DANCING GIRL (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fairy/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 300  
**DEF:** 600

**Card Description:** When this card is targeted by an attack, increase the Life Points of the controller of this card by 600.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**BATTLE CLAW KITSUNE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Beast-Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 800  
**DEF:** 800

**Card Description:** A Monster that engages in battle with this card is destroyed at the End Phase of the turn.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GHENGIS GHUN, THE DRAGON LORD (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Dragon  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,800  
**DEF:** 2,300

**Flavor Text:** This powerful dragon lord rules the seas. It is believed to have divine powers.

_Note: In the anime, this card had an orange border, indicating that it was an Effect Monster. However, Kabukid did not reveal or use its effect. Thus, it is presented here as a Normal Monster._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**THOUSAND STRINGS (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A Kabuki actor amid a tangle of strings.

**Card Description:** This card can be activated when a Monster engages in battle. Negate the attack and reduce the ATK of all face-up Monsters on the field to zero. The ATK of Monsters affected by this card remain zero until they are no longer face-up on the field.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**KABUKI STAGE – BIG BRIDGE (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image:** A wooden bridge, under a blue sky with a puffy cloud.

**Card Description:** All Monsters that are Normal Summoned or Special Summoned must be summoned in Attack Position. When a player declares an attack, his opponent may Special Summon a Level Four or lower Monster from his hand. By sending this card to the Graveyard, you may search your deck for one Field Spell with the words "Kabuki Stage" in its name and activate it. This effect may only be used once per turn.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**KABUKI STAGE – CHERRY BLOSSOM MOUNTAIN (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image:** A sugarloaf mountain surrounded by pink clouds and cherry trees.

**Card Description:** All Monsters that are Normal Summoned or Special Summoned must be summoned in Attack Position. When a player declares an attack, and his opponent has two or more Monsters on the field, the attack target is chosen at random. By sending this card to the Graveyard, you may search your deck for one Field Spell with the words "Kabuki Stage" in its name and activate it. This effect may only be used once per turn.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**KABUKI STAGE – THE ROUGH SEAS (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image:** A stormy ocean scene, with a ship tossing in the water.

**Card Description:** All Monsters that are Normal Summoned or Special Summoned must be summoned in Attack Position. Once per turn, during his Main Phase, a player may search his deck for a Monster that is Level Five or higher and add it to his hand. By sending this card to the Graveyard, you may search your deck for one Field Spell with the words "Kabuki Stage" in its name and activate it. This effect may only be used once per turn.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**HALBERD OF THE SOHEI (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image:** Armed Samurai Ben Kei thrusting a halberd forward.

**Card Description:** This card may be Equipped to a Warrior-Type Monster. Increase the ATK of the Equipped Monster by 500. When the Equipped Monster would be destroyed as a result of battle, destroy this card to negate the destruction (battle damage still applies). If this card is destroyed in this manner, inflict 500 points of direct damage to your opponent.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DRUM OF THE FABLED CURSE (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image:** A wooden drum covered with skins.

Card Description: When the Monster Equipped with this card is the target of an attack, Special Summon one "Battle Claw Kitsune" from your hand or deck. Then, conduct the battle as normal and switch the target of the attack to "Battle Claw Kitsune".

**0**

**0**

**0**

**GREAT MIÉ (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** The face of a man wearing Kabuki makeup, with red lines on the left half and blue lines on the right.

**Card Description:** Decrease the ATK of all face-up opposing Monsters by 500 and increase the ATK of all of your face-up Monsters by 500. These changes last until the End Phase of the turn this card was activated.

_Note: The proceeding eleven cards were first used by Kabukid/Orlando in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "The Art of the Duel". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**FOOTSTEPS OF FHARLANGHN (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image:** A man in traveling clothes and a long beard, traveling down a scenic path.

**Card Description:** You can only activate this card when there is a Field Spell face-up on your side of the field. If the current Field Spell is removed from the field via any method that doesn't involve playing a new Field Spell, destroy this card. Each time a new Field Spell is played that does not have the same name as the one that was on the field at the time the new Field Spell was played, draw two cards from your deck.

**0**

**0**

**0**

**KITEROID (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level:** 1  
**ATK:** 200  
**DEF:** 400

**Card Description:** Discard this card from your hand to reduce the battle damage from a direct attack to zero. If this card is in the Graveyard and was not sent there via this effect, you can, once per duel, reduce the battle damage from a direct attack to zero.

_Note: "Kiteroid" first appeared in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX episode "What Lies Beneath (Part Three)", but Syrus did not use it in an actual duel until the fourth season. Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DRAGONROID (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,900  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description:** When this card is in the Graveyard, it is considered a Dragon-Type Monster.

_Note: "Dragonroid" was first used by Syrus in a fourth season episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX". Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**Enough recreation. Time to get back to business. Before they can even get to Darkspire, the team has to transverse a dangerous stretch of road, where an enigmatic figure named the Mechanic rules. Erik is forced into a duel against toys of a different type. Don't miss "Lethal Highway", coming soon.**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Name that Card!**_

_**The card that you received for attending the **__**Duel Monster 1 Tournament on February 21**__**st**__**, 1999, was very unremarkable as far as Monsters go. However, since this was the only place you have ever been able to get this card for the TCG, it is now considered priceless. Can you name it?**_


	28. Lethal Highway

**_What collector's item did you have to be at the right place at the right time to receive? If you said "Kanan the Swordmistress", you were successfully able to Name that Card!_**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Many people ask why I duel using a deck full of toys. My usual answer is, "Why not?" The truth is, my deck chose me more than I chose it.**_

_**There's a thing about toys… You never really outgrow them. My mom once told me that the major difference between kids and adults is the price of their toys. Boys have their action figures, girls have their Barbie dolls, and their fathers have those new cars that they buy after they get a windfall. Mothers aren't very possessive, but they often buy things that they don't really need, like a fancy cutlery set, full of lots of knives that they'll only ever use half of.**_

_**No one is innocent of wanting toys to amuse them… And I'm facing an enemy on this dangerous stretch of road who uses toys that are downright dangerous…**_

_**The time to play is past… DUEL.**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lethal Highway**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Outside of KaibaCorp, Sheena's limo was parked. Sheena, Olga, and Nicholas were sitting in the back seat, Sheena using a laptop. More cars were parked around them.

She placed the disk that Ting had given them in the CD slot.

"Okay," she said. "I've used my private entrance to get into the computer. If this program does what it's supposed to do, it should drive that Zachtrigger's Magnet out and keep it out. And we'll be ready to move in and take back what's ours once we do that.

"In theory, that is…

"Both of you, keep your fingers crossed…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The theater-style duel seemed to do its job, so after saying goodbye to Jesse, the team was in high hopes as they took the path to the place she described as Route 13, the passageway to Darkspire.

However, their thoughts turned grim as they exited Nexus.

They were standing in the middle of a dark, lonely highway. No cars were around, and they were under a gloomy sky, full of smog. They could barely see some city lights in the distance, which they assumed was their destination.

"So now what?" asked Chelsea.

They heard the hum of motors ahead, and watched as six motorcycles approached. They saw that only one of them had a rider – they didn't know how he was moving the others.

The rider pulled up in front of them. He was well-dressed, in a silver formal jacket, slacks, a black shirt, and a loosely-fitting necktie.

He removed his helmet, revealing a handsome face with blue eyes and grey hair with bangs.

"Aster?" gasped Ren. "Aster Phoenix?"

"In the flesh," said the youth. "Or rather, in the virtually imitated flesh. Joan thought you guys could use some help getting around Darkspire, and I'm her specialist in this part of Xanadu."

"Ho boy…" said Ren. "This is… this is an honor…"

"Ren, don't embarrass yourself," said Chelsea.

"You've got the best Dark Warriors ever made!" gasped Ren. "I have a million questions…"

"Well, why don't you ask me them on the way?" said Aster. "Route 13 may look desolate and empty, but Daala does have a few Spirits patrolling it from time to time."

"Right," said Yumi.

They mounted the bikes, and donned the helmets that were supplied. In the next minute, they were headed towards Darkspire.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, alone inside her throne room, Daala was speaking on a phone.

"That's right," she said. "Wait until they're in position. I'm sending someone to keep them occupied. Then, Operation Acrophobia will come to order.

"Yeah, yeah, I _know_ that 'Operation Acrophobia' is a silly name! You have to give these things names that wouldn't come up in casual conversation!

"Hold on, I got another call."

She hit a button on the phone.

As she listened, a panicked voice yelled in her ear.

"Milady!" it shouted. "You'd best get down here! We're losing KaibaCorp's computer!"

"WHAT?" shouted Daala.

"The Zachtrigger's Magnet…" said the voice. "It's been… It's been destroyed! Sheena and her technicians are taking back control fast!"

Daala slammed the phone into the ground, smashing it, and ran from the room.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The six motorcycles sped across Route 13, a stretch of road that was clearly in need of maintenance. Trash was everywhere, and the rails off to the sides were bent and rusted.

Beyond those rails seemed only dark fog. Aster had told them that there was nothing but a void beyond the sides of the road, and no-one was willing to explore it.

"We're halfway there!" shouted Aster. "Once we clear the bridge, we'll be in Darkspire proper."

"I dunno," called Chelsea. "It seems a little too easy…"

Then they heard the sounds of much noisier motors behind them.

"Oh…" she shouted. "I'm sick of always being right!"

"We got company, guys!" shouted Sam.

They looked in their rearview mirrors and saw five bikers chasing them, fiendish-looking Duel Spirits riding demonic cycles. Two of them rode silvery bikes, had green skin, and carried weapons that looked like the blades from a rotary saw. (1,700/1,500 x2) Two others rode rust-red cycles, wore armor that was the same color, and carried long pikes. (1,400/1,500 x2) The apparent leader rode a bike with a huge skull in the front, and wore blue armor and a horned helmet. (1,900/1,850)

"Lovely!" shouted Yumi. "Looks like we've got two Diskblade Riders, two Chaosrider Gustaphs, and a Dokurorider to deal with!"

"Maybe we can outrun them," called Ren.

"No good!" shouted Aster. "Those things are practically born riding their bikes! Evel Knievel himself wouldn't have been able to outride even one of them!"

"Don't worry!" shouted Ren. "I got an idea! Let's hope my powers over stone work on asphalt…"

As the rider Monsters started to gain, he gestured, and the road behind them buckled. A wall of pavement shot up between them, and the next thing they heard were five screams, and the sound of the five Monsters wiping out.

"HA, HA!" laughed Aster. "Good job! They're so good at going fast, they forgot how to use the brakes!"

Then the barrier exploded into a burst of pebbles, and a much larger Monster sped through. It was a ten-foot-tall thing that looked like a cross between a car and a very dangerous robot. Exhaust poured from multiple pipes. (2,800/2,000)

"Aw, no!" shouted Ren. "That's a Demonic Motor Omega!"

Aster pulled his bike to a stop, and everyone followed suit. He activated his Disk and drew a card.

"Go!" he shouted, throwing a card on it. "Destiny Hero Devilguy!"

A spooky-looking, man-sized creature appeared in front of him. He wore a black bodysuit, a cape with an exaggerated color, claws on his hands, and a skull-like full-face mask. (600/800)

The Destiny Hero flew at the mad Machine and gripped at it with his claw. The Omega vanished in a burst of energy.

"All right!" shouted Chelsea. "He vaporized it!"

"No he didn't," said Aster. "Devilguy sent it a minute or two into the future. When it comes back, it's probably gonna be angry."

Ren quickly drew a card.

"You got anything stronger than him right now?" he asked.

"Uhm…" said Aster, drawing a card.

"I'll sacrifice him for Destiny Hero Dashguy!"

Devilguy vanished, and a new Destiny Hero appeared. This one also looked like he was part car, but was much slimmer and more streamlined than the Omega, with a glossy, black casing. (2,100/1,000)

"Okay, that will do," said Ren, placing a card in his Disk.

A facedown card appeared.

"Be ready to attack that thing when it comes back…"

They looked tensely at the spot where it had vanished.

"You mind telling me what you're planning?" asked Aster.

Ren was about to tell him, but he didn't get a chance. The Demonic Motor Omega reappeared. It furiously sped at Dashguy.

"GO!" shouted Ren, as the facedown card lifted. "Rush Recklessly!"

Dashguy's Attack Score rose to 2,800, and its own engine started. It sped towards the Machine…

In a deafening explosion, both Monsters were blown to scrap.

When everyone could look again, only a scorched crater remained of the Omega.

"Well," said Aster, "that's that…"

"Uh, guys…" said Erik.

Another motorcycle was slowly pulling up from ahead of them. But it wasn't a Duel Spirit this time.

The biker got off, and apparently, he had taken pains to conceal his identity. He was wearing a long, brown trenchcoat and gloves, and his face was concealed by dark sunglasses, a scarf, and an old, battered fedora. He also wore a standard-issue Duel Disk.

"Well, what have we here?" he said. "Six duelists lost on Lethal Highway…"

"Lethal Highway?" said Aster. "That's the first time I've ever heard Route 13 called that."

"Times change," said the man. "You should know that there's a toll in effect now."

"Who are you?" asked Erik.

The man chuckled.

"Can't give my name right now," he said. "You can call me the Mechanic if you like. I'm the ruler of Lethal Highway now…"

"You rule a broken down stretch of road?" asked Ren. "I can bet no-one's ever challenged you for that position."

"This road has more strategic value than you think," said the Mechanic. "It's the main thoroughfare into and out of Darkspire, and Darkspire is the industrial center of Xanadu. The Realm Lord is working on numerous projects in his factories, and once they're done, this road will be the supply line. Daala wouldn't have put me in charge if she didn't trust me.

"And those rider Monsters were nothing. There's a lot more where they came from. You want to get into Darkspire, you'll have to get past me."

Erik sighed.

"I'll handle it," he said.

He walked up to the man.

"I've dealt with tougher," he said. "If you're too afraid to even give your name, how tough can you be?"

The man rubbed his chin.

"Okay, make you a deal," he said. "You want to play a little game?"

"Game?" asked Erik. "Depends."

"Yeah," said the Mechanic. "See, I'm an AI program just like fancy pants over there. So… if you can correctly guess who I am before the duel ends, I'll surrender and let you all by."

"No joke?" said Erik.

"That's the deal," said the Mechanic. "Now, let's see your Deck Lord."

Erik gestured, and Blockman appeared behind him.

"HA!" laughed the Mechanic. "Pathetic… Mine is a lot better…"

Then a huge creature started to land behind him, like a rocket making a landing. Everyone gasped at the huge Machine. It looked like it was part robot and part jet plane, like something out of _Gundam Wing_.

"Meet my Armoroid Gaidengo," said the Mechanic.

"Bigger isn't always better," said Erik.

"We'll see," said the Mechanic, as the two Disks activated.

"Game on!" they shouted.

**(Erik: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Mechanic: 8,000)**

"Feh," said the Mechanic, "feel free to make the first move…"

"Fine," said Erik, making a draw.

"I play a facedown, and then summon my Toy Tank."

A facedown card appeared, and then Toy Tank appeared, aiming its turret. (1,300/1,100)

"And that's all for now."

The Mechanic simply drew. It was clear he wasn't impressed.

"I'll set a Monster of my own in Defense Mode," he said, as a Defensive Monster appeared, "and that's all for me."

_I have to be careful,_ thought Erik, drawing a card. _He's clearly using Machines, and Machines aren't known for Flip-Effects, aside from Dekoichi…_

_Yeah, that's most likely what it is… But I'll stay on the safe side…_

"I summon Toy Magician," he said.

He played the card, and the toy Spellcaster appeared.

"Take out his facedown Monster!" he shouted. "Sparkle blast!"

Toy Magician aimed his scepter and fired…

Then he was struck by a backlash, and fell backwards.

Crouching on the card now was a large mach truck, with eyes for headlights, and arms in front with tires for hands. (1,000/2,000)

"You just attacked my Truckroid," said the Mechanic, "and he's a little too strong for your Spellcaster."

"Okay, okay, let me get this straight…" said Erik. "A big rig is better at defending than it is at attacking? That makes no sense!"

"Well, uhm…" said the Mechanic. "See, it… Uhm…

"Okay, fine! It doesn't make sense to me either! But I go with what works."

Erik turned a card on his Disk.

"I'll move Toy Tank to Defense Mode," he said, "and that will be all."

**(E: 7,600) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 8,000)**

The Mechanic drew.

"Now my Deck Lord ability comes into play," he said, "just as it will every two rounds. It only has one, but it's a good one. I call it Heavy Traffic.

"Simply put, I get to search my deck for any Vehicroid that's Level Four or less.

"And by the way, just so you know… _Every_ Monster I have in my regular deck fits that description!"

"Vehicroids?" said Sam.

"Well," said Aster, "he's too tall and muscular to be Syrus… That guy isn't a bad duelist, but even the real one had a desperate need of a growth spurt."

"Did Joan make a virtual duplicate of Syrus?" asked Yumi.

Aster bowed his head.

"Yes…" he muttered. "And he was one of our best… Until…"

He paused.

"What?" asked Ren.

"Daala beat him in a duel _personally_," said Aster. "We have no more idea what happened to him than we do any other member of the resistance who loses."

"I'll be sure you'll see him very soon," said the Mechanic. "And my deck may be similar to Syrus's, but he's far from my equal.

"In the meantime, I'll switch Truckroid into Attack Mode."

Truckroid got down on its wheels, and exhaust started to pour from its mufflers.

"Next, I'll summon Steamroid."

He played another card, and a cartoonish steam locomotive with a face on the front chugged into view. (1,800/1,800)

"Next, a Spell Card," he said, throwing a card into his Disk. "The dreaded Riyoku. This powerful spell takes half of your Monster's Attack Points, and adds them to one of mine. So I'll cut Toy Magician's Attack Points in half, and add them to Truckroid."

Toy Magician fell to an Attack Score of 800, and Truckroid rose to 1,800.

"Now, my Truckroid is gonna mow your Magician down!"

Truckroid's motor roared, and it sped towards Toy Magician. As it collided with the Spellcaster, Toy Magician was thrown into the air. Truckroid's cargo trailer opened up on top, and Toy Magician fell inside.

"What happened?" shouted Erik.

"When Truckroid smashes a Monster," said the Mechanic, "the Monster is Equipped to Truckroid, and Truckroid gains that Monster's Attack Points.

"And I'm not done! Just so you know, when Steamroid attacks, it gains 500 Attack Points.

"Steamroid, attack his tank! Full steam ahead!"

Smoke poured from Steamroid's stack. Its Attack Score rose to 2,300, and it charged at Toy Tank, blowing it to bits.

"I activate Toy Tank's effect!" shouted Erik. "I get to summon another Toy Monster from my deck. So here comes another Toy Magician!"

A second Toy Magician appeared. (1,600/1,500)

"Fine," said the Mechanic. "I'll set two facedown cards, and end my turn. That means Riyoku's effect wears off, but like I said, my Truckroid still has your first Magician's Attack Points."

Two facedown cards appeared. Truckroid fell back to 1,000 Attack Points, and then rose to 2,600.

**(E: 6,600) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 8,000)**

Erik quickly drew a card.

"I activate Mystical Space Typhoon!" he shouted. "And my target is the Toy Magician Equipped to Truckroid!"

He played the card, and the cyclone shot at Truckroid. It shuddered, and its Attack Score fell back down to 1,000.

"Now…" said Erik, "Call of the Haunted!"

His facedown card flipped up, and his first Toy Magician appeared again. (1,600/1,500)

"Next, I summon Toy Soldier."

He played another card, and the small toy infantryman appeared. (800/300)

"Toy Magician number one," he said, "scrap his Truckroid!"

Toy Magician fired his blast, and Truckroid exploded, sending a cloud of flames and debris into the sky.

"Whoa," said Ren. "He must have hit the fuel tank…"

"Toy Magician number two," said Erik, "attack Steamroid!"

The second Toy Magician pointed his scepter at Steamroid. The Machine's Attack Score fell to 1,300.

The Spellcaster fired its blast, and it blew into scrap iron.

"Punk," said the Mechanic.

"How'd Erik know that would work?" asked Chelsea.

"He did his homework," said Sam. "He knew Steamroid's weakness. It may gain 500 Attack Points when it attacks, but it _loses_ 500 when it's _being_ attacked."

"Yeah?" shouted the Mechanic, as one of his facedown cards lifted, "well, he didn't study enough, or he'd have known about THIS!

"It's called Supercharge. Since my Vehicroid was attacked, I get to draw two cards."

He quickly made two draws, and looked them over.

"I still have another Monster," said Erik. "Toy Soldier, attack him directly!"

Toy Soldier fired his musket, and the Mechanic staggered backwards.

"It's gonna take more than that, Blondie," he snarled.

"Just make your move…" muttered Erik.

_Something awfully suspicious about this guy…_ he thought.

**(E: 6,600) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 6,200)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Daala rushed into the nerve center of her palace. A Magical Scientist and a Cyber-Stein were inputing commands into a console, while several Kinetic Soldiers and a few Science Soldiers were monitoring.

"What's happening!" shouted Daala. "How did they destroy it? How did they even find out it was in there?"

"We don't know," said Magical Scientist. "And we don't have time to figure it out. We're breaking the connection."

"Breaking the connection?" shouted Daala. "If you do that, we'll lose KaibaCorp for sure!"

"Milady," said the Scientist, "to be frank, that's going to happen no matter what we do. We've tried every possible proceedure to regain control of the computer. Whatever program Sheena ran is too strong. It's like the whole security system was redesigned, rebuilt, and reinforced. If we don't pull out, she'll likely back-hack us and turn the tables completely."

Daala slammed her fist down on the console. Then she slumped down into a chair.

"We've lost KaibaCorp..." she muttered. "We've lost our ability to control Domino... This certainly puts a snag in our plans..."

"When I discover who is reponsible for this... He will suffer the pain of a thousand deaths..."

She got up.

"Where are you going?" asked the Scientist.

"The prison," she replied. "With that computer back in Arachne's hands, it's time to make a deal with one of the inmates.

"I have a job that she can handle better than most, and I doubt she'll refuse."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I activate… Pot of Greed," said the Mechanic.

He quickly drew two more cards.

"I throw one more card facedown, and then summon Stealthroid."

Another facedown card appeared. Then a large Machine descended from the clouds. It looked like a stealth fighter jet, with two eyes in the front, and landing gear that looked like arms. (1,200/0)

"I end my turn."

_Man, this guy has a game face,_ thought Erik, drawing a card.

He looked at the two facedown cards.

_But this is obviously a trap… He didn't even attack my Toy Soldier with that thing, even though I clearly had no way to stop him…_

"The score is close," said Ren.

"Erik has field advantage though," said Aster. "You have to take all things into account before you can tell how a duel will go."

"Eh, maybe I'm not too good at counting," said Ren. "But thanks to Erik, I can at least count to three."

Erik gestured, and two more Toy Soldiers appeared, kneeling in Defense Mode and holding their guns in their laps. (800/300 x2)

"Now, I'll play Crowning of the Emperor," he said. "I'll sacrifice one Toy Soldier…"

The Toy Soldier in Attack Mode held his gun to his side and saluted, before vanishing into grains of light.

"…to summon Toy Emperor!"

With the sound of hooves, the toy version of Napoleon Bonaparte rode onto the field on his toy horse. (2,300/800)

"But I'm not dumb enough to attack with such an obvious setup on the field," he said. "It's your move."

"Then I draw," said the Mechanic. "Then, once again, my Deck Lord effect activates."

A card slipped out of his deck, and he took it.

"I'll set one Monster…"

A facedown Monster appeared.

"Then I'll play Premature Burial. Guess who's back?"

He fit the card into his Disk, and Steamroid rose out of the ground. (1,800/1,800)

"Stealthroid, attack one of his Soldiers!"

A missile lowered out of Stealthroid's wing, and it launched, blowing one of the Toy Soldiers to bits.

"Now, I play the Spell Card, Shrink! This will make your Emperor even shorter than usual."

Toy Emperor shrank to half his size, and his Attack Score fell to 1,150.

Steamroid sped towards Toy Emperor, its Attack Score shot up to 2,300, and the monarch was blown to pieces.

"And that's not all," said the Mechanic. "When Stealthroid successfully attacks when I have another Vehicroid on the field, then after I'm done attacking, I get to destroy one Spell or Trap Card.

"I think I'll destroy your Call of the Haunted."

Stealthroid launched another missile, and both Call of the Haunted and the Toy Magician it had summoned was blown to pixels.

"Heh, heh…"chuckled the Mechanic. "Your move…"

**(E: 5,350) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 5,400)**

Erik drew a card.

"Go, Monster Reborn!" he shouted, playing a card.

The holy ankh appeared, and Toy Emperor appeared again. (2,300/800)

"Attack his Steamroid!" he shouted.

Toy Emperor charged at Steamroid. Its Attack Score fell to 1,300 again.

"I activate… Cyber Repairer!" shouted the Mechanic, as his facedown card lifted. "Now, you get to draw one card, but my Machines become invincible!"

Erik drew a card as Toy Emperor slashed at Steamroid with his saber. The Mechanic cringed a little.

"You still lost Life Points!" shouted Erik. "Toy Magician, attack Stealthroid!"

Toy Magician cast his sparkle blast, and Stealthroid shuddered from the impact.

"That's it for now…" said Erik.

**(E: 5,350) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 4,000)**

The Mechanic quickly drew a card.

"Let's keep going," he said. "My motors are still running. I summon Drillroid."

He played a card, and the street in front of him burst open. A large drilling machine with eyes and arms with tank treads in place of legs burrowed out. (1,600/1,600)

"And I'll flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode," he said. "My Gyroid!"

His facedown card flipped, and a cartoonish, blue helicopter with a face appeared. (1,000/1,000)

"Lovely," said Sam. "I know about that thing… It has to be attacked twice to be destroyed."

"I'm taking your toys out, punk," said the Mechanic. "Steamroid, attack his Toy Emperor!"

Steamroid got down on all fours again. Its Attack Score rose to 2,300, and it charged at Toy Emperor. There was a big explosion, as both Monsters were incinerated.

"Drillroid, attack his Toy Magician! Open wide!"

Drillroid's drill spun, and it sped towards Toy Magician. Toy Magician cast his spell, and both Monsters were blown apart.

"Gyroid, destroy his last Toy Soldier with downdraft gust!"

Gyroid's propeller spun, causing a windstorm. Toy Soldier cringed, and then shattered into bits.

"Stealthroid, attack him directly!"

Stealthroid launched another missile, and Erik screamed as it hit him.

**(E: 4,150) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 4,000)**

"And that's all!" he said with a laugh. "You want more, punk?"

Erik took some deep breaths. Then he put his hand on his hip.

"You fancy yourself so good with Machines, do you Mechanic?" he said.

"That's right," said the Mechanic.

"Well..." said Erik. "I'll bet you can't tell me the Attack and Defense Scores of a Saber Slasher."

"Easy!" laughed the Mechanic. "1,450 over 1,500!"

Erik closed his eyes and smiled.

"Okay, the costume party's over, Keith," he said. "Lose the mask..."

"HUH?" said everyone watching.

The Mechanic just glared at him for a minute. Then he growled.

Then he cast off the scarf, fedora, and trenchcoat. It was indeed the infamous Bandit Keith, recognizable by his leather jacket, bandana in the colors of the American flag, and punk jewelry.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"I figured you'd be the only one who even knew what a Saber Slasher was," said Erik. "See, I read Joey Wheeler's autobiography. He looked through your deck after Pegasus kicked you out of Duelist Kingdom, and one of his comments was, it would have been no good in Battle City.

"It had no Monsters that were under Level Five! Most of them were at least Level Seven, and a lot of those weren't so great, like Slot Machine and Launcher Spider. The best one was probably Barrel Dragon, and the rules for that card changed after Duelist Kingdom.

"Saber Slasher is one card you had in that deck, and its a card that's fallen out of use since then. It looks pretty nasty, but it's Level Five with no effect. Like you said, its scores aren't worth it."

"So why Vehicroids, Keith?" asked Sam.

"I'll tell you why," said Aster. "Keith is an expert with Machines. But in a place like Xanadu, using them is harder.

"Machine Duel Spirits tend to be cold, emotionless, ruthless creatures. Putting them in the hands of someone with Keith's level of common sense is not a good idea. He'd likely not be able to control them. Vehicroids, however, are more willing to be tamed than most Machines. Much like Erik's Toy Monsters, they represent a tamer side of a brutal concept. They're sort of like children to Machine Spirits. In a world of Duel Spirits, they're the only Machines that someone like Keith can safely use."

"For now!" shouted Keith. "Once I prove my worth to Daala and the Lord of Darkspire, I'll be able to use much stronger Machines. In fact, Daala has promised me a real Machine Deck if I bring one of you in... One with a Chimerach Overdragon! My ultimate dream..."

"Well, sorry Keith," said Erik with a laugh. "You lost the game. I found out who you are. So now you gotta give up."

"Shut up!" shouted Keith. "I wear leather and gold chains, I call myself Bandit Keith... Do you really expect someone like me to tell the truth? Make your move..."

He tapped his Disk, and a bolt of energy shot from it, striking Erik.

"OW!" shouted Erik.

"...or I'll set it to something higher than stun," said Keith with a grin.

"Oh, you are asking for it..." said Erik, drawing a card.

**(Erik: 4,150) - - - - - - - - - - (Bandit Keith: 4,000)**

"I play Heavy Storm!" he shouted, playing a card. "Say bye-bye to that facedown card!"

A storm ripped across the field, and the facedown card shattered into bits.

"Thank you," said Keith. "You just destroyed my Wonder Garage. Now I get to summon another Vehicroid from my hand. Like another Truckroid."

Another Truckroid appeared, in Defense Mode. (1,000/2,000)

"All right, Keith," said Erik, placing a card in his Disk. "I play Symbol of Heritage. Since I have three of the same Monster in my Graveyard, this Spell Card allows me to Special Summon one of them."

He played the card, and an odd variation of the ankh symbol appeared. A Toy Soldier appeared again. (800/300)

"Next, I play my second Crowning of the Emperor, to summon my second Toy Emperor. That's right, I have two of them."

Toy Soldier vanished, and Toy Emperor appeared again.

"Next, my Pot of Avarice."

He played the card, and all three Toy Soldiers, one Toy Magician, and his first Toy Emperor slipped out of his discard slot. He combined them with his deck, reshuffled, and then drew twice.

"Next, I use one of my new Deck Lord abilities," he said. "It's called Troop Rally. Since Toy Emperor is the only Monster on my side of the field, I can pay 800 Life Points to summon another Toy Monster from my Graveyard, so long as it isn't higher than Level Four."

He glowed with a red aura as Toy Magician appeared again. (1,600/1,500)

"Now, I Normal Summon my third one!"

He played a card and a third Toy Magician appeared. (1,600/1,500)

"Toy Emperor, go! Destroy Truckroid!"

Toy Emperor charged, and the huge truck exploded. Keith shielded himself from the debris.

"Now," he said, "another of my Deck Lord's effects come into play. It's called Imperial Powers, and it lets me use Toy Emperor's effect to not only search for Trap Cards, but for Spells as well."

A card slipped out of his discard slot.

"I know I have to attack your Gyroid twice to destroy it," said Erik. "But fortunately, I have two more Monsters.

"Toy Magicians, attack his Gyroid!"

The two sorcerers fired twin blasts at Gyroid. The first just made a dent in its casing, but the second blew it it pieces. Keith growled a little...

"Next, I play the Spell Card I got with Toy Emperor's effect... Pot of Greed!"

He played the card, and the evil jar appeared, he drew two cards.

"It's your move, Keith," said Erik, as he looked at them. "And since you yourself said that you don't have any high-level Monsters in your deck, I'm really not worried."

**(E: 3,350) - - - - - - - - - - (BK: 2,800)**

"My regular deck, no," said Keith, drawing a card. "My Fusion Deck... That's another story..."

"That's right!" shouted Yumi. "These things form fusions! Man, if he has Power Bond in that deck..."

"Power Bond?" asked Keith. "Well, maybe I do, and maybe I don't... But with Vehicroids, there's actually a better card to use than that thing.

"I use my Deck Lord ability again."

A card slipped out of his Disk.

"Now, I summon Expressroid."

He played another card, and a new Machine sped down the highway, coming to a stop in front of Keith. It looked like an express train, again with a face and arms. (400/1,600)

"When Expressroid is successfully summoned, two Vehicroids go from my Graveyard to my hand."

He took two cards from his discard slot. He grinned as he held them up – Truckroid and Drillroid.

"Now, I play this!" he shouted, as a Spell Card appeared in front of him. "The Fusion card that's even better than Power Bond... Vehicroid Connection Zone!"

"Say what?" said Erik.

"Like Polymerization, it fuses Monsters together," said Keith, "but it can only summon Fusion Monsters with the word 'Vehicroid' in their name.

"Why is it better than Power Bond, you may ask? Well, it may not double the Monster's Attack Score, but what it does do is render it impervious to destruction from card effects.

"So... I'll fuse together Truckroid, Drillroid, Stealthroid, and aw heck, let's throw Expressroid in too."

The four Machines leapt soared into the air, and started to change shape...

"A four-Monster Fusion?" shouted Ren. "What the heck is he summoning?"

"Something bad..." said Aster. "I know this Monster... Syrus had one..."

Truckroid and Stealthroid fused into a torso. Expressroid split in half, and became arms. Drillroid also split in half, and formed into legs. The huge thing sprouted fists, and a head appeared on top. The giant robot fell to the street with a crash. It was even bigger than Armoroid Gaidengo and just as intimidating. (3,600/3,000)

Erik stepped back in fright.

"Meet my Super Vehicroid – Stealth Union," said Keith. "This is a toy for _big_ kids!"

Erik didn't respond. He was paralyzed with fear.

"But, I'm not ready to attack yet," said Keith. "I'll end my turn there."

Erik shook his head.

"HUH?" he said.

"Erik!" shouted Aster. "That thing..."

Then a blast from Keith's Disk struck Aster.

"No help from the spectators!" shouted Keith.

"Big mistake!" said Erik, drawing a card.

"Everyone, move to Defense Mode!" he shouted.

Both Toy Magicians knelt. Then Toy Emperor sheathed his sword, and his mount crouched.

"Oh, nuts..." muttered Aster.

Keith grinned evilly.

"That's all for me," said Erik. "Do your worst."

"My worst, eh?" said Keith. "Okay..."

He made a draw.

"I summon Cycroid."

He played the card, and Monster appeared that was rather cute for a change. It was a bicycle with one eye, and hands on the end of its handlebars. (800/1,000)

"A bike??" said Erik.

"Like you could do better," said Keith. "The strategy behind this will become apparent in a few seconds.

"I play the Spell Card, Creature Swap!"

A Spell Card appeared on his side of the field.

"This card requires us to both select a Monster, and then trade them. I select my Cycroid.

"Ugh! Fine!" shouted Erik. "I select one of my Toy Magicians!"

Both Monsters vanished, and reappeared on the opposite sides of the field.

Then Toy Magician stood up. Super Vehicroid – Stealth Union lowered its huge hand, and then lifted him up to its chest. A cockpit opened, and Toy Magician leapt inside.

"What's happening?" shouted Erik.

"Super Vehicroid – Stealth Union is powerful on its own," said Keith, "but it can do even more if it has a pilot. And the pilot can't be another Machine. That's why I needed your Monster.

"See, with your Monster at the controls, it gains the ability to attack every Monster on your side of the field in one Battle Phase!

"And that's not all... When it attacks a Monster in Defense Mode, and it has a higher Attack Score, the difference is taken out of your Life Points."

"NO!" screamed Sam. "ERIK!"

Erik bowed his head. Sam fell to her knees and started to cry.

"Super Vehicroid – Stealth Union..." shouted Keith, "wipe out his Monsters!"

The huge Vehicroid's eyes glowed... Then a blast of pure energy shot from them, vaporizing Toy Emperor, Toy Magician, and Cycroid, and knocking Erik over.

Erik pulled his head up. He was dizzy. The impact that had destroyed his Monsters had started a fire around him.

"Huh?" he muttered. "I'm still here? But..."

**(E: 1,050) - - - - - - - - - - (BK: 2,800)**

"What?" said Yumi.

Keith laughed out loud.

"Oh, I forgot to mention," he laughed. "My Monster has a little drawback... When it attacks, it has to cut its Attack Score in half."

Erik got up, with a look of fury in his eyes. He glared at Keith. His left hand clenched into a fist.

"You..." he snarled. "You made my girlfriend cry... She thought I had lost..."

"You're going to anyway," said Keith with a shrug.

"Oh, don't count on it, buddy..." muttered Erik. "I'm sending both you and your Machines to the scap heap."

"Whatever," said Keith. "It's your move."

Erik growled as he drew a card.

"I play Toy Memorial!" he shouted. "I only have two Toys in my Graveyard right now, but two is better than nothing..."

He made two draws. He looked them over.

"Now I'll set two cards, and then one Monster in Defense Mode, and that will be all."

He threw three cards into his Disk, and two vertical cards and one horizontal one appeared.

Keith chuckled.

"Weren't you listening a minute ago?" he asked as he drew a card. "Since I used Vehicroid Connection Zone to summon this thing, it can't be destroyed by Trap Cards. Or Monster effects, if that thing happens to be a Night Assailant."

He looked at the card he had just drawn.

_CRAP!_ he thought. _Why couldn't I have drawn this last round?_

"Crush his facedown Monster!" he shouted.

Super Vehicroid – Stealth Union lifted its fist.

"Oh, yeah," said Erik, "I was listening... I was listening really well..."

One of his facedown cards lifted up.

"You said card effects can't _destroy_ it. They can still affect it in other ways. I activate Enemy Controller!"

The large video game pad appeared on the field, and the huge Vehicroid sparked with electricity. It knelt down and crouched in Defense Mode.

"Punk," growled Keith.

He quickly looked at the card he had just drawn. He was about to use it, but he noticed Erik's other facedown card.

He placed it in his Disk.

"I'll set this, and end my turn," he said.

A facedown card appeared.

"Can it be?" said Erik, angrily. "My move?"

He drew a card.

"I Flip-Summon my Magician of Faith," he said.

His facedown Monster flipped up, and Magician of Faith appeared. (300/400)

A card slipped out of his discard slot, and he took it. He nodded, and added it to his hand.

"Now, I play Premature Burial!"

He threw the card into his Disk, and Toy Magician appeared again. (1,600/1,500)

**(E: 250) - - - - - - - - - - (BK: 2,800)**

"Heh..." said Keith. "Your Life Points are almost gone..."

"I have more than enough left," said Erik, as his other facedown card lifted. "I activate Curse of Anubis!"

The ghostly jackal appeared over the field and howled. Magcian of Faith and Toy Magician both crouched in Defense Mode, and then the Defense Scores of both them and Super Vehicroid – Stealth Union fell to zero.

"What's the point?" asked Keith.

"I'll show you," said Erik. "I sacrifice both my Monsters..."

Magician of Faith and Toy Magician vanished...

"...to summon Puppet King!"

The mighty Puppet King appeared in a burst of energy. (2,800/2,600)

"GO! Smash his Super Vehicroid – Stealth Union!"

Puppet King charged at the huge mecha...

"I'll show you!" shouted Keith. "I activate De-Fusion!"

His facedown card lifted, and the huge robot turned into a blur of energy, that split into four seperate blurs. Then, Expressroid (400/1,600), Truckroid (1,000/2,000), Drillroid (1,600/1,600), and Stealthroid (1,200/0) all appeared in Defense Mode.

"And since I just summoned Expressroid, its effect activates!" laughed Keith.

Steamroid and Gyroid slipped out of his discard slot, and he took them.

"Fine!" shouted Erik. "I'll tear your Roids apart one at a time! Puppet King, smash his Truckroid!"

Puppet King punched Truckroid, and it exploded into fiery debris.

"Man, I'm getting sick of these Roids," muttered Chelsea.

"Erik seems to be getting even sicker of them," said Ren. "In fact, I'd say he's got a bad case of roid-rage."

"I'll set this facedown," said Erik, as a facedown card appeared, "and then you go. I'd say there aren't many more dumb-looking vehicles you could use against me, Keith."

"We'll see about that," said Keith, drawing a card.

"Perfect," he said, looking at it. "I'll use my Deck Lord ability one last time. This time, I'm bringing Submarineroid to my hand."

A card slipped out of his deck.

"NO!" shouted Sam.

"Submarineroid can attack directly..." gasped Yumi. "Erik has only 250 Life Points left..."

"Oh, don't worry..." said Keith. "I'm not stupid enough to do that with his facedown card there."

His Field Slot opened.

"I play Fusion Gate!" he shouted, placing a card in it.

A dark cloud started to form overhead.

"Now then..." he said. "I'll remove from play Drillroid on the field, and Steamroid and Submarineroid in my hand..."

Drillroid vanished into grains of light...

Then the ground burst open in front of Keith, and a giant drilling machine, much bigger than Drillroid, appeared. It had a cartoonish face like the other Vehicroids, but it seemed much more serious. (3,000/2,000)

"The Super Vehicroid Jumbo Drill!" laughed Keith, as Expressroid and Stealthroid moved to Attack Mode. "Now to wipe you out!

"Go! Attack Puppet King!"

Super Vehicroid Jumbo Drill's weapon spun with a horrible and incredibly loud noise. It started to burrow into the ground...

"Activate... Mirror Force!" screamed Erik.

His facedown card lifted up...

And then, Erik braced himself as the whole field erupted in a titanic explosion. More than a vehicle explosion, it was more like a miniature star exploding. Small comets and meteors shot out of the huge burst.

"Whoa..." muttered Erik, as the smoke started to clear. "My Mirror Force never did THAT before..."

"Uh, I don't think it was your Mirror Force, Erik," said Sam.

The smoke sumbsided, and Erik looked at his opponent. Keith's Jumbo Drill and two other Monsters were gone, but two others had taken their place – Steamroid (1,800/1,800) and Submarineroid (800/1,800) were crouching in Defense Mode. Keith had apparently activated a Quickplay Spell.

Erik looked at it.

"Dimension Explosion?" he asked. "What the Hell is that?"

"Told you I wasn't stupid," said Keith. "As soon as you activated Mirror Force, this Spell sent my Drill back to my Fusion Deck, and then let me Special Summon two Monsters that had been removed from play. Technically, you could have done the same, but you didn't have any."

He fit one card into his Disk.

"I'll play a facedown, and that will be all."

_He's obviously going to attack Submarineroid with Puppet King,_ he thought. _With only 250 Life Points left, he doesn't have a choice._

_What he doesn't know is, my facedown card is Call of the Haunted, which will bring it right back next turn. So I'll finish him off!_

Erik quickly made a draw.

"Okay Keith..." he said. "Now... You're finished..."

"Says who?" said Keith.

"Says me!" shouted Erik. "I play Double Spell."

He discarded the Autonimous Action Unit he had just drawn.

"Now I can use one Spell Card in your Graveyard. And I seem to recall you had a Riyoku."

The art for Double Spell changed to that of Riyoku.

"So, I'll take half of Steamroid's Attack Score, and add it to Puppet King's.

The two Monsters glowed with energy. Steamroid fell to an Attack Score of 900, while Puppet King rose to 3,700.

"Big deal," said Keith. "My Monsters are in Defense Mode, in case you didn't notice."

"Not for long," said Erik, playing another card. "Remember when I flipped my Magician of Faith? Now, what card did I get back with her ability, you may ask?"

He threw a card into his Disk.

"I play Enemy Contoller!"

Steamroid got up, and moved into Attack Mode.

Behind his sunglasses, Bandit Keith's eyes bugged out.

"Don't forget, Keith," said Erik, "Steamroid will lose another 500 Attack Points when it's attacked. So you can forget about ever getting that Chimeratech.

"Puppet King... Attack Steamroid with Majestic Checker!"

Puppet King charged at the Machine, and Steamroid's Attack Score fell to 400. The huge Warrior slugged it with his fist, and the explosion knocked Keith over.

**(E: 250) - - - - - - - - - - (BK: 0)**

Blockman glowed with energy. Armoroid Gaidengo glowed, and sparked as it started to short circuit. Then it burst into silvery shards.

Bandit Keith chuckled as he started to glow with light.

"What's so funny?" asked Erik.

"I may have lost," he said, "I may have lost Gaidengo, but my mission was a success..."

He stood up.

"You are all a bunch of idiots. Daala didn't send me to stop you. Beating you in a duel would have just been a bonus... But the real plan was to stall.

"And since you fell for it, your two friends are wide open for our true plan. So Daala might just give me that better deck after all. See you around... Maybe..."

And then he turned transparent, and faded away.

"What do you mean?" shouted Erik. "Come back!"

Then there was a loud shriek. Everyone looked up...

The next thing they saw was a Harpie's Brother and a Sonic Shooter diving at them from out of the sky.

Before any of them could even activate their Disks, the two Winged Beasts swooped on Ren and Chelsea. The two of them screamed, and in the next instant, the two Spirits flew away, taking them with them.

"HEY!" shouted Yumi.

"Follow them!" shouted Sam.

Before they could even try, it was clear that they were impossible to follow. They had already disappeared into the dark clouds.

"Aster..." said Yumi. "Do you want to explain what just happened?"

Aster looked to the sky with a somber look.

"Let's get into Darkspire proper..." he muttered. "I have a bad feeling about this..."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the main computer room of KaibaCorp, Sheena and her technicians were working at the consoles.

"All clear," said one technician. "Everything is back online."

"Call Chief Yamaguchi," said Sheena. "Tell him that the threat has been neutralized. He'll be happy to hear it."

"So, now what Ms. Arachne?" asked Nicholas.

"Well, part one is finished," said Sheena. "We've retaken my computer.

"Now we move onto part two...

"Defeating Daala for good and rescuing Yumi and the others.

"And I've already got an idea about how to do that."

"Can you get Yumi out of Xanadu?" asked Olga.

"I don't think so," said Sheena. "Daala's control over its borders are incredibly tight.

"I can't get anyone out from here, but I can get in using Kaibaland's equipment. The best way to help them now...

"...is for me to sneak into Xanadu, and help them personally..."

She sighed. She looked at a Duel Disk on a table a few feet away from her.

"I thought I was mostly though with serious dueling..." she said. "But it seems that it's time for the Spider Savant to come out of retirement..."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ARMOROID GAIDENGO (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,700  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description:** If this card is Tribute Summoned by Tributing at least one "roid" Monster, remove from play all Spell and Trap Cards on the field.

_Note: "Armoroid Gaidengo" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**CYBER REPAIRER (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A group of mechanical arms moving towards a central point.

**Card Description:** Your opponent draws one card. During the turn you activate this card, Machine-Type Monsters you control cannot be destroyed as a result of battle (damage calculation still applies).

_Note: "Cyber Repairer" was first used by Syrus in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Tough Love". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**Erik's Deck Lord: "Blockman":** "Imperial Powers": "Toy Emperor's" effect can be used to search for both Trap Cards and Spell Cards. (Intermediate Power) "Troop Rally": If "Toy Emperor" is the only Monster on your side of the field, you may pay 800 Life Points to Special Summon a "Toy" Monster from your deck or Graveyard that is Level Four or less. (Minor Power)

**0**

**0**

**0**

**Keith's Deck Lord: "Armoroid Gaidengo":** "Heavy Traffic": Every other turn, starting on your second turn, you may search your deck for one "roid" Monster that is Level Four or less and add it to your hand. (Greater Power)

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**Aster Phoenix is a duelist who can make a claim that only three other duelists can – he defeated Jaden Yuki. It is thus little wonder that Joan made a virtual form of this individual to advance the cause of the rebellion in Xanadu. And quite likely, Aster's contributions to Joan's cause are many.**_

_**Coming up next, the legacy of the Destiny Heroes lives again, as the team's investigation into Ren and Chelsea's sudden abduction is interrupted by an assassin who is wholly unimpressed with his reputaion.**_

"_**Fire and Water" is coming up next.**_

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_**Name that Card!**_

_**It seems that the rivalry between Yugi and Kaiba will never end. This Trap Card, used by an important character in GX, shows one of Yugi's Monsters and one Kaiba's fighting each other. Can you name it?**_


	29. Fire and Water

_**What Trap Card used by an important character in GX shows one of Yugi's and one of Kaiba's Monster's fighting? If you said "Triggered Summon", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

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_A note before I start this chapter._

_Aster is the star of this chapter. As you may guess, the Destiny Heroes appear in this chapter in a big way._

_Most of the time, I am content to use TCG names. With the Destiny Heroes, it is not one of those times. I feel that these Monsters were downright insulted by the names that Upperdeck gave them once they hit stateside, some more than others._

_Thus, this is a rare case where I will use original names, at least for Monsters. I hope this doesn't confuse anyone._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"_**I am."**_

_**Those were my first thoughts when Joan ran the program that created me. More thoughts followed… Memories flooded into my head… Memories that I quickly learned had once belonged to a human named Aster Phoenix, a powerful Pro League duelist years ago, who commanded the legacy of the Destiny Heroes. I obtained his skills, his knowledge, and his personality. **_

_**But I gained a different purpose than the true Aster. That purpose was to fight in the rebellion against Daala, and free Xanadu from her grip. Ever since Joan handed me my deck, a replica of the one owned by Aster, I've done my best to live up to that purpose. Why? Because I know of no other purpose that I could fulfill. There's nothing for me outside of Xanadu… I couldn't even survive outside of it.**_

_**I know that I'm just an AI program, a form of artificial life whose body is made out of ones and zeroes. I don't dwell on it too much. The most I can hope for is to make a difference for the actual living creatures that dwell in Xanadu. **_

_**I have a chance to make a difference now. Joan's most recent recruits are in a crisis, and I have to help them out.**_

_**It's time for my Heroes to fly. DUEL.**_

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**CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Fire and Water**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Darkspire.

Smoke and soot obscured the sky, emitted from hundreds of smokestacks from the dozens of factories around the edges of the city. Buildings of gothic design decorated with fearsome gargoyles lined the streets.

Hundred-foot-tall statues loomed over the streets, imposing monoliths that supported buildings and bridges, some facing twins to form sculpted arches. Some were male, others female, and most depicted classical depictions of deities. Rumors had spread that these statues were once a race of beings that Daala had defeated and turned to stone, but it was likely just a rumor that she herself had spread.

Following Aster, Yumi, Sam, and Erik drove down a main street. He motioned for them to stop.

"Aster, what's going on?" asked Yumi. "I thought Daala couldn't capture anyone who didn't lose."

Aster looked around to see if anyone was watching. Then he looked down an ally. He motioned for them to follow.

"_Most_ of the time, she can't," he said, in an ominous voice. "When you defeated her in that duel, did she by, any chance say you were sentenced to die?"

Yumi stopped short.

"We…" she muttered. "We thought it was just a villainous rant…"

Aster sighed.

"You should have taken it seriously," he said. "Ren and Chelsea are in big, big trouble."

"Where are they?" yelled Yumi.

Aster gave a sad look.

"When Daala passes a death sentence," he said, "and the victim isn't someone who works for her, sometime later, the victim is snatched, always by two Monsters, usually flying ones.

"We've only been able to stop this once. When we did, it was clear that the would-be abductors were brainwashed. When we got them to snap out of it, they couldn't remember a trace about who did it to them.

"Clearly, those two Winged Beasts were taking them to see Daala's executioner. No-one who is taken by this being is ever seen again. Neither are the abductors."

"No…" mumbled Yumi, looking ready to cry.

"As for how she can do this," explained Aster, "the reason that Daala cannot kidnap someone who doesn't lose is because Joan used the holy power of the Higher Plane to alter the very laws of Xanadu. Joan's dictum holds Daala back just as much as the Law of Gravity holds things on the ground… Well, sort of.

"But we think that the executioner is a being that is so empowered by Chaos, that it can ignore and disregard any laws or axioms. They don't affect it, and it doesn't care.

"Exactly why it chooses to do what Daala tells it to, we have no clue… Something with that kind of power might be able to threaten Daala's rule. Clearly, Daala must have promised it something.

"There's only one pattern that we can discern about this… system. Daala never imposes a death sentence on an AI program. She only condemns living things. Up to now, this meant Duel Spirits. Folks like me in Joan's resistance, we've never been the victim of this. And contrary to what some people think, we're _not_ immortal."

"Is there no hope?" asked Sam.

"Well, we believe that the executioner does duel its victims in order to kill them," continued Aster. "Maybe it does so as a sadistic means of fun, if nothing else. Time is of the essence. Since it's dealing with two victims, if this thing doesn't have an OTK strategy, we might be able to find them in time. Maybe. But we'll have to…"

Then there was a loud, terrible chime.

"There…" said Aster.

He turned, and pointed behind them towards the center of the city. Rising above the buildings was an enormous clock, bigger than any other building, but squat, with fiendish architecture.

"That's the Realm Lord's fortress," said Aster. "The Infernal Clock. It's hard to get into. The entrances are only accessible by air, and there are several defenses – Barrel Dragons, Blowback Dragons, Gatling Dragons, any Machine that's able to shoot… Most flying Monsters are shot down before they reach it."

"We'll get to it later," interrupted Erik. "What's the plan?"

Aster walked up to an iron door at the end of the alley.

"We ask for information at the local safe house," he said. "Someone might know something."

He knocked on the door once.

A slot opened, and two eyes peered out.

"What's the password?" growled a voice.

"Misairuzame," answered Aster.

The slot closed, and the door opened. A hulking, fiendish Beast-Warrior whose head resembled a crocodile with hair tied in a topknot, armor, and axe heads on his wristbands – a Rude Kaiser – stood aside, and let them by.

"Misairuzame?" asked Sam.

"The password is always a Monster that's hard to pronounce, and whose name doesn't come up in casual conversation," said Aster. "That's usually the case with a safe house."

Inside the door was a spacious bar. A skeletal Zombie with a sword slung to its back was at the bar itself, wiping it down with a rag. Sitting at tables and talking over drinks were several Duel Spirits. A Warrior Lady of the Wasteland was sharing a brew with a Bio-Mage, while a Hayabusa Knight was sipping wine with an Alligator's Sword. A Sasuke Samurai and a Sasuke Samurai #2 were at another table having drinks that looked like daiquiris (which was odd, as they didn't seem to have mouths). A Muse-A sat on a stool in the corner, playing a gentle tune on her harp.

"What is this place?" asked Sam, in wonder.

"We call it the Last Chance Bar," said Aster. "It's a place in Darkspire where rebels and Spirits loyal to the rebellion can meet in secrecy."

"Why is a Skull Servant the bartender?" asked Erik.

"Excuse me!" snapped the bartender, who had overheard. "I am not a Skull Servant, thank you very much! Last I checked, I was a 13th Grave!"

"Excuse him, Bones," chuckled Aster, going up to the bar, "he's new."

He turned to Erik.

"Duel Spirits just hate being mistaken for the wrong Monster."

"Indeed," said the Grave. "Incidentally, Aster, I managed to get that card you were looking for…"

It handed him a card.

"Great!" exclaimed Aster, looking at the Trap Card. "How'd you get it?"

"Trust me, you don't wanna know," muttered the Grave. "Just promise you'll be far away from me when you decide to use it. If I had skin, it would be crawling…"

"Any news about unusual activity in Darkspire?" asked Aster.

"Why don't you ask him?" asked the Grave.

It pointed to a table, where a Warrior was sitting alone, sipping from a mug of ale. The Warrior was easily recognizable – almost every duelist who used a Warrior Deck used at least one – often two – of his card.

"Marauding Captain?" said Yumi.

The four duelists walked up to his table.

"Captain," asked Aster, "what's going on? You don't come in here too often…"

"News is spreading," replied the Warrior. "Some are saying that General Freed is in Xanadu, and I'm anxious to see him again if it's the truth."

Aster just looked at him for a minute.

"I'll be sure to tell Joan," he said. "Anything else that's new?"

"Just the usual," replied the Captain. "The Realm Lord is building who knows what in his factories and recruiting more Machine Duelists."

"Sounds a lot like Nezbitt," said Sam. "He liked machines more than he liked people."

"Oh, Captain?" said Aster with a grin. "Thought I'd tell you… The Goblin of Greed has been sighted in Xanadu."

The Captain smirked.

"Well, if you see him," he replied, "tell him he has only one year left, then he has to pay up."

"I don't get it," said Erik.

"He and the Goblin of Greed made a wager a long time ago," explained Aster. "They each bet that they could appear on the art of more cards than the other. The Captain here is winning at last count, and the deadline is up next year."

Then they heard Rude Kaiser's voice from the entrance.

"Okay, okay!" he yelled, in a panicked voice. "I'll tell him!"

The huge Beast-Warrior rushed in.

"Uh, Aster…" he said. "There's a Hunter outside… He's looking for you…"

Aster sighed.

"Hey Bones," he said offhand. "You got any root beer? Let's have some root beer…"

"Aster, what's going on?" asked Yumi. "Hunter?"

"Daala and her governors can create special duelists who are programmed to hunt down specific targets," sighed Aster. "They call themselves Hunters, but they're more like assassins. Apparently, this one's after me."

"Well, uh…" muttered Sam. "Shouldn't we deal with him?"

"Eh, he'll refuse to duel anyone but me," said Aster. "He won't go away, and I'm not gonna make it easy for him.

"Don't worry, it's no problem. I was worried the first two or three times this happened, but after six times, it's gotten kinda repetitive.

"I'll just make him wait until he decides to…"

"Okay, okay! I'll tell him!" shouted the Rude Kaiser.

He rushed in again.

"Aster…" he said. "He says he knows where Ren and Chelsea are."

Aster loaded his deck into his Disk.

"THAT was what I was I waiting for," he said.

He walked out of the bar. Yumi, Sam, and Erik followed, and several Duel Spirits followed close behind. The Hunter was a frightening sight, clad head to toe in black armor that brought to mind several science fiction movies.

"Thought to keep me waiting?" he asked, in an amplified voice. "How rude of you."

"So you're the big, bad assassin that the Realm Lord sent," said Aster, putting his hand on his hip. "And you know where Ren and Chelsea are.

"Uhm, you realize that since you found this bar, I can't let you live, right?"

"You have to beat me first," said the Hunter. "If you do, I'll happily tell you where those two are. But you won't win…"

"Yeah, yeah," sighed Aster. "Right. I'd believe that more, if the last six of you goons hadn't said the same thing."

"Let me guess," said the Hunter. "Destiny is on your side."

Aster chuckled.

"I'm not like the real Aster in that regard," he replied. "I don't believe that destiny is carved in stone, if it even exists at all. You wanna duel?"

His Disk activated.

"Fine. I'll try to make this quick."

The Hunter gestured, and a scythe-like Disk extended from his left gauntlet.

"Game on!" they shouted.

**(Aster: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Hunter: 8,000)**

"Be my guest," said Aster.

The Hunter made his first draw.

"I play Graceful Charity," he said, playing a Spell Card. "I'm sure everyone here knows how that works."

He drew three cards. He quickly discarded two cards from his hand.

"I'll toss two cards facedown, and that will end my turn."

In two flashes of light, two facedown cards appeared in front of him.

"No Monsters?" said Aster, with a laugh. "Are you nuts?"

The Hunter didn't say anything. Aster drew a card.

"I activate a Trap," said the Hunter, as one of his facedown cards lifted up. "Soul Resurrection. Now I get to bring a Normal Monster back from my Graveyard in Defense Mode. And I choose Battle Footballer."

In a burst of energy, a bulky android in a football jersey and helmet appeared, crouched, as if ready to receive a blitz. (1,000/2,100)

_He's up to something,_ thought Aster, looking over his cards. _He summoned it that way because he wanted me to know what it is for some reason…_

_But it's nothing I can't handle…_

"I summon Destiny Hero Diamondguy," he said.

He played the card, and a huge diamond appeared on his side of the field. It burst, and a figure dressed in black with a cape, and diamonds protruding from all over his body appeared. (1,400/1,600)

"You know how Diamondguy works, right?" he continued. "He likes to do card tricks. I get to flip the top card on my deck, and if it's a Normal Spell, it goes to my Graveyard, where it activates on my next turn."

He took the top card from his deck and looked at it.

He held it forward. It was Destiny Draw.

"Well, what do you know? Lucky me."

He discarded it.

"We'll get to that later," he said, taking a card from his hand. "For now, I'm gonna break an old taboo about heroes using weapons. I Equip Diamondguy with Axe of Despair."

The large, ugly Axe appeared in Diamondguy's hand. His Attack Score rose to 2,400.

"Attack!" ordered Aster. "Destroy it!"

Diamondguy hurled the Axe, and Battle Footballer was blown to pieces.

"You activated my other Trap!" laughed the Hunter, as his other facedown card lifted. "It's called Broken Blocker. Since my blocker was broken, I get to summon two more in Defense Mode."

In two bursts of energy, two more Battle Footballers appeared. (1,000/2,100 x2)

"Fine!" sneered Aster. "Make your move!"

The Hunter drew a card.

"I sacrifice my two Monsters of Fire…" he said.

The two Battle Footballers vanished in plumes of flame.

"To bring out a Monster of Water! I summon White Night Dragon!"

A monstrous form loomed over the field. It looked like a huge Dragon, sculpted completely out of ice. A cold chill wafted over the whole area. (3,000/2,500)

"What in blazes?" gasped Sam.

"Attack his so-called Hero!" ordered the Hunter. "Death blizzard!"

White Night Dragon breathed a blast of super-intense cold from its jaws. Diamondguy was blown to pieces, and Aster was knocked over.

**(A: 7,400) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 8,000)**

"Aw," mocked the Hunter, "I hope you didn't get that nice suit of yours dirty."

"How the Hell did you get a copy of that card?!" demanded Aster. "The only one in existence was the one that Sartorious gave to Alexis, and when she came to her senses, she tore it up!"

"Oh, you should talk," growled the Hunter. "You're a copy of the real Aster Phoenix, and you have his cards, even though they were also supposed to be unique. Daala may not be able to create miracles like Joan can in her programs, but she's learning fast. Given enough time, she can indeed program a card that no duelist could obtain on Earth. Soon, she eventually might be able to create a whole deck of them.

"And it's your move. Don't forget, this creature is impervious to all Spells and Traps that target."

"Come on, Aster!" urged Erik. "Draw Devilguy!"

_Devilguy's effect would work,_ thought Aster, _but he'd only be a temporary solution. I gotta take that thing out with some more closure…_

He drew a card. He looked over his hand.

"Since Diamondguy sent Destiny Draw to the Graveyard last turn," he explained, "it activates now. Normally, I'd have to toss a Destiny Hero to activate it, but his effect negates costs.

"So, I get to draw twice…"

He drew two cards. He looked at them.

"So, you like football, huh? I'm more of a fan of basketball, myself…"

He played a Spell Card.

"I play D-Spirit. Since I have no Destiny Heroes on the field, this corrects that situation, letting me Special Summon Destiny Hero Dunkguy."

A new Destiny Hero appeared, this one resembling a muscular basketball player, wearing jeans and no shirt. His hair was styled in dreadlocks, and his skin was even darker than most African-Americans. His eyes glowed with red light. He knelt in Defense Mode. (1,200/1,700)

"Now I activate his effect," continued Aster, as he discarded a card. "I'll toss Diskguy, and Dunkguy gets to slam dunk off 500 of your Life Points!"

Dunkguy put his hands together, and a glowing sphere appeared in them, He leapt up, and hurled it at the Hunter. The Hunter staggered back as it hit him.

"Next," said Aster, as another Spell Card appeared, "I play Over Destiny. I choose one Destiny Hero in my Graveyard, like Diamondguy, and then I get to Special Summon another one from it, whose Level is no higher than half the one I chose. So, I'll summon Diskguy."

In a burst of energy, another Hero appeared, with armor, a helmet, and two disks on his back, two on his hips, and one on each wrist. He knelt in Defense Mode. (300/300)

"When Diskguy is summoned from the Graveyard, I get to draw two cards."

He made two more draws.

"Are you quite done?" asked the Hunter.

"Not on your life," replied Aster. "I haven't Normal Summoned yet.

"I sacrifice Diskguy, to summon Destiny Hero Dashguy!"

With the roar of an engine, the armored, wheeled Hero appeared. (2,100/1,000)

"Now, by sacrificing Dunkguy, I can increase his Attack Score by 1,000!"

Dunkguy vanished into grains of light, and Dashguy rose to an Attack Score of 3,100.

"Attack his Dragon!" shouted Aster. "Des dash attack!"

The onlookers cheered as Dashguy sped across the field, leaving sparks in his wake. He took a swipe at the huge Dragon, and it was blown into shards of ice.

**(A: 7,400) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 7,400)**

"So much for that," said Aster, as the Hero knelt and shielded himself. "Dashguy moves to Defense Mode… I toss two cards facedown, and then play the Field Spell, Clock Tower Prison."

He played three cards. Two facedown cards appeared, and then the whole terrain changed. They had been transported to the courtyard of a large structure with a huge, dark clock tower overhead, its hands at noon. At loud chime rang out.

"Big Ben?" chuckled the Hunter. "Big deal."

"Actually, pal," said Aster, "the proper name for the clock tower that this card was based on is simply the Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster. 'Big Ben' is actually the name of the main bell at the top of the tower. Not many people know that."

"Aster is kicking some serious A," said Erik.

"Careful," warned Sam. "Don't jinx it."

"My move!" snarled the Hunter, drawing a card.

"Don't forget," said Aster, "during each of your turns, my clock moves ahead three hours."

The hands of Clock Tower Prison started to turn, moving to three o'clock.

"And I think I'll activate one of my Trap Cards. Go, Sixth Sense!"

One of his facedown cards lifted.

"Figures," mumbled the Hunter. "What better card for a bunch of Monsters who think they can control Fate?"

"I know they can't," said Aster, "but I guess I can't stay away from certain motifs.

"You know how this works. I name two numbers, and then a die is rolled. If I get one of those numbers, I get to draw that many cards. Any other number, and I lose that many cards from my deck.

"I'd be pretty dumb to name any numbers except five and six, so that's what I'll name."

A large dice appeared in the air. It spun, and rolled on the ground.

Everyone watching cheered as it came up a five. Aster quickly drew five cards.

"Whatever," snarled the Hunter. "I summon Hydrogeddon!"

A burst of water shot up in front of him, and a bulky, four-legged Dinosaur that seemed to be made of boiling, bubbling mud appeared. (1,600/1,000)

"Destroy his Dashguy!" he ordered. "Hydro breath!"

The Dinosaur shot a blast of liquid from its jaws, and Dashguy exploded into metal scrap.

"Activate… Destiny Signal!" shouted Aster.

His other facedown card lifted up, and a spotlight shot into the dark sky, with the letter D in the center.

"This lets me Special Summon a Destiny Hero up to Level Four when one of my Monsters is destroyed," he said. "So I'll summon Defendguy. Since his name isn't Attackguy, I'll summon him in Defense Mode."

A new Monster appeared, this one resembling a bulky statue made out of cinderblock, almost as wide as it was tall. The only indication of life was an opening where the face would be, covered by a wire grill. It knelt and crossed its arms. (100/2,700)

"I activate Hydrogeddon's effect," exclaimed the Hunter. "Since it destroyed your Monster, I get to summon another."

In another explosion of water, another Hydrogeddon appeared. (1,600/1,000)

"And I end my turn."

Aster drew a card. He looked over the seven cards in his hand.

"I toss two more cards facedown," he said, "and then I summon Destiny Hero Divineguy."

Two more facedown cards appeared. Then another Destiny Hero materialized; a masked, armored Hero with a huge, metal discus on his back. (1,600/1,400)

"That's all for my turn."

_If he attacks with something slightly stronger, I'll trigger my Trap,_ he thought. _If he summons the big guy… Well, I'll go to plan B._

"My move," said the Hunter. "And thanks to your Defendguy, I get to draw an extra card."

He made two draws.

"And my clock keeps ticking away," said Aster, as Clock Tower Prison moved to six o'clock.

"Doesn't matter!" laughed the Hunter. "I just drew something that will stop your clock!

"But before I use it, I summon Oxygeddon!"

He played a card, and a large, flying Dinosaur made of green gasses appeared. (1,800/800)

"Now, a powerful Spell Card called Bonding H2O! I'll combine two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. Isn't chemistry exciting?"

The three Dinosaurs vanished.

"I summon Water Dragon!"

In a huge explosion of water, a giant Sea Serpent made completely out of water appeared, looming over Aster's Destiny Heroes. (2,800/2,600)

"Fate seems to be on my side now," laughed the Hunter. "My Water Dragon is rainin' pain!

"Attack his Divineguy! Aqua punisher!"

A blast of water shot at the Divineguy, and he was washed away. Aster shielded himself from the impact.

**(A: 6,200) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 7,400)**

"Enough Water for now," said the Hunter. "Time to use more Fire, and burn this Clock Tower to the ground. I play Burning Land!"

The sky turned red, and a meteor fell from the heavens. Clock Tower Prison exploded, and the remains burst into flames. The Duel Spirits watching screamed and ran for cover.

"Well," chuckled the Hunter. "That was… HUH?"

Standing in front of Aster was a new Warrior, one that stood ten feet tall. He was bare-chested with huge muscles. Broken chains were on his arms and legs, and his face was concealed behind a mask made of iron bars. He let out a roar that seemed to shake the whole city.

"Whoa, whoa!" shouted the Warrior Lady of the Wasteland. "I thought Aster killed the big, scary Monster three turns ago!"

"Where did he come from?" demanded the Hunter.

"The instant you played Burning Land," said Aster, "I activated my Trap Card, Eternal Dread! It fast-forwarded my Clock Tower right to the witching hour. And when my Prison is destroyed when both hands are on twelve, I get to spring its inmate, Destiny Hero Dreadguy.

"Now his effect activates, letting me summon two Destiny Heroes from my Graveyard."

Dashguy (2,100/1,000) and Diskguy (300/300) appeared on the field.

"Thanks to Diskguy, I get to draw two cards again."

He made two draws.

"You could be decked out at this rate," said the Hunter.

"And as for Dreadguy himself," continued Aster, "we take the Attack Scores of all other Destiny Heroes on the field, add them together, and bingo! That's Dreadguy."

Dreadguy glowed with energy. (2,500/2,500)

"You know," snarled the Hunter, "you're really starting to annoy me…"

"That's what all the other Hunters who came after me said," said Aster. "By the way, I'm gonna use one of the cards I just drew… My D.D. Crow. I don't want to see your White Night Dragon again, after all."

He discarded one of the two cards, and the card fell out of the Hunter's discard slot.

"It's still your move, by the way."

"Then I'm ending it," replied the Hunter. "Don't forget, Burning Land is a Continuous Spell, and it costs us each 500 Life Points at the start of our turns."

Aster drew a card. He cringed as a fiery aura surrounded him.

"Hey, Bones!" he called to the crowd. "I got it! I got the card you gave me!"

"Then I'm going back inside," muttered the Zombie, turning around.

"Get back here, you coward," said Marauding Captain, grabbing him.

"I'll save it for later," he chuckled, adding it to his hand. "For now, I sacrifice Diskguy, to summon Destiny Hero Doubleguy!"

Diskguy vanished, and a mysterious-looking figure appeared. He was dressed in an overcoat, gloves, and a fedora, with a scarf over the lower half of his face. The only part of his body that showed was his eyes, which were glowing white. He held a fancy cane in his hands. (1,000/1,000)

"Man…" said Erik. "I'd hate to meet that guy on a dark street…"

"Since my lineup just changed," said Aster, "so do Dreadguy's scores."

Dreadguy glowed again, his stats changing to (3,200/3,200)

"Dreadguy…" shouted Aster, "splatter his Water Dragon with dreadnaught smash!"

Dreadguy roared, and threw a savage punch at Water Dragon. It exploded into a burst of Water.

"I activate its effect!" shouted the Hunter. "I get to Special Summon Oxygeddon and both Hydrogeddons from my Graveyard!"

Oxygeddon (1,800/800) and both Hydrogeddons (1,600/1,000) appeared in Defense Mode.

"Dashguy, destroy Oxygeddon!" shouted Aster.

Dashguy sped towards the Dinosaur and slashed at it, causing it to dissipate.

"Now, I activate a Trap," said Aster, as his facedown card lifted up. "D-Chain. And I'll hardwire it to Doubleguy."

A long chain with a grappling hook on the end appeared in Doubleguy's hands. His Attack Score rose to 1,500.

"Attack one of the Hydrogeddons!" urged Aster.

Doubleguy twirled the grapple above his head, and threw it at the Dinosaur, and it shattered into shards. The Hunter held his chest in pain.

"Now you lose 500 Life Points," said Aster. "And true to his name, Doubleguy gets a double attack!"

Doubleguy grew and mutated, turning into a bestial creature clad in ragged clothing. He hurled the D-Chain, and the second Hydrogeddon exploded. The Hunter cringed again.

Aster threw a card into his Disk.

"Now I play… D-Acceleration!" he shouted. "This lets Doubleguy do a triple-take and attack once again, so long as I have him ditch the D-Chain and cut his Attack Score in half."

Doubleguy turned back to his normal form. The D-Chain shattered, and his Attack Score fell to 500. He leapt up, and kicked the Hunter directly.

Dashguy moved into Defense Mode.

"I'll play a facedown," said Aster, "and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared.

**(A: 5,700) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 5,500)**

The Hunter glared at him.

He drew two times. The same flaming aura surrounded him.

"Heh, heh…" he said. "Time to show you the true apex of my deck, Aster… The perfect combination of two opposing forces… The combination of Fire and Water…

"I remove from play one Fire Monster and two Water Monsters…"

The two Hydrogeddons and a Battle Footballer appeared behind him, and then vanished into grains of light.

"What is this?" asked Sam. "Is this a summoning?"

"Wait…" said Yumi. "I've heard of a Monster that can be summoned like this…"

"I summon Frost and Flame Dragon!" shouted the Hunter.

The Monster that appeared was indeed a Dragon, serpentine in shape, with two heads – one orange with an aura of flame, and one white with an aura of frost. (2,300/2,000)

"Now," he said, "by tossing one card, I can destroy one Monster on the field."

He discarded an Aqua Madoor. The Fire head breathed flames on Dashguy, turning his metal armor red hot. Then the Frost head blasted a cone of cold, and Dashguy exploded from the sudden change of temperature.

"I still have its normal attack!" he shouted. "Attack Doubleguy!"

The Dragon breathed both fire and ice, and Doubleguy exploded into pixels. Aster shielded himself again.

"Look at your Dreadguy now," laughed the Hunter. "He's nearly powerless!"

It was true. Dreadguy had fallen to only (100/100).

"I'll place a Monster in Defense Mode, and end my turn."

A facedown Monster appeared.

**(A: 4,400) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 5,000)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In Daala's palace, Skull Knight was looking at a small, violet orb.

It was actually a Spellcaster's version of a CD. Such Duel Spirits used them to record and play music.

He sighed, and placed it in a small tripod. It lit up, as music started to play.

_**I've been a mage forever…**_

_**And I wrote the very first spell…**_

_**I put the powders and the potions together,**_

_**I am Magic, and I write the spells.**_

_**I write the spells that turn men into kings…**_

_**I write the spells that summon powerful things…**_

_**I write the spells that brings the princess home…**_

_**I write the spells, I write the spells.**_

_**I can reach deep with in you…**_

_**I can see the power in your soul…**_

_**I can use magic to hide from your eyes,**_

_**I can even change lead into gold.**_

_**I write the spells that tell you future things…**_

_**I write the spells for magic swords and rings…**_

_**I write the spells that keep you safe at night…**_

_**I write the spells, I write the spells.**_

"What the heck is _that_?" asked a voice.

Skull Knight turned around, and saw that Daala had entered.

"Oh…" he muttered. "My, uhm, my protégé says it's a very popular song in her dimension. Uhm, I'll turn it off if it bothers you."

Daala sighed.

"I'm just nervous," she said. "Ren and Chelsea will be facing you-know-who shortly. The outcome will either end things very much in our favor, or with us with a big setback.

"It would help if she didn't insist on using an Anarchist Disk."

"She's done good work so far, milady," said Skull Knight. "We'll have to hope for the best."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Aster quickly drew a card. He squirmed a little as the fiery aura surrounded him again.

He looked at the card he had drawn. It was one of his most powerful Monsters.

"Time to get serious," he said. "Since Doubleguy was destroyed last turn, I get a bonus… Two Doubleguy Tokens."

Two figures that looked just like Doubleguy appeared, kneeling in Defense Mode. (1,000/1,000 x2)

"Now I play… Doctor-D," he continued, as a Spell Card appeared. "This lets me remove a Destiny Hero in my Graveyard from play, to summon another one from it. So, since I can't Special Summon Divineguy anyway, I'll remove him from play, and summon Diamondguy."

A card slipped out of his discard slot, and he pocketed it. Diamondguy appeared again. (1,400/1,600)

"Next, I use Diamondguy's effect. You remember this, right?"

He looked at the top card on his deck.

He showed it to the Hunter. It was The Warrior Returning Alive. He discarded it.

"Now, I sacrifice Diamondguy and my two Tokens…"

Diamondguy and the two Doubleguy Tokens vanished.

_Can it be?_ thought Sam. _Can it be?_

"Presenting…" announced Aster, "Destiny Hero Dogmaguy!"

A large, dark shape appeared over the field, one with large wings. It was a dark Hero in black, one with armor and a horned helmet. His demonic wings reached a fifteen-foot span. (3,400/2,400)

"Nuts," muttered Sam.

"What nuts?" said Yumi. "That's a great Monster! He's even stronger than your dad's Dragon!"

"Granted," said Sam, "but I was kinda hoping he was summoning Bloo-D."

"Don't make me laugh!" shouted the Hunter. "There is no way that even Joan could have duplicated a card as powerful as Bloo-D."

"Oh?" asked Aster. "Really? Are you sure about that?"

The Hunter stopped short.

"Huh?" he said. "What do you mean?"

"How do you know for sure that you aren't wrong?" asked Aster. "Maybe Destiny Hero Bloo-D is indeed lurking deep in my deck, and I simply haven't drawn him yet."

The Hunter looked at him.

"None…" he muttered. "None of Daala's men ever reported seeing you use it…"

"Oh?" said Aster with a grin. "Maybe that's because every one of Daala's men who witnessed me using him were obliterated! Consider that!"

There was a long pause. Aster chuckled.

"I'm not going to tell you one way or another," he said with a smirk. "I don't have him in my hand right now, that's all I'll say. If you want to find out for sure, assuming I don't eventually manage to draw him, you'll have to win this duel and take my deck.

"For now, Dreadguy is far from powerless."

Dreadguy and Dogmaguy nodded to each other. Dreadguy glowed, and rose to (3,500/3,500)

"Dreadguy, squash his Dragon!"

Dreadguy lunged forward, and flattened Frost and Flame Dragon with one smash.

"ERGH!" shouted the Hunter.

"Dogmaguy, destroy his last Monster!" shouted Aster. "Des chronicle!"

Dogmaguy gestured, and two sword blades sprouted from his wrists. He flew at the facedown card, and fiendish-looking treasure chest appeared. With one swipe, it was cut in half.

"That was my Dark Mimic LV1," said the Hunter. "Now I get to draw once."

He made a draw.

"I end my turn," said Aster, with a grin.

**(A: 3,900) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 3,800)**

The Hunter drew two cards. He cringed again as the flaming aura surrounded him.

Then he screamed as a blade of energy shot from Dogmaguy, striking him.

"You know Dogmaguy's ability, right?" asked Aster. "On the round after he's summoned, he cuts your Life Points in half."

**(A: 3,900) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 1,650)**

"I know what you're thinking right now," said Aster. "You're thinking, 'Why the Hell did I ever play that stupid Burning Land card?', right?"

"Maybe, maybe not…" said the Hunter. "There are advantages to having low Life Points. I play Pot of Greed."

He played the card, and quickly drew twice more.

"Now I play Monster Reborn!" he shouted, playing a card. "And I'll revive a Monster from _your_ Graveyard!."

The ankh appeared, and Diskguy appeared on his side of the field in Defense Mode. (300/300)

"Now I get to draw two more cards," he said, drawing twice.

"And I'm gonna finish you off! I just drew a second Frost and Flame Dragon.

"Now, I remove three Monsters from play again to summon it."

The second Battle Footballer, Aqua Madoor, and Water Dragon appeared behind him, and vanished into grains of light. Frost and Flame Dragon appeared again. (2,300/2,000)

"Now, I'll discard one card, so that he can do my dirty work for me again."

He tossed a Masked Dragon, and the Dragon breathed its twin streams at Dogmaguy. The Dark Hero screamed, and then burst into pixels.

"NO!" shouted Aster. "You dirty…"

Dreadguy groaned, and fell back to (100/100)

"I'm not done," said the Hunter. "I'll sacrifice your Diskguy…"

Diskguy vanished into grains of light.

"To summon… Twinheaded Beast!"

A bonfire of flame erupted on his side of the field, and frightening creature stepped out of it. It looked like a flaming centaur, with four legs, flaming claws on its upper body, and two heads with manes of fire. (1,700/1,900)

"It may not be very strong for a Level Six Monster, but like your Doubleguy, it can attack twice in one turn.

"And I'm going to make it stronger. I play the Equip Spell Megamorph. Since my Life Points are lower than yours, this doubles my Beast's Attack Score. Like I said, sometimes having less Life Points can be advantageous."

Twinheaded Beast burned with raging flames, and grew to twice its size. (3,400/1,900)

"Frost and Flame Dragon, attack his Dreadguy!" he shouted.

Frost and Flame Dragon shot its twin blasts at Dreadguy…

"Go, Trap Card!" shouted Aster. "D-Shield!"

His Trap Card flipped up. Dreadguy quickly knelt in Defense Mode, and the blasts just bounced off of him.

"D-Shield moves my Hero to Defense Mode, and keeps him from being destroyed in battle," said Aster.

The Hunter growled. He placed two cards in his Disk, and two facedown cards appeared.

"Your move," he said.

"I don't get it," said Sam. "He could have destroyed Defendguy."

"True," said Yumi, "but doing so wouldn't have hurt Aster. On the other hand, by keeping Defendguy around, he gets an extra draw on his turn."

"Maybe so," said Sam, "but it may have been a grave error.

"Aster used Diamondguy's effect to send The Warrior Returning Alive to his Graveyard last turn, remember? He can use that to get Dogmaguy back.

"If he draws a Monster that he can Normal Summon, he'll meet the requirements to summon Dogmaguy again. Then he can destroy Frost and Flame Dragon, costing the Hunter 1,100 Life Points.

"Then on the Hunter's turn, he'll lose 500 more Life Points from Burning Land. Then Dogmaguy's effect will kick in…"

"Leaving him with only 25 Life Points left and facing a Monster that even that double-strength Beast can't beat," said Erik. "Aster will finish him off for sure."

The Hunter just glared at him.

Aster closed his eyes.

He slowly drew a card. Then he cringed again, as Burning Land burned him.

"I activate a Trap Card," said the Hunter, as his facedown card lifted.

"DNA Transplant. Now I get to name an Attribute, and all Monsters on the field become that Attribute.

"I name Fire."

"What good will that do you?" asked Aster.

"Because I have another Trap Card," said the Hunter, as his second facedown card lifted. "It's called Elemental Absorber. I simply remove one Monster in my hand from play, and none of your Monsters with the same Attribute as the one I'm removing are allowed to attack.

"I'm removing this one – my Inferno, which is a Fire Monster."

He held up a card, and it vanished.

"No…" gasped Erik.

"If all of Aster's Monsters are Fire…" muttered Sam. "This guy has completely sealed off his attacks! Even if he does summon Dogmaguy…"

"He won't be attacking," said the Hunter, "and my Dragon will destroy him again next round, leaving you defenseless.

"So by all means, bring Dogmaguy back."

Aster looked at his opponent. Then he looked at the card he had drawn.

_Hey…_ he thought.

He looked at the other card in his hand. The Trap Card that Bones had given him.

"I use Dashguy's other effect," said Aster. "Since he's in my Graveyard, I can Special Summon the Monster I just drew.

"I summon Destiny Hero Dark Angel!"

The Monster that appeared was indeed a Dark Angel. He had armor, and large, feathered wings. He didn't seem to have any weapon or any means of combat. (0/0)

"Dark Angel?" mused the Hunter. "Wait… Wait, I heard of that card… The real Aster's father made it so that Aster could defeat Bloo-D. Everyone assumed he put it away after he succeeded. So why would Joan bother making a copy for you?"

"You know," said Aster, "I wondered that myself when she first gave me my deck… She told me that I might find a use for it… You never know. She told me to keep it my side deck, and eventually something would come to me.

"And you know what? Something did come to me. And I have Bones to thank for helping me get the right card.

"But we'll get to that later. For now, the card that Diamondguy sent to my Graveyard last turn activates. The Warrior Returning Alive.

"But I don't think I'll recover Dogmaguy… I'll bring back someone else…"

Dashguy slipped out of his discard slot.

"I sacrifice Defendguy to summon him."

Defendguy vanished, and Dashguy appeared once again. (2,100/1,000)

"Dreadguy's Scores change again, but I think I'll keep him in Defense Mode for now."

Dreadguy changed to (2,100/2,100)

_Huh?_ thought the Hunter. _What good is Dashguy he if it can't attack?_

"Now, I play a facedown," said Aster.

He played his last card, and a facedown card appeared.

"I'm ending my turn now. And that means Dark Angel's effect activates. You see, Dark Angel just hates to stay in one place for a long time. When I end my turn, he moves to your side of the field."

Dark Angel vanished, and reappeared on the Hunter's side of the field.

"WHAT?" shouted the Hunter. "I don't want him!"

"Tough," said Aster.

**(A: 3,400) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 1,650)**

Under his helmet, the Hunter frowned.

"I draw!" he shouted, drawing.

He cringed again, as he was burned by the Spell Card.

"I don't know what sort of crazy plan this is, Aster, but it won't work," he said.

"Now I'm getting rid of your last defensive Monster."

He discarded the card he just drew.

Frost and Flame Dragon breathed its twin streams, and Dreadguy shattered into shards.

He turned to the spectators.

"By the way, Yumi…" he said with a chuckle. "Ren and Chelsea are on the top of the Cathedral of Mechanicles."

He chuckled again.

"Too bad you don't know where that is. And these Duel Spirits don't know where it is either. It's hidden from all Duel Spirits except Machines. By the time you find one who's willing to give you directions, it will be far too late."

"You made a big mistake, pal!" laughed Aster. "Most Machines in this Realm are loyal to the Lord, but I've convinced a few of them to help me, and I know exactly where that place is!"

"Yeah, well…" said the Hunter, "can you draw them a map in the next fifteen seconds? That's how long you have before you lose.

"Frost and Flame Dragon… Attack Dashguy!"

Frost and Flame Dragon roared… Energy appeared in its jaws.

"Not so fast!" shouted Aster.

His Trap Card flipped up.

"I activate… Dark Spirit of the Silent!"

Two ghostly phantoms flew out of the card making an unearthly, ominous howl. The 13th Grave covered his eyes. One of them dove into Frost and Flame Dragon, and the other into Dark Angel.

"Huh?" gasped the Hunter. "What's going on?"

"Dark Spirit of the Silent halts your attack," said Aster, "and then forces another of your Monsters, of my choice, to attack.

"And I choose Dark Angel!"

Dark Angel formed a fighting stance and looked at Dashguy.

"But… But… That means…" gasped the Hunter.

"That's right," said Aster, with a sinister grin. "Dashguy has 2,100 Attack Points, while Dark Angel has zero. The outcome is… You lose."

Dark Angel flew at Dashguy. The stronger Destiny Hero made a slash with his claw, and the weaker one exploded. The Hunter screamed in pain.

**(A: 3,400) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 0)**

The Hunter fell to his knees.

"How could I have lost?" he moaned. "I… I prepared for everything…"

Aster shook his head.

"So did the first six Hunters who came after me before you," he said. "The Hunters who have bothered Jesse, Atticus, and all of Joan's top men have. But they all made the same mistake. They prepared for everything that our real counterparts could have done before their deaths in that plane crash so long ago.

"I'm not the real Aster. I'm what he would have been if he had survived, and become more experienced. I know how to use his cards in ways that no-one knows about. And I keep thinking up new ways. Unlike most computer programs, I can learn, I can think up ideas on my own. That's the whole idea behind AI.

"When the eighth Hunter programmed to take me out is created, and I'm certain there will be one, I guarantee I'll have a new trick by then. But he'll just make the same mistake all over again."

His Disk deactivated.

"So, the Cathedral of Mechanicles, huh? Thanks… We'd never have thought to look there."

"Curse you, Aster!" yelled the Hunter, as smoke started to rise from the seams in his armor. "You and your Heroes… You'll pay for…"

He didn't say anything else. His armor fell to the ground in pieces, burnt and smoking.

The Duel Spirits watching cheered. Aster ran towards Yumi and the others.

"Come on," he said. "Let's get there before it really is too late…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, in Domino, Sheena was working at the computers at Kaibaland while Nicholas and Olga watched.

She took a small diskette out of a drive.

"There," she said.

"What is it?" asked Nicholas.

"A virus program," explained Sheena. "Dr. Ting's notes helped me create it. It is the key to Daala's undoing.

"Here's what I have to do…"

She placed the diskette in a pouch on her belt.

"I have to go into Xanadu, where, in theory, this diskette will take the form of a Parasite Paraside card. Then I have to hunt down Daala, duel her, and win after I successfully use it.

"If that happens… Daala will be deleted. She'll disappear forever. This resistance that Ting spoke of will have no trouble taking over."

"Seems a chancy plan," said Olga. "You can't guarantee that you'll be able to draw the card. And even if you do, it might take a while for her to draw it."

"Yeah, but it was the best plan I could come up with," replied Sheena. "Fortunately, Parasite Paraside is an easy Monster to search for. I'll put Sangan and three copies of Gokipon in my side deck. And I'll also include three copies of Jade Insect Whistle to use once the Flip-Effect is activated."

She strapped her own Duel Disk onto her arm. She punched in the controls for the transfer sequence.

"Wish me luck, you two," she said. "I'll try to contact you if I can, if I need any more help on the outside."

"_Transfer countdown initiated,"_ said a computerized voice. A one minute timer started to count down.

Sheena walked into the chamber, and closed the door.

_Hang on, Sam, Yumi… _she thought. _I'm coming…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DESTINY HERO DIVINEGUY (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,600  
**DEF:** 1,400

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Special Summoned. When this card attacks, you can destroy one Equip Spell on your opponent's side of the field. If you use this effect, inflict 500 points of direct damage to the controller of the destroyed Equip Spell.

_Note: This card is referred to as "Destiny Hero Celestial" in the dub._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DESTINY HERO DARK ANGEL (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 1  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description:** Discard this card from your hand to the Graveyard. When this card is sent to the Graveyard in this manner, place it face-up on top of your opponent's deck. During the End Phase of the controller of this card, if the controller's opponent has a free space on his Monster Zone, this card is Special Summoned in Attack Position to the controller's opponent's side of the field.

_Note: "Destiny Hero Dark Angel" and "Destiny Hero Divineguy" were first used by Aster in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Ultimate Destiny". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**DOCTOR-D (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A nutty mad scientist surrounded by smoking beakers and test tubes.

**Card Description:** Remove one "Destiny Hero" Monster in your Graveyard from play. Special Summon one "Destiny Hero" Monster from your Graveyard that is Level Four or less.

_Note: "Doctor-D" was first used by Aster in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "The Phoenix Has Landed (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**D-ACCELERATION (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** A red letter D in a blur.

**Card Description:** Activate only during your Battle Phase. Select one "Destiny Hero" Monster that you control which is Equipped with at least one Equip Spell. Destroy all Equip Spells Equipped to the selected Monster. The selected Monster may attack an additional time during this Battle Phase with its ATK halved.

_Note: "D-Acceleration" was first used by Aster in a fourth season episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**WHITE NIGHT DRAGON (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Dragon/Effect  
**Attribute: **Water  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 3,000  
**DEF:** 2,500

**Card Description:** Negate the activation of a Spell or Trap Card that targets this card and destroy it. If a Monster on your side of the field is designated as an attack target, you may change the attack target to this card by destroying one Spell or Trap Card that you control.

_Note: "White Night Dragon" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States. It was based on the version used by Alexis in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Heart of Ice (Part Two)", which was more powerful._

**0**

**0**

**0**

**BROKEN BLOCKER (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** Big Shield Gardna, his shield being blasted apart by a beam of energy.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when a Defense Position Monster you control, whose DEF is greater than its ATK, is destroyed as a result of battle. Special Summon two Monsters with the same name as the destroyed Monster from your deck in face-up Defense Position.

_Note: "Broken Blocker" is a Japanese card that was released in "The Duelist Genesis", available for the TCG in August._

**0**

**0**

**0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**As the remaining heroes rush to save Ren and Chelsea, Sheena picks up her Duel Disk again to make a foray into Xanadu. But she soon learns that getting in is harder when Daala doesn't want you to come in. It's time for Shelob the Spider Savant to strut her stuff once again, in a chapter I just had to call "Wrath of the Spider Queen", coming soon.**_

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_**Name that Card!**_

_**This card has the dubious honor of being the first card to have been on every part of the Restricted List – Unlimited, Semi-Limited, Limited, and Forbidden – at various parts of the List's history. Can you name it?**_


	30. Wrath of the Spider Queen

_**What card had the dubious honor of being the first to be on every part of the Restricted List? If you said "Magician of Faith", you were correctly able to Name that Card!**_

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_**My name is Daala, the Queen of Xanadu, at least for the time being.**_

_**I've already admitted to being a terrorist. We've gotten that unpleasant business out of the way. Now, most terrorists are motivated by their perverted interpretations of either political or religious beliefs, making them viewed as radical at best, or insane at worst. Thus, they tend to have few allies who aren't also terrorists, and many enemies.**_

_**Now, I have no use for politics, and I don't pretend to use religion as an excuse for what I'm doing. At least, not one that fits the usual definition of a religion. I'll keep my motivations concealed for now. But I'm still a terrorist, and I've made several enemies.**_

_**I may have made a very dangerous one… I may have stirred up the hornet's nest…**_

_**No, worse than that…**_

_**I may have brought about the Wrath of the Spider Queen!**_

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**CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Wrath of the Spider Queen**

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**0 0 0 0 0**

Sheena opened her eyes.

She was in a large, circular room, with marble pillars on the wall. Light came from odd crystals in the ceiling, thirty feet above.

Ahead of her was a dark portal of sorts.

"I'm in an entrance hall," she mused. "That portal should be the way into Xanadu proper…

"Well, what am I waiting for?"

Before she could take a step, two glowing, female eyes appeared in the portal in front of her. She stepped back.

Stepping out of the portal was a woman of sinister beauty. She wore a red, low-cut leotard, with bat-like designs over her waist and chest, and blue rune-like markings. Most remarkably, she had horns, and six arms, each of which wore blue, velvet gloves.

"Succubus Knight?" said Sheena.

The Duel Spirit looked at Sheena with an annoyed glance.

"So, you came on your own?" she pouted. "I was hoping for Nicholas… Didn't expect the head of KaibaCorp to take such an active role."

"So, are you one of Daala's servants?" asked Sheena.

"Not right now," said Succubus Knight with a sigh. "Sadly, my official title at the moment is favored slave."

"I don't understand," said Sheena. "Daala sent a slave to guard the entrance? Sounds like putting a match in charge of dynamite."

"I'll explain," said the Warrior with a smirk. "Ever hear of how criminals once had to serve as indentured servants as forms of reduced sentences?"

"Uh huh," replied Sheena. "Was popular back when another way of dealing with criminals was to ship them to Australia."

"Yeah, well, I used to be one of Daala's henchmen," purred the Duel Spirit. "I was a bounty hunter. As a Succubus Knight, I made a practice of seducing male victims. Once they fell for my charms, they didn't resist when I tied them up and brought them in, where Daala could do to them as she wished."

She chuckled.

"She even rewarded me by giving me a few of them as brainwashed slaves… I lived like a queen for a while…"

"Good lord…" gasped Sheena.

"However," sighed the Knight, "I made the mistake one day of taking a fancy to Daala's current lover, a captured and brainwashed member of the resistance. He was so muscular and handsome… I figured a short fling wouldn't hurt…"

She sighed again.

"I was caught."

"Not very smart of you," said Sheena, putting her hand on her hip.

"Indeed," muttered Succubus Knight. "I was thrown in prison…

"But Daala gave me another chance a couple of hours ago. I simply had to apprehend whoever Sheena sent to Xanadu, and I would be freed. But if anyone got past me, I'd go back to my cell.

"If it were Nicholas, all I'd have had to do was lure him into accepting a kiss, something I could easily do…"

Sheena laughed.

"But you can't seduce women!" she exclaimed. "Well, just try to stop me. I'll have you know, I received training as a Duelatopia Centurion, the crème de la crème of security forces…"

Succubus Knight grinned.

"And I am a Warrior-Type Duel Spirit who has survived as one for over six centuries," she replied with a sneer. "Your training does _not_ impress me."

Sheena stopped short.

_She's over six-hundred years old?_ she thought. _Even if she only had to fight for her life once a year, she's defeated over six-hundred enemies…_

"We Warrior Spirits have watched humans who have been renowned as fighters," purred Succubus Knight. "Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Chuck Norrris… They all made us laugh. None of them can hold a candle to any of the Warriors of the Twelve Dimensions. We knew how to fight like champions the instant we were born."

"So why are you just standing there instead of attacking?" asked Sheena.

A Duel Disk appeared on Succubus Knight's upper-left arm.

"Because, there are traditions that I have to follow," she said. "I could just beat you up, sure, but then I'd be thought of as a bully and a poor sport among other Spirits. Among civilized Spirits, there's one way to handle a conflict between two adversaries."

"So then," asked Sheena, "we handle this like duelists?"

"Sure," purred Succubus Knight. "It might even be fun."

_And with the powerful cards that Daala loaned to me,_ she thought, _beating this human will be a cakewalk._

Sheena loaded her deck. Both Disks activated.

"Game on!" they both shouted.

**(Sheena: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Succubus Knight: 8,000)**

"I'm drawing!" started Succubus Knight, drawing a card.

She looked over her hand.

"I'll start by playing the Spell Card, Gold Sarcophagus."

With a rumble, a solid gold chest with the Eye of Wdjat on the front lifted out of the ground.

In a flash of energy, all of the cards in her deck appeared in a hologram in front of her. She quickly pointed to one.

The Sarcophagus opened, and the selected card lowered inside. The chest shut, and lowered into the ground.

"We'll get to that later," she said, as a concealed Monster appeared, "I throw a Monster in Defense Mode, and I'll leave it at that."

Sheena drew a card. She looked at it.

She closed her eyes and held the card to her heart.

_Siegfried…_ she thought.

Only a week before he was killed, he had given her two cards. A Ritual Spell, and a Ritual Monster, two cards that he had commissioned Industrial Illusions to make special. They would never be released to the public, and would be for her exclusive use, to be used in future Duelatopia tournaments in her role as the fearsome Eliminator, Shelob the Spider Savant.

These two cards were an expression of his love for her, and the last gift he gave to her when he was alive.

The card she had drawn was the Ritual Spell. Unfortunately, a Ritual Spell is no good without the Ritual Monster, so she couldn't use it right now.

She chose another one.

"I summon… Chainsaw Insect!" she shouted.

With a roar of chainsaws, a huge beetle with serrated mandibles appeared. (2,400/0)

"And I'm not done," she continued, as a Spell Card appeared. "I play Double Summon. "This lets me make a second Normal Summon this turn.

"So I'll also bring out Insect Knight!"

In a burst of energy, the mantis warrior holding his serrated sword and shield appeared. (1,900/1,500)

Succubus Knight fidgeted a little.

"Insect Knight… Attack!"

Insect Knight flew at the facedown card, and Sangan appeared on it. The furry, three-eyed Fiend was cut down.

"I'm sure you know about Sangan's effect," chuckled Succubus Knight, looking through the cards in her deck.

She took one, and then held the deck with her lower set of arms.

"Advantage number forty-three of having six arms… It makes shuffling during a duel so much easier."

Sheena couldn't deny it as she watched the Warrior shuffle with her extra arms.

"I'm not done with you!" shouted Sheena, as her opponent put the deck back. "Chainsaw Insect, attack directly!"

Chainsaw Insect scurried up to Succubus Knight and chomped its mandibles around her waist. She grunted and sweat, but didn't scream.

She panted for breath as it let go.

**(S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (SK: 5,600)**

"My move…" she muttered, drawing a card.

"I throw down a facedown, and have this defend me."

A facedown card and a facedown Monster appeared.

"Your move."

Sheena quickly drew.

"I summon… My Brown Recluse!" she shouted.

In a burst of energy, a huge spider appeared next to Chainsaw Insect. It had a brown exoskeleton, long legs, and a marking on its back resembling a violin. (2,300/0)

"Here's a quick lesson in arachnid biology," said Sheena. "The brown recluse, also known as the fiddler spider, is a venomous arachnid whose poison is almost as lethal as the more well-known black widow. Like most spiders, they weave webs… But unlike most, they leave their webs at night to hunt for food, much like mammalian predators do."

"What is this, a duel or a biology lesson?" snapped Succubus Knight.

"We'll see who laughs last," said Sheena. "Brown Recluse, attack!"

The spider scurried at the facedown Monster. Marshmallon appeared on the card, and the spider's huge mandibles just bounced off of it. (300/500)

Sheena screamed as a red aura surrounded her.

"Didn't quite go as you planned, huh?" asked Succubus Knight. "By the way, I activate this…"

Her facedown card lifted.

"Solemn Wishes. This grants me 500 Life Points whenever I draw one or more cards."

"Now, my Brown Recluse moves to Defense Mode," growled Sheena.

The large spider sat down and shielded itself with its legs.

"I'll set a card facedown, and end my turn," she said, as a facedown card appeared in a flash of light.

**(S: 7,000) - - - - - - - - - - (SK: 5,600)**

"First I'll retrieve the card I put in the Sarcophagus," she said.

The Gold Sarcophagus rose out of the ground and opened. The card floated out, and she took it.

"Now I play Pot of Greed," she continued, as the evil jar appeared. "So I gain two more cards, and 500 more Life Points."

She made two draws, and the gold shower rained on her again.

"Next, I play the Spell Card, Desperado Manager. I can use this if I have at least one card in my hand. Then I get to draw two cards."

The Spell Card appeared, and she drew twice. The gold shower rained on her again.

"And then I take any three cards from my hand, and place them on the top of my deck."

She chose three cards in her hand, and placed them on the top of her deck quickly.

"I'm just getting started," she continued. "I play another Spell called Remove Bomb. This lets me remove the top five cards on my deck from play. And for each one of them that's a Monster, you lose 300 Life Points.

"So let's see…"

She took five cards off of her deck and held them up. Three were Monsters (clearly she had put them there herself), and the other two were Mystical Space Typhoon and Tribute Doll.

Three bombs rolled towards Sheena. She braced herself as they exploded.

**(S: 6,100) - - - - - - - - - - (SK: 7,100)**

The cards that Succubus Knight had held up vanished, but Sheena had seen them quite clearly.

_There's only one reason anyone has those Monsters in her deck,_ she thought. _It's a very hard trick to pull off, but if she actually manages to do it…_

"I'm not done yet," chuckled Succubus Knight. "Next, I play Foolish Burial. Now I get to send another Monster from my deck to my Graveyard."

The Spell Card appeared, and she tossed a card into her discard slot.

"But it isn't staying there. I play The Warrior Returning Alive. Now I can retrieve the Warrior I just sent to my Graveyard."

She played the card, and the card slipped out of her discard slot. She took it.

"Now it's time to summon it," she said, taking another card from her hand. "Wondering what the card was that I put in that chest?

"I play Dimension Fusion!"

_So that's it…_ thought Sheena.

"It costs me 2,000 Life Points," said Succubus Knight, as she glowed with a red aura, "but now, Kazejin, Suijin, and Sanga of the Thunder are all summoned to the field."

In three large bursts of energy, three large Monsters appeared. One was a large green torso with arms, and the kanji symbol for wind on the front. (2,400/2,200) The next was a large, blue torso with claws, a demonic face, and the kanji symbol for water on the front. (2,500/2,400) The last was a large, gold and brown torso with claws, and the kanji symbol for thunder. (2,600/2,200)

**(S: 6,100) - - - - - - - - - - (SK: 5,100)**

"The Warrior you searched for…" muttered Sheena. "It could only be…"

"That's right!" exclaimed Succubus Knight in triumph, as the light in the room dimmed. "I sacrifice my three elementals, to summon the mighty, all-powerful, unstoppable Gate Guardian!"

The three deities vanished, and a titanic form loomed above Succubus Knight. Resembling nothing less than its three component Monsters stacked one on top of each other, it glowed with a dark aura of menace as it glared at Sheena with its eyeless face. (3,750/3,400)

"So…" purred Succubus Knight. "Is the great Shelob the Spider Savant impressed?"

Sheena shook her head.

"No, not really," she said. "Maybe I'm a little impressed with Daala for managing to find out that I was Shelob. The identities of the Duelatopia Eliminators were very closely guarded secrets."

"WHAT?" yelled Succubus Knight, clearly angry. "I managed to summon one of the hardest-to-summon Monsters in the game!"

"Don't get me wrong," said Sheena. "Gate Guardian, is powerful, and it is indeed an icon of Duel Monsters.

"But consider this: What would have given you more of an advantage, Gate Guardian, or keeping Kazejin, Suijin, and Sanga of the Thunder on the field?"

Succubus Knight gave her a dirty look.

"I hate it when my opponent makes sense!" she shouted.

She took the last card from in her hand.

"I Equip Gate Guardian with Fairy Meteor Crush," she said, placing it in her Disk. "You'll notice that your Brown Recluse is in Defense Mode, with zero Defense Points.

"Attack her Brown Recluse! Tempest surge!"

What could best be described as a small thunderstorm started to form around the giant Warrior…

"Go, Spell Card!" shouted Sheena, as her facedown card lifted. "Mystik Wok! Now I can sacrifice Brown Recluse before your attack hits!"

Brown Recluse vanished into grains of light, and Sheena glowed with energy.

"Ah, fine," said Succubus Knight. "Gate Guardian, attack Chainsaw Insect!"

A blast of water charged with electricity shot from the titan, and Chainsaw Insect exploded.

"Since your Bug battled," she continued, "I get to draw another card, meaning my Trap Card activates."

She drew a card, and the shower of gold fell on her.

She looked at the card she had just drawn.

"Still my turn," she said. "And since I haven't Normal Summoned yet, I'll set this, and that will be all."

A new defensive Monster appeared.

**(S: 7,050) - - - - - - - - - - (SK: 5,600)**

"My move…" said Sheena.

She drew a card.

"I play MY Pot of Greed."

The jar appeared, and she drew two cards.

"I move Insect Knight to Defense Mode…"

Insect Knight knelt, and held its sword down.

"Then another Monster in Defense Mode."

A facedown Monster appeared.

"Then I toss this facedown."

A facedown card appeared in a flash of light.

"And that's all."

"Then I draw," said Succubus Knight, drawing a card. The shower of gold fell on her again.

"Go, Dust Tornado!" exclaimed Sheena, as her facedown card shot up. "There goes your Fairy Meteor Crush!"

The tornado tore across the field, and the Equip Spell blew apart.

"Seems you'll have to take me out the old fashioned way," she said with a smirk.

"We'll see about that," said Succubus Knight. "I flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode. Here's an Insect for you… The Magical Merchant."

Her facedown Monster flipped up, revealing a humanoid bug with blue skin, wearing traveler's shorts and carrying a large satchel. It held a collection of odd objects in its six hands. (200/700)

"Due to its Flip-Effect, I get to pick up cards from my deck until I reach a Spell or Trap Card…"

She picked up one card, and then a second.

She grinned as she saw what the third one was.

"…and as for these two Monsters, they go to the Graveyard."

She discarded an Unshaven Angler and a second Suijin.

"Now, my suggestion to you is, brace yourself. I play the Spell Card that my Merchant gave me… It's called Unspeakable Cruelty."

Sheena had never seen the Spell Card that appeared, and she did NOT like the look of it at all. The artwork depicted Demise, King of Armageddon and Ruin, Queen of Oblivion crushing the Earth between their hands.

"I can use this card when I have a Monster whose Attack Score is at least 3,000," chuckled Succubus Knight. "By sacrificing two other Monsters, it can attack directly."

Sheena's eyes opened wide.

Magical Merchant and Marshmallon vanished.

Sheena barely knew what hit her. Gate Guardian's tempest surge hit her with the force of a sledgehammer, throwing her clear across the room.

**(S: 3,300) - - - - - - - - - - (SK: 6,100)**

When Sheena got up, her ears were ringing. Or so she thought. Then she realized that Succubus Knight was actually laughing at her.

"To think I thought that seducing men with my powers and enslaving them was the biggest thrill I could ever have," she laughed. "I had been a temptress for so long, I had forgotten what it was like to be a Warrior Spirit… I had forgotten what a true fight was like! How much it got the blood flowing, the heart pumping!

"The thrill of pounding your opponent to a pulp until she begs for mercy… I had forgotten how satisfying it was!"

Sheena stood up.

"That's easy to say when you have a Monster with over 3,000 Attack Points backing you up…" she snarled. "I'm taking you and your big lummox down."

"Oh, we'll see about that," chuckled Succubus Knight. "I play a facedown."

She played her last card, and facedown card appeared behind Gate Guardian.

"My move!" shouted Sheena.

She drew a card.

"I play… Graceful Charity. Since you're a Duel Spirit, I trust I don't have to explain such a common card."

She quickly drew three cards. She looked over them and the other two cards in her hand.

She discarded Saber Beetle and Multiplication of Ants.

"All right!" she shouted. "Now your giant is gonna fall. Reveal… Man-Eater Bug!"

Her facedown Monster flipped up, revealing the savage, four-limbed predatory Insect. (450/600)

The huge Bug drooled. It leapt at Gate Guardian…

"Not so fast!" shouted Succubus Knight.

Her facedown card lifted.

"I activate My Body as a Shield! This lets me pay 1,500 Life Points to protect my Gate Guardian and wipe out your Insect."

Man-Eater Bug exploded in mid-leap.

"Sure, it's expensive," she said, "but when you use a deck where a NOMI Monster plays such an important part, it's a necessity.

"So what are you gonna do now?"

Sheena sighed.

"I'll set a Monster, and that will be all."

A facedown Monster appeared next to Insect Knight.

**(S: 3,300) - - - - - - - - - - (SK: 4,600)**

Succubus Knight drew, and the rain of gold fell on her again.

"This is like target practice," she said with a scowl. "Gate Guardian, annihilate her mystery Monster!"

Gate Guardian blasted its tempest surge, and a large, black beetle appeared on the card. It was quickly washed away.

"Thank you," said Sheena, with a sinister look. "That was my Skull-Mark Ladybug. And when it gets swatted, I gain 1,000 Life Points."

"I'm beginning to get angry!" snarled Succubus Knight.

She placed a card on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

**(S: 4,300) - - - - - - - - - - (SK: 5,100)**

Sheena made her draw and looked at it.

"I set this, and a card facedown, and that will be all," she said.

A new facedown card and a facedown Monster appeared.

"Humph," grunted Succubus, Knight, drawing. The shower of gold fell on her again.

She looked at the card.

"Ready for more pain?" she asked. "I play Premature Burial. Think I'll bring back my Marshmallon."

Marshmallon appeared again in a flash of light. (300/500)

"Next," she said, "I flip Magician of Faith into Attack Mode."

Her facedown Monster flipped up, revealing the female mage with the ponytail and crescent-topped staff. (300/400)

A card slipped out of her discard slot.

"Your Unspeakable Cruelty Spell Card, right?" asked Sheena, with a sinister smirk on her face.

"That's right," said Succubus Knight, playing it. "I'm sure you remember how it works…"

Magician and Faith and Marshmallon vanished into grains of light.

"Go, Trap Card!" exclaimed Sheena. "Magic Drain!"

Her facedown card flipped up.

"Here's the deal, demon," she said. "If you can discard a Spell Card, your Spell works. Otherwise, it's a big waste."

Succubus Knight growled. She clearly had no cards left in her hand, Spells or otherwise.

The Unspeakable Cruelty card shattered.

"Gate Guardian, attack her facedown Monster!" she shouted.

The tempest surge shot forward again. Neo Bug appeared on the card and was blown to bits.

"You can't keep defending forever," warned Succubus Knight.

**(S: 4,300) - - - - - - - - - - (SK: 4,800)**

_I just need the right card, and I won't have to,_ thought Sheena.

She made a draw.

_Hmm,_ she thought.

"I play a new card facedown," she said, fitting the card that had already been in her hand into her Disk.

A facedown card appeared.

"Then, I play Card of Demise!"

She played her last card, and the ominous guillotine appeared behind her. She drew five cards.

_Still not there,_ she thought, looking at them. _Oh, Siegfried, where are you when I need you?_

She placed one of the cards on her Disk, and a new facedown Monster appeared.

Succubus Knight drew a card. Once again, the shower of gold fell upon her.

"I activate Pot of Avarice," she said, playing it.

Kazejin, Suijin, Sanga of the Thunder, Sangan, and Magician of Faith slipped out of her discard slot. She reshuffled her deck, and then drew twice. The shower of gold fell on her again.

"Not bad," she muttered. "I summon Kaiser Sea Horse."

In a flash of light, the armored fish-man with a glossy, blue exoskeleton, holding a spear appeared. (1,700/1,650)

"Kaiser Sea Horse, destroy Insect Knight!" she ordered.

The Sea Horse charged Insect Knight, and speared it with its weapon. The Insect shattered into pixels.

"Gate Guardian, take care of her last Monster."

As Gate Guardian blasted its tempest surge, an odd Insect appeared on the card. It looked like a big arachnid with a barbed tail, and dragonfly wings. It shattered into shards.

"You just squashed my Flying Scorpion!" laughed Sheena. "And when that happens, I get to Special Summon an Insect from my Graveyard. Except for Flying Scorpion itself, that is. So I'm bringing back Brown Recluse."

Brown Recluse appeared once again. (2,300/0)

"Whatever," said Succubus Knight. "It's your move."

**(S: 4,300) - - - - - - - - - - (SK: 5,800)**

Sheena made one draw. One of the ropes on the guillotine snapped.

"I play… my own Pot of Avarice," she said.

She played the card, and took Neo Bug, Chainsaw Insect, Man Eater Bug, Flying Scorpion, and Saber Beetle from her discard slot. She quickly reshuffled.

She was about to draw two cards.

Then she paused.

As Sheena looked at her deck, she felt a warm feeling… She felt like someone was holding her…

Now it was time. She had no doubt…

She made two draws. She smiled as she looked at them.

She quickly took another one from her hand.

"First, I play Premature Burial!" she announced. "Return!"

She glowed with a red aura, and Insect Knight appeared again. (1,900/1,500)

"Now, my facedown card activates!"

Her facedown Spell Card lifted up.

"A Ritual Spell?" gasped Succubus Knight.

"That's right!" said Sheena. "Wrath of the Spider Queen!"

A sinister-looking altar with a spider motif, two flaming braziers shaped like fiendish spiders, and a pentagram on the floor appeared in the arena.

"For this powerful ceremony, I need to offer eight Levels worth of Monsters. So, I offer Brown Recluse, and Insect Knight."

Flames surrounded the two Insects, and they were quickly consumed.

"Now… Let's all welcome, her royal majesty… The Spider Queen!"

The altar exploded, and a large form appeared where it had been…

It was clear where the inspiration for this Monster had come from. From the waist up, she looked like a sinister version of Sheena herself, with quite a few liberties taken – her skin was glossy black, her eyes were red, her hair pale-white, and her ears pointed. She wore a decorated metal halter and a silver tiara. She clutched an obsidian scepter with an emerald at the end, carved in the shape of a spider. She resembled a cross between Sheena and some sort of dark elf.

That was from the waist up. From the waist down, she wasn't human at all. Her lower body was a giant black widow spider. Although she was smaller than Gate Guardian, this frightening combination was far more intimidating as she glared at Succubus Knight. (2,600/2,800)

"Oh… kay…" muttered Succubus Knight, nervously. "Heh… That's hardly strong enough."

"We'll soon see," said Sheena. "Say goodbye to your ability to increase your Life Points. I play Mystical Space Typhoon!"

She played the card, and the cyclone tore through the room. The Solemn Wishes card was blown to bits.

"Next," said Sheena, "I summon Leghul."

She played another card, and a large worm with a nasty pair of mandibles appeared. (300/350)

"As you likely know, Leghul can attack you directly."

Leghul flew forward and bit Succubus Knight on the arm.

"BITCH!" screamed Succubus Knight.

"Call me all the names you want," said Sheena. "For now, it's lunch time."

"Huh?" said Succubus Knight. "You're gonna stop to eat?"

"Not my lunch time," said Sheena, pointing to The Spider Queen. "Hers."

The Spider Queen aimed her scepter at Leghul, and fired a blast of green energy. Leghul was turned into black particles, and The Spider Queen absorbed them, glowing with energy.

"See, like her friend Insect Queen," explained Sheena, "if her majesty wants to throw down, she needs to eat first. So a sacrifice has to be made before she can attack.

"Destroy Kaiser Sea Horse!"

The Spider Queen's eyes glowed with an evil light, and she blasted a bolt of eldritch energy from her scepter. Succubus Knight grunted as Kaiser Sea Horse exploded into pixels.

"And I end my turn…" said Sheena.

**(S: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (SK: 4,600)**

Succubus Knight angrily drew a card.

She looked at it. It was Sanga of the Thunder.

_DAMN!_ she thought. _I could have summoned this if that spider-whore hadn't destroyed my Sea Horse!_

_I'm gonna commit matricide…_

"Gate Guardian, kill The Spider Queen!" she ordered.

Gate Guardian blasted its tempest surge. The arachnid monarch screamed and shielded herself.

But when the brief storm subsided, she was still there… Soaking wet, and incredibly angry.

"What?" said Succubus Knight, her eyes opening wide.

"The Spider Queen is a goddess, Succubus Knight," explained Sheena. "She's hard to kill. I may have lost a few Life Points from your attack, but I discarded one of the cards in my hand to activate her effect, and keep her from being destroyed in battle."

"She still can't defeat my beast!" shouted Succubus Knight.

"She will soon," said Sheena.

"I end my turn!" yelled Succubus Knight.

**(S: 2,350) - - - - - - - - - - (SK: 4,600)**

Sheena drew a card. The second rope on the guillotine snapped.

"Okay, since I'm so nice," said Sheena, "I'm gonna show you the card I just drew…"

She flipped the card in her hand around.

"Ta-da! It's my Golden Ladybug!

"Why am I showing you this, you may ask? Because if I show you Golden Ladybug during my Standby Phase, I gain 500 Life Points."

"Next, I'll set a Monster, and move The Spider Queen to Defense Mode."

A facedown Monster appeared, and the Queen crossed her arms and sat on her abdomen.

**(S: 2,850) - - - - - - - - - - (SK: 4,600)**

"Then I draw!" shouted Succubus Knight.

She drew a card and looked at it. It was The Warrior Returning Alive.

Then a painful groaning came from Gate Guardian. Succubus Knight looked up, and its stats fell to (2,950/2,600)

"What happened?!" she shouted.

"Your Gate Guardian attacked my Queen last round, remember?" said Sheena with a grin. "That was a fatal mistake. Any Monster that attacks her majesty is cursed with a Spider Venom Counter, which saps away 800 of its Attack and Defense Points during each of its owner's Standby Phases."

"NO!" screamed Succubus Knight. "I won't lose! Daala isn't putting me back in that cramped capsule!"

She threw a card on her Disk.

"I summon Whirlwind Prodigy!"

In a gust of wind, a young boy dressed in leather clothing, with pointed ears appeared. (1,500/1,600)

"Attack the facedown Monster!"

Whirlwind Prodigy pointed, and a blast of wind shot at the facedown card. A large beetle with four stars on its back appeared, and was blown to pieces.

"That was my 4-Star Ladybug of Doom," said Sheena.

Whirlwind Prodigy gasped, as glowing stars appeared all over him.

"And its effect destroys all Level Four Monsters."

Whirlwind Prodigy burst into pixels.

"Gate Guardian!" screamed Succubus Knight. "Attack the Spider Queen!"

Gate Guardian blasted its tempest surge at the Queen. Sheena quickly discarded her last card, which was Golden Ladybug, and she stood fast once again.

"Heh, now you're panicking," said Sheena. "Do that, and you'll lose for sure."

"I… have to end my turn…" stuttered Succubus Knight.

Sheena drew a card. The third rope on the guillotine snapped.

"I'll simply move The Spider Queen to Attack Mode," she said.

The Spider Queen stood up.

"Make your move…"

Succubus Knight grit her teeth as she drew. Gate Guardian groaned again, and fell to scores of (2,150/1,800).

The card she had drawn was Suijin.

She looked at Sheena angrily. She turned the card on her Disk, and Gate Guardian knelt and crouched in Defense Mode.

"My move," said Sheena, drawing a card.

The fourth rope on the guillotine snapped, leaving only one.

"First, I summon Samsara Lotus," she said.

She played one of her two cards, and a large plant appeared on the field. It was indeed a lotus, with humanoid features on its stem. (0/0)

"Next," she continued, "I remove one Insect from play…"

Golden Ladybug slipped out of her discard slot. She quickly pocketed it.

"…to summon Aztekipede, the Worm Warrior!"

The floor burst open, and a large arthropod burst out. It looked similar to Doom Dozer, but not as big, with a green exoskeleton and blade-like mandibles. (1,900/400)

"Aztekipede," she commanded, "destroy the Gate Guardian!"

The Worm Warrior lunged at Gate Guardian, and rammed it in the chest. The giant groaned and then collapsed, before exploding in a burst of elemental energy.

"Now that that's taken care of," said Sheena, "my Queen is gonna take care of you."

The Spider Queen pointed her scepter at Samsara Lotus and drained it dry, absorbing it.

"Attack her directly!" ordered Sheena.

Succubus Knight screamed as the monarch's blast hit her. She fell over on her behind.

"I end my turn," said Sheena. "And that means, due to its effect, since I have no Spell or Trap Cards on the field, Samsara Lotus comes back."

In a burst of energy, Samsara Lotus reappeared in Attack Mode. (0/0)

**(S: 2,850) - - - - - - - - - - (SK: 2,000)**

Succubus Knight slowly got up.

She drew a card.

It was Dark Mimic LV1.

_Okay…_ she thought. _This guy is not gonna do it… It's time to stop fighting via the traditional method and start fighting a more reliable way… _

…_dirty._

She set it on her Disk, and it appeared facedown.

"Your move," she said with a sinister smirk.

"I draw!" exclaimed Sheena.

She quickly drew a card.

She jumped as the guillotine blade crashed down behind her. The card she had just drawn vanished.

"Five rounds have passed since I played Card of Demise," she said, "so I lose my hand…

"And since my Samsara Lotus is on the field, I lose 1,000 Life Points…"

She groaned a little as she and the Lotus glowed with dark energy.

"But you're through!" she shouted.

"Hold it right there!" yelled Succubus Knight, reaching behind her back.

"Hey," said Sheena. "You can't win them all."

"But I am gonna win this one," snarled Succubus Knight, "unless you want me to drop this."

She held something up with her left hand. It looked like a sphere the size of her fist, with a button on top.

She quickly pushed the button.

"**Armed,"** said a computerized voice.

"Armed?" said Sheena in surprise. "What is that thing?"

"An implosion device," said Succubus Knight. "Kind of like a bomb, but where a bomb causes an explosion, this causes an _implosion._

"Attack if you want, but I'll drop this if you do. And if that happens, this pocket dimension that we're in will implode in on itself, and be utterly destroyed. Both the portal behind you and the one behind me will also be destroyed, and we'll both be blown into Xanadu."

"You're nuts!" laughed Sheena. "I _want_ to get into Xanadu!"

"True," growled Succubus Knight. "But if that happens, how will you get out?"

Sheena stopped short.

"These two portals and this chamber between them is currently the only link between our two worlds," said Succubus Knight. "If I drop this thing, you'll get in, but no-one is going back to Earth until a new one can be built. I don't know when, if ever, that will be done. You'll be trapped.

"And so, might I add, will the five teenagers you came here to save. Is that what you want?

"So… Surrender right now, and I won't have to drop the bomb, so to speak…"

"You're insane…" whispered Sheena.

"No…" growled Succubus Knight, "I just don't want to go back to Daala's prison. You'd understand if you'd been there yourself… And you _will_ soon enough…"

Sheena closed her eyes tightly. She touched the pouch on her hip that held her side deck. The place where she had put the virus program, which she now assumed had taken the form of a card.

_I have the only weapon that can possibly defeat Daala…_ she thought. _If I lose here, I'll never get a chance to use it… Daala will confiscate it… And she'll destroy it once she finds out what it does…_

Tears flowed from her eyes.

_Daala might learn a new way to seize control of my company's computer… She might attack the Earth again… I can't let that happen…_

_Heaven forgive me…_

She opened her eyes.

She was about to give the command to sacrifice Samsara Lotus…

And then she stopped short.

Something was coming out of the portal behind Succubus Knight.

Sheena paused again, as the whole figure emerged. It was Vita – Sheena hadn't seen her yet, but the fact that this strange, masked woman seemed intent on sneaking up on her enemy gave her the idea that possibly, this was an ally.

"Well, Spider-Girl?" asked Succubus Knight. "What's it gonna be?"

"I'm… I'm thinking…" muttered Sheena.

"You've got three seconds!" threatened Succubus Knight, holding up the implosion device. "One… two…"

She never got to three. She never saw it coming.

Vita grabbed the Duel Spirit in a headlock, and then grabbed her wrist. The Warrior struggled, as the masked woman wrenched the deadly bomb out of her hand.

"Ms. Arachne!" shouted Vita. "You're all clear! Finish her off!"

"You little!" screamed Succubus Knight as Vita dove for cover.

Sheena gestured, and The Spider Queen drained the power from Samsara Lotus.

"No…" gasped Succubus Knight.

Aztekipede the Worm Warrior lunged at the facedown Monster, and the Dark Mimic was snapped up like a snack.

Succubus Knight screamed as one final direct attack from The Spider Queen hit her.

**(S: 1,850) - - - - - - - - - - (SK: 0)**

Only a smoking stain on the floor remained where Succubus Knight had been.

As Sheena's two Monsters vanished, she turned to look for the masked woman, but she was gone. She clearly had fled through the portal.

Sheena took some deep breaths. She looked through the portal, and clearly saw the ruined buildings of Nexus.

"Well," muttered Sheena, "I'm in…"

She walked towards the portal.

"Well, hurray for me. Things just got a whole lot more complicated. Somehow, I feel that it's just gonna get worse from here…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Succubus Knight's head was swimming.

She slowly came to. She was lying on a stone floor.

She stood up…

And then she found that her arms, all six of them, were in chains.

She cried out in shock. Then she looked around, and saw that it was the least of her problems. She was in a place that looked like an evil-looking temple, with demonic statues and flaming incense burners, along with candles made of black wax.

"What… What's going on?" she cried.

"What's going on?" said Daala's voice. "I brought you here for your punishment, Succubus Knight!"

Daala appeared out of the shadows, holding a scepter that seemed to be made entirely out of black crystal, with the tip carved in the shape of a simple helmet.

"Daala… What punishment?" gasped Succubus Knight. "You said that if someone got through, you'd just send me back to my cell…"

"That was before," snarled Daala. "This is now. Since then, your crimes have increased, both in number and severity.

"For one thing, unapproved use of a weapon, which you clearly stole.

"Second, threatening an opponent in order to get her to surrender. That, my friend, is worse than cheating…

"But your most severe infraction at this point was actually making a threat to destroy the only portal to Earth, which you clearly would have made good.

"Succubus Knight… That portal is instrumental to our plans. The loss of KaibaCorp's computer set us back badly enough… Had you destroyed that portal, do you know how far we would have been set back?"

"Uhm… A week?" said Succubus Knight, meekly.

"A _week_?!" shouted Daala. "We'd have had to construct a new portal from scratch, and that would have taken at least a year! And with Joan's temple in Nexus, it would have been too dangerous to even start constructing it until she was captured and the rebellion was crushed!"

She punched Succubus Knight in the face, and the Warrior fell over.

"On your feet!" ordered Daala, pulling her up.

"I didn't know!" pleaded Succubus Knight.

"Ignorance is no excuse," growled Daala. "You wanted to avoid being sent back to that cramped capsule? You'll find it far more desirable than what I have planned for you now.

"For threatening to wipe out the key portal, you are now found guilty of treason."

"NO! Please!" begged Succubus Knight.

She fell to her knees.

"Don't kill me, please…"

Daala chuckled.

"Yes, yes, you believe, like all residents of Xanadu, that treason is punished by death," she said. "Well, you're about to learn, as all condemned prisoners learn at the moment their sentence is carried out, that Xanadu actually has no death penalty. Whether the sentence is carried out by me or the executioner, their punishment is much, much different.

"If I had to guess, I'd say you'll _wish_ I had killed you before long…"

She raised the scepter.

"Therefore… I sentence you to be banished."

"Banished?" gasped Succubus Knight. "Where are you sending me?"

"I'm sending you to a place that's under someone else's jurisdiction," said Daala. "Once you're there, he will decide your fate.

"Farewell…"

The scepter glowed.

"Dread Emperor," chanted Daala. "I offer you the body and soul of this Duel Spirit as a sacrifice. Do with both as you see fit."

Succubus Knight screamed as an aura of dark flames surrounded her.

"NO!" she screamed. "Don't…"

She couldn't finish whatever she intended to say. She screamed one more time, and then vanished in a plume of smoke.

The chains fell to the ground with a clatter.

Daala turned away from the altar.

"Unbelievable…" she muttered. "As if Arachne getting into Xanadu wasn't bad enough…

"To think that it was Vita who stopped her. That worm actually did me a favor, even if it wasn't her intent."

She sighed. Vita was likely the resident of Xanadu she despised more than anyone. A long time ago, there was a bounty on her head, and Daala's troops were instructed to capture her. Many tried, and eventually, one succeeded.

But Vita couldn't be held. She escaped from Daala's prison, which was a Xanadu first. The hunt started again. Eventually, the capture was made again. But quickly, Vita escaped again, a Xanadu second.

After this happened a third time, Daala decided that it was a big waste of time and resources to even try, and decided to simply leave her alone.

As for why Daala hated her so much… Well, it for a reason that only the two of them knew…

But the fact that Vita was taking an interest in Yumi and the others had hardly gone unnoticed. If it continued, maybe steps would have to be taken again…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As this was happening, Aster, Yumi, Sam, and Erik were driving down the streets of Darkspire.

"Aster," called Yumi. "Cathedral of Mechanicles? I know that name… Mechanicles… It was a card that my dad used…"

"It's a Fusion Monster," replied Aster. "A fusion of Machine King and Queen Machine.

"Whether or not a Duel Spirit version of it truly exists is debatable. However, some Machine Spirits with some intelligence started a sect of sorts a long time ago, claiming that it did exist, and that it was the god of machine life."

"You gotta be kidding," muttered Sam.

"I'm deadly serious," said Aster. "This sect isn't very popular, but a few dedicated groups exist in the Twelve Dimensions.

"Some time ago, some Machines in Darkspire built a Cathedral. The Realm Lord didn't object at first. And folks had to admit, the choirs that Machines sang at the services were interesting, to say the least. But last year, Daala herself ordered it shut down. No-one knows why. The only reason that was given was 'conflict of interests'."

"Clearly, Daala doesn't allow Freedom of Religion among her subjects," said Erik.

"It's just another reason to overthrow her," said Yumi.

"So," said Erik, "if this place's location is hidden from all Spirits except for Machines, we can assume that the executioner is one, right?"

"Don't forget, the executioner isn't bound by any laws," replied Sam. "It might be able to see through any veil that this place tries to use to hide itself."

"Exactly," said Aster. "So expect anything."

They looked towards the cathedral as it loomed over them in the street ahead.

"Chelsea… Ren…" pleaded Yumi. "Hang in there…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**REMOVE BOMB (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A remote control directing a crane lowering a bomb into a shaft.

**Card Description:** Remove the top five cards on your deck from play. For each Monster removed from play in this manner, inflict 300 points of direct damage to your opponent.

_Note: "Remove Bomb" was first used by Syrus in a fourth season episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**UNSPEAKABLE CRUELTY (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** Ruin, Queen of Oblivion and Demise, King of Armageddon crushing the Earth between their hands.

**Card Description:** Target a face-up Monster on your side of the field with an ATK of 3,000 or more. Offer as a Tribute two Monsters you control, other than the targeted Monster. The targeted Monster may attack your opponent directly this turn. You may not attack with any Monsters except the targeted Monster on the turn you use this card.

_Note: "Unspeakable Cruelty" first appeared in "Tilting the Balance" by Man Called True. Creative Credit goes to him._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BROWN RECLUSE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Insect/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 2,300  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description:** If this card attacks, it is changed to Defense Position at the end of the Battle Phase. This battle position cannot be changed until the end of your next turn, except with a card effect.

_Note: "Brown Recluse" first appeared in "Mandate of Heaven"._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**FLYING SCORPION (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Insect/Effect  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,500  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description:** When this card is destroyed as a result of battle and sent to the Graveyard, you may Special Summon an Insect-Type Monster from your Graveyard, except for a "Flying Scorpion".

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**WRATH OF THE SPIDER QUEEN (Spell Card)**

**Ritual Spell**

**Image:** A dark, sinister altar with a spider motif, with two dark-skinned, female cultists in decorated armor kneeling and chanting before it.

**Card Description:** This card is used to Ritual Summon "The Spider Queen". You must also offer as a Tribute from your hand or deck Monsters whose total Levels equal eight or more.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**THE SPIDER QUEEN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Ritual/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,600  
**DEF:** 2,800

**Card Description:** This card can only be Ritual Summoned with the Ritual Spell Card, "Wrath of the Spider Queen". If this card would be destroyed as a result of battle, you may discard one card from your hand to prevent it from being destroyed. (Damage calculation still applies.) You cannot declare an attack with this card without offering one Monster on your side of the field as a Tribute. Put one "Spider Venom Counter" on a Monster that battles this Monster. A Monster cannot have more than one "Spider Venom Counter" at one time. A Monster with a "Spider Venom Counter" loses 800 points from its ATK and DEF during each of its owner's Standby Phases.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**Can Ren and Chelsea hold on for a little longer? They'd better, because next chapter, the remaining members of the team find the way in to the Cathedral of Mechanicles blocked by one of Daala's few enforcers who isn't a Duel Spirit, a genius of strategy who holds an MD ("Monster Doctor", of course). Yumi duels to get past, but is soon put between "The Rock and the Hard Place". It's coming soon.**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Name that Card!**_

_**This Monster is based on a character named Jake, the protagonist of a Konami video game that has the same name as the Monster's card. Can you name it?**_


	31. The Rock and the Hard Place

_**What Monster was based on a video game character named Jake? If you said "Nanobreaker", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Okay, let's go over it again…**_

_**Daala challenges me to duel. With some help from Joan, I win. Daala escapes, but not before telling us that we're sentenced to die.**_

_**Aster leads us into Darkspire. On the way, Bandit Keith ambushes us. Erik duels him. Even though he wins, we learn from Keith that the whole duel's purpose was to stall – while we were out in the open. No sooner does Keith leave, than two Winged Beasts ambush us and grab Ren and Chelsea, paying no heed to the law that Joan uses to limit Daala's power. Aster tells us that this is what happens when Daala wants an enemy dead, and that whoever the executioner is isn't bound by any of Xanadu's laws, because it isn't bound by any law at all.**_

_**Then Aster is attacked by an egotistical and loudmouthed assassin. He duels the guy, and he's so certain that he can beat Aster, he gloats, and tells us where Ren and Chelsea are, confident that we'll never find it. But Aster beats him anyway.**_

_**Now, if this gloating wasn't a lie, Ren and Chelsea are in this cathedral that was dedicated to a god of machines. Yep, you heard me right.**_

_**And now, in order to get past the front door, I'm dueling one of Daala's enforcers, a weirdo who claims to not only be an expert duelist, but to hold a doctorate in the field.**_

_**So…**_

_**There's gotta be a pattern here somewhere…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THIRTY**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Rock and the Hard Place**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Sheena looked around. The hills and ruins of Nexus were around her.

_I didn't exactly expect a parade,_ she thought, _but you'd think someone would be here…_

Her hand touched the pouch at her side.

Then she realized that she hadn't checked the viral program yet to make sure her plan had worked. She opened up the pouch and took out the fifteen cards.

She was very surprised when she saw what the top card was.

The diskette had transformed into a card, all right. But it was _not_ Parasite Paraside.

She looked at the card. It was an incredibly powerful card that had obtained legendary status after the one time it had been used. It was incredibly rare in the real world. It may have even been unique.

The important part was, it was worthless to her. An Insect Deck didn't have the right cards to use it.

It seemed she had to change her plans.

She had to find Yumi and give the card to her. Then Yumi would have to duel Daala.

AND… They'd have to pray like crazy, because unlike Parasite Paraside, this card was not so easily searchable.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Cathedral of Mechanicles was a landmark, to say the least. If you could picture Notre Dame, or a church of similar architecture, then replace the stone with concrete and sheet metal, change the stained glass images and gargoyles to depictions of robots, and then replace the buttresses with giant gears and cogs, you'd have an accurate description of what this building looked like. The whole thing may have once been a working machine itself, as well as a building, but apparently its motors had stopped running when Daala had forced the congregation to shut their doors.

"Ren! Chelsea!" shouted Yumi, as their cycles skidded to a halt. "We're coming!"

"This place can hide itself from all Spirits except Machines?" asked Sam. "That would be like trying to hide an aircraft carrier!"

"I said the same thing when a Nanobreaker guided me here the first time," replied Aster. "I have no idea how the magic works. Emes the Infinity was in charge of a lot of the enchantments that went into the structure, and folks say that he may not be the typical Machine. He may have even been built by some god of the forge. At least that's what he claims."

Then they stopped short.

A huge Machine was crouched in front of the doors to the Cathedral. It was about thirty feet tall, humanoid, and broad, made of chrome metal. It was blocking the way, forming a barrier. (0/2,000)

"Stronghold the Moving Fortress?" said Erik. "I thought that was a Trap Card."

"In your world it is," replied Aster. "It's a Duel Spirit here."

"Hey, buddy!" shouted Yumi, walking up to the colossal robot. "Beat it!"

No answer.

"I mean it, fellah!" ordered Yumi. "Move it or lose it!"

Still no answer.

"Uh, Yumi…" muttered Erik. "Maybe it isn't too wise to yell at a thirty-foot-tall robot…"

"It has no Gadgets," said Yumi. "That means it has zero Attack Points. And we don't have time for this…"

She activated her Disk and drew a card.

"Sam, summon something!"

"You got it," said Sam, as her own Disk activated.

The Bistro Butcher materialized. (1,800/1,000)

Yumi played a card, and the Butcher vanished. Chaos Command Magician appeared. (2,400/1,900)

"Knock down!" ordered Yumi.

Chaos Command Magician fired a blast at the huge Machine.

Unfortunately, the blast just bounced off. The Moving Fortress didn't move an inch.

"Huh?" said Yumi. "Since when could that thing resist being destroyed by attacks?"

"You got me," said Aster, playing a card.

Destiny Hero Devilguy appeared in a burst of darkness. (600/800)

The Hero flew up to the huge Machine and gripped it with his claw.

Stronghold still stood. Devilguy's grip did nothing.

"This doesn't make sense!" gasped Aster.

"It makes perfect sense!" laughed a voice.

"I know that laugh…" said Aster, ominously.

They turned around, as a plume of purple smoke appeared on the street…

Appearing out of it was a strange, fiendish creature. Yumi hadn't seen too many American movies, but she was immediately reminded of one she had seen called _The Mask._

This creature had green skin, and diabolically pointed ears. He was dressed in a purple formal tuxedo, an orange vest, a black tie, and a top hat. He had a big grin that suggested he had a dental cleaning every week.

"Doresain…" growled Aster, angrily.

"Uh, uh, uh!" scolded the creature, waving a finger. "You will address me by my full title, Aster. Dr. Doresain, MD."

"MD?" mused Sam.

"Monster Doctor!" laughed the figure. "I'm not only an expert in dueling, I have a doctorate!"

"You expect us to believe that?" asked Sam.

"What, do you want to see my sheepskin?" asked the figure.

"Guys, be careful!" warned Aster. "This is one of Daala's enforcers. He _isn't_ an AI program. Most folks believe he's a Pro League duelist from Earth that Daala recruited somehow.

"And he's never lost. This guy has taken out a lot of my friends in Joan's army."

"Yes, but I do other things too," said Doresain. "Emes designed the most of the special features of the Cathedral when the Machines were building it, but I put in a few as well, in exchange for some favors to be done later.

"Mechanicles may or may not exist. I have no idea. But you can't deny the divine power that places like this are able to channel, so long as enough creatures believe, even if they are Machines. Divinity is another of my skills, and I was able to use it to do some good work with the completed structure.

"My best work was with the Protection Counters. This whole church works like a Field Spell for Machine Spirits, like good old Stronghold here. For every ten minutes that an actual Machine Spirit that isn't involved in an actual duel stays in or near the Cathedral, it gains one. And it can resist one card effect or one attack for each Counter it has."

Yumi's eyes opened wide. She looked at Stronghold.

"How long has that been there?" she asked.

"Since Daala proclaimed her sentence of death on you guys yesterday," replied Doresain. "She plans ahead. She isn't stupid."

"Do you realize how many 'ten minutes' that adds up to?" gasped Erik. "We'll be here for hours! We won't get in until it's too late…"

"Unless you use this…" replied Doresain.

He held up a card.

It was a Spell Card called Counter Cleaner.

"I know that card!" gasped Aster. "It removes all Counters from all cards on the field!"

"Hand it over, Doresain!" demanded Yumi. "Or you'll make history as the first doctor to mend four broken limbs at once, all of which are your own!"

"Make one move towards me and I'll tear it in half," threatened Doresain. "And no-one else in Darkspire has one, I promise you that. This card is far too situational for any duelist to use regularly."

Yumi stopped.

"But…" he said, waving it in the air. "I am willing to duel for it…"

"What's the catch?" asked Yumi.

"Well," said Doresain. "You know how Sam wasn't impressed by my degree?"

"I'm not really impressed by it either," muttered Yumi. "A diploma alone doesn't make you a better duelist. You can claim to be educated, but that only gives you knowledge. You need to temper knowledge with other things as a duelist… Wisdom, inborn ability, instinct… In other words, knowing how a card works is one thing, but actually using it is another thing entirely."

"That's what Daala said!" snarled Doresain. "She isn't impressed by my degree either! And no matter what I do for her, I'm passed over time and again for promotions! I don't even have a Deck Lord yet for Pete's sake."

"What do you expect, Doresain?" said Aster. "You can't commit to one strategy. You must have twenty different decks, and all of them are completely different. A Deck Lord can't accommodate multiple strategies."

"Regardless," said Doresain. "Once I defeat the Queen of Games, Daala will recognize my talent at last!"

_And I'll be a shoe-in for the position in her inner circle that just opened,_ he thought.

"Fine!" yelled Yumi, activating her Disk. "I don't like doctors myself… Every time I have my physical, it's always lie down, say ah, breathe in… Drives me crazy."

"You're lucky," muttered Erik. "You don't have to deal with the 'turn your head and cough' part."

"Seems now I'm on the right side of the old needle!" exclaimed Yumi.

A Disk appeared on Doresain's, arm, and it activated.

"Game on!" they shouted.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sheena wandered over one of the hills of Nexus.

_This place looks like Euro Disney on a slow day,_ she thought.

Then she noticed something.

At the bottom of the hill, someone seemed to be working on a device of some sort.

Sheena knew she had to be cautious. She didn't know whether this was a friend or an enemy.

She slowly walked down the hill, towards the figure, who was bent over. The figure was dressed in black, and had two pairs of wings growing out of its back, two feathered, and two bat-like. Clearly, it wasn't human, but Sheena didn't know what it was.

"Ahem," said Sheena.

The figure got up and turned around. Sheena flinched.

The figure was a woman – apparently – with pale skin, and glowing red eyes. Her clothing was armor of some sort, with a helmet and a skirt. The shoulder guards were designed to look like two bloodshot eyes. She held a long staff with a crescent blade on the end – apparently, she had picked it up when Sheena had made herself known.

The Duel Spirit simply stared at Sheena.

"Wait, now I know the face…" said Sheena. "Doma the Angel of Silence, right?"

The Dark Fairy simply stared at Sheena for a few seconds. Then her lips slowly changed into a slight smile. It was a smile that made Sheena's blood run cold.

_So now what?_ thought Sheena. _Isn't she going to say anything?_

_Or maybe she can't… She is the Angel of Silence, after all…_

Doma held her staff out in front of her, and it turned into dark energy. The energy surrounded her left arm, and formed into a Duel Disk.

"Oh, you want to duel, huh?" asked Sheena.

Doma nodded.

"Okay," said Sheena, as her Disk activated, "_this_ I can handle!"

Both Life Point counters set to 8,000…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Ren, Chelsea,_ thought Yumi, _please, just hold on a little longer…_

**(Yumi: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Doresain: 8,000)**

"My draw!" laughed Doresain, drawing a card.

He held the card up.

"North is up…

"South is down…

"Here's a card to change the town!"

He quickly threw the card into his Field Slot, and suddenly, the whole city started to change. The buildings of Darkspire all turned into clockwork constructs, made of gears, cogs, and sprockets. Spotlights shot into the dark sky, all with gear designs inside of them. It now looked like the whole city had been designed by whatever mad architect had designed the Ancient Gear Castle.

"What's going on Doresain?" asked Yumi.

"I've taken us to Gear Town," said Doresain. "I'd love to tell you what it does, but we'll get to it later.

"For now, I'll set a Monster, and end my turn."

A facedown Monster appeared in front of him.

Yumi drew a card quickly.

_He's clearly using Machines,_ she thought. _And Machines tend to be physically powerful. I'll have to strike hard on my own._

"Go, Skilled Dark Magician!" she shouted.

The dark-robed Spellcaster appeared in a flash of light. (1,900/1,700)

"Destroy his Monster!" she ordered.

The dark mage nodded. He fired his spell of black magic, and Ancient Gear Soldier appeared on the facedown card. It was blown to scrap.

"I'll set this facedown," she said, as a facedown card appeared in a flash of light, "and then you go."

Doresain drew.

He grinned.

_Heh, heh,_ he thought. _Just what the doctor ordered…_

He placed it in his Disk.

"I'll set a facedown of my own," he said, as it appeared. "Then I'll summon my Ancient Gear Engineer."

In a cloud of dust and dirt, a new Machine appeared in front of him. It looked similar to Ancient Gear Soldier, but rather than having a machine gun for a right hand, it had a drill for the right hand and a clamp for the left. (1,500/1,500)

"Hey, wait just a second!" snapped Sam. "You can't just summon a Level Five Monster directly to the field! You'd need a special card or something…"

"But I do, Samantha!" laughed Doresain. "That's one of the powers that Gear Town bestows. In this berg, Ancient Gear Monsters require one less sacrifice than they normally do. Since my Engineer normally requires one, here, it requires none.

"Next, I'll make it stronger. With Ancient Gear Tank."

He fit a card into his Disk, and a large vehicle resembling a cross between a tank, motorcycle, and go-cart appeared. Ancient Gear Engineer mounted it, and a blast shield covered its face.

"This gives the driver some extra firepower."

(2,100/1,500)

"Now, pulverize her Skilled Dark Magician!" he commanded.

The Tank's engine started up.

"I activate…" started Yumi.

Then she stopped short. She looked at her facedown card.

_Oh, that's right…_ she thought. _Since he's attacking with an Ancient Gear Monster, my Trap Card is worthless…_

The Tank fired a blast from its cannon, and Skilled Dark Magician was blown to pieces. Yumi shielded herself.

**(Y: 7,800) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 8,000)**

"Now I can use my Engineer's effect," said Doresain, "to destroy your facedown card!"

Another blast fired from the cannon, and Yumi's Mirror Force was blown to bits.

"My diagnosis is, you're toast!"

"I want a second opinion!" answered Yumi.

She drew a card.

"Come on out, Magician's Valkyria!"

In a burst of light, the attractive, brunette mage appeared. (1,600/1,800)

"Next, I play Rush Recklessly!"

She played another card, and Valkyria's Attack Score shot up to 2,300.

"Smash his Ancient Gear Engineer! Magic Illusion!"

Valkyria cast her spell, and both Ancient Gear Engineer and its Tank exploded into scrap metal.

Then Yumi screamed as shrapnel from the explosion flew at her, stabbing into her flesh.

"I didn't mention," said Doresain, "when my Tank is destroyed, you lose 600 Life Points.

"And I'm taking out your Valkyria too. Activate Trap!"

His facedown card lifted. A large object that looked like a box covered with circuitry appeared on his side of the field. Valkyria gave an odd look…

Then the box opened, creating a powerful suction force. Valkyria screamed as it started to pull at her. Then she was transformed into energy, and drawn into the box, which quickly slammed shut.

"What happened?" demanded Yumi.

"It's a Trap called Unfinished Time Box," said Doresain. "It creates an extradimensional jail which puts your Valkyria out of commission for as long as the Trap Card remains on the field.

"And it has another effect. It lets me draw one card."

He made one draw.

"So, anything else?"

Yumi looked at her hand.

"I…" she muttered. "I have to end my turn…"

Yumi looked with worry as he drew another card.

_Clearly this guy is much more serious than he looks,_ she thought. _And if I can't beat him, not only will Ren and Chelsea be finished, I'll be in the same situation!_

**(Y: 7,200) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 7,800)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sheena watched as her opponent drew her first card.

The Angel of Silence looked at the six cards in her hand.

Then she looked at Sheena, and nodded.

"What?" said Sheena. "You mean you're ending your turn?"

Doma nodded again

_I've heard of bad opening hands before,_ thought Sheena, _but not even a card that she could use to bluff with?  
_

She drew her first card.

_I really don't like this, but I can't do nothing…_

"I summon Insect Knight!" she shouted.

The tall mantis warrior appeared, holding its sword and shield. (1,900/1,500)

"Attack her directly!" commanded Sheena.

Doma didn't move in the slightest as Insect Knight flew at her. She fell over as its sword slammed into her, but she didn't make a sound, so it was impossible to tell whether the blow had hurt her or not.

She quickly got up, her Life Points falling to 6,100.

_Okay…_ thought Sheena. _I'm in the lead…_

_But somehow, I still don't like it… She practically let me attack her. I have the feeling she's leading me into something bad…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Doresain placed a card on his Disk.

"I summon my Ancient Gear Knight," he said.

Another Ancient Gear Machine appeared. This one looked like Ancient Gear Soldier again, but held a long, metal lance in one hand, and a metal shield shaped like a big gear in the other. (1,800/500)

"Oo-kay…" said Yumi. "This one I haven't seen before…"

"This is a Gemini Monster," explained Doresain. "Until I Second Summon it next turn, it can't use its effect, which is the same as that of Ancient Gear Soldier. But until then…

"Attack her directly!"

The Knight rushed at Yumi. She screamed as it stabbed its lance directly into her navel.

She fell on her behind.

**(Y: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 7,800)**

"Ouch…" said Erik.

Yumi got up, holding her stomach in pain.

"I'm guessing you never took the Hippocratic Oath, Doresain," she growled.

She drew a card.

"Go, Monster Reborn!" she shouted, as the Spell Card appeared. "Now, my Skilled Dark Magician is coming back!"

Skilled Dark Magician appeared again. (1,900/1,700)

"But he's leaving again," she said, as he vanished, "so I can summon Dark Magician Girl!"

Dark Magician Girl appeared in a burst of hearts and colors. (2,000/1,700)

"All right!" cheered Erik.

"Send his Knight to the recovery room!" shouted Yumi. "Dark burning attack!"

Dark Magician Girl cast her spell, and Ancient Gear Knight exploded into metal shards.

**(Y: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 7,600)**

_Hmm, Yumi's ace Monster?_ thought Doresain. _Seems a shame to wipe out something so lovely…_

_Especially since most of the Spirits I work with aren't nearly as beautiful… It seems that Spellcasters always get the good looks…_

_And some other creatures…_

He sighed. He paused for a minute to look up at the belfry of the Cathedral.

He knew who the executioner was. The truth was, he didn't want to help her. Few sane creatures would. His real goal here was to defeat Yumi, and he didn't care one way or the other whether anyone rescued Ren and Chelsea. Not that he even thought that was possible.

The executioner was someone who was… very hard to like, to say the least. She was beautiful… _incredibly_ beautiful. More beautiful than most mortal women. But her beauty hid incredible evil that was obvious to anyone who looked at her. Most would agree that it was a tragedy that such beauty was wasted on such a cruel creature.

"It's your move," said Yumi.

Doresain drew a card.

He simply placed it on his Disk, and a defensive Monster appeared.

"Why'd he put that in Defense Mode?" asked Erik.

"Cause he's afraid of Dark Magician Girl, that's why!" laughed Sam.

"Don't be so sure," said Aster. "This guy is full of surprises."

Yumi drew a card.

"I activate Pot of Greed," she said.

The jar appeared, and she drew two cards. She quickly looked at them.

"I set a Monster of my own in Defense Mode," she said, as a Monster appeared facedown.

"Then I attack with Dark Magician Girl!"

Dark Magician Girl aimed her scepter. The Monster appeared on the card. It looked like a two-legged robot with a turret on top, with two small guns. Her blast blew it to particles.

"You activated the Flip-Effect of my DUCKER Mobile Cannon," said Doresain. "That means I get to recover a Level Four Monster from my Graveyard."

Ancient Gear Knight slipped out of his discard slot, and he took it.

"Fine," said Yumi, with a scowl. "It's your move…"

Doresain drew a card. He grinned again.

"I summon Ancient Gear Beast!" he said with a laugh.

In a burst of energy, one of the more powerful Ancient Gear Machines appeared. The robotic wolf with sharp claws and teeth. (2,000/2,000)

"Aw, nuts!" shouted Erik. "He summoned _another_ high-Level Machine with no sacrifice!"

"Attack her facedown Monster!" commanded Doresain. "Piston pounce!"

Ancient Gear Beast leapt at the facedown card. Magician of Faith appeared right before she was squashed flat.

"Bad news people," said Aster. "That thing negates Monster effects, so Yumi's Magician of Faith was just wasted."

"I'm more concerned about something else," muttered Sam. "If he can summon a high-Level Ancient Gear Monster with no sacrifice…"

"He can summon a _very_ high-Level Ancient Gear Monster with one," replied Aster.

Yumi started to sweat.

She knew about Ancient Gear Golem only too well. She had faced it in Duelatopia when she and Sam had formed a team against Tucker and Marlon.

She didn't want to face it again…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sheena watched as her opponent drew a card.

Doma added it to her hand, and then looked at Sheena.

"Again?!" shouted Sheena. "You're just going to end your turn again?!"

Then, to her surprise, a voice came from her opponent. A soft whisper, almost as if it hurt her to talk.

"Yes, Ms. Arachne," whispered Doma, "I end my turn."

"So, you _can_ talk," said Sheena.

"Yes, I just didn't have anything to say until now," whispered Doma. "And since I am ending my turn with a hand that consists of seven cards, I must now discard one to the Graveyard."

She discarded a card.

"It is your move."

"Fine!" said Sheena, drawing a card. "It's your funeral!"

"Before this goes any further," whispered Doma, "you should know that the card I just discarded was a Spell Card called Silent Pain. When this card is the only card in my Graveyard, then during your Standby Phase, all of your Monsters are destroyed, and you lose 1,000 Life Points."

"Huh?" said Sheena.

Then Insect Knight exploded into shards, and she cringed as a dark aura surrounded her. Her Life Points fell to 7,000.

"I knew you were up to something!" she snarled.

She threw a card on her Disk.

"I summon Neo Bug!"

In a burst of energy, the large, winged, clawed Insect appeared. (1,800/1,700)

"And I play this," whispered Doma, holding up a card. "It's called Silent Space. When Silent Pain is the only card in my Graveyard, I can remove this card in my hand from play, to destroy one of your Monsters."

Sheena stepped back in shock, as Neo Bug exploded into shards.

"All right, buddy…" said Sheena, angrily. "I end my turn…"

"Then I draw," said Doma, drawing. "And once again, I end my turn."

Sheena grit her teeth as she drew.

"Don't forget," whispered Doma, "the effect of Silent Pain now activates.

"And that means I can activate this."

She held up another card.

"Silent Torment. When Silent Pain's effect activates, I can remove this card in my hand from play, and you lose an _additional_ 1,000 Life Points."

Sheena screamed as an even more intense aura of darkness surrounded her, and her Life Points fell to 5,000.

"You know…" she gasped. "I kind of liked it better when you weren't talking!"

"I am the Angel of Silence, Ms. Arachne," whispered Doma. "And soon, I will silence you forever."

Sheena looked at the card she had just drawn.

"Pot of Greed!" she shouted, playing it.

She quickly drew two cards.

She looked at the seven cards in her hand.

_Clearly a straightforward attack is not gonna work here,_ she thought. _But… Maybe I can use her own strategy against her…._

"I throw two cards facedown, and a Monster in Defense Mode," she said.

Three facedown cards appeared, two vertical and one horizontal.

Doma made a slight smile.

"Trap Cards and Monsters in Defense Mode?" she whispered. "Don't your realize by now that my strategy doesn't involve attacking?"

"Make your move," said Sheena. "Not that I don't already know what you're gonna do…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Okay…_ thought Yumi, drawing a card. _Dark Magician Girl and Ancient Gear Beast have equal Attack Scores… Attacking wouldn't be wise._

She looked at the card she had drawn.

_But this might help._

"I play… Graceful Charity!"

The Angel of Charity appeared, and her feathers fell on her deck. She quickly drew three cards.

She smirked. She discarded Draining Shield and Goddess with the Third Eye.

"I play Heavy Storm!" she shouted, throwing it into her Disk.

A storm akin to a hurricane tore through Gear Town, and the results were dramatic. The Buildings started to erode, and then crumble, turning to dust. Then the Unfinished Time Box exploded, and Valkyria appeared next to Dark Magician Girl, looking very angry. (1,600/1,800)

"I destroyed your Trap Card," said Yumi. "So Valkyria is freed."

"True," said Doresain, with a smirk, "but to do that, you also destroyed Gear Town, and when Gear Town is broken down, its second effect is activated. I get to Special Summon an Ancient Gear Monster from my hand, deck, or Graveyard."

Ancient Gear Soldier appeared, crouching in Defense Mode. (1,300/1,300)

"Valkyria," said Yumi. "Destroy his Soldier."

Magician's Valkyria fired her blast, and the Soldier was blown to scrap.

"Why did he Special Summon it?" asked Erik. "He knew that Yumi would trash it."

"Having Ancient Gear Monsters in your Graveyard can often be a benefit," explained Aster.

"See, a lot of Ancient Gear accessory cards are designed to make summoning the high-Level ones easier. If he has enough in his Graveyard, he could use Ancient Gear Factory, and Normal Summon a high-Level one without a sacrifice.

"But according to my count, he doesn't have enough in there to do it with the Golem yet."

"It's your move, Doresain," said Yumi.

Doresain drew.

"I activate my own Pot of Greed," he said.

He played the card, and then drew twice.

He chuckled when he saw the two cards.

"Your friend is right," he said. "My deck has a lot of cards that I could use to get around needing two sacrifices to summon Ancient Gear Golem…

"And here's another way no-one mentioned yet. It's old-fashioned, but still very effective. I play Cost Down."

A Spell Card appeared on his side of the field.

"So I toss one card," he continued, discarding Ancient Gear Knight, "and the Levels of all Monsters in my hand are downgraded by two.

"That means I can sacrifice my Beast…"

Ancient Gear Beast vanished.

"To summon… Ancient Gear Golem!"

In an even bigger explosion of dirt and dust, the most infamous of the Ancient Gear Machines rose up, looming over the field, over Yumi's two Spellcasters. Both they and she stepped back in fright. (3,000/3,000)

"Attack her Valkyria!" he ordered. "Mechanized melee!"

The giant threw its fist forward, and Valkyria was squashed flat. Yumi was thrown back from the impact.

**(Y: 4,000) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 7,600)**

"Guess who's next?" he chuckled, looking at Dark Magician Girl.

"Still my turn, I believe…" he continued, as a Spell Card appeared. "I play The Shallow Grave. Now we each must Special Summon a Monster from our Graveyards in facedown Defense Mode."

Yumi gave him a strange look. A facedown Monster appeared on both sides of the field.

"And that's all," he said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Once again," whispered Doma, "I draw…"

She drew a card.

"And once again, it is your move."

Sheena drew a card, and looked at it.

"Silent Pain activates again," said Doma.

Sheena cringed, as her facedown Monster shattered, and her Life Points fell to 4,000.

"Thank you…" she said, with a grin. "The Monster that was just destroyed was a Pinch Hopper. That means I get to Special Summon any Insect from my hand.

"I summon Metal Armored Bug!"

The ground burst open, and a giant beetle the size of a mach truck with a metal exoskeleton appeared. (2,800/1,500)

"Once again, I activate Silent Space," whispered Doma, holding a card up.

"Not this time!" shouted Sheena, as one of her facedown cards lifted up. "I activate Magic Drain!

"Now you can't use your Spell Card unless you discard another Spell Card."

"Fool," said Doma. "I can easily discard a Spell Card."

She went to do so. Then she paused.

"Wait a minute…" she said.

"Yeah, it isn't that simple, is it?" said Sheena, with a sinister grin. "See, Silent Space can only work if Silent Pain is the only card in your Graveyard. If you discard anything, it won't work, and your whole strategy will be ruined. If you choose not to, my Trap Card will negate Silent Space and send it to the Graveyard, and your strategy will be ruined anyway.

"No matter what you do, your Spell Card won't succeed! You're in a no-win situation!"

"Or so you think," whispered Doma. "I choose to discard a Spell Card."

She discarded a card.

"Like you said, Silent Space cannot function now, so your Bug is safe. But your victory will be short lived. The Spell Card I discarded was called Silent Vengeance."

"Huh?" said Sheena.

"When Silent Vengeance and Silent Pain are both in my Graveyard," said Doma, "then when your turn ends, I can remove all cards except Silent Pain in my Graveyard from play, and inflict damage to you equal to whatever is inflicted on me this turn. I wouldn't attack if I were you."

"Well…" said Sheena. "My turn is far from done…

"I remove Insect Knight and Neo Bug from play, to summon Doom Dozer!"

The two cards slipped out of her discard slot, and she pocketed them. In an explosion of dirt and rock, the huge, rust-red millipede with giant mandibles burst out of the ground. (2,800/2,600)

"Now I activate… Wrath of the Spider Queen!"

The sinister altar appeared again, and Metal Armored Bug was surrounded by flames.

"I'll sacrifice my Bug, to summon The Spider Queen!"

Metal Armored Bug vanished, and the fiendish Queen appeared. (2,600/2,800)

"Next," continued Sheena, as her other facedown card lifted, "Call of the Haunted!"

Metal Armored Bug dug its way to the surface again. (2,800/1,500)

"Uh oh…" said Doma.

"Metal Armored Bug, you first," said Sheena.

The huge beetle charged at the Angel of Silence, and chomped at her waist with its huge mandibles. Doma staggered backwards as her Life Points fell to 3,300.

"Doom Dozer, your turn."

Doom Dozer roared, and made a savage bite at the Angel with its jaws. Doma screamed, the first time she had raised her voice. Her Life Points fell to 500.

Sheena pointed, and The Spider Queen pointed her scepter at Metal Armored Bug. It was reduced to a mass of energy, and she consumed it. Then she fired a blast of energy at the Angel of Silence. Doma's Life Points fell to zero, and she vanished in an explosion of black smoke.

Sheena took some deep breaths as her two remaining Monsters vanished.

Then she saw the thing that Doma had been working on before she got here.

She raised an eyebrow.

It looked like a football-sized mass of purple crystals…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"So, Yumi…" chuckled Doresain. "Still think that my degree didn't do me any good?

"You'd be surprised at how much it benefits someone to take their education as far as I did.

"Take astronomers, for instance."

"Huh?" said Yumi. "Astronomers?"

"Astronomers make six-figure salaries," he said. "In American dollars, that is. They're among the highest paid professionals in the world. Did you know that? The reason is, they all have doctorates in their fields, and men who specialize in their areas are incredibly rare.

"Any profession that requires a doctorate tends to be respected… Chemists, physicians, psychiatrists…"

"Yes, yes, that's all well and good," interrupted Yumi, rolling her eyes. "The probable reason why you don't get the same level of respect is because you use your education the wrong way. You're an enforcer for Daala. That's nuts if you ask me. An assassin does not need a doctorate! What you should have done was teach."

"That's what all doctors do!" snarled Doresain. "Excuse me for trying to be original!"

_It's pointless trying to reason with him,_ thought Yumi. _I gotta win this duel fast…_

She drew a card.

"I Flip-Summon my Magician of Faith!" she exclaimed.

Her facedown card flipped up, and Magician of Faith appeared. (300/400)

"Now, I get back my Monster Reborn," she said, as the card appeared in her hand. "And now I'll play it."

In a flash of light, Magician's Valkyria appeared. (1,600/1,800)

"Next, I sacrifice both her and Magician of Faith…"

Both of the lesser Spellcasters vanished into grains of light.

Dark Magician appeared, making a dramatic pose. (2,500/2,100)

"Ah, so what?" yawned Doresain. "That guy is overrated. Like caviar. He's something everyone wants, but something that you wouldn't want once you had."

Yumi closed her eyes.

_Must not fly into rage…_ she thought.

She opened her eyes.

"I'm not done," said Yumi, playing another Spell Card. "Next, Pot of Avarice."

She took Magician's Valkyria, Magician of Faith, Skilled Dark Magician, Valkyria, and Goddess with the Third Eye from her discard slot, and quickly reshuffled. She drew two cards.

"Next up, Magical Stone Excavation," she said, as another Spell Card appeared. "So I'll toss these…"

She discarded her Polymerization and Kycoo.

"…and I get another Spell Card back…"

She took another card from her discard slot.

"This one," she said, holding it up.

"Rush Recklessly?!" gasped Doresain.

"That's right!" exclaimed Yumi, playing it.

Dark Magician glowed with energy, as his Attack Score rose to 3,200.

"Destroy his Golem!" she ordered. "Dark Magic Attack!"

Dark Magician fired a mighty blast that shot right through the giant construct, sending gears, cogs, and other broken pieces of machinery flying out its back. Ancient Gear Golem teetered for a minute. Its right arm fell off, followed by its left, then its head. What remained crashed to the ground.

"Curse you, Yumi!" shouted Doresain, shaking his fist, as the debris disintegrated.

"Dark Magician Girl," commanded Yumi, "attack his other Monster!"

Dark Magician Girl fired a blast at the facedown card. Ancient Gear Engineer appeared on it, and was blown into scrap.

**(Y: 4,000) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 7,200)**

"Well, Doresain has more Life Points," said Sam, "but Yumi is the one with field advantage now. She may have turned it around."

Doresain drew a card.

"You haven't won yet," he said. "I'm playing my own Pot of Avarice."

He played the card, and the Golem, Beast, Knight, and both Soldiers fell out of his discard slot. He shuffled them into his deck and drew twice.

He chuckled.

"Well…" he said. "Time to write the prescription for utter destruction!

"I set one card facedown on the field…"

A facedown card appeared.

"Then I play… Future Fusion!"

A Spell Card appeared, and he took his deck out of the holder.

"I simply have to send Fusion Material Monsters to the Graveyard, and in two short turns, the matching Fusion Monster appears."

"He's going to summon the Chimeratech Overdragon!" gasped Erik.

Doresain laughed out loud.

"Oh, I wish!" he laughed. "That fool Bandit Keith was an idiot to think that Daala would ever give him that card. Its Spirit is so dangerous, and so hard to control, Daala would only allow someone who could channel the power of the Core to use it. So I don't have that card. I'm summoning something quite different."

He held up three cards.

"So, I'm sending my Ancient Gear Golem, and two Ancient Gears."

He tossed them into his discard slot.

"And that will end my turn."

"Ancient Gear Golem and two Ancient Gears?" said Erik. "What the Hell kind of Fusion Monster do they summon?"

"Wait…" muttered Sam.

She paused.

"I heard stories about this… Stories about the Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem…

"It was designed to be a Fusion of Ancient Gear Golem and any two other Ancient Gear Monsters. Pegasus designed this card personally. But only five copies of the card, the prototypes, were ever made.

"I know that Dr. Vellian Crowler, likely the most famous duelist to use Ancient Gears, owned one of them. Exactly how he got it, I have no idea.

"As for the other four, they eventually fell into the hands of rich collectors, and were never used in duels."

Doresain chuckled.

"One of those 'rich collectors' was Rasputin, I'll have you know," he said. "He gave it to Tucker, hoping he'd use it in that duel where you teamed up with Yumi. Sadly, Tucker never drew his Polymerization card.

"As for how I got this, I convinced Daala to download the information off of the I2 website to construct a virtual duplicate. It wasn't easy…"

"Wasn't easy to duplicate it," said Aster, "or wasn't easy to convince her?"

"Both!" growled Doresain, with a frown.

He turned to Yumi.

"But it will all be worth it once I use it to smash you to pieces!"

"Don't count on it!" snarled Yumi, drawing a card. "You have no Monsters, and I have two powerful ones!

"Time for Magician's Valkyria to make her reappearance!"

She played a card, and Valkyria appeared again. (1,600/1,800)

"Surprise," said Doresain, "I have a Trap…"

His facedown card lifted.

"Wall of Revealing Light! This requires me to spend my Life Points, and I'm gonna spend a whopping 3,000 of them!

"Sure it's expensive, but now, you can't attack with any Monster that has less Attack Points than the amount of Life Points I just spent."

Yumi looked at him hard.

**(Y: 4,000) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 4,200)**

"Your Trap Card isn't indestructible…" muttered Yumi.

"True," said Doresain. "But you've already used your Heavy Storm. Any other card you have that can destroy Spells or Traps can only destroy one of them."

There was a long pause.

"Wait…" said Aster. "I see what he means…"

"What?" asked Sam.

"That Fusion Monster he's going to summon has all the powers of Ancient Gear Golem, meaning it's resistant to Traps," explained Aster, "and it likely has more Attack Points than anything Yumi can summon. The best way Yumi could defeat it would be by destroying the Future Fusion card.

"But if she does that, she won't be able to destroy Wall of Revealing Light until she draws something else that's capable of doing it, and her attacks will be sealed off!"

"The Rock and the Hard Place," muttered Yumi. "I hate to say it, but this guy Iis/I pretty smart…

"I have to end my turn…"

Doresain quickly drew a card.

"My Ultimate beast won't show up until next turn," he chuckled. "In the meantime, I'll chip away at your Life Points some more…

"I summon Ancient Gear Cannon."

A squat Machine, resembling a mass of gears with a turret and a cannon barrel, appeared in front of him. (500/500)

"Then," he said, taking his last card, "the Spell Card, Machine Duplication. Since my Cannon only has 500 points, this lets me Special Summon two more."

Two more of the squat Machines appeared.

"Now, by sacrificing them, each one blasts off 500 of your Life Points!

"FIRE!"

All three cannons fired hot shells from their barrels. Yumi screamed and staggered back as explosions ripped around her. She fell over.

**(Y: 2,500) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 4,200)**

She picked herself up, panting for breath.

"What are you made of?" asked Doresain.

"Flesh, blood, bone, nerve," replied Yumi, "and apparently, a driving force who's been waiting to fight Shogarr for millennia."

"Eh?" said Doresain. "Who's Shogarr?"

Yumi looked at him. She paused for a minute.

_The first possibility is,_ she thought, _Daala has nothing to do with Shogarr, and I'm being paranoid. The other one is, she doesn't tell most members of her army about him._

_But I'll figure that out later…_

She reached for her deck.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sheena bent down and looked at the odd cluster of crystals.

"What is this?" she said out loud. "A geode?"

She picked it up.

"If it is, I've never seen one this big…"

"Hey!" said a voice.

Sheena leapt up, ready to confront the new enemy.

Her face met with Jesse's.

"Whoa, too much caffeine, Ms. Arachne!" he laughed.

"Uh, yeah…" she muttered.

"Hey, look," said Jesse, "I was watching your duel with Doma… Thanks for getting rid of her, she was a real pain…

"I was going to duel her myself… I recognized her cards only too well…"

"Uhm…" muttered Sheena. "I take it you're part of the resistance in Xanadu?"

"That's right," he replied. "If you came looking for your daughter, the Duel Spirits who have joined us since she and the others got here think very highly of her."

"That's my girl…" sighed Sheena. "Look… I have a lot of information… If you could just show me to whoever the rebel leader is, I guarantee it would be for your benefit…

"Oh, and do you know what this thing is?"

She pointed to the cluster of crystals.

"Hmm…" pondered Jesse. "No idea… That's what Doma was working on, right? This is certainly new…

"Whenever Daala tries something new, it's bad news…

"We'd best get to the safe area before any more of her goons show up. This way. And bring it with you."

Sheena followed him, carrying the odd gemstone. Things certainly were looking up…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi looked at the card she had drawn.

"I'll set this facedown," she said, as a facedown card appeared. "Then I'll set a Monster in Defense Mode, and move Valkyria to Defense Mode."

A facedown Monster appeared. Then Valkyria knelt and crossed her arms.

"Please," laughed Doresain. "It will hardly matter what Mode she's in."

He drew a card.

"This is it!" he shouted, as the Future Fusion card started to glow with energy. "Arise, Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem!"

Yumi had expected a big Monster, but not _this_ big. The Monster that appeared was fully twice the size of the regular Ancient Gear Golem, looking almost too big to be real. It resembled a clockwork, iron centaur, with four legs and oversized arms. Generally, it appeared somewhat unbalanced and unwieldy, with far too many blades and other cutting implements. Clearly, whatever blend of magic and technology had created such a device was designed in the mind of a madman. (4,400/3,400)

"This duel is over!" laughed Doresain.

"Not yet it isn't," said Yumi. "Go, Threatening Roar!"

Her facedown card shot up, and a bellowing roar echoed across the field.

"That's impossible!" he gasped. "How could you have drawn that just when you needed it?"

"Like I said, Doresain," said Yumi. "I have inborn ability, something that all duelists need, which a diploma can't give you.

"Not even tenure can give it to you!"

"SHUT UP!" yelled Doresain. "We'll see who laughs last. I end my turn!"

"I draw!" shouted Yumi, drawing.

She looked at the card.

Her facedown Monster flipped up.

"Go, Morphing Jar!" she shouted.

The ceramic jar with its laughing occupant appeared. (700/600)

Both duelists discarded the one card in their hands, and drew five times.

Yumi's eyes opened wide when she saw what one of the cards was.

_The card that Joan gave me…_ she thought. _Just when it would be most useful…_

She chose another card.

"I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior!" she shouted.

In a burst of dark energy, Breaker appeared. (1,600/1,000) –) (1,900/1,000)

"Destroy Future Fusion!" he ordered. "Take down his Golem!"

Breaker's shield glowed, as his Attack Points fell to 1,600. The Future Fusion card shattered, and Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem groaned. Then it exploded into shards of metal.

Doresain laughed out loud.

"You fell for it hook, line and sinker!" he laughed. "I gave you a choice, Yumi, but both of them led to dead ends!

"Since you destroyed Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem, another effect activates. I get to break the rules, and Special Summon a normal Ancient Gear Golem from my Graveyard!"

In another burst of dirt and dust, the regular Ancient Gear Golem rose above the field. (3,000/3,000)

"Indeed?" said Yumi, with a grin. "Well, I'm gonna wipe that silly smile off your face, Mr. MD. It's time I called in a specialist.

"I sacrifice Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl…"

The two Spellcasters held hands, as an aura of eldritch energy surrounded them. They rose into the air, and slowly vanished as the aura started to intensify…

_Huh?_ thought Doresain. _Sacrificing two of her strongest Monsters?_

"By giving my two Dark Magicians as sacrifice," continued Yumi, "I can Special Summon a magician who's darker still. Come forth… Sorcerer of Dark Magic!"

He emerged from the aura… A magician garbed in raiment similar to that of Dark Magician, but even more pronounced and exotic, with a long cape and an even fancier staff. His eyes glowed with great magical power. (3,200/2,800)

"Thirty-two hundred Attack Points?" gasped Doresain.

"And that's strong enough to bust through your Wall of Revealing Light," said Yumi.

"Attack his Golem! Celestial blast!"

Sorcerer of Dark Magic fired a beam of burning darkness at the Machine, and it exploded in a burst of metal shards. Doresain covered his head as shrapnel rained down on him.

**(Y: 2,500) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 4,000)**

"My turn is over…" said Yumi.

Doresain growled as he drew a card.

"I'm not done yet," he snarled. "Time for my backup plan.

"First, I'll conjure up my Ancient Gear Castle."

He placed a card in his Disk, and with a loud rumble, a huge castle, also made out of gears, cogs, and camshafts, with a battering ram coming out of its front gate, and gun turrets on it towers, appeared behind him.

"Now, any Monster with the word 'Ancient' in its name gains 300 Attack Points.

"Next, I'll summon Ancient Gear Soldier again."

The Soldier appeared again, this time in Attack Mode. (1,300/1,300) –) (1,600/1,300)

A torch lit in one of the castle's windows.

"Attack her Morphing Jar!" he shouted. "Rapid-fire shot!"

The Soldier aimed its gun, and fired a burst of hot lead at the vase. Yumi cringed again as it exploded.

**(Y: 1,600) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 4,000)**

"Now, I play Ancient Gear Drill."

He played a card, and then discarded another.

A large drilling Machine appeared on the field. It bored into the ground, as a card slipped out of his deck.

"This card lets me search for any Spell Card I desire and set it on the field, even though I can't use it this turn."

He chuckled, and flipped the card around.

"Limiter Removal?" gasped Sam.

Doresain fit it in his Disk, and it appeared facedown.

"Finally," he said, "I play Ancient Gear Workshop. Now, I get an Ancient Gear Monster from my Graveyard."

Ancient Gear Golem slipped out of his discard slot, and he took it.

"And it's your move…"

"This is bad, people," said Sam. "If Yumi attacks, he'll obviously trigger that Spell Card, and Ancient Gear Soldier and Sorcerer of Dark Magic will kill each other. Yumi will lose the only Monster she has that's able to attack."

"Even worse," said Erik, "she can't play another Monster. If she does, that Castle will gain enough power for him to use it to summon the Golem again. And if he uses Limiter Removal when _that's_ on the field."

Yumi closed her eyes and drew a card.

She looked at it.

"I summon… Apprentice Magician!" she exclaimed.

A new Spellcaster appeared. It wasn't often that this one was summoned in Attack Mode, so not many of Yumi's opponents ever saw her clearly. She was a short (somewhat petite) female mage, clothed in a purple tunic, with blonde hair, holding a long staff with a triangle design on the front. (400/800)

A second torch lit in the castle.

"Huh?" said Doresain.

"When Apprentice Magician is summoned," explained Yumi, "she can put a Spell Counter on any card that can take one. Like Breaker!"

Apprentice Magician's staff glowed, and she pointed at Breaker. The gem in his shield started to shine again, and he rose to 1,900 Attack Points again.

Then he fell to 1,600 again, and the Wall of Revealing Light shattered.

"Bah!" shouted Doresain. "Big deal! I still have Limiter Removal, and next turn, I'll summon my Golem and finish you off!

"If you had any sense you would have destroyed the Castle. Then you might have kept me from summoning the Golem for at least two turns."

"But you aren't getting even _one_ more turn, Doresain," said Yumi. "Your Limiter Removal will be worthless in a minute.

"I play Magical Dimension!"

The Spell Card appeared in front of her.

"I sacrifice Apprentice Magician…"

The female mage vanished into grains of light.

"To summon Dark Magician of Chaos!"

In a burst of dark energy the mighty Chaos Mage appeared, brandishing his scepter. (2,800/2,600)

"And as per the second effect of Magical Dimension, I can destroy one Monster. Guess which one…"

Ancient Gear Soldier shattered into pixels.

"Urk!" gasped Doresain.

Sorcerer of Dark Magic and Dark Magician of Chaos pointed their staffs at him.

"This isn't fair!" gasped Doresain. "My strategy was perfect… I went over everything a thousand times… I had the more logical strategy, dammit!"

"Yeah, well," said Yumi, "you didn't take one thing into account.

"I'm a teenager. I'm not a very logical person.

"Put the doctor in intensive care."

Dr. Doresain screamed as two powerful bolts of black magic honed in on him. The Ancient Gear Castle was blown to pieces by the impact, and rubble rained down on him, a big piece falling on his head and crushing his hat. He collapsed on his face.

**(Y: 1,600) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 0)**

"Hand it over, NOW!" demanded Yumi.

Doresain took some deep breaths, and sat up.

"Take it!" he shouted, tossing her the card. "By all means, go up into the belfry and confront the executioner. Try to save your friends, if you think you can...

"Because you can't. Even if you don't arrive too late, she'll dispose of them, and then do the same to you! She can't be beaten!"

"She?" said Aster.

Doresain chuckled.

"She is a force of Chaos whose very name causes Duel Spirits to tremble with fear…" he said. "They see her in nightmares where they also see ruined cities under burning skies… She is a name associated with cataclysms and dooms, for such are things she wishes to cause.

"She is one of two… She is the fallen angel who can see the Apocalypse in her dreams…

"Daala's executioner is Ruin, Queen of Oblivion!"

He laughed an evil laugh as he vanished, leaving behind three teenagers and one AI program, all four of them terrified.

Yumi turned to Stronghold the Moving Fortress.

"I play Counter Cleaner!" she exclaimed.

A weird machine appeared in front of her. It looked like a large, industrial-strength vacuum cleaner shaped like the Pot of Greed.

The on switch turned on, and the vacuum cleaner started sucking through its nose, sucking minute specs off of the huge robot. It took all of ten seconds before it turned off, and then vanished.

"Destroy it!" shouted Yumi to Sorcerer of Dark Magic.

The Spellcaster aimed his staff, and Stronghold exploded.

"Uh, Yumi?" said Erik, as they ran into the Cathedral. "Ruin is a goddess of destruction. Exactly what are we gonna do once we get up there?"

"We'll figure that out when we get there," said Yumi.

_Hopefully…_ she thought.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GEAR TOWN (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image:** A city, the buildings made of metal gears and cogs,

**Card Description:** "Ancient Gear" Monsters require one less Tribute to Normal Summon. When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, its controller may Special Summon an "Ancient Gear" Monster from his hand, deck, or Graveyard.

_Note: "Gear Town" was released in Japan in "The Duelist Genesis", available for the TCG in August._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**UNFINISHED TIME BOX (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image:** A circuit box on a computer motherboard being fixed with soldiering irons.

**Card Description:** Activate this card when a Monster you control is destroyed as a result of battle. Remove from play the Monster that attacked, and draw one card from your deck. If this card is destroyed, Special Summon the Monster that was removed from play to its owner's side of the field in Attack Position.

_Note: "Unfinished Time Box" was first used by Crowler in a fourth season episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX". Creative credit goes to the creators of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SILENT PAIN (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** Malice Doll of Demise with an evil smile on its face.

**Card Description:** You can activate the effect of this card when it is the only card in your Graveyard. During your opponent's Standby Phase, destroy all Monsters on your opponent's side of the field, and inflict 1,000 points of direct damage to your opponent.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SILENT SPACE (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** Malice Doll of Demise standing in a void of swirling colors, holding the Doll Hammer.

**Card Description:** You may only activate this card during your opponent's turn, when "Silent Pain" is the only card in your Graveyard. Remove this card in your hand from play to destroy one Monster on your opponent's side of the field.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SILENT TORMENT (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** Malice Doll of Demise lurking behind a nervous-looking man.

**Card Description:** You may only activate this card during your opponent's Standby Phase when the effect of "Silent Pain" activates. Remove this card in your hand from play to inflict an additional 1,000 points of direct damage to your opponent's Life Points.

_Note: "Silent Pain", "Silent Space", and "Silent Torment" were first used by __Masked Knight of Impassivity__in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Triple Play (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SILENT VENGEANCE (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** Malice Doll of Demise, partially hidden by shadow, holding a dagger.

**Card Description:** You can activate the effect of this card during your opponent's End Phase when both this card and "Silent Pain" are in your Graveyard and you have no Monsters in your Graveyard. Remove from play all Spell Cards in your Graveyard except for one "Silent Pain". Inflict damage to your opponent's Life Points equal to the amount of damage you took during the turn due to attacks and card effects controlled by your opponent.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**You all have likely been worried sick about Ren and Chelsea, since I left their fate ambiguous. Well, you finally know the identity of their abductor, and next chapter, you'll learn what was happening as Yumi was struggling to win her way into the Cathedral. In a duel against one of the most dreaded Spirits in existence, one draw can mean the difference between survival or doom. It's a chapter called "Parasite of Light", coming up next.**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Name that Card!**_

_**Careful examination of the artwork for this Beast-Type Monster's card reveals that its name is actually "Beth". Can you name it?**_


	32. Parasite of Light

_**What Beast-Type Monster's actual name is "Beth"? If you said "Guard Dog" (whose name can be seen printed on its doghouse in the background of its card) you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Every card in the game of Duel Monsters has a story behind it, and you'll find them if you look long enough. As one of the lords of the Higher Plane, I know many of them firsthand. And I can tell the myths from the reality.**_

_**One that I've heard many times is the story behind two powerful and incredibly evil Ritual Monsters.**_

_**Here's how the most common version of the story goes:**_

_**Long ago, the Terrorking Archfiend and his consort, Infernalqueen Archfiend, sought to create an heir out of the very essence of Pandemonium. But their powers were tainted by the land itself, and they created a cruel, immoral creature that frightened even them. Horrified, the Terrorking named the creature Demise, King of Armageddon, before he cast it into oblivion.**_

_**At the exact same time, Shinato, King of the Higher Plane, sought to create a wife for himself, a female Fairy who would rule the heavens by his side. But while speaking the words of creation, he stuttered, and the woman he created, while beautiful, was infused with chaos. He had inadvertently created a wicked creature with no soul. Frowning with disgust, he named the female Ruin, Queen of Oblivion, before purging her from existence.**_

_**The story goes on to say that these two beings survived the destruction of their physical forms. Furious at being rejected by their makers, they sought nothing less than to unmake all of creation, cause the Gates of Hell to split and Heaven to fall. They sought to convince others to perform the rituals to restore their bodies so they could bring doom upon the world. **_

_**They have come to the Twelve Dimensions to make attempts several times. And now, at least one of them has come to Xanadu.**_

_**Two of the humans whom I recruited have been kidnapped by Daala's executioner, and the ones who remain have learned her identity… It is none other than one of these two beings… I dare not leave my temple again to help them, and I do not even know if my powers could make a difference anyway… I can only pray…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THIRTY–ONE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Parasite of Light**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Chelsea slowly woke up from a nightmare-filled slumber. She opened her eyes.

She looked around. She was in a dark chamber surrounded by enormous cogs and gears, with a giant bell overhead. If this mechanism had ever worked, that time was long ago. The gears were now still, and covered in dust and cobwebs.

Stained glass windows were on each wall, providing dim illumination.

_A belfry?_ she thought.

"Chelsea!" shouted Ren's voice.

He ran up to her and hugged her.

"Ren!" she gasped. "Where are we? Last thing I knew, Keith had disappeared… And…

"We were grabbed…"

"And you fainted," added Ren. "Chelsea, rule number one for construction workers, linesmen, and anyone else who works in a high place – don't look down.

"As for the goons who brought us here…"

He pointed, and the Harpie's Brother and Sonic Shooter were on the other side of the room, standing as still as statues.

"What are you guys…" started Chelsea.

"It's no use," muttered Ren. "I already tried talking to them, and they won't say a thing or move from that spot. I think they're brainwashed or something.

"As for a way out, there's a spiral stairway over there that leads both to the roof and to the lower floors, but both ways are blocked off. We'll have to find another way out…"

"I'm afraid there's no way out, children," purred a female voice. "This is the end…"

Chelsea turned to see a ghostly image behind her. It was a humanoid, rat-like creature, dressed in a grey vest, brown pants, and a red bandana tied around his head. A large metal claw was fitted over his right hand. It was a Burglar – or rather the ghost of one. And he looked incredibly frightened.

"Chelsea, get up!" urged the Beast. "She's coming! You have to flee! Run for your life!"

"Who's coming?" asked Chelsea.

"I dare not speak her name…" muttered the Burglar. "She is death itself!"

"What are you worried about?" asked Chelsea. "You're already dead."

The Burglar paused.

"Oh, that's right…" it said. "Well, unless you want to be too…

"Oh no… It's too late!"

Ren and Chelsea looked at the two Winged Beasts, as a Spell Card appeared.

They recognized it. It was the Ritual Spell, End of the World.

Both of them jumped back in surprise as the two Duel Spirits erupted in white hot flames. The flames started to congeal, forming a humanoid shape…

From out of the flames stepped a woman, a coldly beautiful woman with white hair, in a red dress and black skirt combo. She was surrounded by an evil-looking shadow that constantly shifted, like black flames. She carried a long, red staff with a forked blade at the end.

She smiled evilly at the two duelist.

They recognized her only too well…

"Ruin…" whispered Chelsea.

"What do you want?" asked Ren.

"What do I want?" replied the Queen of Oblivion. "What I _want_, myself and Demise, is to bring about the end times…

"Burn every city to the ground, reduce the forests to ashes, and the mountains to rubble… Kill all that live… Bring the apocalypse to your world and that of Duel Spirits…

"But that's a long-term goal. For now, I'm the executioner of Xanadu, and Daala has death sentences on the two of you… Do the math."

"Hold me, Ren…" cried Chelsea, hugging him.

"Why would Daala ever trust someone with such goals?" asked Ren.

Ruin chuckled. She sat down (which was the strangest thing – she apparently sat on mid-air, as if there was an invisible chair).

"You know," she said with a smile, "It's funny… Daala is the only ruler ever to treat Demise and I in a positive manner. People tend not to like us. Every time we manage to come into one of the Twelve Dimensions, our plans never succeed. Sooner or later, a powerful force comes after us, and banishes us to some prison dimension where we have to wait for another opening.

"The last time was one of the best, while it lasted. We decided to take a less aggressive approach when we arrived in the dimension where Spellcasters were the rulers. Since I could pass as a Spellcaster, Demise stayed hidden, and I used my powers to convince the commoners that I was the rarely-seen Empress that ultimately ruled the land. The commoners readily believed it. It was easy to perform a few miracles to convince them. Turning water into honey mead, healing sick children, making their crops grow full and bountiful… It helps to have powers that originated in the Higher Plane.

"It was good for a while. I had them lavishing attention on me, treating me like royalty… They brought me gifts and presents… I actually considered for a while abandoning the plan to lay waste to the kingdom, since I was having such a good time being its empress."

"So what happened?" asked Ren.

"One day, a teenage girl spoke against me," answered Ruin, "calling me an imposter. I let my… pride get the best of me. I refused to stand for it, and ordered her to be flogged.

"But right before this sentence could be carried out, the _true_ Empress appeared. Apparently, she had been away gathering rare herbs to use for some magical experiment, but she rushed back as soon as she heard what was going on. She was angry enough before… The fact that I was about to have her favorite handmaiden whipped put me in an even worse situation.

"Her subjects all turned from me and begged her for forgiveness. I could only hope later that they were punished. Demise came out of hiding and tried to defend me, but we both had grossly underestimated her power."

Ren and Chelsea saw that the shadowy aura around Ruin was now burning with more intensity.

"The prison demiplane that she banished us to was incredibly secure…" she muttered. "For a while, we thought that this failed plan would be our last…

"Until Daala broke us out…

"You see, Demise and I are so thick with Chaos, we can ignore the concept of Law itself. At first, Daala tried to use us to attack Joan's temple. We could have broken through its wards, but we realized just in time that the booby traps Joan had erected in case anyone had succeeded in breaking in would have grabbed us if we did. It seems Joan was prepared for anything. And we didn't want to be imprisoned again.

"So… Daala had Demise start work on something else, and appointed me as executioner, to deal with folks when she couldn't be bothered by Joan's edict that prevents her from kidnapping anyone who doesn't lose… She promised us something in return, but I won't tell you what. After all, you may leave here alive by some miracle, and it wouldn't do for you to know that."

"So, you're just gonna kill us?" asked Ren.

"Dunno…" said Ruin. "Depends…"

Her staff started to glow, and then formed into a Duel Disk that fit around her left arm.

"Maybe I won't…" she purred. "I am a force of Chaos after all… If one of you duels me and shows me a good time, I might let you go and tell Daala that you managed to escape…

"If not, then both of you will be banished."

"Banished?" gasped Chelsea, getting up. "To where?"

"Better you didn't know," said Ruin. "At least not yet."

"What, you're gonna duel us both?" asked Ren.

Ruin chuckled.

"What, you think I'm stupid?" she asked. "One of you will duel… Whoever decides to duel me, the result of the duel will decide his or her fate, and that of the other…

"That's why I decided to deal with the two of you first. Once this duel concludes, I would find it amusing if my opponent knew that his failure doomed not only himself, but his soulmate as well."

She smiled a wicked smile.

"This is nuts…" muttered Ren.

"Did I mention I'm not giving you a choice?" asked Ruin. "Dueling me is your only chance, however slim it may be."

Ren looked at Chelsea. They both raised their fists.

They shook them.

Ren's fingers jutted out, scissors. Chelsea's hand opened up, paper.

"I'll do it," said Ren.

"Good luck, Ren!" shouted the Burglar.

"He can't hear you," moaned Chelsea.

It was at this point that Ren noticed Ruin's Disk. It was the same style as the one Chaos Sorcerer used when he dueled him.

_Odd,_ thought Ren.

"Where is Demise, by the way?" he asked.

"I'm not at liberty to say," replied Ruin. "Well, I could, but I don't want to. He's around somewhere…"

The two Disks activated. A deck materialized in Ruin's.

She smirked a little again.

"Game on!" they shouted.

**(Ren: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Ruin: 8,000)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Yumi, Sam, Erik, and Aster rushed into the ground floor of the Cathedral.

"There," said Aster.

He pointed to a large, spiral stairway on the opposite side that went up… And up, and up, and up, all the way to the top of the huge structure.

"That's not gonna be an easy climb…" said Sam, scratching her head.

"At least there are no guards," said Erik.

As soon as he said that, three large Machines materialized in front of them. They looked like wooden shacks, each of which had four wheels on the bottom, and two arms, one of which ended in an axe and the other in a drill. (1,700/1,400 x3)

"When will I learn to keep my big mouth shut?" moaned Erik.

"Ancient Tools," muttered Aster. "You guys handle them, then I can bring out someone who can get us up there quickly."

"All right," said Yumi, as three Disks activated.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Feel free to go first," said Ruin.

Ren made his first draw.

"I summon… My Armageddon Knight," he said.

In a dark shadow, the Warrior in rusty armor and cavalier hat, wearing a long scarf and holding a cutlass appeared. (1,400/1,200)

"Interesting," chuckled Ruin.

"Now I activate his effect," said Ren, taking his deck from its holder.

_I don't trust this babe one bit,_ he thought, looking through the cards. _What if Demise is actually in her deck? It wouldn't surprise me at all…_

He chose a Monster Card.

_I'd best be prepared in case that's the case._

He discarded it, and then reshuffled.

"I throw three cards facedown, and that will be all."

Three facedown cards appeared in three bursts of light.

"Not a bad start," said Ruin, making her first draw.

"I'll simply set this, and that will be all."

A facedown Monster appeared.

_Defending?_ thought Ren. _Somehow… I expected her to be a bit more aggressive…_

He drew a card.

"I'll trade in Armageddon Knight…"

The Warrior vanished into grains of light.

"…to bring out Penumbral Soldier Lady!"

In a burst of shadow, the lovely, blonde Warrior carrying her sword and shield appeared. (2,100/1,400)

"Attack!" ordered Ren. "Sword of shadows!"

Penumbral Soldier Lady leapt at the facedown Monster, sword first…

The Monster that appeared on the card wasn't frightening at all. In fact, it was rather cute. It looked like a pink, metal button with a face on the front, cat-like ears, and bendy arms and legs.

Penumbral Soldier Lady struck it, and it burst into a shower of sparks.

Ruin chuckled.

"That was a Batteryman Micro-Cell," she said. "And you just activated its two effects. First, by flipping it, I get to Special Summon another Batteryman, up to Level Four, except another Micro-Cell.

"So I'll summon Batteryman AA."

In a burst of electricity, a cute robot with a battery for its torso – with a 3 on the chest – and orange arms and legs appeared, and crouched in Defense Mode. (0/0)

"Batterymen?" said Chelsea.

"Second," said Ruin, "because it was destroyed, I get to draw once."

She made one draw.

Ren nervously looked at the other two cards in his hand.

_Heck, what am I worried about?_ he thought. _Sure, if she manages to summon all three of them, their Attack Scores will be 3,000 apiece… But my Soldier Lady's effect will make her even stronger…_

He sighed.

_I'd be a lot more sure of myself if she wasn't looking at me like the way my little sister looked at that three-flavor, four-topping banana split I treated her to on her birthday…_

"I end my turn," he muttered.

Ruin drew a card.

"I'll set this, and that will be all," she said, slyly.

A facedown card appeared behind the Batteryman.

Ren looked a little confused as he drew.

"I summon Getsu Fuhma," he said.

In another burst of energy, Getsu appeared, holding her katana aloft. (1,700/1,200)

"Attack her Batteryman!" he shouted. "Whirlwind blade!"

Getsu Fuhma slashed with her weapon, and Batteryman AA was blown to bits.

"You're wide open!" yelled Ren. "Penumbral Soldier Lady, direct attack!"

Ruin barely moved as the Warrior closed in on her. She did cringe and stagger back a little as the sword slammed into her torso.

**(Re: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Ru: 5,900)**

"Ah!" cried Ruin, throwing her arms up in the air. "Yes! Wonderful…"

"What the?" said Ren. "You _liked_ that? You _wanted_ me to attack you?"

"Such glorious pain…" cried Ruin, happily. "Yes, Ren, I want it more than anything… Feeling it just empowers me, thrills me, invigorates me. The more my enemies hurt me, the more they prepare me for my ultimate goal…

"You see Ren… I want to bring about the apocalypse, and cause suffering on a cosmic scale in the process. And Demise and I aren't stupid… We both know that we won't be spared from the cataclysm.

"So we want others to hurt us as we work towards our goal… It strengthens us… It prepares us for the day when we will meet our goal. When all other creatures are overcome by the unimaginable pain that the Armageddon will cause, we'll laugh in its face while we wait for the conclusion!"

Ren glared at her.

"Okay," he muttered. "One, you're crazy. Two, I'm guessing this is a form of sadio-masochism. I don't know, I'm not a psychiatrist. But if you like pain so much, I'll certainly dish it out!"

Ruin chuckled, and drew a card.

"And I'll give it right back…" she purred, with an evil smile.

"I play Battery Charger. By simply paying 500 Life Points, my Batteryman returns."

Batteryman AA appeared on the field again, this time in Attack Mode. (0/0)

"Next," she said, as her facedown card lifted, "I play Inferno Reckless Summon. Now I get to summon two more Batterymen of the same type."

Two more Batterymen appeared, and a second Getsu Fuhma appeared on Ren's side of the field. (1,700/1,200)

"Since I have three Batterymen AA," said Ruin, "and all three of them are in Attack Mode, each of them gains 1,000 Attack Points per Batteryman."

(3,000/0 x3)

"I know that," said Ren.

"Did you know about this?" asked Ruin, holding up a Spell Card. "It's called Short Circuit, and I can use it when I have three Batterymen on the field. It destroys all cards on your side of the field."

"Say WHAT?" shouted Ren.

"REN!" shouted Chelsea.

"Time to end this," said Ruin, playing the card.

"Well, before it's too late…" said Ren. "Go, Emergency Provisions!"

"Huh?" said Ruin.

One of Ren's three facedown cards shot up, and the large mouth appeared, and swallowed his Hidden Soldiers and Rising Energy.

A giant bolt of lightning struck Ren's side of the field, and Penumbral Soldier Lady and the two Getsu Fuhmas were atomized.

"Impressive…" chuckled Ruin. "I guess I can't end this right now after all… Still…

"Attack him directly! Assault and battery!"

"Tell me when it's over…" moaned the Burglar, covering his eyes.

The three Batterymen rushed towards Ren. However, as the first one tried to throw a punch at him, Necro Gardna appeared in a burst of energy, and shoved it aside.

"Surprised?" asked Ren. "He was the Warrior I discarded with Armageddon Knight's effect."

Ruin scowled.

The second and third Batterymen socked at Ren with their fists, and he screamed as electricity shot through him.

He fell to his knees. Smoke poured from his torso.

**(Re: 4,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Ru: 5,400)**

"You can look now, you big baby," sighed Chelsea. "God, why are ghosts such cowards?"

She paused.

"Ren's dueling one of two Heralds of the Apocalypse, and I wonder why he's scared…" she muttered.

"So you managed to dodge my OTK," muttered Ruin. "So be it… Next round, my Batterymen will still be here, and they'll still have 3,000 Attack Points apiece."

"One question," muttered Ren, getting up. "Why use Batterymen? Surely, there are better themes suited for someone like you."

Ruin chuckled.

"You may have noticed that my Disk isn't standard issue, Ren," she said. "It's a powerful artifact of Chaos called an Anarchist Disk. Only beings completely devoted to the concept of Chaos or a being representing the concept can use one.

"It creates the deck for the user, and is never the same twice. It takes into account the surroundings, and the opponent. It chose Batterymen because their Attribute conflicts with yours, and Batterymen are allies of Machine Spirits, who once treated this Cathedral as sacred ground.

"And the instant it creates a deck, it gives the user complete information on how every card works. A nifty device if you are blessed with the power to use it."

"Lovely…" muttered Ren. "It's my move…"

He drew a card.

"I play Monster Reborn!" he shouted.

The holy ankh appeared, and Penumbral Soldier Lady appeared in a flash of light. (2,100/1,400)

"Huh?" said Ruin.

"She gains 1,000 Attack Points whenever she battles a Light Monster," said Ren, "and that's just enough.

"Attack!"

Soldier Lady leapt at the Batteryman in the middle, and her Attack Score rose to 3,100. With one swipe of her sword, it was smashed to pieces.

Ruin frowned.

**(Re: 4,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Ru: 5,300)**

"Without him," said Ren, "the other two lose 1,000 Attack Points."

The other two Batterymen fell to (2,000/0)

"I'll throw one card facedown, and that will be all," he said.

As the facedown card appeared, they started to hear a pounding.

"Huh?" said Ruin.

They all turned. Someone was definitely pounding on the door from below.

Then, a huge blast of energy burst up from the floor. It was followed by the creature's body flying through it – the hulking, bat-winged, horned Warrior. Yumi, Sam, Erik, and Aster were holding tightly to his arms.

"Dogmaguy?" said Ruin. "How in the world…"

The Destiny Hero landed, as the four duelists leapt off.

"Looks like we got here just in time," said Yumi. "Thanks for the ride."

Ruin chuckled. Her staff appeared in her right hand.

She pointed with it, and a blast of burning light shot at Dogmaguy. The Warrior groaned and shattered into pixels.

"Did you really think that some Warrior in a dumb outfit frightened me?" she asked. "I'm actually glad you all are here. It saves me the trouble of grabbing the rest of you. Once I finish this duel, I can carry out all five of Daala's sentences and get back to the palace in time for dinner."

"Not if I beat you," said Ren.

"Dream on," laughed Ruin, as the staff vanished again. "It's my move."

"People, I'm worried…" said Yumi.

"Worried about what?" asked Sam.

"Ren is good," muttered Yumi. "He may yet win the duel…

"But if Ruin truly can defy Law itself, then even if she loses, it may not matter! Defeated duelists in Xanadu don't last long, but Ruin can ignore that rule. Defeating her might only make things worse by making her angry."

_So what am I supposed to do?_ thought Ren. _Lose on purpose and then beg?_

Ruin smiled an evil smile as she tucked the card she had drawn into her hand.

"Let's see…" she said, looking at the cards in her hand.

She separated them into two sets of three.

"So many decisions… These are good… But then again… There's always these…"

"Will you hurry up?" shouted Ren.

"Patience," said Ruin. "That's something that both Demise and I had to learn over the millennia.

"That's the problem with most of the folks your family has fought, Yumi… People like Marik and Dartz… They wanted to take over the world and get it all at once. They didn't understand that it just doesn't work that way.

"If you want to rule a world, you have to do what Daala did… Establish yourself as ruler of one nation first. Then you move on to assimilating more land, making your piece of the pie larger, and extending your influence. You gain power gradually, not all at once.

"The best way to conquer the world is through political and economic power, not brute force. Heck, even your uncle knew that, Sam. He knew that someone with enough financial influence could pretty much do anything he wanted, given enough time."

"You should write a book," said Sam, with a frown. "You could call it _World Domination For Dummies_."

"And just where would I find a publisher?" asked Ruin.

"You'd be surprised," said Sam. "Ever been in a bookstore? Some folks will publish anything."

Ruin frowned. Then she played a card.

"I play a second Battery Charger!" she shouted. "It costs me 500 Life Points again, but I get to bring back the Batteryman you just destroyed."

The third Batteryman AA appeared again, and all three of them rose to (3,000/0)

"Next, a Field Spell," she said. "The invigorating Light of Luminous Spark!"

She placed the card in her Field Slot, and a bright light wafted over the field. Each Batteryman rose to (3,500/0)

"I could finish you off with these," she said, "but I have a better idea.

"I sacrifice one Batteryman to summon my Batteryman Charger."

One of the three Batterymen vanished, and a much different Batteryman appeared. Its body was box-shaped, with an infinity symbol on its waist, and its head was shaped like an oblong capsule. It had long, thin limbs. (1,800/1,200) –) (2,300/800) The two AA versions fell to (2,500/0)

"By summoning him, I get to Special Summon another Batteryman from my deck. So I'll summon Batteryman D in Defense Mode."

Yet another Batteryman appeared. This one looked similar to the AA group, but was colored green and orange, was somewhat thicker, and had a 1 on its chest. It knelt and shielded itself. (0/1,900) –) (500/1,500)

"When Batteryman D is on the field, you aren't allowed to attack any Thunder Monsters except Batterymen D.

"And as for Batteryman Charger, it gains an extra 300 Attack Points for each Thunder Monster I have. So even with your Soldier Lady's effect, she's toast."

Batteryman Charger sparked with electricity… (3,500/800)

"Charger," ordered Ruin, "turn Penumbral Soldier Lady extra crispy."

Batteryman Charger pointed at the Warrior…

"Trap Card, go!" shouted Ren. "Attack Guidance Armor!"

"Huh?" said Ruin.

Ren's Trap lifted up, and the demonic suit of armor flew towards Batteryman D. It clamped over the Thunder Monster, and Charger's lightning bolt turned around in mid-air. Batteryman D exploded in a burst of sparks.

Ruin sneered.

"Fine…" she said with a scowl. "Fortunately, it was in Defense Mode…

"I end my turn…"

**(Re: 4,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Ru: 5,300)**

Ren quickly made a draw.

"I set one card facedown," he said, fitting a card into his Disk.

A facedown card materialized.

"Now I play… Card of Demise!"

He played his last card, and the five-moored guillotine appeared behind him as he drew five cards.

He looked over them.

"I summon Dark Squire," he said, playing one of them.

The young page in black appeared, and quickly knelt in Defense Mode. (300/300)

"Next, I play Mystical Space Typhoon, to clear away this field Spell."

He played another card, and a tornado erupted in the center of the field. The bright light dimmed, and then faded. The two Batterymen AA fell to (2,000/0), while Batteryman Charger fell to (2,700/1,200)

"Penumbral Soldier Lady, attack Batteryman Charger!"

Soldier Lady swung her sword, and Charger burst into an explosion of sparks.

**(Re: 4,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Ru: 4,400)**

_I've had just about enough of that blonde bimbo…_ thought Ruin.

"I'll toss one more card facedown," said Ren, as another facedown card appeared, "and that will be all for me."

Ruin quickly drew a card.

"Okay, Ren…" she muttered. "I was hoping I didn't have to do this, but you're making me mad…

"I sacrifice one Batteryman AA to summon the Super-Electromagnetic Voltech Dragon!"

One of the remaining Batterymen vanished, and a huge creature appeared in an explosion of electrical energy. It looked more like a Mecha-Godzilla than any dragon the duelists watching had ever seen, covered with circuitry and blinking lights. (2,400/1,000)

The Burglar hid behind Chelsea.

"Since I summoned it by sacrificing a Batteryman AA," continued Ruin, "it gains 1,000 more Attack Points."

(3,400/1,000)

"And I'm going to summon someone else too. I remove two Batterymen from play…"

Micro-Cell and Charger fell out of her discard slot.

"In order to Special Summon Batteryman Industrial Strength!"

A new Batteryman appeared, and unlike the previous ones, this one wasn't cute at all. It looked like a heavy duty car battery with arms and a head, with one wheel where legs would be. It held two jumper cables, which were attached by cords to a power cell on its back. (2,600/0)

"Now I activate its effect," said Ruin. "By removing one more Thunder Monster in my grave from play, I can destroy one Monster and one Spell or Trap Card."

Batteryman D fell out of her discard slot, and bolts of energy shot from the Industrial Strength Monster, vaporizing Penumbral Soldier Lady and Ren's Final Attack Orders.

"No…" gasped Chelsea.

"Well…" chuckled Ruin. "Only thing left to do is wipe out your last Monster… Batteryman AA, destroy Dark Squire!"

The smaller Batteryman blasted a bolt of lightning, and Dark Squire shattered into bits.

"Her effect activates," muttered Ren. "And we both get to draw two cards."

Ruin smiled as they both drew twice.

"As if it will matter!" she laughed. "Super-Electromagnetic Voltech Dragon, attack him directly!"

The huge Thunder Monster roared. It blasted a bolt of pure electric energy at Ren…

"GO!" shouted Ren. "Sakuretsu Armor!"

His facedown card shot up, and a shimmering plane of force surrounded him. The bolt of energy fell back on Super-Electromagnetic Voltech Dragon, and it exploded into a conflagration of light.

Ruin clenched her fist in rage.

"I still have my Industrial Strength!" she shouted. "Attack! Give Ren a jump start!"

Batteryman Industrial Strength rolled towards Ren and jabbed him in the chest with its jumper cables. Ren screamed loudly as his muscles started to stiffen from the electricity.

He fell to his knees.

**(Re: 1,400) - - - - - - - - - - (Ru: 4,400)**

"Ren!" shouted Chelsea. "Ren, please get up!"

"You are the luckiest son of a bitch I have _ever_ met," snarled Ruin.

"I'll take that as a compliment," groaned Ren, as he crawled to his feet, "even though you didn't mean it as one…"

"Yeah?" said Ruin. "Well, you must be almost out of Traps by now."

"We'll see, won't we?" said Ren.

_I'm not telling her,_ he thought, _but the truth is, she's right… I really don't have any cards left that can block another attack from another heavy hitter…_

"I play Burial From a Different Dimension," said Ruin, playing a card. "Now those three Batterymen return to my Graveyard."

Batteryman Charger, Batteryman Micro-Cell, and Batteryman D slipped into her discard slot.

"I'll throw a card facedown, and that will end my turn."

A facedown card materialized behind her.

"Here goes…" said Ren, drawing a card.

The first rope on the guillotine snapped.

"I activate a Trap," said Ruin, as her facedown card lifted. "It's called Portable Battery Pack. This works like Call of the Haunted for Batterymen, except it lets me summon two of them."

In a burst of energy, the two other Batterymen AA appeared. The Attack Scores of all three of them rose to 3,000.

Ren paused.

"I play Premature Burial," he said, playing a card. "It costs me, sure, but I get to bring Penumbral Soldier Lady back one more time."

Penumbral Soldier Lady appeared again. (2,100/1,400)

"Now I play a Field Spell of my own… Mystic Plasma Zone!"

He fit the card into his Field Slot, and darkness covered the field. Penumbral Soldier Lady's scores changed to (2,600/1,000)

_Okay, let me think,_ he thought. _I only get one attack this round… If I don't take out one of those AA, they'll be a problem…_

_But… If I don't get rid of her Industrial Strength, she'll just do the same thing again! I won't last another round…_

_Only one thing to do…_

"Attack Batteryman Industrial Strength!" he commanded.

Penumbral Soldier Lady rushed at the heavy-duty Batteryman, and her Attack Score rose to 3,600. She made a slash with her blade, and it let out a shower of sparks before exploding into slag. Ruin winced a little.

**(Re: 600) - - - - - - - - - - (Ru: 3,400)**

Ruin's eyes narrowed as she looked at Ren.

"My draw," she said.

She snapped the top card off of her deck.

"I move all three Batterymen to Defense Mode," she said.

All three Batterymen knelt, and shielded themselves with their arms.

"Since all three are in Defense Mode now, their Defense Scores are each 3,000.

"Next, I Equip my central one with Raregold Armor."

She played another card, and the Batteryman in the center turned to gold.

"That means he's the only Monster you can attack."

"Big deal," said Ren. "Penumbral Soldier Lady can beat that Defense."

"Not for long," replied Ruin. "I also play this. The Spell Card, Impenetrable Formation."

She fit a card into her Disk.

"I choose one Monster on my side of the field," she said, "and I choose my Equipped Batteryman. Since I have at least two Monsters, and all of them are in Defense Mode, it gains an additional 700 Defense Points, for a total of 3,700. That's just strong enough to repel her attack.

"Make your move."

Ren drew a card.

_I gotta do something before she manages to draw another Short Circuit,_ he thought. _No way can I dodge it again._

_Here goes…_

The second rope on the guillotine snapped.

"I remove Dark Squire from play, to summon La Sombra," he said, as Dark Squire's card slipped out of his discard slot.

The sexy, female bandito appeared in a burst of shadow. (1,800/1,000) –) (2,300/600)

"Now you have to draw a card, Ruin," he said. "What happens next depends on what it is."

Ruin frowned, and made one draw. She turned it forward.

"Dust Tornado," said Ren, with a smirk. "An oldie but goodie. And since it's a Trap, La Sombra gets to attack directly, something that Raregold Armor can't stop."

La Sombra shouted a battlecry, and leapt over the Batterymen, lashing at the evil goddess with her whip. Everyone cheered as Ruin took a step back.

**(Re: 600) - - - - - - - - - - (Ru: 1,100)**

"A lady with a whip, Ren?" said Ruin, with a smile. "I'm almost starting to like you!"

"Oh, just move," grumbled Ren.

"What do you think she and Demise do when they're alone?" asked Erik.

"I don't even wanna know…" muttered Sam.

Ruin drew a card.

She played two cards, and a facedown Monster and a facedown card appeared.

She looked at Ren, and nodded.

Ren drew again. The third rope on the guillotine snapped.

_The facedown card is probably Dust Tornado,_ he thought. _Nuts, she could destroy Soldier Lady with that…_

_And with Raregold Armor in play, I can't attack any of her Monsters except the Equipped one this turn._

He fit two cards into his Disk, and two facedown cards appeared.

_That's it,_ he thought. _Those are my last two Trap Cards. Let's hope they'll make a difference._

"Your move," he said.

Ruin quickly drew a card.

"I flip Morphing Jar to Attack Mode," she said.

Her facedown card flipped, and the cackling Rock Monster appeared. (700/600)

Ren frowned. They quickly discarded their cards and made five draws.

"Now I play Dust Tornado!" shouted Ruin, as her facedown card flipped up. "And I think I'll destroy…

"Your Field Spell!"

The tornado tore across the field, and the darkness of Mystic Plasma Zone blew away.

_What?_ thought Ren. _Why didn't she destroy my Premature Burial?_

"Not so fast!" he shouted. "I have a Dust Tornado of my own!"

"One of his own facedown cards flipped up, and another cyclone started. The Portable Battery Pack card shattered, and so did the two Batterymen it had summoned.

"It doesn't matter Ren," said Ruin, with an evil smile. "Something you should know about Anarchist Disks… They include a special feature whenever a Duel Spirit uses one.

"I play Monster Reborn to summon a Batteryman AA again."

Another Batteryman AA appeared.

"Next," she said, playing another card, "I play Enemy Controller, to move Penumbral Soldier Lady to Defense Mode."

She played the card, and a large video game controller appeared in mid-air. Penumbral Soldier Lady sparked with energy, and knelt in Defense Mode.

_What in blazes?_ thought Ren. _Why did she do that?_

"Now…" said Ruin. "I play this!"

A Spell Card appeared…

"End of the World?" gasped Ren.

"That's right?" said Ruin, with a sinister smirk. "To play this Ritual, I have to sacrifice eight Levels worth of Monsters. And I mean _exactly_ eight. For a Ritual this powerful, it needs the exact amount. Any less, and the offering is beneath contempt. Any more, and the power would tear the fabrics of the summoning process.

"So, I sacrifice both my Batterymen, and my Morphing Jar…"

The three Monsters erupted in flames, similar to the ones that had apparently killed the Harpie's Brother and the Sonic Shooter when Ruin had first appeared. The flames started to congeal into a humanoid shape, just like before.

"I summon…" shouted Ruin.

"Well, heh… She's been right in front of you this whole time!"

In an explosion of energy, an exact duplicate of Ruin, holding her forked staff, appeared in front of her. (2,300/2,000)

"Oh, come on!" yelled Chelsea. "You played _yourself_??"

"Talk about a prima donna," said Yumi.

"Well, why not?" asked Ruin. "I've always been a sort of take-charge person… And now I can attack your Soldier Lady personally!"

Her twin aimed her staff, and fired a blast of burning-hot flames, blowing Penumbral Soldier Lady to ash.

"Oh, and by the way," said Ruin, "my doppelganger has a special ability. When she crushes one Monster, she gets to attack a second time!"

The Ruin on the field aimed her staff again. La Sombra screamed right before she was incinerated. Ren was thrown backwards.

**(Re: 100) - - - - - - - - - - (Ru: 1,100)**

"He's still in it!" shouted Chelsea.

"Barely," said Ruin. "And I'm making sure I don't have to deal with that whore again."

As Ren got up, she discarded a card.

"I'm discarding my D.D. Crow to remove Penumbral Soldier Lady from play."

Ren growled as he pocketed the card.

"You have a lot of nerve calling her a whore," he grumbled. "Look in the mirror lately? And do you realize the mistake you made?

"If you had used the other effect of Enemy Controller, and sacrificed Morphing Jar to take control of Penumbral Soldier Lady for one round, you would have won.

"But you were so thick with pride, you had to summon the Monster with your face on it. An admittedly beautiful face, but such beauty is wasted on an abomination like you."

Ruin grit her teeth in anger.

"We'll see…" she growled. "It's your move. You have only 100 Life Points left! Just try to turn this around!"

"I draw!" shouted Ren.

He drew a card. The fourth rope on the guillotine snapped.

"I activate Call of the Haunted!" he shouted.

His Trap Card lifted up, and a coffin appeared on his side of the field. It opened, and Getsu Fuhma stepped out. (1,700/1,200)

"And just what is she gonna do?" asked Ruin.

"You'll see," said Ren. "I'm playing a Ritual Spell of my own."

He played a Spell Card, and lightning flashed. A ziggurat appeared behind him, on which where two tall, metal spires and a burning cauldron.

"The Litmus Doom Ritual!" he exclaimed. "Like your Ritual, this requires eight Levels worth of Monsters. So I sacrifice Black Lotus and The Immortal Bushi."

Black Lotus and The Immortal Bushi appeared on the field, and then both of them vanished into grains of light. The cauldron on the ziggurat behind Ren started to boil, and churn out thick smoke.

"I summon… The Litmus Doom Swordsman!" he shouted.

The ziggurat vanished, and lightning flashed again. A different Dark Warrior appeared, this one dressed in the flamboyant costume of a matador, with a fancy cape, headpiece, and mask, all in hues of violet, white, and gold. He held two sharp scimitars. (0/0)

"He doesn't have any Attack Points…" said Ruin.

"Not to start," said Ren, "but when a Trap Card is active on the field, like Call of the Haunted is now, his Attack Score goes all the way up from zero to 3,000!"

Litmus Doom glowed with a shadowy aura. (3,000/0)

"Hey, wait a minute…" said Ruin.

"Time to end this," said Ren. "Litmus Doom, destroy the Queen of Oblivion!"

The Litmus Doom Swordsman leapt at Ruin's twin, and with one swipe of his blade, cut her in half. The real Ruin clutched her chest in pain, and clearly, this was a type of pain that she did _not_ enjoy.

"Getsu Fuhma…" commanded Ren. "Take her out…"

Getsu Fuhma leapt at the evil goddess, and a slash of her katana sent her to the floor.

**(Re: 100) - - - - - - - - - - (Ru: 0)**

"All right!" shouted Chelsea, running up to him.

She hugged him.

"You won!"

Then they were startled by a blast of energy that blew both Getsu Fuhma and Litmus Doom to pieces.

Everyone looked, and saw Ruin, holding her staff, with her eyes burning with flames.

"_Yes, you won,"_ she said, her voice now sounding far less attractive than it had been before, and more like that of a demon. _"Congratulations…_

"_And since I am, as you said, so thick with pride, doing so is going to make your end even more agonizing…"_

"Uh, guys?" said Ren, as he and Chelsea backed up towards the others. "I really hope you have a plan…"

"Uhm…" muttered Yumi, "actually, we were too busy trying to find you two to think of that part…"

"Oh," moaned the Burglar. "Don't look at me… I'd have run away half an hour ago if I wasn't cursed to haunt this place for twelve hours out of the day…"

"_Daala wanted me to banish you all to Shogarr's palace,"_ said Ruin. _"That's the usual punishment for those whom she passes a death sentence on…"_

"WHAT?" gasped Yumi. "So Daala does work for Shogarr!"

"_I don't know in what regard,"_ said Ruin. _"But anyway, I'm thinking I'm not going to do that… I'm thinking I really am going to kill you._

"_Maybe I'll reduce this whole Cathedral into a flaming, burning wreck, with all of you still inside it!"_

"Destroying a church?" asked Aster. "Wow, you ARE evil…"

"_QUIET!"_ shouted Ruin, aiming her staff at them.

And then, Yumi's deck started to glow…

In a burst of magical energy, a tall, intimidating form appeared between them and Ruin…

"Cosmo Queen?" said Yumi, in shock.

Ruin stopped short.

"_You…"_ she whispered.

The two Duel Spirits looked at each other.

"_YOU!"_ she screamed. _"You got us the last time, but you aren't gonna do it again!"_

She fired a blast of energy at Cosmo Queen, but the Spellcaster simply caught it in her palm.

Then Cosmo Queen cast her cosmic nova, hitting Ruin in the stomach. Ruin screamed.

"Those two don't seem to like each other much," said Erik.

"Of course!" gasped Ren. "It all makes sense now! Cosmo Queen is the Empress of the dimension where Spellcasters are the rulers! That's why Sand Gambler was afraid of her!

"And she's the one who banished Ruin and Demise last time!"

Cosmo Queen gestured, and a card appeared in her hand. They saw that it was Shadow Spell. A bolt of energy shot from the card, and two chains sprouted out of the floor, latching onto Ruin's wrists.

Cosmo Queen turned, and cast a spell, aiming for the door that was blocking the stairway's way up. The blast smashed it to pieces.

"Head for the roof!" said a voice coming from the Spellcaster (although her lips didn't move). "I'll handle her…"

"Should we?" asked Sam.

Ruin angrily tore free from the chains, and started to burn with black fire.

"We'd be crazy to stay down here!" shouted Yumi.

Ruin threw herself at Cosmo Queen, and the two started to grapple. The six duelists and the ghost of the Burglar rushed up the stairs, as the belfry below them started to glow with intense light…

As they ran out to the roof, where they could see a view of the whole city, they heard an explosion below, and the windows were all blown out in bursts of flame.

"Uh…" muttered Chelsea. "So who won?"

Cosmo Queen floated through the floor and looked at them. She had a satisfied smile on her face.

She turned into energy, and flew back to Yumi's deck.

"I think that answers your question," said Aster.

They all sat down and took some deep breaths.

"Chilly up here…" muttered Chelsea.

"So…" said Yumi. "What's the next step? How do we even get down from here?"

They were a little surprised to see what looked to be a fighter plane flying towards them.

"A Gradius?" said Erik.

The Machine started to hover. Then it let a beam of light out of its front, and a holographic projection appeared.

It looked like a Machine Duel Spirit, a robot of some sort that was eight feet tall, designed to look like some sort of admiral or other military officer.

"That's a Robotic Knight," said Erik.

"No…" exclaimed Sam, getting up. "That's Nezbitt!"

"Very perceptive of you, Samantha," said the voice of the former technology expert of the Big Five. "As you may have guessed by now, this Realm is my domain, and I'm not at all pleased at the trouble you all have been causing in it.

"However, I also know that a confrontation is likely inevitable. So I'm not going to delay it any further.

"Rather than try to stop you from breaking into my Infernal Clock, I'm giving you an open invitation. I'll even send you a ride. It will be there in exactly four minutes."

"Fine!" said Yumi. "But if you think we're going to trust you…"

"I don't expect you to," said Nezbitt. "Four minutes. Be ready by then."

The Gradius flew away.

"So, uhm…" mumbled the Burglar to Chelsea. "That's not much time… If you could just tell me…"

"Remember the chalice you stole from Emes the Infinity?" sighed Chelsea. "If he gets it back, you won't be cursed any more."

The Burglar stopped short.

"I know where that is!" he exclaimed. "Thanks!"

He vanished.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala took a walnut from a dish, and then crushed its shell with a nutcracker. She looked at Skull Knight, who was looking at a screen.

"Where did Cosmo Queen banish her to?" she asked, as she chewed on the nut.

"Uh…" said Skull Knight, looking at the information. "According to this, Carceri."

Daala sighed. She crushed another nut.

"Carceri…" she muttered. "The Prison Plane… The place where the most powerful entities and even the gods banish creatures that are judged too dangerous to walk free…"

"Indeed…" replied Skull Knight. "I believe it was where Zeus sent the Titans after he overthrew them."

"Figures," muttered Daala. "It was only a matter of time before someone tried sending her there. She's going to have the hardest time ever finding a way out this time…

"Demise is going to be in a foul mood when he wakes up. That isn't good…"

She crushed another nut.

"Well…" said Skull Knight, "it isn't really bad either, come to think of it…"

"Pardon?" said Daala.

"Well, if Demise is angry," said Skull Knight, "he'll be more merciless when it comes time to do his job."

Daala frowned.

And then she smiled.

"Indeed…" she chuckled. "And Cosmo Queen was Yumi's Monster… You might say that Yumi was responsible… As was anyone she was working for and with…"

She chuckled again.

"Ah, well, too bad for Ruin… But by sacrificing her, we may well have made our other plan even more potent…"

She gestured, and the screen came up in front of her. She hit the command to send an e-mail.

She typed in the address of the recipient:

LLoA.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Exactly four minutes after the group had spoken to Nezbitt, a much larger craft approached the Cathedral. It was a giant spaceship, with weapons all over its armored hull, and a glowing core in the center.

"A Big Core, huh?" said Sam. "Well, I give him an A for originality."

The huge spaceship hovered, and a door opened in its underbelly. A walkway descended.

"Well people, come on," said Yumi. "We aren't getting any younger…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**LITMUS DOOM RITUAL (Spell Card)**

**Ritual Spell**

**Image:** An ominous altar on a ziggurat, with spires, arches, and a blazing cauldron, surrounded by cloaked men with torches, with lightning striking from above.

**Card Description:** This card is used to Ritual Summon "Litmus Doom Swordsman". You must also offer as Tribute from the field or your hand Monsters whose total Levels equal eight or more.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**LITMUS DOOM SWORDSMAN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Ritual/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description:** This card is Ritual Summoned via the effect of "Litmus Doom Ritual". You must also offer as Tribute from the field or your hand Monsters whose total Levels equal eight or more. This card cannot be destroyed as a result of battle. This card is unaffected by Trap Cards. If at least one Trap Card is face-up on the field, the base ATK of this card becomes 3,000.

_Note: "Litmus Doom Ritual" and "Litmus Doom Swordsman" were first used by Bastion in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "The Duel Off (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**At the time Jaden Yuki left school, he had already completed a very illustrious career. He had saved the world, this one and others, several times, and had made many allies along the way. One might think then, that he had a sense of fulfillment at that time.**_

_**However, even Jaden had left a small number of loose ends that he never addressed… A few unsolved mysteries that one can't help but think he wondered about.**_

_**Next chapter, closure is brought to one of these loose ends, as an enemy from the past appears blocking the team's path to Nezbitt. It's a chapter called "Cover the Sun", coming soon.**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Name that Card!**_

_**It's no secret that, in the anime, a Monster's attack has a cool-sounding name. And sometimes in the history of the game, a Monster's attack's name has been made into a Spell Card.**_

_**Dark Magician's attack's name was made into a card, and so was the attack of another one of Yugi's Monsters. Can you name it? (The Monster, not the Spell.)**_


	33. Cover the Sun

_**Which of Yugi's Monsters other than "Dark Magician" got a Spell Card named after his attack name? If you said "Gaia the Fierce Knight" (whose attack name was "Spiral Spear Strike") you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**I've studied the career of many great duelists ever since I became one, including the career of Jaden Yuki. I know of all of his triumphs, and his tragedies.**_

_**One small footnote in his memoirs that is rarely addressed is a loose end, in which no closure was ever reached. This is odd, because most of the time, he didn't leave things unfinished. But maybe he didn't have much of a choice in the matter.**_

_**Somewhere up there, behind the clouds, I hope he's watching, because I'm about to bring closure to this problem he left unfinished a long time ago. I never expected to clean up after him, so to speak, but I guess he didn't expect my opponent right now to ever come back.**_

_**Let's duel…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Cover the Sun**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Daala looked through her screen, which was currently showing Nexus. She rubbed her chin.

"Sheena may have stopped Doma from setting her beacon," she pondered, "but my other men set more than enough of them.

"Pretty soon, we'll be ready to start the first wave. Not having control of KaibaCorp's computer will force us to make a subversive attack rather than a frontal one, but we should be able to handle it."

She picked up her phone.

"Best tell the General to start readying his troops…"

"Milady," said Skull Knight, as he walked in.

"Yes?" replied Daala.

"Someone to see you," he said with a frown. "He claims it's important."

A short, ugly-looking Fiend in rich, yet worn clothing walked in. It was clearly the Goblin of Greed. Daala glared at him in disgust.

"Your excellence," said the Goblin, bowing.

"You have five minutes to get my attention, Goblin," sighed Daala, leaning back on her couch.

"Oh, I don't need that long," said the Goblin. "I have something that I heard you were looking for…"

He held up a Duel Monsters card. It was King Dragun.

Daala frowned again.

"And where, pray tell, did you get it?" she asked. "If you give it to me, is some infernal bounty hunter going to come to Xanadu with orders to take back some rich archdevil's stolen property and take the soul of whoever has it as compensation?"

"Please!" protested the Goblin. "Why must we make accusations? I am merely a merchant…"

"You are a merchant who freely deals with the yugoloths," snapped Daala. "They are a race known for being greedy by nature, and being mercenaries in every sense of the word.

"An army of yugoloths will hire themselves out to the Dark Eight, and fight for the side of Hell one week. Then, no sooner are they're done and are paid, they'll look for another employer, and if it's the army of demons that the Dark Eight hired them to oppose before, they don't care. They have no loyalties. So no-one trusts them, nor does anyone trust anyone who works for them."

"Well, I didn't steal it," replied the Goblin, "least of all from some archdevil. I'm not that dumb. I have many clients, and they have contacts."

"You want to sell me that card, right?" asked Daala. "Well, how much, dare I ask?"

"Actually, milady," said the Goblin, "I want to make a deal. I know about the problem you're having with five teenagers right now, whom you're opposing."

"And?" asked Daala.

"I want in!" exclaimed the Goblin. "I want to duel one of them for you. Chelsea, to be exact. I want to duel her, and set some special stakes… You might say she has something I desire."

Daala rubbed her chin.

She closed her eyes.

"Fine…" she said.

"You can go to the Frozen Wastes if you desire. If Chelsea isn't captured before she gets there, I'll let you deal with her. If she is, you can come back here, and I'll let you duel her before she's brainwashed. Who knows? It may even be fun to watch."

The Goblin of Greed chuckled. He handed the card to Daala.

"You won't regret this, milady," he laughed.

"Anything else you need?" muttered Daala, looking at the card.

"Uhm…" said the Goblin. "Come to think of it… Got anything to eat?"

Daala sighed. She motioned to one of her servants behind her.

"Show him to the commissary, will you?" she ordered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Near the top of the Infernal Clock, there was a large docking bay, where Machine Spirits who could fly could enter and park, often depositing passengers.

At the far end was an entrance that led inside, which was guarded by two Pendulum Machines.

One of them sighed, the boredom of its job getting to it.

"Hey, Number 14…" it said to the other one. "How come we always get stuck with guard duty?"

"Because, Number 10," replied the other one, "we're two Level Six Monsters with only 1,750 Attack Points. No sane duelists are ever going to want us for their decks any more. And when Monsters have as little use as we do, they tend to get the boring jobs, like it or not."

"Yeah…" said Number 10. "Well… It wouldn't hurt you to show some leg…"

"We don't have any legs," said Number 14.

"It was only an expression!" said Number 10. "Don't give me no lip!"

"We don't have lips either," said Number 14.

Then a robed, hooded figure, his face completely concealed behind the hood, walked out from the door behind them.

"If you two overgrown pocket knives don't like guard duty," scolded the cloaked figure, "perhaps you'd be happier collecting garbage or cleaning up sewage."

"No, no, we're good!" said Number 10.

"Yeah, well both of you go recharge your batteries now," said the figure. "The Lord is expecting guests, and I'm here to greet them."

"Whatever you say," said Number 14.

The two Machines turned and went inside.

"I hate Machines," muttered the man. "I like them a lot better when they don't talk…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Big Core slowly came to a landing in the large docking bay. The walkway descended, and the six duelists started to emerge.

They weren't very happy. The Core had apparently been designed to transport Machine Spirits rather than humans. There were no seats, and the ride had been rather choppy and cramped.

And still, it hadn't been as bad as the typical subway ride in Domino City during rush hour…

"So what now?" asked Erik. "Nezbitt didn't exactly say what…"

They all saw the robed figure in front of the door.

"Uh, I don't think that guy's a Machine…" said Ren.

"No," replied the figure. "I'm the Realm Lord's chancellor, at least for now. He told me to… Brief you guys."

"And who the heck are you, may I ask?" asked Aster.

The hooded figure chuckled.

"You're an AI program, right?" he asked. "Programmed using advanced technology, possessing all of the memories of the real Aster Phoenix…

"So then… I'm pretty certain that you can remember me…"

Then the figure lowered the hood and moved the cloak aside… Aster stepped back in shock.

He was tall, about Aster's age, with a muscular build, not quite that of a bodybuilder, but still pretty built. He had spiky, brown hair, and glasses. He wore a sleeveless vest, leather gloves, designer slacks, and a necklace that appeared to be made out of black beads. He carried a Duel Disk that seemed to be custom made, but it didn't seem to fit any theme that they could identify. The tray was rectangular rather than crescent shaped, and it was bulkier.

"Adrian Gecko," said Aster with a sneer. "So are you an AI too?"

Adrian chuckled.

"Nope," he said. "Make no mistake… Unlike most of the human members of Daala's army, I'm completely human. I'm no copy…"

"But we thought you were dead," said Aster. "After everyone was rescued from Yubel's dimensional prison, neither you nor Echo came back. And you _never_ came back."

"And no-one ever came looking for me, thank you very much!" shouted Adrian.

He took some deep breaths.

"Okay, I can't fairly make that claim," he muttered. "Maybe someone did… How was I to know?

"Here's what happened, Aster… In Dark World, at first, most people believed that everyone who lost a duel was simply gone. Gone forever. In truth, Yubel locked them up in a pocket dimension. And when Jaden merged himself with Yubel, she released most of them. That you know firsthand.

"It was her idea of mercy, because they had really done nothing to oppose her."

"But because you double-crossed her and tried to usurp her power," replied Aster, "you warranted special punishment."

"Yes," said Adrian. "She decided to teach me a lesson. I was put in solitary confinement, and I wasn't released. And she refused to release Echo as well. As added torture, she made it so that the two of us could speak to each other, but not see each other. Like inmates in adjoining cells.

"The fact that the two of us didn't go mad from the decades we spent like this was a testament to the will we had, and the determination we had to get out and get even. In the meantime, I apologized for everything, and she was more than willing to forgive.

"And as fate would have it, we got lucky. Just one year ago we were both yanked out, and deposited unceremoniously in the Burnt Paradise.

"We saw each other. We tried to run to each other…

"But then, Echo vanished. Then Daala appeared.

"Daala told me that she was the one who had sprung the two of us, so to speak, and she wanted me to work for her. The reason she gave was, she had interests in the human world, and I still would hold a great deal of influence in the incredibly powerful Gecko Industries once they found out I was alive.

"But she was more wary than Yubel. She knew about my history of betrayal, and how I much preferred to rule rather than serve.

"So, she would use Echo as her bargaining chip for now. She's a guest right now in Daala's palace at the Core. I'll get her back once I prove I can show true loyalty."

"Can you?" asked Yumi.

"YES!" exclaimed Adrian. "If I don't, Daala has threatened to downgrade Echo's status to slave, or even worse. She's suffered enough."

He placed a deck of cards in his Disk.

"I can show you to Nezbitt, but he's busy at the moment. So I think I'll prove how loyal I can be by sending one of you to Daala right now."

"Oh, I'll take you on!" answered Aster.

"Please," said Adrian. "Why would I waste time dueling a carbon copy of someone who couldn't even beat me the first time? You aren't worth my time, Aster."

Aster was clearly very angry. Ren lifted up his hand as if to hold him back.

Then Chelsea stepped forward.

"Fine, Adrian," she said. "It's been a while since I had to deal with one of Daala's goons, so I'm more than willing to take you on."

"Chelsea, be careful!" shouted Aster. "He has the original Exodius!"

Adrian chuckled.

_No I don't,_ he thought. _That card only works when I have the Spirit of Exodia supporting me, and I lost his favor after the deck was defeated. I'm sick of Exodia anyway. From now on, I use the deck that I built with my own two hands._

"Don't worry Aster," said Chelsea, "I have a strategy to use against it."

"Book of Life, right?" asked Adrian. "Well, we'll soon see if it works…"

The two Disks activated.

"Game on!" they both shouted.

**(Chelsea: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Adrian: 8,000)**

"I'll start this off," said Chelsea, drawing a card.

"I summon, my Blood Sucker!"

In a burst of energy, the bat-like, red-skinned Zombie appeared with a screech. (1,300/1,500)

"I'll toss this facedown, and then we'll see what you've got."

A facedown card appeared behind Blood Sucker.

"Heh," chuckled Adrian. "Not the best, but I've seen worse…"

He drew a card.

"I'll set a facedown card of my own, and then play Cloudian Squall."

A facedown card appeared, followed by a Continuous Spell. It was an odd card that had the image of white clouds being blown through a dark one.

"I'll gladly tell you what it does. This card's effect activates each time I start my turn, giving each Monster on the field something called a Fog Counter.

"Next, I summon Cloudian – Poison Cloud."

He played the card, and a blood-red cloud formed in front of him. It changed into a horrid-looking thing, with a fiendish face, clawed arms, and veins all over its surface. (0/1,000)

"Ugh!" gasped Chelsea.

"I take it you don't like my Poison Cloud," said Adrian. "You know, I don't like it much either, so I'm playing another Spell Card.

"It's called Exploder Cloud. This lets me destroy one Monster that's in Attack Mode, so long as I take damage equal to the Monster's Attack Score."

He played the card, and lightning flashed, striking the Poison Cloud and blowing it to shards.

"Since Poison Cloud had zero Attack Points," he continued, "I don't lose any Life Points. But since it's now in my Graveyard, I can remove it from play to Special Summon something better."

The card slipped out of his discard slot, and he quickly pocketed it. Then he placed another card on his Disk.

"The Cloudian – Storm Dragon."

Thunder rumbled, and another cloud appeared in front of Adrian. It slowly shaped itself, transforming into what looked like a dragon with wings and a long tail, although overall, it still resembled a cloud. (1,000/0)

"It can't hurt my Blood Sucker," said Chelsea.

"But what it can do is put a Fog Counter on any Monster on the field during every one of my turns," said Adrian. "Starting right now. And I think I'll use that effect to put one on itself."

Storm Dragon glowed with energy.

"Finally," said Adrian, "I play The Sanctuary in the Sky."

A Field Slot opened in his Disk, and he placed his last card in it. The docking bay faded away, and the whole arena turned into a cloudy realm, with the divine Sanctuary behind Adrian. But something was amiss. Storm clouds were overhead, and lightning flashed in the distance. It seemed that all was not well in paradise.

"Your move," said Adrian.

"I draw one card," said Chelsea.

She drew a card, and looked at it.

"And my Trap Card activates," said Adrian, as his facedown card lifted. "Since you have at least four cards in your hand, and I have none, I can activate Gamble."

"You're taking a big risk, pal," said Ren. "If you miss the coin toss, you'll have to skip a whole turn."

"Risk, Reginald?" asked Adrian, with a smile. "A big risk? Look… If my dad never took big risks, his company wouldn't have become the world's biggest supplier of petroleum outside of OPEC. Nor would it have become the sixth-biggest name in the chemical industry, right behind Exxon-Mobile and right ahead of DuPont.

"He told me that to get ahead in life, you can't always play it safe."

A coin appeared in his hand.

"It's heads!" he shouted, tossing it.

It fell to the floor.

It was indeed heads.

"Lucky me," he said. "That means I get to draw until I have five cards."

He quickly made five draws.

"If you're done," said Chelsea, taking a card from her hand.

"I summon Zombie Master!"

She played a card, and the ghoulish Zombie appeared in a burst of energy. (1,800/0)

"Now, I'll discard one Monster to use his effect."

She discarded Vampire Lady.

Zombie Master cackled, and lightning flashed. Vampire Lady appeared in a burst of energy. (1,550/1,550)

"Not bad…" said Adrian.

"Attack his Storm Dragon!" she commanded. "Wrath of the undead!"

Zombie Master gestured, and blasted a volley of lightning bolts at Storm Dragon. However, the bolts passed through it as if it wasn't there.

"Huh?" she mused.

"Trying to attack a cloud, Chelsea?" asked Adrian. "Do you know how silly that sounds?

"Attacking a Cloudian is like attacking air. You can't destroy them that way."

"But you still should have taken damage…" muttered Chelsea.

Adrian shook his head.

"Normally, perhaps," he said. "But most Cloudians, including this one, are also Fairies. And with my Field Spell in play, I take no damage from any battle involving them.

"In other words, Chelsea, so long as the Field Spell and at least one Cloudian are on the field, I'm untouchable."

Chelsea looked at him.

"I… end my turn…" she said, slowly.

Adrian drew a card.

"No wonder he risked using Gamble," muttered Sam. "Even if he had to skip his next turn, he'd still have been safe!"

"I draw one card," said Adrian, drawing a card.

"Now, my Cloudian Squall activates, and every Monster on the field gains a Fog Counter."

Storm Dragon, Blood Sucker, Zombie Master, and Vampire Lady glowed with misty energy.

"Next," he continued, "I use Storm Dragon's effect. Once again, I'll have it put a Fog Counter on itself."

Storm Dragon glowed again.

"Now I play Pot of Greed."

He played the card, and the sinister jar appeared. He ignored it, and drew two cards.

"Next up, I summon Cloudian – Turbulence."

A new Cloudian appeared, this one looking like a miniature tornado with arms and a face. (800/0)

"When this guy is summoned, he gains one Fog Counter for each Cloudian on the field. In other words, two."

Turbulence glowed with the same misty energy.

"Just what do these Fog Counters do?" asked Chelsea.

"That's for me to know, and you to find out," replied Adrian. "But you will, eventually."

"Well, your strategy has one major flaw," said Chelsea. "Your Monsters may be invincible, but they're weaklings. How do you intend to beat me if you can't summon a Monster that can beat mine?"

Adrian just looked at her.

"Oh, have it your way!" she shouted, drawing a card.

"I activate Zombie Master's effect again," she said, discarding it.

In a burst of energy, a second Vampire Lady appeared. (1,550/1,550)

"Next, I sacrifice Blood Sucker, for Vampire Lord!"

Blood Sucker vanished, and older, male vampire appeared. (2,000/1,500)

"Attacking would be pointless, so that's all for now…"

Adrian drew a card.

He smirked slightly when he saw what it was.

"Once again," he said, "Cloudian Squall activates."

Storm Dragon, Turbulence, both Vampire Ladies, Zombie Master, and Vampire Lord glowed with misty energy.

"Next, I activate the Spell Card, Lucky Cloud."

He played the card, and the clouds parted overhead, and a beam of light fell on him.

"If I'm lucky enough to summon two Cloudians with the same name this turn, I get to draw two cards.

"So, first, I'll summon Cloudian – Cirrostratus."

The Cloudian that appeared this time was a puffy one with a cute, catlike face. (900/0)

"Like Turbulence, this one gains one Fog Counter for each Cloudian on the field. So it gains three."

The Cirrostratus glowed with energy.

"Next, the Spell Card, Double Summon. Now I get to Normal Summon another Monster. And if you haven't caught on yet, it's another Cirrostratus."

A second of fluffy, cute Cloudians appeared. (900/0)

"This one gets four Fog Counters," he continued, as it glowed with energy. "And next, I'll use Storm Dragon's effect to give it a fifth one.

"I'll set one card facedown…"

A new facedown card appeared.

"I'm ending my turn, and due to Lucky Cloud, I get to draw twice."

He made two draws.

_What she doesn't know is,_ he thought, _I don't have to attack to beat her. On my next round, my true strategy will be revealed, and this duel will be over._

"Adrian…" said Chelsea, drawing a card. "I'm curious… You agree that Daala doesn't trust you, right?"

She played the card, and the Pot of Greed appeared. She drew two cards.

"She said so herself," replied Adrian. "She said something like, 'What did you ever do to deserve trust?' I suppose that…"

"Do you trust Daala?" asked Chelsea, interrupting him.

"Huh?" said Adrian.

"How do you know that Daala is being honest with you about poor Echo's fate?" asked Chelsea. "How do you know that she's truly being treated as a guest in her palace?

"Maybe she's already being used for slave labor… Working her fingers to the bone on some chain gang in some dark mine…"

Adrian stopped short.

He thought for a minute. Honestly, that had never occurred to him.

"That's… That's not true…" he said, slowly. "Daala wouldn't…"

"Would she?" asked Chelsea. "How do you know? She's a tyrant, Adrian. She doesn't have to keep her word. Her word is law in Xanadu. If she goes back on the deal, what would you do to stop her? What _could_ you do? She'd just have you locked up as well."

"I… I… She wouldn't do that!" he snapped. "Make your move!"

He paused.

_But… Maybe it wouldn't hurt to make sure…_

"I sacrifice Vampire Lady to summon Vampire's Curse," said Chelsea.

Vampire Lady vanished into grains of light, and the armored, grey-haired vampire with wings appeared. (2,000/800)

"Next, I remove Vampire Lord from play to summon Vampire Genesis."

Vampire Lord faded away, and in a flash of lightning, the mighty vampire deity appeared. (3,000/2,100)

"I end my turn."

"My draw…" said Adrian.

He sighed as he looked at the card.

_Echo is perfectly safe…_ he thought. _Daala wouldn't lie to me…_

He paused.

_Come to think of it, Daala hasn't let me see or speak to her since we got here. I haven't even received any letters._

_Maybe it is kind of… suspicious…_

The Cloudian Squall glowed, and so did Storm Dragon, Turbulence, both Cirrostratus, Vampire's Curse, Vampire Genesis, Zombie Master, and Vampire Lady.

"I use Storm Dragon's effect again…" he muttered.

Storm Dragon glowed with misty energy again.

"Let's see…" he mumbled. "Six, five, four, where the heck is a calculator when your need one?"

"What are you talking about?" said Ren.

"Twenty-seven," said Adrian. "There are a total of twenty-seven Fog Counters on the field. So I have just enough…"

His facedown card lifted.

"I activate Updraft. This Trap Card removes all twenty-seven of them. Then we get to the good part – you lose 300 Life Points for each one.

"Multiply it."

"Uh…" muttered Erik. "That would be…"

"8,100 Life Points!" gasped Yumi.

"CHELSEA!" screamed Ren.

A blast of sheer cold shot out of the card, and Chelsea let out an earsplitting scream as it hit her…

**INTERLUDE**

With Jesse leading her, Sheena walked into the temple.

"Miss Arachne, you honor us with your presence," said Joan.

"I, uhm, wish I could say I had more good news," said Sheena, nervously.

She chuckled.

"Heh, I even wish I could say this was the first time I had spoken to an angel, but it isn't. Of course, the one who approached me when I was a child was much more martial. He had armor, a sword… He looked like he was looking for a fight.

"Of course, I just dueled Doma too, but I think she's an angel in name only…"

"Yeah, Sheena fought off Doma," said Jesse, "and she was clearly up to something… She had this."

He held up the odd crystal.

"A beacon…" whispered Joan.

"Huh?" asked Sheena. "A beacon? What, we don't like beacons?"

"As you know," started Joan, "the one portal between Xanadu and Earth is in Nexus. Right now, it can only be accessed from Nexus, and only transport small groups at a time.

"Daala is clearly trying to increase its power. Enable large groups to use it, and enter it from anywhere in Xanadu. If enough of these beacons are planted, she may succeed."

"But why?" asked Jesse.

Joan sat down.

"One reason I can think of," she said. "A reason why it would benefit her to shut down the power in Domino…

"Invasion."

"HUH?" shouted Sheena and Jesse at once.

"I feared this might have been Daala's goal for a long time," said Joan. "Let me tell you something about Duel Spirits. They are active on Earth. And they can interact with humans.

"Only special humans who have special powers can see them. If a Spirit wanted to, it could approach a human unseen, and do whatever it wanted… Rob, kidnap…"

She shuddered.

"Or other things too horrible to mention. And the victim wouldn't know he was in danger until the Spirit's claws were around his neck. And in these times, they might do it without fear of punishment from others, if not for one thing."

"What thing?" asked Sheena.

"Well," explained Joan, "several millennia ago, in the days of the Shadow Games, some did. Back then humans who could see Spirits were far more common, and they fought back. This threatened to start an all-out war. The wisest Duel Spirits knew that this could not happen. It would doom both the human world and theirs.

"So a treaty was drafted. One with enchanted powers. The current rulers debate just who drafted it… We Fairies like to claim that Shinato did so, but he will not confirm or deny that fact. He was, however, one of the rulers who signed it. And after it was drafted, all the rulers of each of the Twelve Dimensions signed it. Even Terrorking Archfiend, who ruled Pandemonium, preferred to sign it rather than risk his kingdom being devastated by the war that would start if it was not signed by all the rulers. Finally, the human representatives signed it as well, and it was finalized, and locked away in a secure vault, its location known only to a privileged few.

"Its powers forbade such outright attacks on humans. Duel Spirits are incapable of rebelling against this treaty without powerful assistance or complex rituals, such as the one that was used to free Jinzo before Jaden banished him again."

"So we have nothing to worry about, right?" asked Sheena.

"Yes we do," sighed Joan. "The treaty made no provisions in case a new dimension was created. It has no elastic clause. Xanadu is not one of the Twelve Dimensions, no ruler representing it ever signed the treaty, so no Duel Spirit under Daala's rule is bound by the treaty in the slightest!"

Joan sighed.

"Things have definitely taken a turn for the worse…"

**END OF INTERLUDE**

Chelsea was on her knees, holding herself, and shivering.

"Well…" said Adrian. "That should… Eh?"

**(C: 3,200) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 8,000)**

"That's impossible…" he muttered. "How did you…

"Wait… Where did your big vampire go?"

It was true. Vampire Genesis was gone.

Chelsea slowly stood up, still shivering.

"T-talk about activating a f-facedown card just in time…" she muttered.

"Facedown card?" said Adrian.

"The one I set on my first turn," said Chelsea. "It was Mystik Wok. I chained it to your Updraft, sacrificing Vampire Genesis. As a result, there were only twenty-six Fog Counters on the field, and I gained 3,000 Life Points before I lost any.

"So I'm still in this duel."

"Heh…" chuckled Adrian.

"Well, let me tell you something else my father told me about how to succeed…

"Always have a plan-B.

"Still my turn… I sacrifice all four of my Monsters…"

Storm Dragon, Turbulence, and both Cirrostratus dissolved into particles of water vapor.

"…to summon Cloudian – Nimbusman."

A new Cloudian appeared, this one vaguely humanoid, but still made of cloud-stuff. (1,000/1,000)

"Four sacrifices?" asked Chelsea.

"Technically, I only had to sacrifice one Monster, since it's Level Five," said Adrian. "But with this one, the more the better, because for each Water Monster I sacrifice, it gains a Fog Counter, and for each Fog Counter it has, it gains 500 Attack Points."

Nimbusman roared, and grew to three times its size. (3,000/1,000)

"I seem to remember you saying my Cloudians were weaklings," said Adrian. "Is this strong enough for you?"

"Uhm… Yes…" squeaked Chelsea.

"Attack her Zombie Master!" ordered Adrian. "Merciless gale blast!"

Nimbusman exhaled a ferocious wind and a raging storm blew in Chelsea's direction. She was knocked over, as Zombie Master was blown to pieces.

"And that's all for now," he said.

**(C: 2,000) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 8,000)**

_Man…_ thought Chelsea, drawing a card, _his strategy just did a complete one-eighty, turning from burn to beatdown!_

_I might be able to turn this around if I just get a recharge…_

"I move both my Monsters into Defense Mode," she said.

Vampire Lady sat and crossed her arms, while Vampire's Curse knelt and folded his wings over his shoulders.

"Now, I'll throw one card facedown, and play Mirage of Nightmare."

A facedown card appeared, and the Mirage of Nightmare appeared on the field.

"Eh, the old Mirage/Provisions trick, huh?" said Adrian, drawing a card. "Old-fashioned, but reliable…

"Enjoy it while you can… Mirage of Nightmare will likely be outlawed soon. Assuming you ever escape from Xanadu…"

"We'll see!" shouted Chelsea. "For now, I get four cards!"

She made four draws.

"Now, Emergency Provisions!"

Her facedown card lifted up, and the mouth swallowed the Mirage card.

"Whatever," sighed Adrian. "In case you forgot, my Cloudian Squall is still on the field, meaning that every Monster gets a Fog Counter now.

"And with each Fog Counter, my Nimbusman gets even stronger."

Nimbusman grew even bigger. (3,500/1,000)

"That means it will get stronger with each turn…" said Sam. "Like a cloud on a hot day…"

"Exactly," replied Adrian. "Right before its power is unleashed in the form of a rain storm.

"And I'm going to play my own old-fashioned Spell Card… Stop Defense."

He played the card, and Vampire Lady glowed. She struggled, but the glowing aura made her stand up into Attack Mode.

"Stop Defense?" said Yumi. "Why play that? Enemy Controller is better."

"You'll see in a minute," said Adrian. "For now…"

Nimbusman blew its merciless gale blast at Vampire Lady, and she screamed before shattering into bits.

**(C: 1,050) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 8,000)**

"Now, as for why I used an antiquated card," explained Adrian, placing a card in his Disk, "this is why."

A Continuous Spell appeared on his side of the field.

"It's called Sealer Formation. If I so choose, I can get Stop Defense back next round, so long as I skip my Draw Phase. That means I've cut off every avenue of defense, Chelsea.

"It's your move."

Chelsea drew a card.

"Fine," she said with a scowl. "If my defenses are shut down, I'm moving to offense. Vampire's Curse… Stand up!"

Vampire's Curse obeyed, moving to Attack Mode.

"In case you forgot," said Adrian, "even if you made him strong enough, Cloudians can't be destroyed in battle."

"I didn't forget Adrian," said Chelsea, as a Spell Card appeared on her side of the field. "Your Cloudian isn't what he's going to attack.

"I play Overpowering Eye. This lets a Zombie that has 2,000 Attack Points or less attack directly this turn."

"Huh?" said Adrian. "Wait a minute…"

"Curse," ordered Chelsea, "attack him directly with night shade!"

Vampire's Curse fired a beam of blackness and Adrian gasped as it hit him, knocking him over.

_Whoa,_ he thought. _Okay, that was unexpected..._

**(C: 1,050) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 6,000)**

"Yeah!" shouted Ren. "It's about time you lost some Life Points, pal!"

"So I won't win by shutout," said Adrian, getting up. "Big deal. The player who still has any at all when the duel is over wins."

Chelsea put a card in her Disk and a facedown card appeared.

"Just make your move," she said.

"I will," said Adrian. "Guess I don't have to use Sealer Formation after all."

He drew a card.

Cloudian Squall glowed, and Nimbusman grew to an Attack of 4,000.

"Attack Vampire's Curse!" he commanded.

The violent wind started to blow…

"Gotcha!" shouted Chelsea. "I activate Widespread Ruin!"

Her Trap Card shot up.

"Say what?" exclaimed Adrian, opening his eyes.

He shielded himself as Nimbusman exploded in a fiery blast. (Which was kind of odd – one would expect that a cloud was the last thing that could catch on fire.)

"Looks like your Nimbusman was a big windbag," said Chelsea. "And if you summon it from the Graveyard, it will only have 1,000 Attack Points."

"Hardy, har, har," sneered Adrian. "Just make your move, will you?"

"I will!" shouted Chelsea, drawing. "You're defenseless! Vampire's Curse, get him!"

Adrian cringed as the night shade hit him again.

He panted for breath.

**(C: 1,050) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 4,000)**

"You know, Adrian," said Chelsea, "it doesn't have to go down like this."

"Say what?" said Adrian.

"You may think that Daala is telling the truth, but I know better," said Chelsea. "I don't think she ever intends to give you back Echo. So long as she has Echo, you'll follow her like a lamb.

"In other words, Adrian, you're a prisoner too, in all but name. And once you outlive your usefulness…

"Well… Daala might decide to send both of you back to that extradimensional jail that she took you from. Or something even worse."

For the first time, Adrian's calm demeanor changed. He now looked incredibly angry.

"But like I said, Adrian," said Chelsea, "it doesn't have to go down like this. If Joan's forces are victorious, Daala's prisoners, including Echo, will be rescued. Joan will make sure of that. Then the two of you can finally live happily ever after.

"That is… If she still wants to after you did nothing to rescue her from Daala."

"SHUT UP!" screamed Adrian.

He drew a card.

"I set one Monster in Defense Mode, and end my turn!"

A facedown Monster appeared.

"Draw…" said Chelsea, drawing a card.

"Destroy his Monster!" she shouted.

Vampire's Curse's night shade shot towards the card. A large grizzly bear appeared on the card, and was blown to pieces.

"That was a Mother Grizzly," muttered Adrian. "And when it's destroyed, I get to Special Summon a weak Water Monster. So, since a second Mother Grizzly would fit the bill…"

Another Mother Grizzly appeared in front of him. (1,400/1,000)

"It's your move," said Chelsea.

Adrian drew a card.

_Okay…_ he thought. _Time to resort to desperate measures…_

"I play Premature Burial," he said. "And I'll bring back my first Mother Grizzly."

He glowed with a red aura as the original Grizzly appeared next to the second. (1,400/1,000)

"Now… I sacrifice both Monsters…"

Both Mother Grizzlies evaporated into water vapor…

"To summon the perfect storm! Cloudian – Eye of the Typhoon!"

Lightning flashed. A Monster slowly started to appear, and it was huge. It looked like a giant storm cloud, with arms, and one glaring eye. (3,000/1,000)

"Okay…" gasped Chelsea. "That's certainly… big…"

"If you think it looks big, wait until see it attack!" shouted Adrian. "Attack Vampire's Curse! Hurricane rage!"

"Everyone hold on!" shouted Yumi.

"To what?" yelled Ren.

Eye of the Typhoon collapsed into a spinning cyclone of fury. Chelsea staggered against the storm as Vampire's Curse collapsed into Defense Mode, and then exploded into pixels.

"Fortunately for you," said Adrian, as the windstorm started to subside, "when it attacks, your Monsters change modes. So your Life Points are safe. For now."

"Uh…" gasped Chelsea, looking at the cards in her hand. "I think I _won't_ use his effect."

"Suit yourself," said Adrian. "Make your move…"

**(C: 1,050) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 3,200)**

Chelsea sighed as she drew a card.

It was Monster Reborn.

She looked at the other cards in her hand again. She had Penelope, as well as Call of the Mummy, a way to summon her.

_Fat lot of good she'll do me,_ she thought. _She can't destroy that thing any more than my other Monsters can. In fact, with Widespread Ruin gone, I don't have ANY card in my whole deck right now that can destroy it. I don't…_

Then something came to her…

"_Penelope was resourceful, and you are too," said the Commandant. "You will find out how to use it when the need is great enough…"_

She paused. She looked at Monster Reborn.

_The card I got from the Gravekeeper!_ she thought. _Now's the perfect time to use it!_

She looked at Penelope.

"Ready to take the big step?" she whispered.

She swore she saw a small twinkle in the Monster's eye, which was all the proof she needed.

She took a card from her hand.

"I play Call of the Mummy!" she shouted, as it appeared. "And I'll use it to summon my ace Monster… Penelope, Lady of the Night!"

A shining light appeared on the field, and the brilliant form of Penelope, holding her staff and wearing her long gown flew out of it. (1,000/200)

The Call of the Mummy, Sealer Formation, and Cloudian Squall cards shattered into bits, and The Sanctuary in the Sky was blown to pieces, returning them to the docking bay.

"With a total of six Zombies in my Graveyard," said Chelsea, "her Attack Score gets a big boost."

Penelope glowed with energy. (3,400/200)

"Please," said Adrian, closing his eyes. "She still can't destroy my Cloudian, so I'll only lose 400 Life Points. On the other hand, her Defense Score is pathetic, so when my Cloudian attacks, it's curtains for her."

"I have other plans," said Chelsea. "I play Monster Reborn!"

The holy ankh appeared.

"And I'm going to raise a Monster from _your_ Graveyard!"

"Huh?" said Adrian, as his discard slot glowed.

Cloudian – Nimbusman appeared on Chelsea's side of the field. (1,000/1,000)

"I seriously don't get it," muttered Adrian. "How is my Nimbusman going to hurt my Typhoon?"

"I've heard the story of Penelope so many times," sighed Chelsea. "Let me tell it to you, just to enlighten you."

Adrian chuckled.

"This should be interesting…" he said.

"She was once a holy woman…" started Chelsea. "A maiden who had little, except her faith and her desire to help others. She imagined a life devoted to charity and compassion, putting the needs of others before her own.

"But fate played a cruel trick on her. One terrible night, she was ambushed by a savage vampire, who fed on her blood and drained her dry, leaving her lifeless body where it lay. And no sooner did her grieving family lie her to rest, than she rose as one of the undead herself, with the monster's voice in her ears, calling for her to join him.

"Usually, that's how it goes… A vampire's victim becomes his slave. But Penelope was able to resist the callings. She covered her ears with her hands and ran to the nearest place of worship. Only there were the monster's calls deafened by the hallowed ground.

"How she resisted, no one is sure. Some say that her faith was so great, her soul was able to fight off the darkness that tried to infect it, unlike most vampires. But she didn't know what to do.

"She did the only thing she could do… She prayed…

"And eventually, someone answered. A beautiful form came out of the darkness and touched her. The form had bad news… It could not restore her to what she once was. The dead could not be restored to life. But it told her that the seed of evil that was planted inside her could be purged if she was willing to fight the unholy spawn with all her strength. Penelope said yes, and she had a very good reason for doing so... She truly had nothing left to lose.

"The being told her how to do it, and she left the church, and was immediately beset by the calling again. She fashioned a makeshift wooden stake and found a mallet, and followed its voice. She took the monster by surprise… and silenced the voice.

"It was only the beginning. By night, she hunted for vampires and similar creatures. At every dawn, she dug herself a makeshift grave in the earth and slept, safe from the sun which was now a danger. The common folk saw her now and again. Sometimes her quarry had valuables that had been stolen from victims. She had no use for them, so she gave them to the impoverished. The common folk regarded her as a savior, and called her by many names, among them, The Lady of the Night, seeing as that was the only time they saw her.

"It's unclear how long this went on… It might have been ten years, it might have been a hundred years. But eventually, she fell asleep, and some say a hand from Heaven took her out of her grave and lifted her into the afterlife."

"Interesting bedtime reading," chuckled Adrian.

"Yes," said Chelsea, "and that's usually where the story ends. But recently, a new chapter was added that I didn't know existed.

"It is said that Penelope's influence never left the mortal world. She watches over those who would hunt the creatures of the night. Vampire hunters and others who risk even more than their lives fighting the ultimate darkness. She watches over them as their patron, even if they do not know it. And if the need is ever great enough, if the dangers of the night ever become too powerful for mortal men to handle, she will return. But if she does, she will be quite different than what she once was…

"To unleash this great power, I require Penelope, and a Fairy-Type Monster that's at least Level Five. Your Cloudian meets the requirements. Now, I remove both Monsters from play…"

Penelope and Nimbusman vanished into grains of light. A Fusion Monster card appeared in Chelsea's hand.

She threw it on her Disk.

A blinding portal of light opened behind her…

"Come forth… _Penelope, the Divine Avenger!"_

The figure that stepped out of the portal was Penelope, but she had indeed changed. Her long robe had been traded in for decorated plate armor, and her staff had been swapped for an ornate two-handed sword. Her long, dark hair was now tied in a long braid.

In a dramatic sweep, two huge, feathered wings sprouted from her back.

"Whoa…" muttered Ren. "She's more beautiful than ever…"

(2,800/2,500)

"Penelope has a few special abilities as well," said Chelsea. "Her Attack Score is increased by that of the Fairy-Type Monster that I used to summon her."

(3,800/2,500)

"It's still pointless!" screamed Adrian. "My Cloudian can't be…"

Then Eye of Typhoon roared, and exploded into misty residue.

"Destroyed?" asked Chelsea. "Guess again. When the Divine Avenger is summoned, one card of my choice is obliterated.

"One thing left to do…"

"Oh no…" said Adrian.

"Time to quell this storm," said Chelsea. "Attack him directly! Avenging blade!"

Penelope the Divine Avenger flew at Adrian, and he screamed as her sword cut directly down his torso. He collapsed on his back.

**(C: 1,050) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 0)**

Penelope vanished. Adrian groaned and got up.

"Adrian!" shouted an angry voice.

They all looked up and saw Nezbitt's face on a large screen.

"What's going on, Adrian?" demanded Nezbitt. "Quit fooling around and show them to the antechamber."

"Yes, my Lord," sneered Adrian, in a voice that was thick with sarcasm.

He deactivated his Disk.

"This way, people," he growled. "Your host is waiting…"

He started to walk towards the door.

_Let them duel Nezbitt,_ he thought. _I really don't care who wins…_

_In fact, maybe if Nezbitt loses, I can take over Darkspire if I strike when these fools aren't expecting it. I know how to control these idiotic Machines._

_But while they're dealing with Nezbitt, Daala and I are going to have a long talk…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Joan," said Sheena, "there's something you have to know."

"Yes?" asked Joan.

"The man who helped me regain control of my computer," said Sheena. "He got an e-mail from Xanadu, from someone who wants to help us.

"It might be a Duel Spirit. I have no idea. It calls itself the Testament."

"The Testament?" asked Joan.

"Yeah," said Sheena. "Who is that?"

"The Testament…" repeated Joan.

She paused.

"Miss Arachne…" she said, "I'm afraid I truly have no idea…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**EXPLODER CLOUD (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A dark cloud with lightning flashing from it.

**Card Description:** Destroy one Monster on the field that is in Attack Position. Then, inflict direct damage to your Life Points equal to the destroyed Monster's ATK.

_Note: "Exploder Cloud" was first used by Adrian in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Breaking of the Sacred Seal!". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SEALER FORMATION (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image:** A dark man in a robe and mask, sitting in front of a talisman marked with a kanji symbol that is on fire.

**Card Description:** You may choose to skip your Draw Phase to instead add to your hand from your Graveyard one "Stop Defense", one "Block Attack" or any card with "Seal" in its name.

_Note: "Sealer Formation" was first used by Sorano in a fourth season episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

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**PENELOPE, THE DIVINE AVENGER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fairy/Fusion/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 9  
**ATK:** 2,800  
**DEF:** 2,500

**Card Description:** _"Penelope, Lady of the Night" plus one Fairy-Type Monster that is Level Five or higher_

This card can only be summoned via Fusion Summon by removing from play the above-named Fusion Material Monsters on your side of the field (you do not use "Polymerization"). Increase the base ATK of this card by the base ATK of the Fairy-Type Monster used as Fusion Material to summon this card. On the round that this card is Fusion Summoned, destroy one card on the field. At the End Phase of the turn this card is summoned, return this card to your Fusion Deck.

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**Compared to all the other fortresses you've so far seen in Xanadu, one must think that building a giant, demonic clock might seem going a bit overboard. Why would Nezbitt waste resources on such a structure? Vanity? Or is it some deeper reason? Only the members of Joan's rebellion who have gotten this far – and met with defeat – know the true reason.**_

_**Next chapter, Sam quickly learns the reason, as the Big Five's technology expert challenges her to prove that the forces of the Underworld are no match for the power of technology. Sam learns the reason Nezbitt is "The Clock King", coming up next.**_

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_**You're probably expecting a "Name that Card" right now. Well, I've got something else instead.**_

_**You all are likely wondering, what is the deal with Vita? She's shown up several times in the course of the story, usually simply as a spectator, but sometimes to help the heroes. She rarely talks, and when she does appear, she leaves as mysteriously as she comes. Daala apparently knows who she is, and doesn't like her.**_

_**I'm not going to spill her secrets right now, but she wants to help Yumi and company even more. However, to offer the most help, Yumi will eventually have to pass a test of sorts, and she can't do it alone. One of her allies will have to help her. **_

_**Who? It's up to you!**_

_**PM me which of Yumi's four partners you want to have help her in the two-part chapter in which Vita's secret is finally revealed. I'll tally up the votes, and the one with the most votes will be the one. **_

_**Votes will be counted for two weeks from this date, up until midnight. One vote per person. Only Ren, Chelsea, Sam, and Erik are eligible choices.**_

_**Remember, the fate of Xanadu may rest in this decision, and there may be unpleasant consequences for failure. Send in your votes now.**_


	34. The Clock King

"_**Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."**_

_**This grim sentence was quoted by the American scientist Professor Robert Oppenheimer, the inventor of the atomic bomb, right after his greatest and most terrible invention was first tested. These words from his own mouth lead you to believe that he was not happy with his incredibly powerful weapon of mass destruction, and could predict how it would change the world for the worse.**_

_**Nezbitt, the technology expert of the Big Five, would have had a different opinion if he had invented it. He wouldn't have been happier. His job while working under Gozaburo was to design and build new designs that a military firm could profit from, weapons of war and conflict. And he loved his work. He cared little about how his inventions were used, and who they hurt… In his opinion, it was a world where the strong survived, and the weak were stepped on.**_

_**When my uncle took over the company, he would have none of it. KaibaCorp would build weapons no longer. He forced Nezbitt to destroy his facilities and blueprints, and told Nezbitt in no simple terms that if he couldn't adjust, he could find another job.**_

_**Nezbitt worked on video game software during the time the Big Five still worked for Kaiba, and hated every minute of it. So he needed no prompting to go along with their plan to overthrow Kaiba.**_

_**And as it turned out, the man who thought that the strong deserved to rule was a big coward. In Noah's world, he forced Duke, Tristan, and Serenity to duel him, because he knew that they were amateurs. To make matters worse, he lost anyway.**_

_**He seems to have gotten braver now. He's decided to face me, as a way of getting back at Kaiba the only way he can. I wish I could say this would be easy, but the proof of his past victories are behind me…**_

_**Time to stop this clock… Time to duel…**_

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**CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE**

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**The Clock King**

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The six duelists followed Adrian through a series of passageways and rooms, whose architecture was clearly _not_ designed by anyone lucid. Giant gears and cogs were all over the place, and at several times, they seemed to block the way. However, they always moved aside just as Adrian approached them.

He eventually led them up a stairway, then onto a catwalk, and then a set of metal doors opened.

Behind the doors was a dark, creepy chamber, like the kind found in many science fiction movies. Strange machinery was positioned along each wall, and several odd tanks with glowing, green liquid inside them were on one end.

"Make yourselves comfortable," muttered Adrian. "He'll be here shortly…"

He walked to the other end of the room.

_In the meantime,_ he thought, _I'm going to have a word with Daala…_

"Adrian!" called Chelsea. "Like I said, it doesn't have to go down like this. I suggest you stay with us."

"Forget it, Chelsea," he replied. "I'm not the kind of guy who likes playing the hero."

He exited though another set of doors.

"Is there any way to get any light in here?" asked Ren.

Aster looked at the wall, where a large switch with an odd symbol was placed.

He grabbed hold of the switch, and threw it up.

As he expected, the light fixtures up above came on.

"Guys…" said Chelsea.

She pointed to the strange tanks.

They saw what was inside them now. They held five youngsters, three boys and two girls, connected to strange wires and apparently asleep.

"These are Joan's duelists!" gasped Aster, running up to the tank. "I know them!

"Oh, in the name of… What did he do to them?"

"Can you get them out of there?" asked Yumi.

Aster looked around.

"I can find a light switch," he said, "but something like this is really not my thing…"

Then a red light came on. They noticed that something was starting to rise in the middle of the floor. It was a lift of some sort.

The large form of Robotic Knight rose out of the floor. He glared at the assembled duelists.

"You know, Nezbitt," said Yumi, "the form of a Machine isn't very fitting for you. You're more of a Fiend."

"What, are you talking about them?" asked Nezbitt, pointing to the tanks. "They're in no pain at the moment. They're actually having wonderful dreams."

"So they're drugged too?" asked Yumi. "That only sickens me more…"

"Kids today…" muttered Nezbitt. "So disrespectful of their elders… If I was in charge, they'd still have the draft…"

"Oh, come on, Nezbitt," said Yumi, rolling her eyes. "If YOU were in charge, the world would be governed by military rule!"

"And that's one of the main reasons people like you are NOT in charge," added Aster.

"I'm in charge of Darkspire, aren't I?" replied Nezbitt. "In a way, I got part of what I wanted… Command over legions of Machines. I couldn't thank Daala enough… Machines are the only form of life that doesn't sicken me."

"Oh, I'll make you sick…" sneered Yumi.

"I think not, Yumi," said Nezbitt. "The one I want to duel is Samantha."

"Any particular reason?" asked Sam.

"Why do you think?" asked Nezbitt. "Seto Kaiba destroyed my life's work… He forced me to take a torch to my journals and my laboratories. Every plan I had made, every invention I envisioned was ruined, because of that bastard. He destroyed my dreams."

"Nezbitt, your life's work involved making weapons and war machines," sighed Sam. "All you could do with that stuff was build things that could kill, destroy, and cause human misery.

"So _please_, excuse my uncle for wanting to take a step towards peace!"

"Your uncle ruined me," said Nezbitt. "He's dead now, so I've been cheated out of true revenge. So I'll have to get satisfaction from defeating his heir. Daala has promised me that once you are defeated, she'll brainwash you and give you to me as my personal servant. I can't think of a better way to get my revenge on Kaiba."

He gestured, and a hatch on his left arm opened. A collapsible Disk unfolded, forming a rectangular shape with gear designs on the tray.

Sam activated her own Disk.

"We'll see about that!" she snapped. "I'm gonna clean your clock, Nezbitt."

"I think not, Samantha," said Nezbitt. "Aster's Destiny Heroes may rule Clock Tower Prison, but in this clock, I am king.

"Now let's see your Deck Lord."

Messenger of Hades – Gors appeared behind Sam in a burst of dark fire.

"And as you can see," said Nezbitt, "I am Robotic Knight, so I will be my own Deck Lord."

"Game on!" they both shouted.

"People, look around," whispered Yumi. "He obviously has a scanner set up, just like his pals did. We have to stop it from gaining whatever information from Sam that Daala is trying to gain."

Nezbitt heard this. His audio sensors were far more acute than human ears.

_What they don't know,_ he thought, _is they can't possibly find it. Robotic Knight is no longer a disguise for me… I'm an actual Duel Spirit, and a true Machine Spirit. And with such creatures, adding modifications only takes an hour or so, and the proper tools._

_I installed the scanner in my own hardware, and I can use it simply by looking at Samantha with my optic sensors. They can search all they want, but they won't find a thing unless they can see through metal._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Adrian was inputting a command into a screen in another room.

Daala came up on the screen, looking over something on another screen.

"What do you want, Adrian?" she asked, in an annoyed tone. "I'm busy."

"Simple," said Adrian. "I want to talk to Echo. I want a little proof that she's okay."

Daala paused. She looked at him.

"I'm afraid I can't do that Adrian," she replied. "I suggest you not ask questions that may get you in trouble.

"You're lucky you're getting more privileges than most members of my army. You know that most of my men aren't forgiven for losing a duel. But you're more valuable for me out of prison for the time being, which is why you aren't there right now."

"What proof do I have that she IS okay?" asked Adrian. "How do I know you haven't brainwashed her and forced her to work washing dishes?"

Daala looked at him.

"I assure you, Adrian," she said. "Echo is perfectly comfortable the way she is."

Adrian looked her in the eye.

"My father taught me how to tell when a person is lying, Daala," he said, "and that was clearly the most boldfaced lie I've ever heard.

"I'm changing the terms of our bargain. I want Echo back now."

Daala laughed.

"Or you'll do what?" she asked.

"Or I'll reprogram the Master Programmer!" shouted Adrian.

Daala looked at him.

"That's right, I know all about it," said Adrian. "It's how Nezbitt controls the Machine population in Xanadu. And it would make it very easy for anyone to…"

Then he noticed that Daala was punching numbers on a cell phone.

"Huh?" he said. "What are you doing?"

"You aren't so valuable to me, Adrian," she said, "that I'm willing to tolerate being threatened."

She spoke into the phone.

"Nezbitt?" she said into it. "Gecko has turned against us. Give an order to every Machine in Darkspire to apprehend him."

"Yeah, right," chuckled Adrian. "Like he can actually do that in the middle of a duel…"

Then he heard the door open behind him. He slowly turned around.

Standing there was a Gatekeeper, a Slot Machine, and a Kinetic Soldier.

"Okay…" muttered Adrian, backing up. "Then again… Maybe he can…"

"Machine Spirits tends to be multifunctional, Adrian," sighed Daala. "I could have also told him to set his DVR to record the _Dr. Who_ marathon, and he'd have done it without losing his concentration in that duel for a second.

"So you figured it out… Echo is actually in prison, Adrian. To be honest, I intended to keep her as a guest, and I did so for about… well, a week. But she tried to send you some very powerful cards that she stole from a member of my inner circle. It seems she can't get the idea out of her head that you deserve to rule rather than serve.

"I rule this world, Adrian. I won't tolerate Joan threatening my position, and I consider her a worthy opponent. The power she has was earned through backbreaking hard work. Do you actually think I'm going to tolerate a threat from a spoiled rotten rich kid whose power was _given_ to him?

"You were lucky you got what you had. Your stepfather rescued you from the desert out of charity and compassion. You lucked out big time... A wonderful life was practically handed to you… But you still wanted more…

"But don't worry, be happy… You'll be reunited with Echo soon…"

The screen went dark. Adrian faced the Machines, and activated his Disk.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**(Sam: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Nezbitt: 8,000)**

"My draw," said Nezbitt, drawing his first card.

He added it to his hand.

"I set one Monster, and one facedown card," he said.

A Defensive Monster and a facedown card appeared.

"And that will do to start."

"My move…" said Sam, drawing a card.

"And I'm almost glad you went first. Now my Deck Lord can use his new ability.

"Fiend Ambush! When I have no Monsters on my side of the field, and you have at least one, I get to Special Summon one. It has to be a specific kind of Monster, of course, but I have plenty of them.

The Bistro Butcher appeared in a burst of dark energy. (1,800/1,000)

"And since that was a Special Summon, I'll Normal Summon my Opticlops."

In another burst of dark energy, Opticlops appeared. (1,800/1,700)

"Now my Butcher is about to slice and dice your facedown Monster!"

The Butcher charged at the facedown Monster, holding his cleaver high.

"I activate a Trap Card," said Nezbitt, as his facedown card lifted. "The powerful Waboku."

Three priestesses in long, blue robes and hoods rose up, blocking The Bistro Butcher's advance.

"As you likely know, this Trap Card reduces the damage I receive from your attacks to zero, and prevents my Monsters from being destroyed by battle.

"However, your attack was not negated, so my Monster's Flip-Effect still activates."

On the facedown card a sinister-looking treasure chest appeared. (100/1,000)

"Dark Mimic LV1?" asked Ren. "That's no Machine…"

"There some rule that says I can only use Machines?" asked Nezbitt. "It lets me draw one card, so I'll gladly use it."

He drew a card.

"Your move, Nezbitt," said Sam.

Nezbitt drew a card.

He smiled inwardly. The card he had drawn was a key part of his strategy. But it wasn't quite time to use it yet.

"During my Standby Phase," he continued, "my Dark Mimic can evolve into its Level Three form."

Dark Mimic grew and mutated, turning bigger, bulkier, and more fiendish, but still in Defense Mode. (1,000/1,000)

"Next, I'll set a new Monster, and that will be all for now."

A facedown Monster appeared next to the Mimic.

Sam drew a card.

_If I remember correctly,_ she thought, _his Deckmaster ability in Noah's world was the ability to discard Machine-Type Monsters in order to inflict 500 points of damage to his opponent for each one. He hasn't done so yet…_

_So he's either lost that ability, or for some reason, he wants to keep all his cards._

_I don't believe for a second that his deck isn't using Machines in some way._

"I summon La Jinn, the Mystical Genie of the Lamp."

She played a card, and in an explosion of green smoke, the jovial genie appeared, letting out a throaty laugh. (1,800/1,000)

"Humph," said Nezbitt. "A throwback to your uncle's deck, I suppose? It wasn't exactly one of his better Monsters."

"It can still beat your Dark Mimic!" shouted Sam.

_He'll be able to draw two cards,_ she thought, _but I don't have many other options._

"Get it!" she ordered.

La Jinn blasted a volley of lightning bolts from his fingers, and the Mimic burst into pixels.

"Now I get to draw twice," said Nezbitt, making two draws.

"Butcher, attack his facedown Monster!" shouted Sam.

Once again, the Bucher charged at the facedown card…

An odd-looking Machine appeared on the card. It looked like a squat, bulky robot with very thick legs and no arms, with two missile launchers on top. (1,200/1,800)

The Bistro Butcher's cleaver struck it with a clang, but it couldn't dent it.

"My Machiner's Defender is too durable for a mere kitchen utensil to harm," said Nezbitt.

"Machiner's Defender?" said Chelsea.

"Plus," said Nezbitt, "you activated another Flip-Effect. I now get to take a specific Monster from my deck."

A card slipped out of his deck, and he took it.

_Nuts…_ thought Sam. _I gotta find room for Nobleman of Crossout in this deck…_

"We'll get to that later," continued Nezbitt. "You should also know, the instant a Machine is summoned, my Deck Lord ability is automatically activated.

"It's called Chrome Armor. I must activate it if there is a Machine on the field, but if there are several, I can change the recipient at any time.

"In layman's terms, the recipient cannot be destroyed by my opponent's card effects."

"I end my turn…" grumbled Sam.

Nezbitt drew a card.

"I summon Machiner's Sniper," he said.

"Another Machiner?" asked Sam.

Another robot appeared. This one was thin and lanky, colored beige, and carried a rifle. (1,800/800)

"This Machine has a powerful effect of its own," said Nezbitt. "So long as it's on the field, you aren't allowed to attack any Machiners except for Snipers.

"Next, I'll switch my Chrome Armor ability from Defender to Sniper."

"Lovely…" said Sam.

"Then a Spell Card," said Nezbitt, placing a card in his Disk. "I Equip Sniper with Mist Body."

A misty aura surrounded the Machine.

"This protects my Sniper from being destroyed in battle."

'But that means…" said Erik.

"It means that Sniper is immortal," added Aster, "until Sam manages to destroy that Equip Spell. And Defender is well-protected too."

"It's your move," said Nezbitt.

Sam drew a card.

_Odd…_ thought Sam. _He could have destroyed any of my Monsters by attacking… So why didn't he?_

_I have a bad feeling about this…_

"I summon Archfiend Soldier!" she shouted.

In a burst of energy, the diabolic shock trooper appeared. (1,900/1,500)

"Attack his Sniper!" she shouted.

Archfiend Soldier slammed his sword into Machiner's Sniper, and the droid staggered backwards.

**(S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 7,900)**

"Your Sniper may be invincible," said Sam, "but you sure aren't."

"Please," said Nezbitt. "You barely made a scratch."

"Just move…" sighed Sam.

Nezbitt quickly drew.

"First, I summon Machiner's Soldier," he said.

Another droid appeared, this one apparently modeled after a soldier in green fatigues with a helmet, with a long blade in place of a right hand. (1,600/1,500)

"Next, I play the Spell Card Double Summon," he said. "Now I can make a second Normal Summon for this turn. And I choose to summon the Monster that I searched for with Defender's effect.

"I summon General Commander Covington."

A new droid appeared, somewhat smaller than the Machiners, and somewhat odd. It was designed to look like a man in a beige officer's uniform, with riding pants, a tall helmet, and a jacket and tie. (1,000/600)

"Eh?" said Sam.

"Now, I activate Covington's effect," said Nezbitt. "When it's on the field, I can sacrifice my Soldier, Sniper, and Defender…"

The three Machiners vanished into grains of energy.

"…to bring out my ultimate weapon…"

A huge creature loomed over the field behind Nezbitt. Sam stepped back in shock. It was as big as Ancient Gear Golem, but clearly not ancient. It was covered with armor that suggested battle fatigues, wore a helmet, and held a rifle that was as long as a man was tall. Twin missile launchers were mounted on the Machine's back, and blades jutted out from every joint.

"Meet the greatest Machine Monster ever created," said Nezbitt. "The Machiner's Force."

(4,600/4,100)

"Forty-six hundred Attack Points?" gasped Ren. "It's even stronger than Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem…"

"The strongest Monster in the game that isn't a Fusion," said Nezbitt. "Look at this Monster, Samantha."

"It's hard not to…" said Sam, nervously.

"When I first saw this card on I2's website," continued Nezbitt, "I was determined to have it. Do you know why?"

"Because you hated my uncle so much, you wanted to one-up him by having a Monster that trumped his Ultimate Dragon?" asked Sam.

"That was one reason, but not the most important," replied Nezbitt. "I saw this Monster, and realized I had seen it before… In my dreams, and in my fantasies. My dream was to someday design and build the ultimate war machine… An unstoppable, unrelenting juggernaut that would be a true terror on the battlefield. A weapon like this… But thanks to your uncle, my dream would never come true…"

Sam gave him a dirty look.

"Your 'fantasy' was to build a mindless, soulless killing machine that could slaughter an army…" she muttered. "Nezbitt, I really hope you're insane, because if you aren't, the only other explanation is that you have the mind of a demon. Only a truly evil man would have dreams of building such an abomination!"

"You can insult me all you like," grumbled Nezbitt, "but in the end, what it all comes down to is who's holding the thirty-foot-tall battle mecha.

"And soon, very soon… My dream will be realized…"

"What do you mean?" asked Sam, her eyes opening wide.

"The Machiners are Monsters that were created entirely by humans," replied Nezbitt. "No Duel Spirits of them are known to exist, nor have any ever existed. That is, until very recently.

"With Daala's support, my factories have already finished the prototypes for real Machiners. Three sets of the lesser Machiners and one Machiner's Force are now finished. Using them as prototypes, my workers are now producing the machinery and molds that will mass produce them. As they are completed, they are inanimate and inert, but when the project is complete, Daala will anoint them with the power from the Core, and they will truly live.

"Soon, sooner than you think, a these creatures will be assimilated into my existing army, and an unstoppable force will be ready to march out of Darkspire."

"An army of Machiners?" gasped Aster. "Multiple Machiner's Forces?"

"That's right," replied Nezbitt. "Soon, Daala's army will have a battalion of Machines with them at the head, and will be relentless. Joan will not be able to stop them, no one will. The satisfying conclusion to a lifelong dream."

"Not if I stop you first!" screamed Sam.

"Easier said than done," said Nezbitt. "Since my Sniper left the field, I am forced to choose a new recipient for my Chrome Armor ability. Thus, I will choose Machiner's Force."

"No way…" said Chelsea. "If Sam can't destroy that thing with effects…"

"She'll have to summon a Monster with more than 4,600 Attack Points to beat it!" exclaimed Erik. "It's just like Daala's strategy with her F.G.D.!"

"I set two cards facedown, and my turn is over," said Nezbitt.

Sam lifted an eyebrow as two facedown cards appeared in front of Nezbitt.

_What the…_ she thought. _He had me dead to rights, and he didn't attack?_

_He's up to something, and I don't think I'm gonna like it…_

She drew a card.

She looked at it. It was Dark Ruler Ha Des.

_Oh, I'm sorry, Ha Des…_ she thought. _I can't summon you right now… You'd just be smashed flat by that thing…_

"I move all my Monsters to Defense Mode," she said.

Archfiend Soldier, La Jinn, Opticlops, and the Bistro Butcher knelt and shielded themselves.

"Then I play a facedown, and another Monster in Defense Mode."

A facedown card appeared, and a fifth defensive Monster appeared.

"That's all for me."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In another room not far away, an indoor hurricane had started. A Labyrinth Tank exploded into scrap metal, and a squad of other Machines were blown back against the wall.

Adrian was behind his Cloudian – Eye of the Typhoon, holding off Nezbitt's troops as best he could. But for each one that went down, it seemed that three more took its place.

"BACK!" he screamed. "Back! I said back, you clattering, clanging collections of corroded junk!"

Then a spherical Machine flew at the Cloudian and latched onto its face.

"A Blast Sphere?" gasped Adrian. "That's… not good…"

He dove for cover as the Cloudian exploded.

His glasses fell off his face. The sound of broken glass told him that a lens had shattered.

"My glasses!" he shouted.

Then he heard the clicking of a weapon.

"I'll get new glasses…" he snarled, as he got up.

As he started to run, artillery fire from a Cannon Soldier and a Twinbarrel Dragon nicked his heels.

He ran through a doorway and hit the controls with his fist. The door slammed shut behind him.

He slumped down and took some deep breaths. He knew that the door wouldn't stop them for long.

"I hate Machines…" he moaned.

He growled.

"I hate Machines! I hate the service at the post office! I hate those little packages of mustard! The commercials they show in movie theaters! And all the popcorn they give you! Why the heck do they give you a tub of popcorn the size of a garbage pail? I can never possibly eat that much!"

He hit himself on the head.

"Control yourself, Adrian…" he muttered. "Don't go crazy…"

He looked at his deck. He had already used up half of it trying to fight them off.

"Okay Adrian…" he grumbled. "Time to wake up and smell the coffee burning… There is no way you are even going to get off of this floor by yourself, let alone all the way to the Master Programmer.

"And you can't save Echo if you get captured too…"

He sighed.

Even if he somehow managed to escape from Darkspire, then what? He had indeed intended to challenge Daala for the throne of Xanadu eventually, but it was obvious he would never get as close to Daala as he did to Yubel. Daala would clearly have a much stronger army protecting her if he even found a way into the Core…

"Father had another word of advice for getting ahead in business…" he mused. "Always know the value of alliances.

"Looks like it's time for this Gecko to change its colors…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I draw one card," said Nezbitt.

He drew. He looked at the card.

"I activate Pot of Avarice," he said.

He played the card, and the goofy jar appeared. Both Dark Mimics and all three Machiners slipped out of his discard slot.

"When you work with machines," he said, shuffling his deck, "recycling your materials is always an important skill."

He made two draws.

"Now, since Covington has served its purpose, I'll sacrifice him, to summon Machine King."

Covington vanished, and a far more familiar Machine Monster appeared. The King of Machines, a twenty-foot-tall robot with bulky limbs, a solid torso, and one red visor for eyes. (2,200/2,000)

"It gains 100 extra Attack Points for every Machine on the field," said Nezbitt.

(2,400/2,000)

"No big deal," said Sam.

"It will become a big deal soon," said Nezbitt. "You might be wondering about this clock. What ultimate purpose it serves…

"Well, a key part of my strategy is a Spell Card that I also used in Noah's world. This card was never distributed to the public. It was judged to be too powerful and unbalanced.

"Noah had no problem with me using it. He used several similar cards that he downloaded the information for, such as Deepest Impact and Giant Flood. Spell Cards that Pegasus had designed to combat the Egyptian God Cards if they ever threatened him…

"However, this card would not normally work in Xanadu. Actual dimensions of Duel Spirits have a natural way of keeping such unbalanced cards from working.

"In order to use this card, I needed to create a focus, a way of concentrating the Dark energy of Darkspire to a single point. So I built the Infernal Clock to do just that. The Infernal Clock focuses all the Dark energy to whatever spot in this Realm I desire, allowing the card to be used."

"Wait… one… minute…" said Yumi. "You mean to tell me… That you likely spent time, resources, manpower, and God knows what else on a massive construction project, and built this huge structure, all for the purpose of cheating in your duels and using a broken card?!"

"Yes," said Nezbitt. "And I'd like to know how you intend to stop me."

He placed the card in his Disk.

"I play it now… Fell the power of… _Clockwork Night_!"

The Spell Card appeared, and an ominous toll rang through the room. The Infernal Clock had just hit the hour, apparently…

"Clockwork Night has multiple effects," explained Nezbitt. "First, all Monsters on the field who are not Machines have their Type changed to such."

Sam gasped as her four Fiends all turned metallic, and their joints turned to mechanical hinges.

"Second," said Nezbitt, "all Monsters that have their Type changed this way lose 500 Attack Points."

La Jinn, Opticlops, and The Bistro Butcher fell to Attack Scores of 1,300, while Archfiend Soldier fell to 1,400.

"And third, for as long as this card is in play, all Monsters that are already Machines gain 500 Attack Points."

Machiner's Force grew to an Attack Score of 5,100, while Machine King grew to 2,900.

"Plus, with four more Machines on the field, Machine King grows stronger."

(3,300/2,000)

"I'm not done," he continued. "I play a second Double Summon. Now I can summon my Giga-Tech Wolf."

A Spell Card appeared, and another Monster materialized on the field. It was a large, mechanical wolf, with large fangs and multiple tails. (1,200/1,400) –) (1,700/1,400)

Machine King glowed with energy again. (3,400/2,000)

"Now, I'll activate my facedown card," said Nezbitt.

One of his facedown cards lifted.

"Rare Metalmorph. This makes my Machine King stronger yet. And it also gives it the ability to, just once, negate the effect of a Spell Card that targets it."

Machine King glowed with energy again. (3,900/2,000)

"Please tell me there isn't more to this…" muttered Sam.

"I'm afraid there is," said Nezbitt, as his other facedown card lifted. "I activate Final Attack Orders."

Sam gasped as all four of her face-up Monsters stood up into Attack Mode.

_This is gonna sting…_ she thought.

"Machine King," ordered Nezbitt, "attack The Bistro Butcher."

A beam of pure energy blasted out of Machine King's chest plate, and The Bistro Butcher exploded. Sam screamed.

"Giga-Tech Wolf," he said, "attack her genie."

The mechanical wolf pounced, and La Jinn was blown to shards.

'Now, I'll pay 1,000 Life Points so my Machiner's Force can attack," he said. "Attack her Opticlops with scud missile barrage."

Machiner's Force blasted a rain of artillery from its rocket launchers, blowing Opticlops to particles and throwing Sam on her rump.

**(S: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 6,900)**

Machine King fell to an Attack Score of 3,600.

"Sam!" shouted Erik. "Sam! Say something!"

"Something…" muttered Sam.

Gors bent down, and helped her to her feet.

"So this is how Kaiba's legacy ended up," said Nezbitt. "Maybe when I'm bored with you, I'll simply terminate you so that you can meet him in Hell."

Sam angrily glared at Nezbitt.

"My uncle helped protect the Mandate of Heaven…" she whispered. "He was entrusted with secrets that evil creatures wanted, that he swore to protect… He gave his life to protect them…

"My uncle is with God now, Nezbitt… I've never been more certain of something. But if it's the other place you're interested in, I'll be sure to give you a grand tour…"

"You cannot defeat me," said Nezbitt.

"Want a bet?" asked Sam.

Nezbitt paused.

"Actually…" he said, "I do…"

"Huh?" said Sam.

"Why not make a wager?" asked Nezbitt. "I recently acquired two powerful cards, but they aren't my style. You, on the other hand, have a card I could use.

"I'll wager those two cards on the results of this duel."

"And what would I have to wager?" asked Sam.

"Messenger of Hades – Gors," replied Nezbitt.

Sam paused. She looked at Gors.

"Go ahead, Sam," said the Fiend. "I have no doubt that you can beat this overgrown can opener."

"You sure you're okay with this?" asked Sam. "It's a risk…"

Gors chuckled.

"We're in Xanadu, Sam!" he laughed. "How is it different than any other time? We're both risking our necks with every duel."

"Good point…" muttered Sam.

"Besides," said the Messenger, "it might make things more interesting…"

"All right, Nezbitt…" said Sam. "It's a bet… And it's my move!"

She drew a card.

"I flip my Morphing Jar into Attack Mode," she said.

The card flipped up, and the laughing, one-eyed creature emerged from its ceramic vase. (700/600)

"Now, we must both ditch every card in our hands and draw five more."

"Fine," said Nezbitt. "It's like recharging a battery to me."

Sam discarded her four cards, and drew five. Nezbitt had no cards in his hand, so he simply made five draws.

_Hey…_ thought Sam. _I just drew the card that Joan gave me… Think I'll give him a go…_

_But first…_

"My facedown card activates," she said. "I'll use my own Pot of Avarice."

The goofy jar appeared on her side of the field. La Jinn, The Bistro Butcher, Opticlops, Gaap the Divine Soldier, and The Masked Beast (the last two of which she discarded with Morphing Jar) slipped out of her discard slot. She reshuffled her deck, and made two draws.

_Excellent,_ she thought.

"I play Monster Reborn!" she shouted. "And thanks to my Deck Lord, I get to break the rules regarding what Monsters I can summon with it."

The golden ankh appeared, and Dark Ruler Ha Des appeared in a burst of flame and smoke. (2,450/1,600)

"Since he's on the field, I can Special Summon this gal… Dark Queen Per Sephone!"

In another burst of smoke and flames, the fiendishly beautiful woman with wings and horns, and the same features of the duelist using her, appeared, crouching down and ready to pounce. (2,200/1,200)

"Next, I use her effect. I toss one card…"

She discarded Buster Thousand.

"And I get to summon someone else from my deck."

Winged Minion appeared in a small burst of smoke. (700/700)

"Is there a point to all this?" asked Nezbitt.

"There sure is," said Sam with a grin, holding up a card. "I play Mystical Space Typhoon! So say goodbye to your precious Clockwork Night!"

Nezbitt's optic sensors widened, as if in horror.

The cyclone tore across the field, and Clockwork Night exploded into black shards.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" said Nezbitt, with an obvious tone of bile in his voice.

"Yes I have," said Sam. "I've taken your Machines down a notch."

Machiner's Force fell to its base Attack of 4,600, Machine King fell to 3,000, and Giga-Tech Wolf fell to 1,200.

"And my Archfiend Soldier is Fiend-Type again, so Machine King loses more power."

(2,900/2,000)

"It's still stronger than anything you have…" growled Nezbitt.

"We'll see," said Sam. "I sacrifice Morphing Jar and Archfiend Soldier…"

The two Monsters shattered into black shards. Then a bonfire appeared where they had been.

"To summon the ruler of the Fourth Circle, and a commander of eighty legions of devils… A Fiend who can't be happier fighting the demons of Chaos because he's been doing so for eons…

"Belial, Marquis of Darkness!"

A tall, intimidating figure stepped out of the flames. Although he was a Fiend, it was clear that he had once been a fallen angel. He had dark, feathered wings, and wore armor and a cape over a long toga. He had long, pale hair, and a dark halo. He held a long claymore made of black metal. (2,800/2,400)

"Yeah!" shouted Ren.

"Go, Belial!" cheered Chelsea.

"Next," continued Sam, "I'll activate Winged Minion's effect, sacrificing it to give Belial's scores a boost."

Winged Minion vanished, and Belial rose to (3,500/3,100)

"Ha Des…" shouted Sam, "attack Giga-Tech Wolf with Stygian blast!"

Ha Des blasted his dark flame, and Giga-Tech Wolf exploded into scrap.

"Ergh…" muttered Nezbitt.

"All right!" shouted Aster. "Now Machine King loses even more power!"

Machine King fell to (2,800/2,000)

"Belial," ordered Sam, "destroy Machine King with flaming sword of Phlegethos!"

Belial's sword erupted in flames, and he slashed at the King of Machines. Sparks flew from the wound, and the huge robot exploded.

"You're not gonna get away with this, you brat…" growled Nezbitt.

**(S: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 4,950)**

"I set two cards facedown, and that will be all," said Sam. "By the way, Belial has a powerful effect. While he's on the field, you can't target any of my Monsters except him for attacks, card effects… basically, anything."

Nezbitt angrily drew a card.

"Who cares?" he said. "I still have Machiner's Force, and in case you forgot, my Chrome Armor ability protects it from being destroyed by your card effects. Whatever those two facedown cards are, they cannot destroy it.

"I'll pay 1,000 Life Points again. Machiner's Force, obliterate the Marquis of Darkness."

A barrage of missiles shot from the huge robot's cannons again. Strangely, Belial was unmoving as they honed in on him, and an explosion erupted around him…

Then Belial leapt out of the explosion, and made a savage slash at Machiner's Force. The giant mecha started to spark, and flames shot out of its armor. It crashed to the ground, and exploded into a burning wreck.

"WHAT?" shouted Nezbitt.

Then he noticed that Sam had activated one of her facedown cards.

"Shrink?!" he shouted.

"You said that my card effects couldn't _destroy_ the Monster that Chrome Armor protected," chuckled Sam. "You didn't say my cards couldn't do anything else to them. My Quickplay cut its Attack Score in half, to 2,300, low enough for my Marquis to defeat."

**(S: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 2,750)**

"Fortunately," sighed Yumi, "a Monster of a specific Attribute was _not_ required to destroy Machiner's Force."

Nezbitt looked at the other cards in his hand.

"I set a Monster," he said, "and then play Swords of Revealing Light."

A facedown Monster appeared. Then he played a Spell Card, and a shimmering shower of swords rained down around Sam.

"That won't hold me for long," said Sam.

"I end my turn," said Nezbitt. "This duel is not over yet."

Sam drew a card.

"I play Pot of Greed," she said.

She played the card, and then drew twice.

She looked at the two cards.

"I'll set this, and that will be all," she said.

A facedown card appeared next to her other one.

"I draw," said Nezbitt.

He made a draw. He smiled inwardly as he looked at the Quickplay Spell.

"And here goes my Trap Card," said Sam. "Dust Tornado!"

Her facedown card lifted up, and the Swords shattered into particles.

"Very clever," said Nezbitt. "But I don't need the Swords any longer. I only needed to delay you for one round.

"I flip Mask of Darkness into Attack Mode."

His facedown Monster flipped up revealing a tattered, yellow mask, brittle and torn. (900/400)

"Uh oh…" said Aster. "Now he gets a Trap Card back from his Graveyard… And he hasn't used many…"

The Rare Metalmorph card slipped out of his discard slot, and he took it.

"Next," said Nezbitt, I sacrifice Mask of Darkness to summon Needle Burrower."

The Mask vanished, and a new Machine appeared. It looked more or less like a huge, mechanical scorpion with a nasty blade on its tail. (1,700/1,700)

"Okay…" muttered Chelsea. "If you need to sacrifice a Monster to summon something with only 1,700 Attack Points, it's gotta have a powerful effect."

"Indeed it does," replied Nezbitt. "If this Machine destroys a Monster via battle, the destroyed Monster's owner loses 500 Life Points times the destroyed Monster's Level."

"I see one thing wrong with that," said Sam. "You can only attack Belial, and your Needle Burrower isn't even close to being strong enough."

"We'll soon see," said Nezbitt. "I play Trap Booster. So I toss one card…"

He played the Spell Card, and discarded his Backup Soldier.

"…and I can activate Rare Metalmorph directly from my hand."

He played the card, and Needle Burrower rose to an Attack Score of 2,200.

"Still not strong enough," said Sam.

Nezbitt played another card.

"Limiter Removal?" shouted Sam.

Needle Burrower glowed with fiery energy, and rose to 4,400 Attack Points.

"Strong enough now?" asked Nezbitt.

"This is bad, people!" shouted Aster. "Belial is Level Eight! If this attack lands, Sam will lose… 4,900 Life Points total!"

"Exactly," said Nezbitt. "Attack the Marquis of Darkness."

"Well, I hate to do it…" muttered Sam, "but I gotta get rid of Belial…

"I activate Mystik Wok!"

Her facedown card lifted up.

"Now I get to sacrifice Belial, and gain 3,500 Life Points to buffer your attack!"

Belial vanished, and Sam glowed with energy.

**(S: 4,700) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 2,750)**

"How amusing…" said Nezbitt. "How utterly pointless. Now my Burrower is free to attack your Dark Ruler, and the result will be the same… Your Life Points will still be reduced to zero. And you have no facedown cards left.

"Attack the Dark Ruler Ha Des."

Sam braced herself, as Needle Burrower slashed at the Dark Ruler with its tail, and Ha Des burst in an explosion of soot and smoke. Then Sam screamed as the blade slashed across her torso and she fell on her behind again.

"Well," said Nezbitt, with a chuckle, "it was a good...

"Huh?"

**(S: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 2,750)**

"This can't be…" he said.

Then he noticed that several small creatures were hanging in the air around Sam. Sam was panting for breath.

"Surprised?" asked Sam, as she panted for breath. "I had no facedown cards, but the last card in my hand was my Kuriboh. Yumi's grandfather had a lot of good ideas in his day…

"When your Needle Burrower attacked, it cost me 3,000 Life Points in effect damage… But thanks to Kuriboh, the actual battle damage was reduced to zero."

Nezbitt was speechless.

"Not much to say, huh?" asked Sam, as she got up. "You were so proud of your huge, powerful, unstoppable killing machine… And in the end, a little Kuriboh was your undoing.

"And given the look on your face, Chrome Armor does not prevent your Monster from being destroyed by the effect of your own cards, so when you end your turn, the side effect of Limiter Removal will send that thing packing."

"I end my turn," said Nezbitt.

Needle Burrower shattered into pixels.

Sam drew a card.

"Well, not the best…" she said. "But it will do. I summon Skull Knight #2."

She played the card, and the skeletal, scimitar-wielding Fiend appeared. (1,000/1,200)

_You may have won this duel, Samantha,_ thought Nezbitt, _but I'm not going to go offline just yet… I'll have the last laugh…_

"Skull Knight… Per Sephone…" ordered Sam, "attack him directly!"

The two Fiends lunged at Nezbitt, and with a slash of a sword, and a claw, he fell over.

**(S: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 0)**

Gors lifted his zanbatô, and Nezbitt screamed as his energy was drained. Then he shattered into dark shards.

"Chalk up another one…" muttered Sam.

Thunder rolled outside.

"Huh?" she said.

She saw two cards floating in mid-air where Nezbitt had fallen.

She walked up to them.

"Hey, Erik, c'mere," she said.

She took the cards as Erik walked up.

"He kept his side of the bargain," she said. "Hey, I remember hearing about these…"

She handed them to Erik.

"Well, they aren't my style either. Think you can use them?"

"Oh yeah…" said Erik, with a smirk.

Then Adrian rushed into the room. He punched the controls again, and the door slammed shut.

"Adrian?" asked Yumi.

Adrian stopped to catch his breath. Sweat ran down his face.

"You beat Nezbitt?" he asked.

"You bet," said Sam.

"Congratulations," said Adrian. "But unfortunately, you aren't done here."

"Guess again, Adrian," said Ren. "Nezbitt has been sent packing, so Joan will be taking over."

"You are all fools," snapped Adrian. "It isn't that easy in Darkspire. Nezbitt has _not_ been 'sent packing', as you say. You were all played for chumps."

"What do you mean?" asked Yumi.

"Haven't you people seen enough movies to know that intelligent machines are almost impossible to control?" asked Adrian. "Machine Spirits are cold, remorseless, emotionless creatures. There's no way that one with Nezbitt's limited level of power could ever command an army of them without powerful supernatural help!

"Daala used some sort of magical power to build an… artifact of sorts. It's a kind of enchanted computer located underneath the Infernal Clock called the Master Programmer.

"It is what controls the Machine population of Xanadu. It's currently set so that all but a few that are capable of independence, the ones you've allied with, Aster, obey a Robotic Knight. And Daala has taken steps to assure that Nezbitt is the only Robotic Knight in Xanadu.

"You may have won the duel, but wherever he is now, so long as he doesn't leave Xanadu, Nezbitt still commands all of Daala's Machine forces. And he likely has already ordered the whole population of Darkspire to storm this fortress!"

Thunder rolled again.

"Omigod, what do we do?" gasped Chelsea. "Omigod, Omigod…"

"This is officially serious," said Ren. "Anything over two Omigods qualifies."

Adrian took some deep breaths.

"We have to reprogram the Master Programmer," he explained. "Change the Duel Spirit it recognizes as the master from Robotic Knight to Guardian Angel Joan. Then and only then will the Machines recognize her rule."

They heard a crash from down the hallway.

Erik activated his Disk and Toy Magician appeared.

"We'll have to smash our way through them then," he said.

Ren activated his, and Dark Blade appeared.

"Just show us the way," he said.

Adrian looked through a slot in the door.

"Oh… Crap…" he muttered.

"What?" shouted Yumi.

"We're in serious trouble…" replied Adrian. "It's worse than I thought."

"On a scale of one to ten?" asked Yumi.

"Try twelve," said Adrian. "Nezbitt has sent the front line of the Steel Legion, an elite fighting force of Machine Spirits programmed to both fight and duel. They were programmed to have no fear, and are completely without the concept of mercy.

"Their leader is the Perfect Machine King. He's the second-best duelist in Darkspire… Only Nezbitt is better."

"I assume this is the army that the Machiners were going to be assimilated into," asked Yumi.

"Uh huh," muttered Adrian, as he activated his Disk. "We have one chance… Perfect Machine King has one weakness… He has an incredible ego, and he's too proud to refuse a challenge. And if I beat him, the Legion may become confused for a little while. Only a _little_ while, but it may buy you some time.

"GO!"

"Go where?" shouted Sam.

"Fifteen floors straight down!" yelled Adrian. "The password to access the Master Programmer is the name of a Spell Card, that's all I know.

"Once you've accessed it, you have to replace all the information on the card, Type, Attribute, everything, with those for Joan's card. The name of the card goes last. Do you hear me? Put the name of the card _last_."

"All right!" shouted Aster, holding up a card.

Toy Magician and Dark Blade vanished, and Destiny Hero Dreadguy appeared.

He roared, and grabbed a hunk of the floor, tearing a huge hole in it.

"Hey, Adrian," chuckled Chelsea. "I thought you said you didn't like playing the hero."

"Doesn't mean I don't know how," said Adrian. "Now vamoose."

The six duelists followed Dreadguy through the hole in the floor, as Adrian stood facing the door…

"Come on…" he goaded. "Come and get me, you big, rusty, son of a…"

He braced himself, as an explosion tore it open.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MACHINER'S SOLDIER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,600  
**DEF:** 1,500

**Card Description:** When this card is successfully Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned, or Special Summoned when you have no other Monsters on your side of the field, you may Special Summon one "Machiner's" Monster that is Level Four or less from your hand, except for a "Machiner's Soldier".

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MACHINER'S SNIPER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 800

**Card Description:** When this card is face-up on your side of the field, your opponent cannot target "Machiner's" Monsters, except for "Machiner's Sniper"(s), for an attack.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MACHINER'S DEFENDER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,200  
**DEF:** 1,800

**Card Description:** Flip: Search your deck for one "General Commander Covington" and add it to your hand. Then reshuffle your deck.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GENERAL COMMANDER COVINGTON (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,000  
**DEF:** 600

**Card Description:** When this card is face-up on your side of the field, you may offer one "Machiner's Soldier", one "Machiner's Sniper", and one "Machiner's Defender" as a Tribute to Special Summon one "Machiner's Force" from your hand or deck.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MACHINER'S FORCE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 10  
**ATK:** 4,600  
**DEF:** 4,100

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by the effect of "General Commander Covington". You must pay 1,000 Life Points to attack with this card. You may offer this card as a Tribute to Special Summon one "Machiner's Soldier", one "Machiner's Sniper", and one "Machiner's Defender" from your Graveyard.

_Note: "Machiner's Soldier", "Machiner's Sniper", "Machiner's Defender", "General Commander Covington", and "Machiner's Force" are Japanese promotional cards that have not yet been released in the United States._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CLOCKWORK NIGHT (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image:** The interior of a clock tower, full of gears, with the window to the outside showing the night sky.

**Card Description:** All non-Machine-Type Monsters currently face-up on the field when you play this card have their Types changed to Machine for as long as this card remains on the field (this card has no effect on Monsters summoned after it is played). Monsters that have their Types changed by this effect lose 500 Attack Points. Machine-Type Monsters currently face-up on the field, and all Machine-Type Monsters summoned while this card is in play gain 500 Attack Points while this card remains on the field.

_Note: "Clockwork Night" was first used by Nezbitt in the original anime episode "Mechanical Mayhem (Part One)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**TRAP BOOSTER (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** A bear trap with rockets on its hinges, flying forward.

**Card Description:** Discard one card from your hand. This turn, you can activate one Trap Card from your hand.

_Note: "Trap Booster" was used by several characters in "Yu-Gi-Oh GX", originally by Zane in "The Demon". Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Nezbitt's Deck Lord: "Robotic Knight": "Chrome Armor": Target one face-up Machine-Type Monster on the field. That Monster cannot be destroyed by the card effects of its controller's opponent. You may switch the target at any time during your turn. If the targeted Monster leaves the field, you must target another Machine-Type Monster to use this effect on. This effect is not optional, and must be used on an available face-up Machine-Type Monster if one exists on the field. (Greater Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sam's Deck Lord: "Messenger of Hades – Gors": "Fiend Ambush": When you have no Monsters on your side of the field, and your opponent has at least one Monster on his side of the field, you may Special Summon a Fiend-Type Monster that is Level Four or less from your hand. (Intermediate Power) "Immortal Ruler": You may disregard the summoning restrictions for "Dark Ruler Ha Des" and Special Summon it from your Graveyard using the appropriate card. (Minor Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**Like the little guy in **_**Berserk,**_** our heroes have an army of robots after them, and their only hope for survival is to reach the Master Programmer and reprogram it. But they'll soon learn that the artifact has a powerful guardian, and to make things worse, it's someone they remember only too well. Who? I can't give away the name of the chapter, it would be giving away too much.**_

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We interrupt this fanfic for a special announcement.

We have completed thirty-three chapters of "Soul of Silicon". According to my outline, that means we have reached the exact halfway point of this fanfic.

I announced a while ago that this would be my last foray into the realm of Yu-Gi-Oh fanfiction. My decision still stands… For now.

However, a lot of factors might change that decision.

A lot of readers are not happy with the idea of losing my writing. They express regret at the fact that I have decided to retire. One reader lamented about what he was going to read at work. I should have told him, he should be doing his work.

But anyway, there is another factor. I have been watching Yu-Gi-Oh 5D, and I have become very fond of it. I'll admit, it might be fun to write a fanfic set in the 5D world, and the thought of writing a duel where D-Wheels are used would be a new challenge, and possibly a good one.

Should I change my decision? I'm asking for feedback.

PM me with your opinions. If I receive enough support to eventually write a 5D fanfic after "Soul of Silicon" is finished, I might, just might decide to revoke my earlier decision and stay at it. I'm not promising anything yet, however. Let me know how you feel. If I feel there is proof enough that it's warranted, I won't quit yet.

And by the way… I'm still accepting votes in the poll that I announced last chapter. One candidate recently took the lead. Keep the votes coming, because it isn't over yet!


	35. The Plague

_**Hey folks. I'm still taking votes, and I'll accept them up to midnight on Saturday. If you haven't gotten your vote in, don't miss your chance.**_

_**And now back to our fanfic.**_

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_**He's the Spirit of a broken card… One that's been illegal for a long time.**_

_**When we first met him in the Sea of Infinite Tears, he told us a story that may have been taken from the history books of Hell, one which explains the cursed fruit that we used to gain power. He threatened to kill us if Ren couldn't beat him. Fortunately, Ren proved to be better than he was.**_

_**Now he claims that his duel with Ren was done for laughs. He's much more serious now.**_

_**He stands between us and the Master Programmer. Behind us is an army of Machines, and the only way to stop them is to get past him TO the Programmer. **_

_**And to make things worse, I haven't been more nervous about facing an opponent than I have been since I dueled Claret. Something is clearly different this time…**_

_**Only one way out of this, and it isn't gonna be easy…**_

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**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR**

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**The Plague**

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**0 0 0 0 0**

There wasn't much in the world – _any_ world – that frightened Adrian Gecko. After all, he had dared to tame the Spirit of Exodia, and he was one of the select few duelists brave enough to stand up to Yubel alone, who had used Armitael the Chaos Phantom against him.

Right now, however, he couldn't help but be nervous.

He was facing the Steel Legion, an army of Machines programmed to be ruthless in every sense of the word, to disregard their own safety, and to not comprehend the concept of mercy in the slightest.

Several of them were Gadgets. There were also Mechanicalchasers, Cannon Soldier MK-2s, Reflect Bounders, and even Cyber Dragons.

And in front of them was the general of this squadron… The most intimidating Machine of all, Perfect Machine King. The ten-foot-tall, armored, heavily armed Machine glared at Adrian.

"You're either very brave, or very stupid, Gecko," mocked the King, in a voice that sounded much more human than the typical Machine. "Most humans OR Duel Spirits who knew that the Steel Legion was coming would have run ten miles by now."

Adrian lifted his Disk. The King laughed.

"You're serious?" it laughed. "So, you want to humiliate yourself before we put you out of your misery?"

"Doesn't a dying man get a last request?" asked Adrian.

The King chuckled again.

"So be it," it said. "If that's how you desire to meet your end…"

It pulled a switch on its left arm, and a Disk made of gunmetal grey steel unfolded.

"Give us some space!" it shouted to its troops.

"I should warn you, Gecko, just as I'm the Perfect Machine King, I have a perfect record as a duelist."

"Nobody's perfect," replied Adrian. "And I happen to know that Emes the Infinity scored higher than you on the last IQ test."

"That test had a margin of error!" shouted the King.

_That's it, Adrian,_ thought Adrian. _If you can duel this blowhard and keep it occupied, maybe, just maybe, you'll distract the Legion long enough for the others to get to the Master Programmer. _

_Even if I lose… I'll go down hoping that Daala's reign will end because of this…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Below the room, Aster's Monster had punched through several floors, taking the group on a direct route down, down to the subbasement of the Infernal Clock.

They were now in a cavernous complex. It reminded them of the creepy places that Sigourney Weaver trekked through, hunting for aliens in several old movies so many years ago.

And they weren't alone.

Getsu Fuhma's sword sliced through a Cannon Soldier, cutting it in half. At the same time, Vampire Lady's fist came down on a KA-2 Des Scissors, crushing it.

"I don't like this," muttered Yumi. "All we've seen so far are weak Machines. Clearly, we're being led into something."

They followed the hallway, with their Monsters leading the way.

"Look," said Aster.

Up in front of them was a large, iron vault door. Printed on it were the words: "RESTRICTED AREA!! ENTRY FORBIDDEN!!"

"A huge metal vault with a not-too subtle warning," said Aster, taking a card from his deck. "The Programmer is either behind that door, or something just as valuable is."

Vampire Lady and Getsu Fuhma vanished, and Destiny Hero Dreadguy appeared. He grabbed hold of the door, and ripped it off the hinges.

He tossed it aside…

Then a bolt of magical energy shot out of the room inside. Dreadguy screamed and shattered into shards.

"Look sharp everyone!" warned Yumi.

They looked into the room. The Master Programmer was there, all right. At least that was what they assumed the huge computer was…

But standing in front of it was a _very_ familiar Duel Spirit.

"Hello, folks," said Chaos Sorcerer. "Did you miss me?"

"Yeah," growled Ren, "like I missed a toothache. We thought you were dead."

Chaos Sorcerer closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Ren, Ren, Ren," he scolded. "I know you read a lot of comic books… Don't you know the five rules regarding the deaths of villains?"

"Eh?" said Ren.

"Rule one:" started the Sorcerer. "If the body isn't found, there's no proof of death. So the villain isn't dead. He survived.

"Rule two: If the body IS found, it likely isn't the real body. So he survived.

"Rule three: If the body is found and it IS the real body, his soul likely didn't die with it. So he survived.

"Rule four: If the body is found, it is the real body, and his soul went with it, someone else will become the villain. So at least in spirit, he survived.

"Rule five: If the body is found, it is the real body, his soul went with it, and no-one else becomes the villain, well then, he wasn't a villain that was worth fighting in the first place.

"You didn't even get past rule one."

Ren glared at him.

"What do you want?!" he shouted.

"I _want_ to go to New York City and see the next production of _Wicked_ on Broadway," said Chaos Sorcerer.

"You are trying our patience pal," snarled Sam.

"He asked what I wanted, didn't he?" asked the Spellcaster. "But business before pleasure, I always say… You folks weren't planning on messing with the Master Programmer, were you?"

"You want me to kick your ass again?" asked Ren.

"I don't want to duel you," replied Chaos Sorcerer. "I'm in the mood for something of a different flavor.

"How about you, Erik?"

"Me?" asked Erik.

A Disk appeared on Chaos Sorcerer's arm.

"Duel me," he said. "Defeat me, and I'll be on my way."

Erik nervously looked behind him.

Chaos Sorcerer's eyes glowed.

"Try to get past me any other way," he said with a grin, "and it might get ugly…"

"Guys, he's trying to delay us," said Erik. "Nezbitt's army is probably right behind."

"We'll watch your back, baby," said Sam. "Take him out for good this time."

Erik activated his own Disk.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Back at the antechamber, Adrian seemed to have an advantage in one area and a disadvantage in another. He had Cloudian – Eye of the Typhoon (3,000/1,000) in Attack Mode, naturally, two facedown Monsters, and 3,500 Life Points remaining. Perfect Machine King had two facedown Monsters, two facedown cards, Gear Golem the Moving Fortress in Defense Mode, (800/2,200) and 3,900 Life Points remaining.

"My draw!" laughed the King, drawing a card.

"First thing's first," it said. "I'm taking out your big cloud."

One of his facedown cards activated.

"My Zero Gravity Trap Card. Now, all Monsters that are face-up switch modes."

Gear Golem rolled into Attack Mode, while Eye of the Typhoon shielded itself in Defense Mode.

"No!" gasped Adrian. "Cloudians can't defend! If they try to…"

Eye of Typhoon exploded into pixels.

"Isn't that too bad?" said the King. "Next, I Flip-Summon Bokoichi the Freightening Car."

One of his facedown Monsters flipped up, revealing itself to be a freight car with a fiendish-looking face. (500/500)

"Then I'll play Machine Duplication," it continued, playing a Spell Card. "Why stop at one…"

Two more Bokoichis appeared.

"When three is much more fun?"

_I can see what's coming from a mile away,_ thought Adrian.

"Next, I'll flip my other Monster," said the King.

His other facedown Monster flipped up, revealing a steam locomotive, again with a fiendish-looking face. (1,400/1,000)

"Dekoichi the Choo-Choo," muttered Adrian. "Like _that's_ a surprise…"

"Now I get to draw one card," said the King.

"And you get to draw an additional one for each Bokoichi," added Adrian. "I know, I know…"

Perfect Machine King drew four cards.

"Did you know what I was going to do next?" asked the King. "I haven't Normal Summoned yet, so I'll sacrifice Gear Golem…"

The Moving Fortress vanished.

"To summon Metal Shooter."

A new robot appeared, this one very high-tech. It was pear-shaped, streamlined, hovered on an energy platform, and had two arms that ended in what looked like blasters. (800/800)

"Big deal," said Adrian. "It has 800 lousy points."

"Not for long," replied the King. "When Metal Shooter is Normal Summoned, it gains two counters, and each one grants it 800 more points."

Metal Shooter grew to an Attack Score of 2,400.

"In addition," it added, "if you try to destroy it with a card effect, it can survive by getting rid of one of the counters.

"Next, I'll play the Spell Card, Sniper Mode."

As he played the card, hatches opened on the three Bokoichis, and nasty-looking rifles emerged. Adrian looked at them nervously.

"We'll get to that later… Now, Metal Shooter, attack his first facedown Monster with plasma cannon!"

Metal Shooter lifted its arm, and it glowed with pure light. It blasted a beam of brilliant energy at the facedown Monster. A small, puffy cloud appeared and was vaporized.

"You just destroyed my Cloudian – Sheep Cloud," said Adrian. "And when that happens, I get to summon two Sheep Cloud Tokens in Defense Mode."

Two small, puffy clouds appeared in front of him. (0/0 x2)

"Dekoichi," ordered the King, "attack his other Monster!"

Steam blew from Dekoichi's stack, and its wheels started to turn. It sped at the facedown card. A second Cloudian – Sheep Cloud appeared, and was run over.

"Nice," said Adrian. "Now I have _four_ Tokens."

Two more Sheep Cloud Tokens appeared.

"They won't protect you," said the King. "You see, thanks to my Sniper Mode, all Machine Monsters that are Level Three or less can attack directly this turn."

Adrian froze in fear as three glowing crosshairs appeared on his chest…

Three shots rang out, and he clutched his chest in pain. His Life Points fell to 2,500.

"Well then," said the King, "guess I'll activate my other Trap Card…"

His other facedown card lifted.

"Virus Cannon! Now, for each Monster I choose to sacrifice, you have to discard one Spell Card from your deck."

Dekoichi and the three Bokoichis vanished.

_Lovely,_ thought Adrian, taking his deck. _But… Maybe I can use this to my advantage…_

He quickly discarded four cards.

"I'll end by setting one more facedown card," chuckled the King, as a facedown card appeared. "My turn is over, so the effect of my Sniper Mode expires. It's your move."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Erik noticed something. The Disk that Chaos Sorcerer was using was standard issue.

"That isn't an Anarchist Disk," he muttered.

"Ah, yes," chuckled Chaos Sorcerer. "Well, I was willing to use one when I dueled Ren back at the Sea… It was all for fun back then…

"But this duel is simply too important to leave to the whims of chance. I'll duel this time using a deck I created myself.

"Now… Shall we?"

**(Erik: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Chaos Sorcerer: 8,000)**

"My draw," said Erik, making his first draw.

He looked at the six cards in his hand.

"I summon my Toy Tank," he said.

With a loud beeping and whirring noise, the large, plastic tank rolled onto the field. (1,300/1,100)

"Then I'll set these, and that will be all."

He fit two cards into his Disk, and two facedown cards appeared.

Chaos Sorcerer chuckled.

"A toy tank," he laughed, as he drew. "Takes me back…

"I'll have this defend me, and that will be all."

A facedown Monster appeared in front of him.

"Hmm…" said Erik, drawing another card.

He had expected an attack, truthfully.

"I summon Toy Magician!" he shouted.

In a burst of light, the plastic, colored mage appeared. (1,600/1,500)

"Now, my Toy Tank attacks your Monster!"

Toy Tank's turret glowed, and it blasted a beam of energy from its cannon. Mother Grizzly appeared on the card, and exploded into a splatter of water.

"I'm sure a duelist as experienced as you knows how Attribute searchers work," said Chaos Sorcerer. "I think I'll summon a second Mother Grizzly."

Another Mother Grizzly appeared. (1,400/1,000)

"Toy Magician, destroy it," ordered Erik.

Toy Magician cast his spell, shooting a blast of plasma motes at the second Mother Grizzly. It exploded just as the first one had.

"Now that you're out of attacks," said Chaos Sorcerer, "I'll use its effect to summon my Devil's Slime Mold."

With a wet, slurping sound, a creature that looked like a Fiend made of thick liquid rose up from the floor. (500/500)

"Ga-ross!" gasped Sam.

"Yes, that's usually the first impression one makes upon seeing this Monster," answered Chaos Sorcerer. "These handsome creatures are formed in areas where Fiends live and large amounts of garbage is dumped.

"But enough about stuff you could read in any good textbook… Anything else?"

"Just move," said Erik.

**(E: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 7,800)**

"I draw one card," said Chaos Sorcerer, making a draw. "Then, during my Standby Phase, if Devil's Slime Mold is in Attack Mode, I can pay 500 Life Points to get a bonus… And summon a second one from my deck."

He glowed with an aura of red energy, and second of the Slime Molds appeared. (500/500)

"In fact, I think I'll use that effect twice, and summon a third one as well."

He glowed again, and a third Mold appeared. (500/500)

"And just what are you going to do with three weak…" started Erik.

Then he caught himself.

"Oh… no…" he muttered.

"That's right, Erik," said Chaos Sorcerer with a sinister smile. "I plan to use these weak Monsters as sacrifices…"

The three Slime Molds erupted into dark flames…

A stale wind started to blow through the subbasement. They heard the noise again…

…the neighing of that demonic horse…

"It's another one!" shouted Yumi. "He has another of the Horsemen!"

"Indeed," chuckled Chaos Sorcerer, with an evil grin. "I call forth Pestilence, the White Horseman!"

The creature appeared in an explosion of energy…

Erik stepped back when he saw the thing. It looked like a man suffering from an advanced case of leprosy, its skin covered with ugly sores and lesions, wrinkled and scarred – clearly, this case had never been treated. But unlike a typical sufferer of that dreaded disease, it stood up straight, with no trace of a limp or any sign that its motor functions were impaired. It was dressed in a pure, white toga, that was spotlessly clean, in start contrast to its blemished skin. (2,500/2,500)

Erik looked nervously at the new Horseman…

"Something wrong, Erik?" asked Chaos Sorcerer. "I haven't even gotten to my Battle Phase yet…

"Well, best do that now… Attack his Toy Tank! Winds of sickness!"

Pestilence opened its mouth, opening it far wider than it should have been able to, revealing a huge maw with terrible fangs. It blew a dark, foul blast of air mixed with filth in Erik's direction, and he staggered back as it hit the Toy Tank.

**(E: 6,800) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 6,800)**

Erik took some deep breaths.

"Something's… not right…" he muttered.

He looked. Toy Tank was still there. It seemed to be dirty and rotting in a few places, but it had not been destroyed.

"Not that I'm complaining," mused Erik. "But… Why did my Tank survive?"

"Pestilence can't destroy Monsters that it battles," explained Chaos Sorcerer.

"Say what?" asked Erik.

"Yes, I know," said Chaos Sorcerer. "But before you think that's a benefit, my Monster has a few other effects.

"First off, every time it battles a Monster, that Monster gains a Plague Counter. A Monster with two of them is destroyed.

"Second, the illness that it causes to all of your Monsters while it is on the field fills them with a fever-induced rage. All of your Monsters that are in Attack Mode must attack during your turn.

"Anyway…

"I throw down a few facedown cards, and then Equip Pestilence with Mist Body."

He played all five of the cards in his hand. Four facedown cards appeared, and Pestilence became surrounded with a misty aura.

"Your move…"

Erik drew a card.

"Hmm…" he said.

"Think I'll activate two of them right now," laughed Chaos Sorcerer, as two of his facedown cards lifted.

"Final Attack Orders, and Light of Intervention."

"Well _that's_ a surprise," muttered Chelsea. "Now Erik can only summon in Attack Mode."

"And when his Monsters attack that thing," said Ren. "He'll lose… 1,700 Life Points."

"Not quite…" said Erik. "My Monsters may have to attack… But they don't have to attack Pestilence."

"What are you talking about?" asked Chaos Sorcerer. "It's the only target."

Erik played a card.

"I summon another Toy Magician," he said.

As second of the toy mages appeared. (1,600/1,500)

"Now I play… Forced March! For this round only, if I cut my Monsters' Attack Scores in half, they can attack directly!"

"Oh crap…" muttered Chaos Sorcerer.

Both Toy Magicians fell to Attack Scores of 800, while Toy Tank fell to 650.

"Get him!" shouted Erik.

Toy Tank blasted its cannon, and the Toy Magicians shot showers of sparks out of their scepters. Chaos Sorcerer fell over, and his hood fell off his head.

"I throw down a facedown, and that will be all," muttered Erik, as a facedown card appeared.

**(E: 6,800) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 4,550)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Back in the antechamber, Adrian drew a card.

"All right, scrap pile," he snarled. "First, I play a facedown."

A facedown card appeared.

"Now, I'm using these Sheep Clouds to gain back some strength. I play Token Thanksgiving. This destroys all my Token Monsters, but I gain 800 Life Points for each one."

The four Sheep Clouds vanished, and he glowed with energy as his Life Points went up to 5,200.

"Next, it's time to change locales…"

He placed a card in his Field Slot.

"I play Royal Castle of the Fog!"

A misty fog covered the whole area, and then a huge, medieval-style castle with five towers loomed behind Adrian. The ceiling turned into a dark sky.

"What, no moat?" asked Perfect Machine King.

Adrian closed his eyes and chuckled.

"Now I summon a king of my own," he continued. "Fog King, that is."

He played a card.

"I don't see any Fog King," said the King.

"Look up," said Adrian.

Perfect Machine King looked, and saw the Monster on the Castle's central tower. It was a knight-like creature in full plate armor and a cape, holding a sword. (0/0)

"Fog King is Level Seven," explained Adrian, "but I can summon him with one sacrifice, or none at all. And his Attack Score becomes equal to the combined Attack Scores of the Monsters I sacrificed to summon him."

His opponent laughed out loud.

"You summoned it with NO sacrifice!" he laughed. "That means its Attack Score is _zero_!"

"Still my turn," continued Adrian. "I Equip him with Royal Sword."

Fog King's sword vanished, and a much fancier sword appeared in his hand.

"And I end my turn. By the way, so long as Fog King is on the field, neither player is allowed to sacrifice Monsters."

_This doesn't make sense…_ thought Perfect Machine King, drawing a card. _His King still has no Attack Points…_

"Metal Shooter, attack his Fog King at once!"

Metal Shooter fired, hitting Fog King. The tower he was on erupted in flames.

"So much for him," chuckled the King.

"Think again," said Adrian, as his facedown card lifted. "You triggered my Spirit Barrier, so I take no damage, so long as I have a Monster on the field.

"And as for Fog King, take another look…"

Fog King was now on the tower to the left of the one that was on fire.

"Let me explain this setup," started Adrian. "My Castle has five towers, each one representing a space on my Monster Zone. If Fog King would be defeated in battle, he can survive by jumping to another tower. However, that lights a beacon on the one he was previously on, and I can't use the ones with beacons on them.

"Also, there's his Royal Sword. Each time he battles, it gains a Crest Counter, which boosts his Attack Score by 800 per Counter."

Fog King rose to (800/0)

"And when it has four Crest Counters, I can send Fog King and his sword to the Graveyard, to blast you for a mighty blow with 4,000 points of damage behind it!"

"WHAT?" shouted Perfect Machine King.

"My move!" yelled Adrian.

He drew.

"Fog King, attack Metal Shooter!"

Fog King bravely leapt off the tower at the Machine.

_Curses!_ thought Perfect Machine King. _With his Spirit Barrier there, if I use my facedown Limiter Removal, my Monster will be wasted!_

Metal Shooter fired again, causing another explosion.

Fog King reappeared on the third tower, and rose to a score of (1,600/0)

"I throw one card facedown, and end my turn," said Adrian.

A facedown card appeared.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Chaos Sorcerer fastened his hood back on his head.

"Stupid thing," he muttered. "Should trade this in for one that's more manageable... How the heck does Dark Magician keep that dumb hat of his on his head all the time anyway?"

"You got me," said Yumi. "I'll be sure to ask him the next time my cards talk to me."

"Whatever," snarled Chaos Sorcerer. "My move!"

He drew a card.

He frowned when he looked at the card he had drawn. It was Pot of Greed.

"You drew a very useful Spell Card, right?" asked Erik. "Too bad you can't use it… All five of the slots in your Spell Zone are being used!"

_Yes, that is the double-edged sword of this strategy…_ thought Chaos Sorcerer.

One of his facedown cards lifted.

"I activate Fatal Abacus," he said. "This card lets you count your way to the end, because it inflicts 500 points of damage on a player whenever one of his Monsters is sent to the Graveyard.

"Now, attack his Toy Tank! Winds of sickness!"

Pestilence started to blow its vile breath towards Toy Tank…

"Go!" shouted Erik, as one of his facedown cards lifted up. "Mirror Force!"

The holy light started to intensify…

"Not so fast!" shouted Chaos Sorcerer. "I activate a facedown card of my own. The Spell Card, My Body as a Shield!"

One of his facedown cards flipped up.

"Sure, it costs me 1,500 Life Points, but it protects my Monster from your Mirror Force."

Erik's Trap Card was blown to pieces.

"Nice try, Erik," muttered Sam.

The vile attack plowed into Toy Tank, and it started to warp and rot even more.

"Since it has two Plague Counters," said Chaos Sorcerer, "it's destroyed…"

Toy Tank exploded. Fatal Abacus glowed, and Erik cringed in pain.

_Nuts,_ thought Erik. _Since that doesn't count as destroyed by battle, I can't use its effect…_

"And one more thing… When a Monster is destroyed by Pestilence's effect, you also lose 200 Life Points for each Level it had. Sorry if I left that out. Since Toy Tank was Level Four, you lose 800 more Life Points."

Erik cringed even more.

**(E: 4,300) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 3,050)**

"Now that that's out of the way," said Chaos Sorcerer, "I have a free space, so I'll play Pot of Greed."

The evil jar appeared, and he made two draws. He looked at the two cards.

"I'll end my turn there. Don't forget, on your turn, your Monsters must attack."

Erik drew a card. He looked at it.

"My pleasure…" he growled.

"I sacrifice both Toy Magicians…"

Both of his Magicians vanished.

"…to summon Puppet King!"

In a burst of energy, Puppet King appeared, towering over the field. (2,800/2,600)

"All right!" cheered Ren. "Puppet King is stronger than Pestilence!"

"Yeah, but Pestilence still has that Mist Body," said Aster. "So it can't be destroyed in battle."

"Puppet King," ordered Erik, "attack the White Horseman with Majestic Checker!"

Puppet King charged at Pestilence and walloped it on the chin with his fist. The White Horseman fell over, but didn't shatter.

"My Horseman is unharmed," chuckled Chaos Sorcerer. "Yours, on the other hand, gains a Plague Counter for that move."

Puppet King groaned, and rotting sores started to form over its wooden body.

"I end my turn…" growled Erik.

**(E: 4,300) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 2,750)**

"Then I draw," said Chaos Sorcerer, drawing a card.

"Then I summon Plague Wolf."

Another Monster appeared, this one a rotting, undead zombie wolf, foaming at the mouth with fur falling off its flesh in handfuls. (1,000/1,000)

"Good boy," he said. "Now, I activate its effect, and double its Attack Score."

Plague Wolf rose up to (2,000/1,000).

"Pestilence, attack Puppet King."

Pestilence's foul wind blew at Puppet King. Puppet King swatted it aside, and the Horseman fell over again.

Then Puppet King groaned again, and exploded into pixels.

Fatal Abacus glowed again, and Erik groaned.

"Puppet King was Level Seven," said Chaos Sorcerer, "so now you lose 1,400 more Life Points."

Erik screamed as the pain tore through his body. It was more than pain… It was like a nasty fever, like he was literally burning up inside.

"Feeling sick Erik?" asked Chaos Sorcerer. "Feeling fever? Chills? Slight headache? Loss of appetite? That is to be expected… This creature represents disease in all its forms.

"And I can spread even more… Plague Wolf, attack him directly."

Plague Wolf blew a second gust of foul wind at Erik…

"Trap activate!" gasped Erik. "Fortress of Sand!"

His Trap Card lifted, and a huge sand castle appeared behind and over him. Plague Wolf's blast blew away a chunk of it, but he was safe.

"Pity," said Chaos Sorcerer. "And when I end my turn, Plague Wolf will be destroyed because I used its effect…

"So I'll use Mystik Wok to sacrifice it before that happens."

He played the card, and a huge wok appeared behind him with a fire burning underneath. Plague Wolf appeared, and dark smoke fed into Chaos Sorcerer.

"It costs me 500 Life Points from Fatal Abacus," he said, "but I gain 2,000 back.

"And with that, I end my turn."

**(E: 2,800) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 3,950)**

Meanwhile Yumi had been watching down the hallway behind them. As she was, she saw several shadows appear behind the corner.

"People…" warned Yumi. "We're gonna have company soon…"

She, Ren, Chelsea, Sam, and Aster stood at the door, and watched as the shadows grew larger.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Your move, your highness…" goaded Adrian.

Fog King's sword now had three Crest Counters, giving him an Attack Score of 2,400, while the Castle had three beacons burning. Emes still had Metal Shooter, and a Monster in Defense Mode.

_I won't be beaten by this human…_ thought Perfect Machine King, as it drew a card.

It looked at its card, and quickly set it facedown.

"Your move," it said.

Adrian drew.

"Trap Card, activate!" shouted the King, as its facedown card shot up. "Dust Tornado!"

The Tornado flew across the field, and the Royal Sword flew from King Fog's hands, exploding against the walls of the Castle.

"You triggered my own Trap!" shouted Adrian, as his facedown card flipped up. "Crest Burn! Now, for each Crest Counter that the Sword had when it was destroyed, my Castle gains one beacon!"

Fog King vanished, as the two remaining towers of Royal Castle of the Fog erupted in bonfires.

"WHAT?" shouted the King. "That renders your entire Monster Zone unusable! Why would you do something so stupid?

"Because I had not one, but two plans to beat you," said Adrian. "Now that beacons are lit on all five of my Castle's towers, I can activate another of its effects, which I can do by sending the Castle itself and every card in my hand to the Graveyard."

The Castle vanished.

"I have to skip my Battle Phase this round too, by the way.

"And what do I get in return, you may ask?

"I get any four cards I want from my Graveyard. And I'm going to get the four Spell Cards you made me discard with your Virus Cannon.

"And now I'm going to play all four…

"First, Dark Room of Nightmare."

He played the card, and a Continuous Spell appeared.

"Now, you take an extra 300 points of damage whenever you take effect damage. Like when I play Meteor of Destruction!"

He played the second card, and a ball of flaming energy struck Perfect Machine King. The Machine cringed as its Life Points fell to 2,600.

"Want more?" asked Adrian. "I play Tremendous Fire!"

The King screamed. Adrian's Life Points fell to 4,700, while its Life Points fell to 1,300.

Adrian slowly played the last card, which was another Tremendous Fire. Perfect Machine King screamed again as Adrian's Life Points fell to 4,200, and its own fell to zero.

Perfect Machine King collapsed, and slowly vanished into grains of light. The rest of the Steel Legion looked around, looking somewhat unsure of what to do.

_Just as I hoped,_ thought Adrian. _Their general is gone, and they're confused. But they won't be for long._

He looked at the torn-up floor behind him where Yumi's group had escaped through. He deactivated his Disk.

_So I'd best skedaddle before they become un-confused. And once I'm in the clear, I'll make a phone call._

He turned tail and leapt down the opening.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Erik sweat as he drew a card.

He looked at his arm. Red welts were forming on it.

He looked at the Monster in front of him. He shivered in fear.

"I play Toy Memorial," he said, weakly. "I have to skip my Battle Phase, but I get to draw once for each Toy Monster in my Graveyard.

"And that means…That means my Monsters won't be compelled to attack this round. You can't force me to attack if another card makes that impossible."

Chaos Sorcerer frowned.

"You don't have to tell me how to play the game," he grumbled.

Erik drew three cards. His eyes lit up when he saw what they were.

"Now I activate Emergency Provisions," said Erik, as his facedown card lifted. "I'll sacrifice Toy Memorial and Fortress of Sand to gain 2,000 Life Points."

The sand castle and the Memorial card vanished, and Erik glowed with energy.

"It's feed a cold, starve a fever, Erik," corrected Chaos Sorcerer.

"Now, I summon Spell Striker," said Erik, ignoring him.

He played a card, and the toy wizard with the horned helmet appeared. (600/200)

"Next, I play a Spell Card. It's called Toy Box."

He played a card, and a large box with a goofy, smiling face and two bendy arms appeared in front of him. (0/0)

"Huh?" said Chaos Sorcerer. "Some sort of token?"

"That's right," muttered Erik. "My Toy Box can't be attacked, and it's impervious to Spell Cards. Also, when I summon it using that Spell Card, I can take two Monsters with the word 'Toy' in their names on the field or in my hand, and hide them in the Toy Box."

Toy Box's lid opened, and two of the cards in Erik's hand turned to globes of energy. They flew inside the Toy Box, whose lid slammed shut.

"And what happens to them in there?" asked Chaos Sorcerer.

"You'll find out later," sighed Erik. "That's all for me."

**(E: 4,800) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 3,950)**

Meanwhile, Erik's allies were guarding the door, with Skilled Dark Magician, Dark Blade, Zombie Master, Gil Garth, and Destiny Hero Diehardguy in front of them.

The Machines started to march towards them. Mighty Guards came first, then DUCKER Mobile Cannons, then Twinbarrel Dragons.

"CHARGE!" shouted Yumi.

Their five Monsters plowed into the mechanical forces. Diehardguy crushed the smaller Machines with the shells on his arms, while Dark Blade and Gil Garth cut through the artillery with their swords. Skilled Dark Magician and Zombie Master fired bolts of dark energy, blowing more of them to scrap.

"My move!" yelled Chaos Sorcerer.

He drew a card.

"Pestilence, attack Spell Striker!" he shouted.

Pestilence blew its disease-laden breath, and Spell Striker groaned.

"Due to his effect," said Erik, "my Life Points are unharmed."

"Then I'll set this," said Chaos Sorcerer, setting a facedown card.

"And I activate the effect of my Toy Box," said Erik. "I get to Special Summon one of the Monsters I put in there."

The Toy Box's lid opened, and Erik's third Toy Magician hopped out. (1,600/1,500)

"I end my turn," said Chaos Sorcerer.

"I draw…" muttered Erik.

He drew a card.

"And look at this!" he said, as more sweat ran down his face. "I play Mystical Space Typhoon!"

He played it, and the cyclone tore across the field. The Mist Body card shattered, and the aura surrounding Pestilence blew away and faded.

"Now, I use the effect of Toy Box again!"

Toy Box opened again, and this time a much bigger Toy leapt out.

It was Toy Dragon. (2,300/2,000)

The Toy Box vanished.

"Guess what, Chaos Sorcerer?" laughed Erik, nervously. "He gets 400 more Attack Points for each other Toy on the field, and Toy Magician is standing strong."

(2,700/2,000)

"Oh, crap…" muttered Chaos Sorcerer.

"Attack the White Horseman!" commanded Erik. "Shooting star shower!"

A blast of glowing, sparking motes shot out of Toy Dragon's jaws, and Pestilence exploded into a cloud of dust.

"And thanks to your own Fatal Abacus," added Erik, "you lose an extra 500 Life Points!"

Chaos Sorcerer groaned.

"I activate a Spell Card!" he shouted, as his facedown card flipped up.

"Great Fall?" asked Erik. "Wait, I remember that…"

"You should," replied the Sorcerer. "Want used it. Since a Level Ten Monster was destroyed, I get to draw twice."

He made two draws.

"Don't forget, your Dragon still gets a Plague Counter."

"Well, I'm not done with you!" continued Erik. "Toy Magician, Spell Striker, attack him directly!"

Chaos Sorcerer screamed as Toy Magician's sparkle blast and a shock from Spell Striker's wand hit him.

**(E: 4,800) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 1,050)**

Erik took some deep breaths. He looked at his arm in relief. The red welts were fading to nothing, and the burning sensation was going away.

"Well, that's one way to cure an illness that you can't get from a doctor," he chuckled.

Meanwhile, the last of the Machines outside had just fallen.

"That was almost too easy…" said Chelsea.

Then they heard something. It sounded like a large vehicle being driven towards them.

As they watched, a huge Gatling Dragon, followed by several Gadgets, turned the corner.

"And when something is too easy," muttered Ren, "it gets harder quickly…"

Three blasts from the huge Machine vaporized Skilled Dark Magician, Zombie Master, and Diehardguy, and their owners shielded themselves.

"Go, Destiny Signal!" shouted Aster, as a facedown card lifted.

The spotlight shot towards the ceiling, and Destiny Hero Defendguy appeared in Defense Mode.

"Let's see it get by _that_," he said.

"Erik?" said Sam. "You think you can hurry?"

"I'm trying!" shouted Erik.

"My move," said Chaos Sorcerer.

He drew a card.

"I play Giant Trunade," he said.

He played the card, and a tornado blew over the field. His Light of Intervention, Fatal Abacus, and Final Attack Orders disappeared, returning to his hand.

"Next," he said. "I play Magical Mallet. I'll send these three cards back to my deck…"

He placed the three Trap Cards in his deck, and reshuffled.

"Then I'll make three draws."

He drew three times.

"I'll set one Monster, and one card facedown. And then you go. This duel is not over yet."

A facedown card and a facedown Monster appeared.

Erik drew a card.

_Pot of Avarice?_ he thought. _Nuts… I can't use this right now…_

"Attack his facedown Monster!" ordered Erik.

Toy Dragon blasted its shooting star shower at the facedown Monster, but Chaos Sorcerer gestured, and his facedown card flipped up. The Negate Attack card appeared, and the blast hit an invisible shield.

"Fine, fine," said Erik. "Your move now."

Yumi held up a card.

"I sacrifice two Monsters…" she said.

Gil Garth and Dark Blade vanished.

"To summon Cosmo Queen!"

Cosmo Queen appeared in a burst of dark energy.

She blasted her cosmic nova, and Gatling Dragon erupted into a mighty explosion of flaming debris and scrap metal. The Gadgets ran for cover.

"Looks like they're running scared!" laughed Ren.

"No…" muttered Aster. "They're falling back so that something even worse can come…"

Chaos Sorcerer drew a card.

"I play Awakening From Beyond," he said. "Now, you get to draw two cards, but I get a Monster back from my Graveyard."

Erik drew two cards. A card slipped out of Chaos Sorcerer's discard slot.

"Give you one guess what it is," he said, turning the Pestilence card forward.

"What about sacrifices?" asked Erik. "As in, you need three of them?"

Chaos Sorcerer chuckled.

"I flip Lekunga into Attack Mode," he said.

His facedown card flipped up. The Monster that appeared looked like a green, slimy sphere with one big eye and several tentacles. (1,700/500)

"Some sort of Fiend?" asked Erik.

"No, a Plant," replied Chaos Sorcerer. "And now I activate its effect. By removing two Water Monsters in my Graveyard from play, I get a Lekunga Token."

Both Mother Grizzlies slipped out of his discard slot, and a Monster that looked like a smaller version of Lekunga appeared next to it. (700/700)

"And I think I'll use that effect a second time."

Two Devil's Slime Molds slipped out of his discard slot, and a second Token appeared.

"Now, I sacrifice Lekunga and its two Tokens…"

The three Monsters shattered into shards.

"…to summon Pestilence again!"

In another display, the diseased Fiend appeared again. (2,500/2,500)

"Attack Toy Magician!" ordered Chaos Sorcerer.

Erik screamed again, as the winds of sickness plowed into Toy Magician.

**(E: 3,900) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 1,050)**

"I set two cards facedown, and end my turn," said Chaos Sorcerer, as two facedown cards appeared. "Let's see what else you have."

Erik looked at the two cards he had drawn with Awakening From Beyond.

He drew another card.

_Toy Dragon already has one Plague Counter,_ he thought. _Sorry old pal, but I gotta do this…_

"I move Toy Magician and Spell Striker to Defense Mode," he said, as the smaller toys knelt and shielded themselves.

"Toy Dragon, attack Pestilence!"

Toy Dragon blasted its shooting star shower again.

"Activate Draining Shield!" shouted Chaos Sorcerer.

An invisible shield formed around Pestilence, and energy flowed into Chaos Sorcerer.

"Thanks for the recharge, pal!" laughed the Sorcerer.

His other facedown card lifted.

"And now, my Trap Trip. This lets me get a Trap Card right back from my Graveyard…"

The Draining Shield slipped back out of his discard slot.

Erik scowled. He placed two cards in his Disk, and two facedown cards appeared.

**(E: 3,900) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 3,750)**

Yumi and the others watched as a dark shadow crept across the hallway where they had come.

"Now what?" she said.

A huge Monster came into view. It looked vaguely like a dragon, cobbled together from gears, spare parts, and various pieces of junk. It was thirty feet long, and had a forty-foot wingspan.

"The Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon!" gasped Aster.

The huge Machine blasted multiple balls of burning lava from its jaws, and Cosmo Queen screamed before exploding into pixels.

Yumi quickly set a Monster.

"Duel faster, Erik!" she yelled.

"My move!" laughed Chaos Sorcerer, drawing a card.

"I'll set a card facedown…"

A facedown card appeared.

"Now I attack your Toy Magician with Pestilence!"

The blast hit Toy Magician, and it started to rot and decay. It shattered into bits.

"Don't forget its effect," said Chaos Sorcerer. "You lose 800 Life Points. Consider yourself fortunate that it was in Defense Mode."

Erik groaned and started to sweat again.

**(E: 3,100) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 3,750)**

"And your Dragon is cut down to size."

Toy Dragon fell to its base Attack of 2,300.

"It's your move," said Chaos Sorcerer.

The Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon blasted its weapon, and Defend Guy was smashed to bits.

Yumi's facedown Monster flipped up, and Magician's Valkyria appeared. Then she played another card, and a second Valkyria appeared.

"Both of you," she said, "you're our last defense. We're counting on you."

The two Valkyria nodded, and turned to face the Dragon.

Erik drew a card.

"It all comes down to this…" he muttered.

"I summon Toy Wind-Up!" he shouted.

He played the card, and the tin soldier holding his blunderbuss appeared. (1,000/700) Toy Dragon rose to an Attack Score of 2,700 again.

"Now, Call of the Haunted!"

One of his facedown cards lifted up, and Puppet King appeared again. (2,800/2,600)

"Puppet King… Attack Pestilence!"

Puppet King charged at the White Horseman.

"Once again," said Chaos Sorcerer, "I activate Draining Shield."

His Trap Card lifted up.

"Actually pal, you don't," said Erik.

His own facedown card lifted up.

"Solemn Judgment!" yelled Erik.

There was a flash of lightning, and an old man in a toga with a beard, carrying a cudgel with two beautiful muses behind him appeared.

"I have to cut my Life Points in half, but so much for your Draining Shield."

The Trap Card was blasted to pieces.

Puppet King punched Pestilence, and the White Horseman burst again.

"Toy Wind-Up, attack directly! Blunderbuss blast!"

Toy Wind-Up fired his weapon, and Chaos Sorcerer screamed.

"And when Toy Wind-Up damages your Life Points," said Erik, "I get to summon another one."

A second Toy Wind-Up appeared. (1,000/700) Toy Dragon's Attack Score rose to 3,100.

The second Wind-Up fired, and Chaos Sorcerer screamed again.

"Toy Dragon…" commanded Erik. "Attack directly with shooting star shower!"

Chaos Sorcerer's scream echoed through the whole subbasement as the final blast hit him.

**(E: 1,550) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 0)**

When Erik looked again, it seemed that the blast had vaporized him, leaving only a burned-out Duel Disk.

_Once again, the body isn't found…_ he thought.

"Sam!" he shouted, running up to the Master Programmer. "Come here! You know more about computers than I do!"

Sam left the others and ran up to it.

"We gotta hurry," she said. "There's enough robots out there to remake all six episodes of _Star Wars_, and Yumi's Valkyria Lock is the only thing holding them back."

She hit a button on the screen.

"**INPUT PASSWORD,"** it said.

"Okay, Adrian said it was a Spell Card," she said.

"There are hundreds of Spell Cards!"

"It's likely a very rare Spell Card," added Erik. "One which plays a very important part in Nezbitt's deck."

Outside, a Red Gadget held up a Spell Card.

"That's Tribute to the Doomed!" gasped Chelsea.

One of the Valkyria screamed as her partner was seized by mummy wrappings and pulled under the ground.

Then the Dragon blasted its flaming breath at her, and she was incinerated.

Aster quickly played a card.

"Destiny Hero Devilguy!" he shouted.

The Dark Hero appeared, and floated towards the huge Machine. He gripped it with his claw, and the creature disappeared.

"Wait, wait, I think I've got it…" said Sam.

She typed in. "Clockwork Night".

"**Access Approved."**

A card image came on the screen. It was the Robotic Knight card.

"I just gotta change this data to Joan's," said Sam, "and put her name last."

She quickly changed "Machine" to "Fairy", and then changed "Fire" to "Light".

A Green Gadget punched Devil Guy, and the Destiny Hero shattered.

"Hurry up in there!" shouted Aster.

Sam quickly changed the Level from Four to Seven. Then she changed ATK from 1,600 to 2,800.

"Uh, people, what's Joan's Defense Score?" she shouted.

"2,000!" yelled Aster.

"Right," said Sam, making the change.

Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon reappeared and roared.

"Just a few seconds more," said Sam, as she deleted the words "Robotic Knight".

She carefully typed in "Guardian Angel Joan".

She hit the Enter key.

The screen flashed, and the Robotic Knight card shattered into pixels. Guardian Angel Joan's card materialized.

The huge Dragon moaned. It slowly landed. The Gadgets looked confused.

"Did we do it?" asked Sam.

Yumi's cell phone rang.

"Joan?" she gasped, answering it.

"Well done, children," she said. "I have word on another line that the Machine forces of Darkspire are under control."

"Another line?" asked Yumi. "Who?"

"Adrian Gecko," said Joan. "He claims he wants to defect. Honestly, I didn't even know he was working for Daala. But if his claim to have defeated Perfect Machine King is true, such help is welcome."

Yumi sighed.

"Well…" she said, "as long as you have him on the line, ask him what the quickest way out of here is, will you?"

She looked at the Master Programmer.

"And, uh, when you arrange to set up shop here, you might want to include someone who's really good at guarding things…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala poured smoking, green liquid into a wine glass. Nezbitt was in front of her.

She slowly sipped the drink.

"Well, Nezbitt?" she said.

"I made the scan, milady," he said. "I'm afraid the Key was not with Samantha."

Daala paused.

"Interesting…" she mused.

"You aren't angry?" asked Nezbitt.

"No…" said Daala. "Actually, I'm not…"

Five screens came on around her, showing profiles of Yumi, Ren, Chelsea, Sam, and Erik.

"We may have lost control of four Realms…" she said. "But now, we've scanned all of them but one…"

She looked closely at Erik's face.

"The cold, hard process of elimination puts the Key squarely in that one's head…

"Tomorrow, they will no doubt continue, attempting to take the Flaming Peaks…

"And that is where we will drop our subtlety and secrecy, and stop playing by their rules. We will give Erik an offer he will not dare refuse…

"And I have the perfect duelist to get what we need to make that offer…"

She got up and picked up her Duel Disk.

"Skull Knight," she said, to her second-in-command by the door. "I'm going out for a walk. I'll be in the Burnt Paradise."

"But milady!" said Skull Knight. "Joan's men control that area! What if they see you?"

"Ah, I hope they do," said Daala. "Crushing a member of the rebellion might make me feel good.

"I'll show them who truly rules Xanadu…

"Oh, before I leave… Is your protégé ready?"

"Uh, yeah…" mumbled Skull Knight, nervously. "I wanted to talk to you about that… Look… I don't think having her duel Yumi just now is a good idea."

Daala looked at him.

"Why?" she asked.

"Don't get me wrong," said Skull Knight, "I have a lot of faith in the lass… But maybe she should wait before taking Yumi down… Wait until she's more powerful…"

Daala sighed.

"Skull Knight," she scolded. "I've given her a lot of leeway so far. It's time she proves that she has true value. She will duel one of them tomorrow. If not Yumi, have her choose a target.

"And be sure she knows full well what her punishment will be if she fails."

She turned and walked out.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Master Programmer had kept most Machines in Darkspire loyal to Nezbitt. However, Nanobreakers were a species that Aster had made friends with a long time ago. Some said that these Machines had not always been Machines, that the first ones had been Warriors who had gained strength through cybernetic technology.

In the antechamber, everyone watched as one of them worked the controls to the large tanks that held the prisoners captive. The vile liquid started to recede.

"Easy," she said. "They're in a very deep sleep right now… If they wake up too fast, it will be quite a shock…"

Erik sighed, and looked at the Pestilence card, that Chaos Sorcerer had left behind.

He knew he had best give it to Joan along with the others…

But still… He could swear that when he held the card so that he was seeing it out of the corner of his eye, there was a wicked smile on the thing's face that he couldn't see when he looked at it directly.

"I have a bad feeling about this…" he muttered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**FORCED MARCH (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A squad of exhausted Toy Soldiers marching up a staircase.

**Card Description:** During the turn you activate this card, the ATK of the Monsters on your side of the field is halved, and they may attack your opponent directly.

_Note: "Forced March" was first used by Bonaparte in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Dormitory Demolition". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**TOY BOX (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** A box with arms and a smiling face, with the top open, filled with toys.

**Card Description:** Special Summon one "Toy Box Token" (Machine/Earth/Level Two/0 ATK/0 DEF). The "Toy Box Token" cannot be targeted by an attack, and is unaffected by Spell Cards. The "Toy Box Token" cannot attack and cannot be Tributed. Upon activation of this card, you may take one or two Monsters on your side of the field and/or in your hand with the word "Toy" in their names and remove them from play. Once per turn, during either player's turn, if the "Toy Box Token" remains on the field, you may Special Summon one of the Monsters that was removed from play by this effect. Once all removed Monsters are Special Summoned via this effect, destroy the "Toy Box Token".

_Note: "Toy Box" was first used by Little Yugi in the "Yu-Gi-Oh R" issue "Toy Magic!!". Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**PESTILENCE, THE WHITE HORSEMAN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 10  
**ATK:** 2,500  
**DEF:** 2,500

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card can only be Normal Summoned by offering three Monsters as a Tribute. This card does not destroy Monsters that it battles (damage calculation still applies). All opposing Monsters in Attack Position must attack during their owner's turn if they are able to. When a Monster battles this card, it gains one "Plague Counter". A Monster that has two "Plague Counters" is destroyed after damage calculation is applied. If a Monster is destroyed via this method, its owner loses 200 Life Points for each Level of the destroyed Monster.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**TRAP TRIP (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A hand moving towards a mousetrap that is baited with candy.

**Card Description:** Select one Trap Card from your Graveyard and add it to your hand after showing it to your opponent.

_Note: "Trap Trip" was first used by Mad Dog in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "No Pain, No Game". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**AWAKENING FROM BEYOND (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A ghostly face superimposed over a group of coffins.

**Card Description:** Your opponent draws two cards. Select one Monster in your Graveyard and add it to your hand.

_Note: "Awakening From Beyond" was first used by the Pharaoh episode "The Final Duel (Part Three)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ROYAL CASTLE OF THE FOG (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image:** A castle with five towers, with a burning beacon on each tower, with misty fog below.

**Card Description:** If a Monster you control would be destroyed in battle, you can prevent it from being destroyed by moving it to another space on your Monster Zone (only the controller of this card can use this effect). If this effect is used and there are no free spaces on your Monster Zone, the Monster is destroyed. When this effect is used, this card gains a "Beacon Counter" (max. 5). For each "Beacon Counter" on this card, one space in your Monster Zone cannot be used for as long as this card is in play. You may send this card with five "Beacon Counters" and every card in your hand to the Graveyard to select four cards from your Graveyard and add them to your hand. If you use this effect, you cannot conduct your Battle Phase that turn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ROYAL SWORD (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image:** Fog King holding a sword with four glowing lights on it.

**Card Description:** Equip only to "Fog King". When the Equipped Monster battles, place one "Crest Counter" on this card (max. 4) at the end of the Battle Phase. The Equipped Monster gains 800 Attack Points for each "Crest Counter" this card has. If this card has four "Crest Counters" you may destroy the Equipped Monster to inflict 4,000 points of damage to your opponent.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CREST BURN (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A glowing orb, pulsating with light.

**Card Description:** Activate only when a "Royal Sword" that you control is destroyed. Place a number of "Beacon Counters" on a "Royal Castle of the Fog" that you control equal to the number of "Crest Counters" that were on the destroyed "Royal Sword".

_Note: "Royal Castle of the Fog", "Royal Sword", and "Crest Burn" were used by Adrian in a third-season episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**VIRUS CANNON (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A robot shaped like a spider with a laser cannon on its front tipped with a crystal.

**Card Description:** Tribute any number of Monsters on your side of the field (except tokens). For each Monster Tributed, your opponent selects one Spell Card from his deck and sends it to the Graveyard.

_Note: This is the actual OCG version of "Virus Cannon" which was based on a Spell Card used by Kaiba in the anime. The anime version was far more powerful (and broken). It has not been released in the United States._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**METAL SHOOTER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 5  
**ATK:** 800  
**DEF:** 800

**Card Description:** When this card is Normal Summoned, place two counters on it. This card gains 800 Attack Points for each counter it gains via its effect. If this card would be destroyed by a card effect, negate the destruction by removing one of its counters.

_Note: "Metal Shooter" has not been released in the United States, although it has been released in other countries that use the TCG version of the game._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SNIPER MODE (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A heavy-duty assault rifle, with a crosshairs behind it.

**Card Description:** During the round this card is activated, Machine-Type Monsters that are Level Three or less can attack directly.

**Note: "Sniper Mode" was first used by David in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" Manga. Creative credit goes to the writers.**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**The heroes head back to the temple, and while they're doing that, Daala does indeed find someone during her evening stroll who's willing to oppose her. But it isn't what she was expecting at all. A duelist appears who knows far too much, and who has the item her army has been looking for. Without them to support her, the Queen of Xanadu makes a wager whose outcome will have dire repercussions either on her, or on her enemies.**_

"_**All or Nothing" is coming up next.**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Name that Card!**_

_**One Konami video game has a hero character that was made into a card. The final boss of the game was also made into a card; the boss was a creature that transformed three times, and had to be defeated repeatedly. The art on the card depicts its final form. Can you name it?**_


	36. All or Nothing

_**What card is based on a video game boss who changed forms three times? If you said Getsu Fuhma's archenemy "Ryu Kokki", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**My name is Daala, and I am the ruler of Xanadu.**_

_**Joan thinks she is gaining power by taking away my nominal rule over the six visible Realms of Xanadu. Piece by piece, she compromises my authority. She doesn't know that so long as I hold the power of the Core itself, I possess incredible power… Power of raw Chaos.**_

_**Now… A threat more serious than Joan has challenged me.**_

_**I rule Xanadu through the good graces of another entity. He gave me a few conditions, and one of them was to find the Dark Exemplar, a creature who served him as one of his two generals before it became a Duel Spirit. Once I find it, and manage to pass one final test, I'll be allowed to use it in my ultimate deck, and the Dark energy it will unleash will allow him to begin his master plan.**_

_**For years now, I've had my army digging up Xanadu, searching for the Dark Exemplar, who crash landed here after drifting in the void for so long. It was defeated once, and it was wounded, so its cries were too weak for me to hear. I cannot use the deck I've built without it… The other Monsters in it have orders to only obey me if it leads them.**_

_**And now, I'm facing someone who has found it…**_

_**If I lose this duel, the Dark Exemplar will fall into enemy hands, and my patron's anger will be without limit. And my opponent has an incredibly powerful strategy.**_

_**I like present the impression that, as the queen of this land, I fear nothing… But right now, fear is slowly working its way into my bones…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**All or Nothing**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Having left both Aster and Adrian at the Infernal Clock to see to the rescued prisoners (with a promise from both not to kill each other), the five members of Yumi's group drove back into Nexus, arriving just as the sun was starting to set.

Everyone was exhausted as they walked into the temple.

"Honey, we're…" said Ren.

He stepped back in surprise.

"…home?"

The common room of the temple was crowded. Several Monsters were gathered around, apparently waiting to be seen to.

Yumi and her group could identify most of them. There was an Octoberseer, a King of Yamimakai, a Flame Champion, a Garoozis, a Molten Behemoth, and a Dark Chimera, among many others.

"Are we late for a party?" asked Chelsea.

"Everyone, calm down!" shouted Joan's voice. "I need to speak to my current troops. Please wait in the other room."

The gang of Monsters turned and walked into the other room, some of them grumbling.

"What's going on, Joan?" asked Erik.

"Your idea, Erik!" beamed Joan. "It was wonderful! I sent out word that any Monster whose card had fallen out of use for lack of value would be welcomed, and ever since then, recruits have been coming in by the dozen!"

"Whoa…" muttered Erik. "I didn't think it was _that_ good an idea…

"Uhm, anyway, here's something for you to lock up…"

He handed her the Pestilence card.

Joan gave it a careful look.

"One Horseman remains…" she said with a sigh. "The worst of the lot… The only one that Revelations truly mentioned by name…

"Death… Clearly, Daala may be saving the best for last."

At that moment Sheena and Jesse walked in.

"No good yet, Joan," said Sheena. "We still can't break through the…"

"MOM!" yelled Sam.

She ran up to her, and mother and daughter hugged each other tight for a minute.

"Ms. Arachne?" said Yumi. "You came after us?"

"It took some help from Nicholas and Olga, but yes," said Sheena. "And right now, my main goal is trying to contact them.

"We have to warn Domino some way… We think we may know Daala's plans…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Burnt Paradise may have been the Realm of Light, but night did fall on the sands.

Daala walked over the rocky area where Yumi had encountered Sand Gambler, and a lot was on her mind.

She _wanted_ a member of the resistance to ambush and challenge her. She was thinking up terrible punishments that she would inflict on whoever did after she defeated him.

"First I'll hang him by his wrists," she grumbled. "No, better yet, by his ankles. Then I'll force him to duel two of my soldiers at once upside-down...

"Then, once that's done, I'll shrink him to pixie size, put him in a jar, and place him on my mantle…"

She looked around.

"Well? Is anyone gonna challenge me?"

Silence.

"No patrols," she muttered. "Joan isn't doing a good job keeping order here…"

She heard a loud meow.

She spun around.

A Cat of Ill Omen was in front of her.

It meowed, and then quickly leapt away, into the darkness.

"Okay…" she muttered. "That was… creepy…"

She noticed something up ahead. A torch had been lit.

She followed the flame, and came to a large, Arabian-style tent, with two torches flanking the entrance.

"Okay…" she said. "This certainly wasn't here before…"

She shrugged, and went inside.

Inside the tent was a simple table, with a crystal ball in the center.

The air behind the table shimmered. A humanoid form started to appear.

It was a tall woman, dressed in the blue and red clothing of a gypsy, with a blue cape, and a veil over her face. She gestured, and a blue orb appeared between her hands.

"The Crystal Seer?" asked Daala.

"Well, well," purred the Spellcaster. "What brings the Queen of Xanadu to my humble abode?"

Daala glared at her.

"Tread with caution…" she warned. "I'm not overly fond of Spellcasters, especially ones known to be used by my enemy."

"And you shouldn't," said the Seer. "But you should be wary as well, my queen… I know things that people try to keep secret, and I know what you seek…

"In fact, I _have_ what you seek."

"You have no idea what I want," growled Daala. "Nor will I be fooled by some charlatan fortuneteller. There's an old saying you may have heard of… Never trust someone who wears a mask."

The Seer gestured, and the orb vanished.

"Do you trust your own eyes, my queen?" she asked.

She took a card out of the folds of her robe, and Daala gasped in surprise.

It was a Duel Monsters card, the orange border indicating an effect Monster. The art on the card had been replaced by a dark fog, and the effect text was gone. All that remained on the card were the Level Stars, the Type, and the Attribute symbol.

"The Dark Exemplar!" whispered Daala.

"The card that you have urged your men to tear up the landscape looking for," said the Seer. "I have found it."

"Give it to me!" demanded Daala.

"No," replied the Seer.

"Give it to me," growled Daala, "or you'll spend the rest of your life in the darkest, dirtiest, smelliest part of my prison…"

The Seer closed her eyes, and placed it back in her robe.

"You think you can capture me, yes?" she goaded. "But what if you can't? What if I escaped, and then showed every Spirit in Xanadu what lay behind _your_ mask?"

She took another card out of her robe. Daala was startled by it.

"No!" cried Daala. "How did you…"

"Like I said," purred the Seer, "I know things that people keep hidden. And if others knew your shame, my queen, you'd lose the support you had, and all the remaining Spirits loyal to you would join Joan in an instant.

"So I strongly suggest you stop threatening me."

She quickly put it back. Daala looked at her.

"I must have the Dark Exemplar," she said with a scowl. "What do you want for it? Do you have a friend who's in prison who you want released? What?"

"I have several," said the Seer. "You've imprisoned so many… Most for unjust reasons. You forced The Unhappy Girl to duel a member of your inner circle, and had her arrested once she lost, never giving any reason."

"Heh…" chuckled Daala. "She wasn't much of a duelist… I mean, a Stall Deck? And using Terrible Deal? Not exactly the best Trap Card…"

"I know the real reason you had her arrested…" said the Seer. "She had information you wanted, and you knew that coaxing it out of her would be easy."

"I let her go!" shouted Daala.

"And she did nothing but sob for five days straight after that Warrior Lady of the Wasteland found her," replied the Seer. "We still have no idea what sort of interrogation you put the poor thing through.

"But I know why you want the Dark Exemplar.

"It is one of two powerful creatures of Chaos that serve Shogarr the Dread Emperor. Once you have it, the members of the Dread Council in the deck you have created will combine their powers to give it a new body. Then you will be able to use it in the same deck, so long as you are able to pass a test to ensure that you are worthy of doing so. The duel energy released by it and the Light Exemplar, which is in the hands of another servant of Shogarr, will complete the Great Helm, an incredibly powerful artifact that will enable Shogarr to initiate the ritual which will begin the Grand Rebirth, which would remake the universe into a place where Chaos ruled."

"In… so many words…" muttered Daala.

"Or…" added the Seer. "Or, I could give it to Joan, and it would spend eternity confined to the most secure prison in the Twelve Dimensions, to assure that Shogarr's plan failed."

Daala started to sweat.

"I'll duel you for it!" she shouted.

The Seer chuckled.

"And what would you wager?" she asked. "It is worth so much… Not even Kaiba's three Dragons are worth this much. The very fate of the universe may rest on where it ends up…

"Even if it is imprisoned, I know that Shogarr may be able to empower a creature to take its place, perhaps after several years and many resources spent. Demon lords like him are, if nothing else, very persistent…

"Therefore, I will only duel you for it if you agree to ante the whole Dread Council against it. If they were taken away, Shogarr would be weakened to the point where the Wind Dukes of Aaqa could finally assault his domain in the Abyss and emerge victorious. His plan would truly be ended before it began.

"In other words, Daala… We duel for all or nothing."

Daala started to sweat heavily. She looked at the deck case on her belt. The one that held the Dread Council. Well, most of it.

If she refused this duel, and the Dark Exemplar fell into the hands of the Higher Plane, Shogarr would hold her responsible… She'd never be forgiven.

She had been to Shogarr's palace once, and seen his defeated enemies displayed like trophies, sealed inside soulgems for eternity. It had scared the Hell out of her. (Being a guest in a demon lord's palace is only slightly better than being a prisoner. Anyone who deals with them knows that.) The same fate would await her if she refused this duel…

If she accepted and lost, it would be little better. If Shogarr took that serious a blow to his power, he would need all the power he had left to protect himself, so he'd take it back from all of his followers, including her, leaving her powerless. She'd have no real control over Xanadu at all, and she wouldn't be able to fight back against Joan any longer. She knew of the outlaw status that Voltanis had placed on the rulers of Xanadu, and she knew that facing the prosecutor in his court was worse than doing so in any mortal justice system…

Then she calmed down a little.

_What am I worried about?_ she thought. _I've only lost a duel once since I became ruler of Xanadu, and that was to Yumi. I can beat this third-rate Spellcaster. And it's not like she can use the Dark Exemplar herself._

"I accept!" she shouted.

"I knew you'd see it my way," said the Seer. "This tent is a little cramped, wouldn't you say? Why don't we step outside?

"Oh, and by the way… Should I win, this wager applies to the entire Dread Council, including the member who is not currently in your deck."

"How did you know…" gasped Daala.

She stopped short.

_This Seer knows far too much, _she thought. _I have to defeat her just to keep her mouth shut._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala and the Crystal Seer glared at each other.

The Seer gestured, and a Duel Disk made entirely of blue crystal appeared on her left arm.

"What are you so nervous about, my queen?" she asked. "The results of this duel will only decide your fate for the rest of your immortal life."

'Don't try to be funny," growled Daala, as the two Disks activated. "Just duel."

**(Daala: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Crystal Seer: 8,000)**

"I'll go first, if you don't mind," said Daala, making her first draw.

"And I'll set a Monster in Defense Mode, and leave it at that."

A facedown Monster appeared in front of her.

The Seer made her first draw.

"I play a facedown," she said, as a facedown card appeared in front of her. "And then I summon Blackland Fire Dragon."

A small, green, scaly Dragon with large wings appeared on the Seer's side of the field. (1,500/800)

"What?" shouted Daala. "A Blackland Fire Dragon? Of all the Dragons you could have put in a deck, why use one so outdated?"

"I have my reasons," said Crystal Seer. "Attack her Monster at once!"

Blackland Fire Dragon spit a ball of flame at the facedown Monster. A Troop Dragon appeared on the card and exploded.

"I use Troop Dragon's effect," said Daala, "and summon another one in Defense Mode."

A second Troop Dragon appeared, kneeling and crouching. (700/800)

"That will be all," said the Seer.

_Not much yet,_ thought Daala, making her draw. _But I don't trust her one bit…_

She looked at the card she had drawn. It was Dragon's Mirror.

_Ah…_ she thought. _It's only a matter of time before I can summon my ultimate beast… Then this foolish gypsy will learn not to take things that don't belong to her._

She added it to her hand and chose another one.

"I summon Blizzard Dragon!"

In a blast of arctic air, the large, icy Dragon appeared. (1,800/1,000)

"And I activate my Spell Card," said Crystal Seer, as her facedown card lifted.

"It's called Both Sides. As you know, Chaos is a two-sided concept, and has two parts, Light and Dark. This card lets me sacrifice a Light Monster to summon a Dark one, or vice-versa.

"So I'll sacrifice Blackland Fire Dragon to summon Light Lindworm from my deck."

The Dragon vanished, and a new Dragon appeared. It was more a large lizard than a true Dragon, with no wings, golden scales, and six long tails. (1,900/1,200)

Daala frowned.

"My Blizzard Dragon can't defeat that," she said, "but I can use its effect to put your Lindworm on ice!"

Blizzard Dragon blasted a beam of frost, and Light Lindworm was frozen solid.

"And I end my turn."

Crystal Seer drew a card. She looked at it closely, and added it to her hand.

"I summon my Slate Warrior," she said.

She played another card, and the alien-looking fiend with a blue, metallic face, a gold breastplate, and ruffled sleeves and pants, whose upper torso was separated from its lower body, carrying a long staff, appeared. (1,900/400)

"Slate Warrior, attack her Blizzard Dragon."

Slate Warrior pointed its staff, and blasted a bolt of pulsating, green energy at the Dragon. It roared, and shattered.

"I set one card facedown," said Crystal Seer, "and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared.

**(D: 7,900) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 8,000)**

Daala frowned again, and drew a card.

It was Divine Dragon Ragnarok.

_Perfect,_ she thought. _All I need now is Lord of Dragons and Polymerization, and I can put that replacement King Dragun to good use._

_But I can summon something powerful right now…_

'I play Premature Burial!" she shouted.

She played the card, and glowed with red energy as Blizzard Dragon appeared again. (1,800/1,000)

"Now, I sacrifice both my Monsters…"

Blizzard Dragon and Troop Dragon vanished into grains of light.

"Come on out, Tyrant Dragon!"

With a roar, the ferocious Fire Dragon loomed over the field. Smoke poured from its jaws. (2,900/2,500)

"Oh dear," said Crystal Seer. "A big, scary Monster… Whatever shall I do?"

"Laugh while you can," growled Daala. "Unless that facedown card is a Mirror Force, your two Monsters are goners!

"Attack Light Lindworm! Imperial inferno!"

Tyrant Dragon roared, and flames appeared in its jaws. It breathed a fiery burst at the much smaller Dragon, and Crystal Seer shielded herself as her Monster exploded in a conflagration of cinders.

"Now, attack her Slate Warrior!"

Tyrant Dragon blasted its breath weapon again, and Slate Warrior was blown to pieces.

**(D: 7,100) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 6,000)**

"Scared yet?" asked Daala.

"No," said Crystal Seer, calmly. "You forget, my queen, I hold the Dark Exemplar. The card wasn't unguarded in the place where I took it from, you know. Not many Spirits would have stolen a treasure from the cursed shrine where I found it if they were frightened of a Monster like Tyrant Dragon.

"And by the way, since Tyrant Dragon destroyed Slate Warrior, Slate Warrior's effect activates, causing Tyrant Dragon to lose 500 Attack Points."

Tyrant Dragon roared, and fell to an Attack Score of 2,400.

"You didn't forget, did you, my queen?"

"Of course I didn't!" yelled Daala.

She chose a card from her hand.

_As if it matters,_ she thought. _Unless she has a Chainsaw Insect, it's still more than strong enough to defeat anything she can summon with no sacrifice._

She threw a card into her Disk.

"I play Super Rejuvenation! Now, during my End Phase, I get to draw once for each Dragon I sacrificed this turn.

"Okay… I'm moving to my End Phase NOW."

She made two draws.

Her eyes lit up.

She had drawn Lord of Dragons and Polymerization.

_Heh,_ she thought. _Who cares if it loses 500 Attack Points? Next turn, I can summon King Dragun. Then I'll have four Dragons total in my Graveyard and one additional one on the field, so I'll be able to summon F.G.D. as well. I'll destroy anything she summons with King Dragun, and then my best Monster will blast her into next week!_

"My draw," said the Seer.

She made a draw. She considered it for a minute, and then placed it in her Disk.

"I play a facedown," she said, as it appeared on the field.

"Then, I remove from play one Dark and one Wind Monster in my Graveyard…"

Blackland Fire Dragon and Slate Warrior appeared behind her and then faded into nothing.

"One Dark and one Wind Monster?" said Daala. "What the heck? Is this some sort of summoning?"

"Indeed it is…" said Crystal Seer.

A dark tornado started to form in front of her…

"The Dark Exemplar isn't the only remnant of Shogarr's might that I located… I found an ex-employee who'd like a word with its old peers…

"I summon… Dark Simorgh!"

In a burst of wind and darkness, a huge bird with black feathers appeared in front of Crystal Seer. It looked like a dark and evil parody of the famous Simorgh, Bird of Divinity. It glared at Daala, and its eyes turned red, like glowing, hot coals. (2,700/1,000)

"Impossible…" gasped Daala. "It's… It's the one who was lost!"

"Yes, my queen," said the Seer. "I located the lost member of the Dread Council. And it's none too happy with them or anyone who's allied with them.

"And it's going to show you right now. Attack Tyrant Dragon with foul hurricane."

Dark Simorgh beat its mighty wings, and a storm started, causing the desert sands around them to whip up into a sandstorm. Daala braced herself, and Tyrant Dragon roared before exploding.

**(D: 6,800) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 6,000)**

"By the way," said Seer, "as you likely know, all the members of the Dread Council have powers that are twisted versions of the powers that are possessed by their more benign counterparts.

"Dark Simorgh is no different, and it hasn't lost its touch after being away for so long. So long as he's on the field, you aren't allowed to set any cards."

"I can't set cards?" asked Daala.

"That's right," said the Seer. "Meaning you can't defend, nor can you use Trap Cards."

_Doesn't matter!_ thought Daala. _I can summon two powerful Monsters next turn without having to set cards…_

She paused.

_Hey… I just had an idea…_

_Shogarr has been looking for the lost one for centuries… If I brought it back, I'd be rewarded… _

_Maybe I'll sweeten the pot…_

"Oh, Seer?" she said with a smile. "How about we increase the terms of our wager a little?"

"What did you have in mind?" asked the Seer.

"I'll ante my F.G.D. against your Dark Simorgh!" exclaimed Daala.

Crystal Seer closed her eyes.

"A foolish wager," she said. "But I accept nonetheless."

"So…" chuckled Daala. "It's still your move… Anything else?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact," said the Seer.

The facedown card she had set the previous turn lifted.

"I activate Anti-Spell Fragrance."

A smell like strong, burning incense wafted over the field, and Daala's eyes opened in terror.

"When this Continuous Trap is in play," said the Seer, "both players cannot play Spell Cards unless they set them a turn beforehand."

"But that means…" gasped Daala.

"It means that I have you in the ultimate lock," said the Seer. "You are unable to use Spells and Traps at all. And as Yugi Mouto said to Joey Wheeler when the latter first started dueling, you cannot win a duel using only Monsters.

"I'm sure that the Dread Council believes that Dark Simorgh was captured and imprisoned by some enemy. They're wrong. It left via its own free will. You see, my queen, it desired something that all sentient beings desire.

"Independence. It wanted to prove that it could be its own beast, and didn't have to rely on others to help it.

"This strategy proves that it can. I've combined the powers of Jinzo and Horus into one. Dark Simorgh doesn't need to be part of any team to be powerful.

"I haven't Normal Summoned yet, so I'll set a Monster in Defense Mode…"

A facedown Monster appeared.

"And it's your move…"

Daala's hand shook as she drew a card.

She looked at it.

Her eyes lit up with excitement.

_How lucky can you get?_ she thought.

"I summon Decoy Dragon!" she shouted.

In a small burst of smoke, a _little_ baby dragon with blue scales and small wings appeared in front of her. (300/200)

Crystal Seer chuckled.

"Clever…" she said. "If I attacked that little thing, you could Special Summon Tyrant Dragon from your Graveyard and draw the attack to it. You'd have to sacrifice another Dragon, of course, but Decoy Dragon fits the requirements.

"There's only one problem, my queen… I don't have to attack you in order to win… You forget… I'm a seer. Fortunetelling is my specialty."

Her other facedown card lifted, and lightning flashed.

"I activate Destiny Board."

A demonic laughter filled the air, and Daala looked up in fright. A spooky-looking Ouija board materialized above the field, with a fiendish and evil version of Crystal Seer holding the glass.

The evil Seer moved the glass to the letter F, and a flaming, ghostly letter appeared under the board.

"See the full scope of my strategy now, my queen?" asked the Seer. "When my Board's message is complete, you lose. And you can't destroy my Board without Spells or Traps. You certainly wouldn't have Breaker in your deck… You'd never risk using a card whose Spirit might have more loyalty to Yumi."

Daala started to sweat even more.

"I end my turn…" she said.

"That means Destiny Board gets its second letter," said the Seer, as her evil twin moved the glass.

A flaming letter I appeared next to the F.

Crystal Seer drew a card.

"Wait…" said Daala.

The Seer looked at her.

"There's a flaw in your strategy," said Daala.

The Seer stared her in the face.

"You can't complete Destiny Board when you have Anti-Spell Fragrance on the field."

Crystal Seer simply looked at her. She placed a card on her Disk, and another facedown Monster appeared.

"I'm well aware of that," she replied. "It's your move."

Daala drew a card.

It was Heavy Storm.

_OOH!_ she thought. _Tyrexxus is probably laughing his head off right now. And he'll be able to laugh in Shogarr's face if I don't figure out something…_

_I'm going to lose some Life Points, but I have to put something on the field in case she manages to destroy Decoy Dragon, and try to get rid of her other Monsters. She must be planning something with them._

"I summon Masked Dragon!" she shouted.

She played the card, and the rust-red Dragon wearing a metal mask appeared. (1,400/1,100)

"Attack the facedown Monster on the left!" she shouted.

Masked Dragon blasted a stream of fire at the facedown card.

Morphing Jar appeared on the card, and laughed hysterically.

"NO!" screamed Daala.

It was too late. The blast incinerated it.

"Now we have to discard all our cards and draw five more," said Crystal Seer.

Daala bowed her head. She discarded the five cards in her hand – her Heavy Storm and the cards that were required to summon two of her best Monsters. Crystal Seer mostly benefited from it, because she only had to discard one card.

Both of them made five draws.

Daala looked at her new hand. Were the gods taunting her? She now had Pot of Greed and Monster Reborn, but both were worthless.

"I move Decoy Dragon to Defense Mode, and end my turn…" she muttered.

Decoy Dragon sat and shielded itself.

"And my Destiny Board continues to count down to your destruction," said Crystal Seer.

Her doppelganger's hand moved again, and a flaming letter N appeared.

"Draw…" said Crystal Seer.

She drew a sixth card.

"Dark Simorgh," she said, "blow Masked Dragon away."

The dark storm started again, and Masked Dragon was blown to bits.

"I use Masked Dragon's effect," muttered Daala. "I get to summon another weak Dragon. So I'll summon a second one in Defense Mode."

Another Masked Dragon appeared. (1,400/1,100)

"Your move," said the Seer.

**(D: 5,500) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 6,000)**

"I draw…" said Daala.

She drew a card.

"I summon Luster Dragon…" she muttered.

In a burst of energy, the beautiful, sapphire Dragon appeared. (1,900/1700)

"I end my turn."

The evil Seer moved her hand again, and the letter A appeared.

"So now what?" asked Daala, with a scowl.

"I'll show you," said Crystal Seer, drawing a card.

"I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior. Unlike you, I have no fear of him."

In a burst of energy, Breaker appeared, holding his sword and shield aloft. (1,600/1,000) –) (1,900/1,000)

_You gotta be kidding me…_ thought Daala.

"Breaker," said the Seer. "Break Anti-Spell Fragrance."

Breaker's shield glowed, and the Trap Card shattered.

"Now," continued the Seer, "I play Double Summon. This allows me a second Norman Summon this turn.

"So, I'll sacrifice Breaker and my facedown Monster…"

Breaker and the concealed Monster vanished…

"To summon a creature that represents a more benign side of Chaos… I summon Light and Darkness Dragon."

She held up a card, and a beam of light fell from the heavens. A creature appeared, unfolding its wings like some great bird, even bigger than Dark Simorgh. One half of its body was white, and had a large, feathered wing. The other half was black, and had a large, batlike wing. It had two tails, and radiated a pulsating aura. (2,800/2,400)

"Now you see my solution to the problem you mentioned," said the Seer. "Try to destroy my Destiny Board if you think you can, but my Dragon can negate any and all card effects you play.

"And just to spite you… Attack her Luster Dragon with Shining Breath."

Light and Darkness Dragon's eyes shimmered in the dim light, and it blasted a beam of pure energy at Luster Dragon. The smaller Dragon exploded in a burst of flame.

**(D: 4,600) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 6,000)**

"My turn is over," said Crystal Seer. "And as soon as your turn ends, so does this duel."

"Heh, heh, heh…" chuckled Daala, as she drew a card.

"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" she laughed.

"You dare to challenge the Dragon Queen to a battle of Dragons? I know all about Light and Darkness Dragon, and I know its powers… And I also know its weaknesses!

"First, I'll sacrifice Decoy Dragon to summon Luster Dragon #2."

Decoy Dragon vanished, and in a brilliant burst of blue energy, the beautiful gemstone Dragon appeared. (2,400/1,400)

"Next, I play the Spell Card, Dragon's Gunfire. Since I have a Dragon on the field, this lets me inflict 800 points of direct damage to my opponent.

"But that isn't gonna happen… You know why? As you said, Light and Darkness Dragon is going to negate it. Its effect isn't optional, and activates automatically whenever _any_ effect is activated. And whenever it negates an effect, it loses 500 Attack and Defense Points!

"Thought I didn't know that, did you?"

Light and Darkness Dragon fell to (2,300/1,900) and Daala's Spell Card shattered.

"Now that your Dragon has been cut down to size… Luster Dragon #2, attack Light and Darkness Dragon with emerald flash!"

Luster Dragon breathed a blast of green energy, and Light and Darkness Dragon screamed before exploding into white and black globules.

"Now Light and Darkness Dragon's final effect activates," said Daala, with a wicked smile. "You choose one Monster in your Graveyard. Once you've chosen it, all cards on your field are destroyed. Then, you Special Summon the chosen Monster."

Crystal Seer glared at her.

"Very well," she said.

She took a card from her discard slot.

Dark Simorgh and the whole Destiny Board burst into shards.

"The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave, in Defense Mode," said Crystal Seer.

The large, rocky, elderly Dragon appeared. (1,300/2,000)

"Huh?" said Daala. "When was that in your Graveyard?"

"Think back," said the Seer.

Daala paused.

Then she remembered.

"_So, I'll sacrifice Breaker and my facedown Monster, To summon a creature that represents a more benign side of Chaos…"_

"Fine," muttered Daala. "I move to my second Main Phase. Now that I can play Spells again, I play Pot of Greed."

She played the card, and drew twice.

"Next, I play Monster Reborn."

The holy ankh appeared, and Luster Dragon #1 appeared again in a flash of light. (1,900/1,600)

"Next, I play… Magical Stone Excavation. I'll discard two cards…"

She discarded her Cave Dragon and Burial From a Different Dimension.

"To get back my Dragon's Mirror."

The Spell Card slipped out of her discard slot.

"Now… I'll play it!"

She played the card, and Cave Dragon, both Troop Dragons, Decoy Dragon, and Masked Dragon appeared behind her. They vanished into nothing…

With a bellowing roar, the titanic form of F.G.D. appeared behind her. (5,000/5,000)

"Heh, heh…" she said. "Your move…"

**(D: 4,600) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 5,900)**

Crystal Seer drew a card.

She added it to her hand, and the placed two cards in her Disk. A facedown card and a facedown Monster appeared.

"And… That will be all," she said.

Daala drew a card.

_The facedown card is clearly a Trap that will halt or kill my F.G.D.,_ she thought, taking a card from her hand. _Well, sorry, Seer, it won't work…_

"I summon Mirage Dragon!" she shouted.

She played the card, and the wispy, translucent Dragon appeared. (1,600/600)

"With him around, you can't activate Traps during the Battle Phase.

"I'll move Masked Dragon into Attack Mode too…"

Masked Dragon stood up.

"F.G.D… Attack her Dragon with Pentecost Holocaust!"

The titan blasted its five bursts of energy, and the twilight was lit up as The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave was blown to slag.

"Now, Luster Dragon #2, attack her facedown Monster!"

The large Dragon blasted its emerald flash at the facedown card, and a Light Lindworm appeared on the card. It was blown to bits.

"Sorry, my queen," said Crystal Seer, "but this facedown card is one that your Dragon cannot stop…"

Her facedown Quickplay Spell lifted.

"Guidance to Light and Darkness?" asked Daala. "What does that do?"

"I can activate this when one of my Dragons is destroyed," said Crystal Seer, "and since you just blasted my Dragon to Kingdom Come, that condition is fulfilled.

"Now, I can remove my Light and Darkness Dragon from play…"

The card slipped out of her discard slot, and she placed it inside her robe.

"…and in return, I can summon a Light or Dark Attribute Dragon from my hand.

"I choose to summon Seiyaryu."

She threw a card on her Disk, and a large Dragon glowing with an aura of light appeared. It had violet skin, a bird-like face, and wings that were partially feathered. (2,500/2,300)

"And since the only Monster you have that is capable of defeating it has already attacked, I'm safe for this turn."

"Yeah?" chuckled Daala. "You've only bought yourself a turn. Next turn, my great beast will wipe it out, and everyone else I have is going straight for you!

"Unless you move it to Defense Mode, in which case my Luster Dragon is going to wipe it out…

"I'll play a facedown, and that will be all."

She set a card, and a facedown card appeared.

The Seer drew a card.

"First, I summon Axe Dragonute," she said.

She played the card, and a fierce-looking Dragon-man with black scales and wings, holding an axe appeared. (2,000/1,200)

"Now, I play a powerful Spell Card… The dreaded Riyoku."

"You wouldn't!" yelled Daala.

"I would," said the Seer, as the card appeared. "This takes half of F.G.D.'s Attack Score, and adds it to Seiyaryu's."

F.G.D.'s Attack Score became 2,500, while Seiyaryu's became 5,000.

"And by the way, since Seiyaryu is a Light Monster, it's just the right type of Monster that can defeat you great beast.

"Seiyaryu… Attack the F.G.D."

Seiyaryu blasted a beam of pure light from its jaws, and F.G.D. exploded into flaming debris.

"Axe Dragonute, attack Mirage Dragon."

Axe Dragonute slammed its axe down, slicing Mirage Dragon in half. The remains shattered.

"Axe Dragonute now must move into Defense Mode," said the Seer, as the Dragon-man knelt and shielded itself with its axe. "But since he can't stand up to Luster Dragon #2, that's somewhat of a benefit. And now that Mirage Dragon is gone, I play the Field Spell Luminous Spark."

Her Field slot opened, and she placed a card in it. The twilight lit up as a bright light wafted over the field.

"I end my turn."

Seiyaryu fell to an Attack Score of 3,000.

**(D: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 5,900)**

Daala started to tremble…

But it wasn't with fear this time…

She was trembling with rage.

"NO!" she screamed to the sky.

"NO! No, no, no! I'm not gonna lose again!"

An aura of dark flames surrounded her like a bonfire.

"I'm the Queen of Xanadu! I'm the Princess of Chaos!

"I will NOT be beaten! I will not lose the Dark Exemplar!"

She quickly drew a card.

"Heh, heh, heh…" she chuckled, looking at it.

"I sacrifice Masked Dragon…"

Masked Dragon disappeared.

"To summon White-Horned Dragon!"

In a burst of dark energy, a new Dragon appeared. It was a fiendish, red-scaled Dragon, with a long, white, crystal horn on its forehead. (2,200/1,400)

"When White-Horned Dragon is summoned, I get to remove up to five Spell Cards in your Graveyard from play!"

Images of Both Sides, Double Summon, and the three Spirit Messages appeared behind Crystal Seer, and then burst into grains of light.

"And for each one I just removed, White-Horned Dragon gains 300 Attack Points!"

(3,700/1,400)

"Attack Seiyaryu! Horn drive buster!"

White-Horned Dragon's single horn glowed with blinding light. It flew at Seiyaryu horn-first, and Seiyaryu exploded. Crystal Seer cringed.

"Luster Dragon, destroy Axe Dragonute!"

The smaller Luster Dragon blasted a beam of blue energy, and Axe Dragonute burst into shards.

"I'm not done with you… Luster Dragon #2 attacks you directly!"

Luster Dragon #2 blasted its emerald flash at Crystal Seer, and she staggered under the blow.

"I'm still not done…" growled Daala, as her facedown card lifted. "Go, Call of the Haunted!

"I'll sacrifice Luster Dragon, so my Tyrant Dragon can return!"

Luster Dragon shattered into shards, and Tyrant Dragon loomed over the field again. (2,900/2,500)

"Attack her directly!" screamed Daala. "Imperial inferno!"

Tyrant Dragon mercilessly blasted its flame at Crystal Seer. The Spellcaster screamed and fell over.

**(D: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 0)**

Daala stood over Crystal Seer.

"You lost…" she growled. "Hand them over."

Crystal Seer looked up at Daala.

She tossed the Dark Exemplar and Dark Simorgh, and they landed at Daala's feet.

"I always keep my word," she said. "But beware, my queen…

"As soon as you pick them up, the first stage of Shogarr's master plan will begin… And then… For you, there is truly no turning back. If you turn out the loser of this conflict, the divine punishments you will receive will be doled out with no mercy."

Daala bent down and picked up the cards.

"I'll take my chances," she said. "And as for you, you'll rot in prison for the rest of your…"

She looked up.

Crystal Seer was gone.

She looked around. Nothing. Via some trick of magic, the Spellcaster had fled.

Daala looked at the two cards in her hand.

_At least I have the Dark Exemplar,_ she thought. _And once Llymic channels the Council's power to give it a new body, my new deck will be stronger than ever…_

_Yumi won't be walking away from the next one…_

She was a little worried about the Seer escaping… Clearly, this Duel Spirit knew too much. Well, she was a fugitive now, and since she had lost the duel, Joan's dictum could no longer protect her. Just as soon as she even caught a glimpse of the wily Spellcaster, her hand would come down, and it would be all over for her.

She didn't know that she wouldn't be seeing the Crystal Seer again. The Spellcaster – or rather someone who had been disguised as the Crystal Seer the whole time – was hiding behind a rocky ledge not far away, and had no intention of ever using that disguise again.

She sighed. It was not what she had hoped, but it was more than she had expected. At least she had been able to get close enough to her enemy to study her, something that she had not been able to do since they had last encountered each other.

Next time, she confronted Daala, she would be more prepared.

She quickly removed the blue and red costume, letting her long, black hair down, and revealing a black spandex suit. A white mask appeared on her face.

Vita took one last look at Daala, and then disappeared into the night.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"My friends," said Joan, "a toast…"

She raised a glass.

"We have achieved more success in the last four days than we did in the proceeding years. The energy of four Realms is now ours to command. Daala's executioner is gone. And the army of the resistance grows at a more rapid pace than it ever did before.

"We now have enough power to attempt to invade the two most dangerous Realms…

"Tomorrow, we will make our move on the Flaming Peaks. Atticus is in charge of that area, as Jesse already told you, and he'll be there to guide you."

"Will you be coming too, Ms. Arachne?" asked Ren.

"I'll leave that to you kids," said Sheena. "I'm no spring chicken, after all. I have to stay here and work on a way to break through Daala's barriers and communicate with Domino. We have to warn them somehow that Daala is planning to invade.

"Oh, and Yumi…"

She walked up to Yumi, and handed her the card.

"I'll trust you with this…" she said. "It is the key to Daala's defeat…"

As Sheena explained it to Yumi, Joan walked up to Ren.

"I have a card for you as well, Ren," she said.

She handed him a Spell Card.

"Well, gee, Joan, thanks…" said Ren, looking at it, "but this isn't really my thing…"

"Trust me, Ren," said Joan. "I believe that card may well mean the difference between victory and defeat…"

Ren took a long look at the card.

He slowly shuffled it into his deck.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the palace at the core, Skull Knight spoke into a phone.

"It's almost time, my protégé…" he said. "Go to the Flaming Peaks and wait…

"Remember all I taught you…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**AXE DRAGONUTE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Dragon/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 2,000  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description:** If this card attacks, switch it to face-up Defense Position at the end of the Damage Step.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK SIMORGH (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Winged Beast/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,700  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description:** This card is also considered a WIND Monster. This card may be Special Summoned from your hand by removing one DARK Monster and one WIND Monster in your Graveyard from play. You may Special Summon this card from your Graveyard by removing one DARK Monster and one WIND Monster in your hand from play. While you control this face-up card, your opponent cannot set (or flip facedown) any cards.

_Note: "Axe Dragonute" and "Dark Simorgh" are Japanese cards that have not yet been released in the United States._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GUIDANCE TO LIGHT AND DARKNESS (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** Light and Darkness Dragon, with a glowing jewel on its chest.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when one of your Dragon-Type Monsters is destroyed. Remove one "Light and Darkness Dragon" in your Graveyard from play. Then, Special Summon one DARK or LIGHT Dragon-Type Monster from your hand.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**LIGHT LINDWORM (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Dragon  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,900  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Flavor Text:** _An ancestor of modern Dragons, the Lindworms were until recently thought to be extinct. Their lack of wings distinguishes them from their modern kin._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BOTH SIDES (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** A burst of energy, the right side black against a white background, and the left side white against a black background.

**Card Description:** Choose one of the following two effects:

Tribute a face-up LIGHT Monster you control. Special Summon a DARK Monster of the same Level from your hand or deck.

Tribute a face-up DARK Monster you control. Special Summon a LIGHT Monster of the same Level from your hand or deck.

_Note: The proceeding three cards were all used by Chazz Princeton's Manga counterpart in various issues of the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" Manga. Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**Who is Skull Knight's mysterious protégé? She's someone who knows Yumi, and who has grown to hate her out of a misguided interpretation of the facts. Next chapter, she forces Ren into a hard and painful duel, with a deck that has a powerful advantage over no less than four of the heroes' decks.**_

_**Some would say that nothing is worse than being alone in the world. "Where it Hurts" is coming soon.**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Name that Card!**_

_**Strangely enough, the six Attribute Search Monsters are not used very often in the anime, despite their usefulness. Which of these six guys was the first to appear in the anime? Can you name it?**_


	37. Where It Hurts

_**Which Attribute Searcher was the first ever seen in the anime? If you said "Mystic Tomato" (played by Arkana in his duel with Yugi) you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Okay, this one has taken me COMPLETELY off-guard.**_

_**It seems Daala has truly sunk to a new low. The Duel Spirit facing me does not exactly fit the profile of the embodiment of evil. On the contrary, her appearance suggests childhood, a blissful and innocent state that we all wish we could never leave. But all mortals must leave it behind eventually, when we are ready to make the jump from childhood to adulthood.**_

_**I would think this Duel Spirit was lucky in that regard. Her form is fixed, and she is immortal, so she not only has childhood, she'll have it forever, never having to grow up and face the drudgery of growing old…**_

_**Or so I thought. She has more pain in her than any child deserves to have.**_

_**The fact that I'm comparing this to fighting my little sister… that alone makes this situation seem like a bad dream. But even worse, the reason she's working for Daala is due to her misguided interpretation of how Yumi treated her. I have no doubt that Daala has been filling her head with lies.**_

_**What do I do? If I lose, it will be as far as I go in Xanadu… Daala's death sentence still stands on my group… But if I win, I may hate myself for a long time…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Where it Hurts**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The sun rose over Nexus, but it wasn't quite right this time. A chilly wind blew out of the path to Darkspire, and thick clouds tried to obscure the sun at times. It tried its best to burn through them, and it wasn't clear who would eventually win.

Ren had finished breakfast quickly, and was looking at the card Joan had given him closely.

"So, Joan…" muttered Chelsea. "What are the Flaming Peaks like?"

"As its name suggests," replied Joan. "Towering, active volcanoes… Rivers of lava, the smell of brimstone… It is what most imagine Hell to be like."

"Unless you're a Fire Monster," added Sam. "Then it would likely be Heaven."

"Good point," said Joan. "Speaking of which…"

There was a loud chime.

Joan turned towards the door.

"A visitor?" she mused. "But why didn't I detect his presence?"

Yumi looked at her allies.

"We'll go check it out…" she said.

They walked towards the front doors, and they slowly opened.

Yumi gasped in shock. There was a _huge_ Dragon sitting in front of the temple!

Everyone backed away, and their Disks activated. The Dragon was not reptilian, like most Dragons. It brought to mind a huge bird-like creature, covered in golden armor, with wings that suggested metal feathers, and a long tail.

"Uh, Joan?" called Erik. "I think it's for you…"

The giant Dragon looked at Yumi's group as Joan cautiously looked.

"Horus!" she gasped.

"What is Horus doing here?" gasped Chelsea.

"I'd say, anything he wants," gulped Ren.

All at the same time, the five mortals and the Fairy Spirit heard a telepathic voice in their heads. It was deep and commanding, and had an aura of great wisdom.

"_**Mortals,"**_ he said, _**"listen to what I say, commit it to memory, and hope that your minds make more sense of it than I could. **_

"_**Evil comes in the form of dark, armored flame, a presence that causes the very sun from which I was spawned to hide in fear. Be cautious in what powers you use to combat it, for it steals the energy from magics that are used against it to recruit its allies from the dead…**_

"_**Beware…"**_

Then the great Dragon turned and spread his wings.

"Wait…" said Yumi.

"I think you'd better let him go…" muttered Sam. "That is one Duel Spirit I don't wanna mess with…"

They watched as Horus the Black Flame Dragon rose into the sky and flew away, heading towards the Burnt Paradise.

"Odd…" said Joan, ominously. "Horus is an incredibly aloof Spirit. He rarely speaks at all to less powerful beings…

"In fact the last time he did was…"

She gasped.

"When?" asked Yumi.

"Was when Dartz began his plan to wake the Leviathan using the power of the Orichalcos!" gasped Joan.

"What are you saying, Joan?" shouted Erik. "Horus only talks when someone wants to destroy the world? Is that what you're saying?"

Joan slowly nodded.

"He appeared to the Spirit of Dark Magician Girl long before she contacted Yumi's grandfather…" she said, "and delivered a warning, which was as cryptic as that one…

"This may be a sign, children… A sign that Shogarr is making his move…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I should have had a word with mom before we left…" muttered Sam. "Investing in that 20-year annuity may not be as good an idea as she thought…"

"Oh, knock it off!" yelled Chelsea. "I can't believe this! The signs of the apocalypse are starting to come, and you're making jokes!"

"_Both_ of you, stop it!" shouted Yumi. "In case you forgot, when Shogarr finally decides to put his plan into action, _I'm_ the one who has to try to stop him!

"And we still don't even know how he intends to do it… All we know is, it involves some 'Great Helm' of some sort…"

"What is that anyway, a helmet?" asked Ren.

"I would assume so," said Yumi, with a shrug. "But we don't know if this plan of his involves him wearing it, or someone else wearing it, if it's worn at all...

"For all we know, it may involve tricking someone – or even forcing someone – to wear it…"

As they walked down the path, the odd special effect of Xanadu occurred again, and this time, it hit them like a sledgehammer. They were beset with even worse heat than they had been in the Burnt Paradise, made even worse by the fact that a stream of lava was blocking their path.

"ARGH!" screamed Chelsea. "This is…"

"Run back to the border!" shouted Yumi. "We'll be cooked if we stay here!"

Up ahead of them, someone lifted up a card.

Then a blast of freezing air blew across them, and they started to calm down as it cooled them off.

They looked up, and saw the duelist. A handsome young man with long, brown hair, wearing a red shirt with a Hawaii-style floral pattern, and black trousers. The card he was holding was Cold Wave.

He smirked.

"Atticus Rhodes?" asked Yumi.

"That's right!" he said with a grin. "The Blizzard Prince, in more ways than one."

"Not a moment too soon…" said Erik. "I take it Joan put you in charge?"

Atticus nodded.

"The Flaming Peaks are incredibly dangerous," he said. "Ironically, only the Frozen Wastes are worse than this – except, maybe, the Core itself. The wildlife is mostly Fire Spirits and other Spirits who don't mind the heat.

"The Monsters in my deck not only don't mind, they're strong enough to deal with most anything that comes along."

"So," said Yumi, "how far is it to the Lord's fortress?"

"We have a pretty good idea who he is, by the way," said Sam. "Our side decks are ready to make our decks less dependent on Traps when we meet him."

"Actually, not far," said Atticus. "Only about five miles as the crow flies…

"The problem is, in the Flaming Peaks, to travel as the crow flies, you actually have to fly… And with the threat of eruptions, the Sacred Phoenix is the only one who dares do so."

"The Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys?" gasped Chelsea.

"Yeah," chuckled Atticus. "Maybe we'll be lucky enough to see her…"

Yumi sighed.

"Well…"she said. "Lead on…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"So, Atticus…" said Yumi, "I heard that the real Atticus Rhodes had two copies of Red Eyes in his deck…"

"Three, actually," said Atticus. "The deck was given to him by Nightshroud, who had a much easier time getting rare cards than your grandfathers did. And the deck had ways to use Red Eyes that they never knew existed.

"But after Nightshroud was beaten by Zane, the deck itself was purged of his influence, and Atticus could use it safely. He even tried to get information from Nightshroud by letting him back on purpose…

"Not the best idea, but it did answer some questions…

"Anyway, Joan was able to duplicate the deck, and since Nightshroud never touched this version to begin with…"

He stopped. His eyes narrowed.

"We're being followed…"

Everyone stopped. They looked around.

"There!" shouted Ren.

He pointed to a low, rocky ridge. A small pair of black protrusions that could best be described as bunny ears were behind it.

"Come over here!" called Ren, rushing to the ridge.

The ears started to move, but Ren quickly grabbed them.

"Let go!" demanded a voice that sounded like a young girl.

Ren lifted the ears up, lifting the girl who was wearing them with them. She looked no more than ten, dressed in a black, fancy dress. The ears were part of a hood she was wearing.

"What the…" said Yumi. "Ebon Magician Curran?"

The Spellcaster frowned. She gave Ren a kick, and he yelled, dropping her.

"So nice to see that you remember, Yumi," she said. "It's been a while…"

"Huh?" said Yumi. "Been a while? We've never met…"

"Have we?" asked Curran, with a bitter tone in her voice. "Think back, Yumi… Think back to when you dueled before Duelatopia…"

Yumi looked at her.

"Oh… My… God…" gasped Yumi.

"What, Yumi?" asked Chelsea.

"Don't you remember, Chelsea?" asked Yumi. "Before I reworked my deck for Duelatopia, it had Ebon Magician Curran in it…

"Curran, don't tell me that the card…"

"As a Duel Spirit, that card was my vessel that tied me to your world, Yumi," said Curran. "I was a part of your deck… And I had fun being a part of it, while it lasted…

"But it didn't last. Eventually, you decided I wasn't good enough, and sealed my card in a deck case."

She sighed.

"And for me, that was torture! You see, Yumi, for a long time, via a cruel twist of fate, I have been cursed with agonizing claustrophobia!"

"Curran…" muttered Yumi, sadly. "I… I didn't know… But… I couldn't find room for you in my deck any more… You didn't fit… My deck was Beatdown, not Burn…"

Curran sighed again.

"For what seemed to be an age, I was locked in that deck case…" she muttered. "Sobbing and shielding myself from the suffocating pressure, and all alone too, because no other cards in that case bore Spirits…

"Just when I thought I would die from it, you opened it, letting me out when you reworked your deck just before your duel with Rasputin in the finals of Duelatopia. I rejoiced. I could breathe the open air. And I held onto hope that I'd find a place in your deck again…

"Sadly, I didn't. But at least I was free of that awful case. I watched as you dueled, still showing loyalty…

"I watched all the way through that terrible duel with Samen. And I even watched as the Lord of the Second Circle, Dispater the Iron Duke himself, appeared to confront you! I was terrified. His evil is well-known, on all worlds, even the one where I was born.

"He saw me before I saw him! I can only assume he regarded me as too insignificant to even bring back to Dis as a slave girl.

"Did I run? No… I was too concerned for you…

"But the breaking point came when you collected Samen's cards, the Six Samurai. You promised to give them a better home… An act of compassion you never considered for me…

"It was too much… I wrenched myself free of that card, hurting myself severely in the process. Then I ran away, crying my eyes out…

"…and I didn't stop running until I found someone who sympathized… Someone who was looking for Spirits interested in serving his mistress."

"Daala…" muttered Yumi.

Curran nodded. A Duel Disk appeared on her arm.

"It's been a long time, Yumi…"she said. "You hurt me, and I'm ready to hurt back."

"Curran, wait!" urged Ren. "Don't you see that Daala is shifting the blame? Yumi had no power to see Spirits… None of us did! We know that you're upset, but…"

"Maybe you'd like to duel me then, Ren," said Curran with a smirk. "I don't want to duel Yumi right now anyway… I'll save her for later."

"Duel you?" asked Ren. "That would be like dueling my little sister!"

"You want me to stand on a stepladder?" asked Curran. "Duel me… Or I'll tell every Spirit I come across that one of Joan's champions was too afraid to duel little Curran."

"Ren…" said Sam, "you'd better duel her. Joan does _not_ need that kind of rumor spreading."

Ren sighed, and placed his deck in his Disk.

He looked at the Disk that Curran was using. It was a Kaibacorp Junior X22, a model designed for grade school children, built at a scale for someone their size (although it wasn't very popular, because parents who allowed grade school kids to duel using Disks were very rare). The situation would almost be humorous if she wasn't so serious.

Curran looked at her deck.

_I know more about Yumi and her friends than I led on,_ she thought. _All of them except Erik share one thing in common with their strategies… The Dark Attribute._

_And who knows more about the weaknesses of Dark Monsters than a Spirit who is one?_

_So I can start my plan in earnest… I'll defeat them one by one, and save Yumi for last. By the time I get to her, she'll truly know what it's like to be alone._

"We'll be using Deck Lords, by the way," she said.

"Oh…" said Ren.

Penumbral Soldier Lady appeared behind him in a burst of shadow.

"And as you likely know by now, I'll be my own."

"Fine," said Ren.

"Game on!" they shouted.

**(Ren: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Curran: 8,000)**

"So, what do you think we can expect from Curran?" asked Chelsea.

"Beats me," said Atticus. "A Burn Deck, maybe?"

Curran drew her first card, and looked at it.

"Let's see you handle this," she said. "I summon…"

She placed a card on her Disk.

"The White Magical Hat!"

In a burst of silvery magic, a tall gentleman wearing a blue tuxedo, a white cape, and true to his name, a white top hat, along with a monocle, appeared. (1,000/700)

"Don't expect him to pull a rabbit out of _his_ hat," said Curran. "I'll set a facedown, and that will be all for now."

A facedown card appeared.

Ren drew his first card.

_The facedown card is more than likely a Trap,_ he thought, _and the weak Monster is bait… But I have to do something…_

"I summon… Dark Blade!" he exclaimed.

In a burst, the dark, sword-wielding Warrior appeared.

"I was hoping you'd do that," chuckled Curran. "Trap activate…"

Her facedown card lifted up, showing a picture of her and White Magician Pikeru fighting.

"A Rival Appears!" laughed Curran. "This lets me Special Summon a Monster from my hand that's the same Level as the one you just summoned.

"Since Dark Blade is Level Four, I'll summon Voltech Kong."

In a burst of electricity, a large ape with orange fur, surrounded by an aura of electricity appeared. (1,800/1,000)

'Who's that?" asked Ren. "Some distant cousin of Berserk Gorilla?"

"Yes, but he doesn't have as much of an anger management problem," said Curran. "Still your move…"

Ren looked at the two Monsters.

_I don't know what her gorilla can do,_ he thought, _but I do know about White Magical Hat, and he can be dangerous. And since she has no more facedown cards…_

"Attack the White Magical Hat! Dark sword slash!"

Dark blade made a swipe with his blade. The Spellcaster groaned before being blasted into pixels.

**(R: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 7,200)**

"Your Hat bit the dust," said Ren.

"Eh, I never liked him much anyway," said Curran with a shrug. "I was just using him to draw you out so I could enact my real strategy."

Ren looked at her.

"I play a facedown, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared behind Dark Blade.

Curran made a draw, and looked at it.

The Field Slot on her Disk opened, and she placed a card in it.

"I play Luminous Spark!" she exclaimed.

A bright wash of light wafted over the field.

"This Field empowers my Light Monsters, giving them 500 more Attack Points in exchange for 400 Defense."

Voltech Kong changed to (2,300/600)

"Now, I summon Hoshiningen."

In a burst of shining motes, a big star with a smiling face wearing boots appeared in front of her. (500/700) –) (1,000/300)

"Hoshiningen strengthens Light Monsters even more…"

Voltech Kong grew to (2,800/600), while Hoshiningen itself grew to (1,500/300)

"…but Dark Monsters… They aren't so lucky…"

Dark Blade groaned, and fell to an Attack Score of 1,400.

"Yeah?" said Ren. "Well, you activated MY Trap!"

His facedown card lifted.

"Hidden Soldiers. Since you summoned a Monster, this lets me Special Summon a Dark Monster. So I'll summon Familiar Knight in Defense Mode."

The armored, sword-wielding knight appeared, kneeling and holding up his shield. (1,200/1,400) –) (800/1,400)

Curran chuckled.

"He won't protect you…" she said with a grin. "Voltech Kong, attack Dark Blade with primal spark."

Voltech Kong roared, and lifted its arms up. It thrust them forward, and threw a blast of electricity at the Warrior. He burst into shards…

And then Ren screamed in pain as the same electric aura surrounded him.

"Why…" he gasped. "Why did that hurt so much? Shouldn't I have just lost some Life Points?"

Curran grinned a wicked grin.

"It's my Deck Lord ability, Ren," she said. "Pain Mirror! Whenever I crush one of your Monsters, you lose an extra 700 Life Points…

"AND, you also share the pain that your destroyed Monster feels. Fitting, isn't it?"

"What?" gasped Yumi. "That's so powerful… It has to be a Greater Power…"

Curran looked at Yumi.

"Curran, how long have you been working for Daala?" she demanded. "How many of Joan's men are at her mercy because of you?"

"I don't have to answer that, Yumi, and I won't," she replied. "For now, Voltech Kong's effect activates, and you lose one card from your deck for each Light Monster I have."

Ren gasped as two cards flew off his deck and vanished.

"Now my Hoshiningen attacks Familiar Knight. Shining comet!"

A shimmering shower of stars shot from the Fairy with the sound of ringing chimes, and Familiar Knight burst into pixels. Ren screamed again.

"His effect activates…" he muttered. "Both players can Special Summon a Level Four Monster from their hands…

"Armageddon Knight, Defense Mode!"

In a burst of energy, Armageddon Knight appeared, crouching in Defense Mode. (1,400/1,200) –) (1,000/1,200)

"Still want more?" asked Curran. "Mystical Elf, Attack Mode."

The delicate, blue-skinned elf appeared. (800/2,000) –) (1,800/1,600)

She put her hands together and formed an orb of light between them. She threw it at the Warrior and he burst into shards. Ren screamed again.

"And… That should be enough…" said Curran.

**(R: 4,500) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 7,200)**

Ren slowly took some deep breaths.

_I was careless,_ he thought. _I have to remember that she's only a child on the outside. Underneath, she's just like any other Duel Spirit, as hard as it is to believe. One who works for Daala who has a powerful strategy…_

He drew a card.

_Well, no-one ever said this would be pretty…_

He played the card, and Pot of Greed appeared on his side of the field. He drew twice.

"I'll set a couple of facedowns," he said.

Two facedown cards appeared in front of him.

"I activate my own Deck Lord effect," he said, "and thanks to Johnson, I've upgraded her abilities to a Greater Power of her own."

Penumbral Soldier Lady started to glow with energy.

"Once per turn, if I have no Monsters on the field, I can Special Summon a Dark Warrior from my Graveyard without paying a dime. So I'll bring out the one I sent there with Armageddon Knight's effect."

Total Defense Shogun appeared, holding up his shield in Defense Mode. (1,550/2,500) – (1,150/2,500)

"When was he in your…" started Curran.

Then she stopped.

"Oh yeah… Voltech Kong's effect… Of course…

"My move…"

She drew a card.

She looked at it. It was Coins From Heaven.

_Should be safe to use this,_ she thought. _After all, I can end this on this turn… Ren won't get a chance to use what he draws._

"I play Coins From Heaven!" she shouted.

The sky opened up, and gold coins rained from above.

Curran drew five cards, while Ren drew four.

Curran quickly chose one.

"I summon White Magician Pikeru," she said.

In a gentle aura of light, a different child Spellcaster appeared. She was dressed in a white gown, held a bejeweled scepter, and wore a hat over her long, blonde braids shaped like a Scapegoat. (1,200/0) –) (2,200/0)

Curran looked at her and made a sad look…

"Why'd you bring her out?" asked Yumi. "I thought the two of you hated each other."

"Yeah," muttered Sam. "Everyone knows about the rivalry between the two of you…"

"That's none of your business!" snapped Curran.

"What?" asked Yumi. "Is something wrong? Is there something you want to tell us?"

"If you must know…" muttered Curran.

She sighed.

"…Pikeru… Isn't around any more…"

"Huh?" asked Sam. "What do you mean?"

"I said it's none of your business!" shouted Curran. "Voltech Kong, attack Total Defense Shogun!"

Kong threw its lightning bolts at the Shogun…

"I activate… Dust Tornado!" exclaimed Ren, as one of his facedown cards lifted. "Now I can destroy your Luminous Spark!"

The Tornado ripped across the field, and the bright light subsided. All four of Curran's Monsters lost 500 Attack Points, and Shogun swatted Kong's bolt aside, causing the ape to fall on its back.

"Now, I'll chain Emergency Provisions," continued Ren, as his second facedown card lifted, "and sacrifice Dust Tornado."

The Dust Tornado vanished into grains of light.

Curran let out a long sigh.

"I move Mystical Elf and Hoshiningen into Defense Mode…" she said.

The elf knelt and folded her arms. The star-man crouched down.

"…and I end my turn…"

**(R: 5,500) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 7,000)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Pikeru isn't around any more."

That's all she ever told anyone who inquired about White Magician Pikeru, even Daala and Skull Knight. It was all she would say about the one who was painted as the eternal rival of Ebon Magician Curran. Only Pikeru and Curran knew the truth of the matter regarding their supposed rivalry.

Long before Curran had met Yumi, the two Spellcasters lived in the same castle in the dimension where Spellcasters were the rulers. They were thus part of the upper class, although as low-Level Spirits, they were very low on the totem pole of the nobility. But they didn't mind. Despite their rivalry, Pikeru and Curran did share a bond, and though neither of them would admit it, they were, in reality, closer friends than could be found.

One day, an earthquake of insane proportions struck their castle, and it slowly collapsed. As everyone was evacuating, Curran was about to be crushed under a falling chunk of stone from the ceiling, when Pikeru tackled her out of the way. Neither of them were hurt, but both were trapped under the rock, unable to escape… In an enclosed area. Air began to run out…

Finally, a blast of magic shattered the stone that entrapped Curran, enabling her to crawl to safety. She recognized the blast as Pikeru's magic. Curran blacked out at the last moment, and when she finally came to, Pikeru was nowhere to be seen. Curran never saw her again, never knew what happened to her, and the experience left her with terrible claustrophobia.

Crushed and alone, Curran wandered the Twelve Dimensions for some time, until she found a portal and took it…

…which was where she met Yumi. She decided to stay with her to forget about the tragedy, and it worked for a time… Until she was abandoned.

It was too much for any Spirit to take. And when Skull Knight found her, the stronger Spellcaster offered her guidance and a purpose. Curran was so depressed at the time, she was willing to accept anyone's help. Maybe she felt a little sorry for the members of the rebellion that she had to defeat… But Skull Knight had turned her sadness into rage, and she wouldn't be satisfied until her misguided anger was quelled.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"My move," said Ren, drawing a card.

He looked over the seven cards in his hand.

"I summon Double Pinaska."

In a flourish of rapiers, the mustachioed Spaniard appeared. (1,500/1,500) –) (1,100/1,500)

"He's still weakened by my Hoshiningen," replied Curran.

"I know," said Ren, "so that's what I'm taking out first! Double Pinaska, attack that star-man!"

With one swipe of the buccaneer's rapier, Hoshiningen burst into sparks.

Double Pinaska and Total Defense Shogun rose to their base Attack Scores of 1,500 and 1,550, respectively, while Pikeru and Mystical Elf fell to 1,200 and 800.

"Now my Shogun uses his ability, to attack while in Defense Mode."

Total Defense Shogun swung his sword down, sending a blade of energy towards Pikeru. She let out a pitiful cry, and then shattered.

Curran closed her eyes, and a tear fell down her cheek.

"I'll set this," said Ren, as a facedown card appeared, "and that will be all…"

**(R: 5,500) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 6,650)**

Curran quickly drew a card. She wiped the last of her tears away.

Then she giggled a little.

"Perfect…" she chuckled. "I drew someone that your Deck Lord probably knows…

"I sacrifice Mystical Elf…"

Mystical Elf vanished into grains of light.

"…to summon Luminous Soldier!"

In a burst of white-hot flames, an armored warrior appeared. His full plate armor was silver, decorated with fiery symbols, and studded with spikes. His helmet was shaped like a sun, and his sword was shaped like a flame. (2,100/1,400)

Penumbral Soldier Lady crossed her arms and looked at him in disgust.

"Oh yeah, I know him…" she growled.

"You don't seem pleased," answered Ren.

"We had issues," growled Soldier Lady. "We were competitors in every area, and he tried to outdo me. To that end, he tried to develop powers that were the exact opposite of mine.

"He only partially succeeded. He gains only 500 Attack Points when battling Dark Monsters, compared to the 1,000 I gain when battling Light ones."

Luminous Soldier scowled at her.

"Oh, what's wrong?" shouted Soldier Lady. "Did I hit a nerve? Don't like being reminded, do you?"

"This is unreal…" muttered Sam. "Now we have a duel _within_ the duel!"

"Enough!" shouted Curran. "I'll show you… Voltech Kong… Attack Double Pinaska!"

The gorilla hurled bolts of lightning at the Spaniard…

"I use his effect!" shouted Ren. "I get to negate one attack!"

Pinaska swatted the bolts aside with his rapier.

"Fine…" muttered Curran. "Luminous Soldier… You attack him."

Luminous Soldier lifted his sword, and charged. His Attack Score rose to 2,600.

"I don't think so!" yelled Ren. "I activate Rising Energy!"

His facedown card lifted, and he discarded his Magical Mallet. Double Pinaska's Attack Score rose to 3,000.

"Take him down!" ordered Ren.

Double Pinaska slashed with his rapier, and Luminous Soldier groaned and dropped his sword.

"Good!" laughed Penumbral Soldier Lady. "I hope it hurts!"

Luminous Soldier burst into globules of light.

**(R: 5,500) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 6,250)**

"Okay…" muttered Curran. "Seems you're pretty good… I guess being Yumi's henchman does have its benefits…"

"Henchman?" gasped Ren. "I'm no henchman!"

"Really?" asked Curran, as a facedown card appeared behind Voltech Kong. "Just what have you done recently that didn't involve following her?

"Face it… All of you are little more than a bunch of sidekicks riding on Yumi's coattails."

"Hey, watch it!" snapped Atticus. "Show him some respect! I seem to recall that he defeated Ruin. You know, Ruin, Queen of Oblivion?"

Curran's eyes opened.

_The usurper?_ she thought. _Ren beat her?_

Curran closed her eyes and shook her head.

_Oh, what do I care? Daala probably could have done it faster…_

"It's your move."

Ren looked at Voltech Kong.

_That thing still has more Attack Points than anything I have right now…_ he thought. _This could be a problem…_

He drew a card.

_That's the ticket…_

He chose another one.

"I summon Getsu Fuhma."

In a burst of darkness, the katana-wielding ronin appeared. (1,700/1,200)

"Now… Mystic Plasma Zone!"

He quickly played the card, and the eerie, uncanny darkness covered the whole field. It only made the glow from the nearby lava pits more eerie as they burned with their own light. Total Defense Shogun rose to (2,050/2,100), Double Pinaska to (2,000/1,100), and Getsu Fuhma to (2,200/800)

"Heh…" said Ren with a smirk. "I not only got rid of your Light Field, I set up a Dark one. How do you like that?"

"I absolutely love it!" laughed Curran. "In case you didn't realize it, Dark is my own Attribute! I like it when the lights are a little dim."

"Let's see if you like this," replied Ren. "Double Pinaska, take out Voltech Kong!"

Double Pinaska made a slash with his rapier, and Kong howled. It burst into an explosion of electricity.

"I'd spank you if I could," said Ren, "but I'm going to have to knock some sense into you this way…"

He paused.

"Attack directly…" he said, slowly.

Total Defense Shogun slammed his sword down, and the blade of energy flew towards Curran. She groaned and held her stomach in pain.

Then Getsu Fuhma made a slash with her own blade, and the Ebon Magician fell to her knees.

Ren slowly opened his eyes. He had been too scared to watch. He couldn't stop thinking that he was dueling one of his little sister's friends, and not a Duel Spirit that was a member of Daala's army.

**(R: 5,500) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 1,800)**

"Curran!" yelled Yumi. "Listen to me… You're losing now, and you know what Daala will do to you if you lose…"

Curran slowly got up. Her hood had been knocked crooked.

"It doesn't have to end like that, Curran," continued Yumi. "You were in my deck once… Some of my family's influence must have rubbed off on you.

"If you just stop this, I'm sure Joan will be willing to forgive everything you've done up to this point."

Curran was trying hard to straiten the hood, but it was twisted pretty good. She finally gave up, undid the string that held it in place, and took it off, throwing it aside.

"Stupid thing was bugging me anyway…" she muttered.

"And what then, Yumi?" she asked. "Work for the rebellion, only to get captured when it ultimately falls and then be charged with treason? That's the one crime Daala will _never_ forgive. I heard her talking about the terrible fate that Aquarian Alessa is going to suffer when she's finally caught."

"You don't have any faith that the rebellion will succeed?" asked Atticus. "You know what the difference between you and Yumi is?"

"Common sense?" asked Curran.

"No," replied Atticus. "You're a pessimist. No-one likes a pessimist."

"I'm pretty sure that lounge lizards who play the ukulele aren't too high on everyone's favorites list either," muttered Curran.

Atticus turned to Yumi and shrugged.

"This is the whole problem, you know…" he sighed. "Duel Spirits are harder to impress than humans…"

"Oh be quiet!" yelled Curran. "It's my move!"

She drew a card.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…" she giggled.

"I just drew the Monster that will win the duel for me!

"But before she makes her appearance, I'm going to pierce through this darkness with light so powerful that it paralyzes… A card that Yumi's family knows about too well…"

She threw a card into her Disk.

"Swords of Revealing Light!"

A blizzard of shimmering swords blasted out of the card, forming a cage around Ren and his Monsters.

"Terrific…" muttered Ren.

"Now…" chuckled Curran, playing a card, "I summon someone else whom Yumi is familiar with…

"Silent Magician LV4!"

Everyone gasped as the Monster appeared. They all recognized her only too well. The short, childlike Spellcaster in long, silvery robes and a peaked hat holding a scepter. She was the Monster who had played such a vital role when Yumi had dueled the Pharaoh. (1,000/1,000)

"She can't evolve into her Level Eight form until I draw five times!" replied Ren. "That will be a long time from now!"

"Not unless I give her some help," said Curran, as her facedown card lifted. "I activate Pitch-Black Power Stone."

A large, black sphere with an inverted triangular symbol on it appeared behind Curran.

"My Stone has three Spell Counters, and once per turn, I can transfer one to any other card that can take one. So I'll give one to Silent Magician right now."

Silent Magician rose to (1,500/1,000).

"I'll end with this, and then you go."

A facedown card appeared.

Ren quickly drew a card.

Silent Magician glowed, and grew to (2,000/1,000).

"You had your chance, Curran," he sighed, "but I'm ending this now…

"I play Mystical Space Typhoon!"

He played the card, and the cyclone started to tear across the field.

"All right!" cheered Chelsea. "Ren is going to win!"

"No he isn't," chuckled Curran. "He's making this too easy…"

Her facedown card lifted.

"I activate Dark Bribe. Now you get to draw once, but your windstorm is called off."

The winds subsided. Ren growled, and drew once.

"Oh, lovely…" muttered Atticus. "Bad news, people… Since that card made Ren draw, Silent Magician gets even stronger."

Silent Magician glowed, and rose to (2,500/1,000)

_Okay…_ thought Ren, looking at the card. _Maybe that was a bit… Clever…_

He placed it in his Disk, and it appeared facedown.

"Now I play Dark Eruption," he said, as a Spell Card appeared. "Since you _are_ a Dark Monster with 1,500 Attack Points or less, I'm sure you don't need me to explain how it works…"

Armageddon Knight slipped out of his discard slot, and he took it.

"I don't think I'll play it now… Instead, I'll just move Getsu and Pinaska to Defense Mode and end my turn."

Both Warriors sheathed their swords and knelt.

"I draw," said Curran. "Then my Power Stone places another counter on Silent Magician."

Silent Magician grew to (3,000/1,000).

"Attack Total Defense Shogun! Solar blast!"

The Spellcaster fired a blast of burning, fiery light at the Shogun, and he exploded. Ren howled and fell to his knees.

"You remember my Pain Mirror ability, don't you?" asked Curran.

"How could I forget?" gasped Ren.

His facedown card shot up.

"I activate Call of the Haunted!" he shouted. "I'll bring my Familiar Knight back."

A coffin appeared on his side of the field. It opened, and Familiar Knight stepped out, holding his sword aloft. (1,200/1,400) –) (1,700/1,000)

"That's all for now…" chuckled Curran.

**(R: 4,800) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 1,800)**

Ren quickly drew. Silent Magician rose to an Attack Score of 3,500.

Ren lifted an eyebrow.

"I summon the footsoldier of Hell," he said. "Chthonian Soldier!"

The ground burst open, revealing a flaming crack, and a new Warrior leapt out. He was clothed in black plate armor and a helmet, with muscular arms, and held a large scimitar. His eyes glowed with feral light. (1,200/1,400) –) (1,700/1,000)

Curran chuckled.

"Oh, that's awfully clever," she said. "If I attacked that, any battle damage that you took would be inflicted on me as well. If you could attack now, you would win."

"I know," muttered Ren. "I move Familiar Knight into Defense Mode, and it's your move…"

Familiar Knight knelt and shielded himself.

Curran drew a card.

"Since I don't need them any more," she said, "I'll sacrifice Pitch-Black Power Stone and Swords of Revealing Light using Emergency Provisions."

She played the card, and both cards vanished into grains of light. Curran glowed with energy.

Then Silent Magician started to glow with blinding light.

"Now I can evolve my Silent Magician into her Level Eight form… My most powerful Monster stands revealed!"

In a burst of energy, the small, child Silent Magician grew into an adult version of herself, radiant and beautiful in the aura of light that surrounded her. Her eyes glowed with pools of pure brilliance. (3,500/1,000)

"Time for someone new. I summon Copycat."

In a burst of eerie light, a weird figure appeared. It looked like a harlequin of some sort, dressed in a green suit, cape, and floppy hat. It concealed its face with a glowing hand mirror. (0/0)

"Wait until you see what he can do," chuckled Curran.

Copycat turned towards Getsu Fuhma, and she gave a look of shock as her reflection appeared in the mirror.

Then Copycat faded into a blur, and then a sphere of light. Then the sphere transformed… Into an exact duplicate of Getsu Fuhma. (1,700/1,200)

"Like _that_ was a surprise…" muttered Ren.

"And now it's time to break the mold," said Curran. "Copycat, destroy Getsu Fuhma."

The fake Getsu Fuhma slashed at the real one with its sword, and she shattered. Ren screamed again.

"Silent Magician, attack Familiar Knight!"

Silent Magician's solar blast incinerated Familiar Knight, and Ren fell to his knees, sweating.

"His effect activates…" muttered Ren. "I summon Armageddon Knight again…"

Armageddon Knight appeared, crouching in Defense Mode. (1,400/1,200) –) (1,900/800)

"Now I use Armageddon Knight's effect…" he muttered, taking a card out of his deck, "and send one Dark Monster from my deck to the Graveyard."

He tossed the card into his discard slot.

"You keep setting them up," laughed Curran, playing a card from her hand, "I'll keep knocking them down! I use that effect to summon Sage of Stillness!"

In another flash of light, an old man in a blue robe with a long, decorated staff appeared. (1,400/1,000)

Sage of Stillness blasted a bolt of magic from his staff, and Armageddon Knight exploded. Ren fell flat on his back.

**(R: 2,700) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 3,800)**

Curran fit her last card into her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"That ought to do it…"

"WHY?" shouted Yumi.

"Huh?" asked Curran.

"Curran, this is torture!" screamed Yumi. "Why are you doing this? Did I really hurt you this much?

"I'm beginning to think that there's something else, wasn't there? I wasn't the only reason you feel so bitter… Something bad happened to you, and you used me for a crutch!

"Daala has diverted your attention from the true problem, and placed all of the focus on me. You're being upside-down about the whole approach."

She sighed.

"Look, if you just want to tell me, I'm willing to listen. But you have to stop this!"

Curran shook her head.

"Maybe I did have problems, Yumi," she muttered, "but I gave up any hopes a long time ago that anyone would care.

"To paraphrase Humphrey Boggart, I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to realize that the problems of one little Duel Spirit don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. People pretend they're willing to help, but in the end, you have to face them alone, no matter how much it hurts."

"Excuse me?" said Ren.

Curran looked up.

Ren's eyes narrowed in anger. The mental block had shattered with the last attack. He didn't see Curran as a child any more.

"My move…" he whispered. "Draw!"

He drew a card.

"I set a facedown, and move Chthonian Soldier to Defense Mode."

A facedown card appeared, and the Soldier knelt and held his sword down.

He nodded.

"So, have you given up now?" asked Curran, drawing a card.

"Sage of Stillness, destroy the Chthonian!"

The Sage fired a blast, and the Soldier burst into shards. Ren didn't flinch this time, even though his Life Points went down.

"You're through!" shouted Curran. "Silent Magician, attack him directly!"

Silent Magician aimed her staff at Ren.

"I activate… Attack Guidance Armor!" exclaimed Ren.

His facedown card lifted up, and the fiendish suit of armor flew towards Copycat, latching onto the evil imposter. Silent Magician fired her blast, and it was incinerated.

"Ergh!" muttered Curran.

**(R: 2,000) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 1,000)**

"Okay…" snarled Curran. "Maybe I was a little careless there… But my Magician is still standing…

"I'll set a Monster, and that will be all…"

A facedown Monster appeared.

Ren quickly drew.

"Now I activate my Deck Lord effect again!"

In an explosion of dark energy, Crescent Moon Queen appeared, brandishing her two scimitars. (2,600/1,700) – (3,100/1,300)

"All right!" cheered Chelsea.

"His strongest Monster!" exclaimed Erik.

"Take a closer look, people," said Sam. "Silent Magician still trumps her."

"He doesn't have to attack her…" muttered Atticus.

"Attack the Sage of Stillness!" shouted Ren.

"Go, Mystik Wok!" shouted Curran, as her facedown card shot up. "This lets me sacrifice my Sage, and take away your target!"

Sage of Stillness vanished into grains of light.

"Then I'll attack the bigger target," said Ren, "just as soon as I play Rush Recklessly."

He threw a card into his Disk, and Crescent Moon Queen rose to an Attack Score of 3,800.

"Eh?" said Curran.

"Attack Silent Magician!" ordered Ren.

Curran covered her eyes as the Queen made a slash with her scimitar. Silent Magician let out a scream, and burst into shards.

"And now I use my Queen's ability to attack a second time!" yelled Ren.

Crescent Moon Queen rushed at the facedown Monster, and Shining Angel appeared on the card. It was cut down in one mighty swipe.

Curran gestured, and a second Shining Angel appeared in its place. (1,400/800)

Ren sighed. Crescent Moon Queen took some deep breaths, and knelt in Defense Mode.

"Your move…" he muttered.

**(R: 2,000) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 2,100)**

Curran made a draw. She quickly played the card, and the Pot of Avarice appeared. Voltech Kong, White Magical Hat, Luminous Soldier, Copycat, and her first Shining Angel slipped out of her discard slot, and she shuffled them into her deck. She drew twice.

"I play The Graveyard in the Fourth Dimension…" she muttered, as a Spell Card appeared. "Now, I get to take two Leveled Monsters and send them back to my deck…"

Both Silent Magicians slipped out of her discard slot, and she reshuffled her deck.

She set her last card in her Disk, and it appeared facedown. Then Shining Angel crouched in Defense Mode.

"Your move…"

Ren looked at the facedown card and Shining Angel.

_She didn't attack my Queen,_ he thought. _She clearly wants me to destroy Shining Angel in order to get her Magician back. And the facedown card will obviously stop my Queen's second attack…_

He drew a card.

His eyes opened wide.

_The card Joan gave me…_ he thought.

He looked at the Spell Card.

_Of course… It all makes sense now…_

_This is the key to beating Curran…_

"Here's my move, Curran," he said, throwing it into his Disk. "The Spell Card, Nightmare's Steelcage!"

Curran gasped as the ground around her burst in a series of fiery explosions. Then, a large, metal, domed cage studded with spikes formed around her.

"What are you doing?!" she shouted.

"Protecting myself," replied Ren. "This will keep your attacks at bay for two full turns."

"No…" muttered Curran, starting to tremble.

"I'll leave my Queen in Defense Mode for now," he said. "And it's your move."

Curran didn't reply. She fell to her knees and covered her head with her hands.

"Hello?" said Ren. "I said, your move. Are you going to make it?"

"What's wrong with her?" asked Erik.

"She has claustrophobia, remember?" replied Atticus. "That Spell Card is probably the most lethal weapon Ren could have used."

"Not gonna wait all day, Curran," said Ren. "Tournament rules say that if a player doesn't move in one minute…"

"All right, all right!" screamed Curran.

She didn't stand up, but she managed to draw a card.

"I pass!" she yelled. "Just move! Move fast! Please!"

"I'm drawing…" said Ren, making a draw.

"Let's see here…"

The card was Monster Reborn.

_Better think of the best way to use this fast…_ he thought. _I have to either win or get her to surrender, but I don't want to use torture._

_Hey, wait a second…_

He played the card, and the holy ankh appeared on his side of the field…

Curran opened her eyes a little and saw the Monster that he had summoned…

It was Pikeru. She was crouched in Defense Mode on Ren's side of the field. (1,200/0)

Tears started to fall down her cheeks.

"How… How could you…" she sobbed.

"You can end this any time you want…" said Ren. "It's your move…"

Curran drew a card.

"I pass again…" she muttered.

The Cage crumbled, and collapsed into a pile of rust.

Curran stood up and took some deep breaths. She glared at Ren.

"Well…" said Ren, drawing a card, "you can't say I didn't try…

"I draw one card. Then, thanks to Pikeru, I gain 400 Life Points for each Monster I have on the field. So I gain 800."

He glowed with energy.

"I move my Queen into Attack Mode…"

Crescent Moon Queen stood up.

"Attack Shining Angel!" he ordered.

The Queen slashed at Shining Angel and cleaved it in half.

Then, in a burst of light, Silent Magician LV4 appeared. (1,000/1,000)

"Attack again!" he yelled.

Crescent Moon Queen tried, but Curran's facedown card lifted, and Negate Attack appeared. The sword was deflected by a shimmering plane of force.

"I thought so…" muttered Ren.

**(R: 2,800) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 2,100)**

"My move…" said Curran.

Tears still ran down her cheeks as she drew a card.

"I play Mystical Space Typhoon…" she said. "I'm getting rid of this Field Spell…"

The cyclone erupted in the center of the field, blowing the darkness away.

"And I'm not gonna wait for you to draw five times either… I play Level Up! This lets Silent Magician grow up right away."

Silent Magician glowed with eldritch light, and quickly grew to her Level Eight form.

Curran took some deep breaths again.

"Attack Crescent Moon Queen…" she sobbed.

Silent Magician fired her blast, and Crescent Moon Queen was blown to pieces. Ren cringed in pain again.

**(R: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 2,100)**

Curran simply stared at him. Ren stared back.

Ren drew a card.

"I tried, Curran, I really did…" he muttered. "But it seems I really don't have any choice left…

"I gain 400 Life Points from Pikeru.

"Then, I play Premature Burial."

He played the card, and Crescent Moon Queen reappeared. (2,600/1,700)

A new Spell Card appeared on his side of the field.

"Now, I play Gift of the Martyr. This lets me send one Monster to the Graveyard, and increase the Attack Score of another by its Attack Score.

"So I'll send Pikeru to the Graveyard, and give her Attack Points to my Queen.

Crescent Moon Queen's Attack Score rose to 3,800 as Pikeru vanished.

Curran's eyes opened wide, as a sudden realization came to her… Maybe she knew it all along, but a mental block had kept her from truly accepting it.

_Gift of the Martyr…_ she thought.

_Pikeru… You… You're dead, aren't you? You saved me from that cave-in… And you sacrificed yourself to do it…_

She slowly bowed her head…

Crescent Moon Queen's sword cut through Silent Magician, and the Spellcaster shattered.

Curran barely moved as the Warrior's second strike stuck her. She fell to her knees.

**(R: 800) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 0)**

"Curran?" said Yumi.

Curran didn't get up.

"Oh, leave me alone, Yumi…" sighed the Ebon Magician. "Ren got victory, and I got closure in one of the worst experiences in my life… They say that closure helps a lot when dealing with a tragedy…"

She started to fade away.

"But a fat lot of good it will do me now…"

"Curran!" shouted Yumi.

She was gone. A sad sigh echoed over the burning landscape.

Yumi walked over and picked up the hood that Curran had tossed on the ground. She sadly looked at it…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Curran had expected to end up in Daala's prison. She certainly didn't expect to be transported to the throne room.

Sure, her hands were shackled together, but she was wondering now if some much grimmer fate didn't await her, now that the Queen of Xanadu was right in front of her.

"Curran, Curran, Curran…" muttered Daala. "You're probably wondering why you're here…"

Curran was smart enough not to say anything. Daala continued.

"If this had happened a few days ago, you would have been locked up… But you kind of got lucky.

"Yumi and her allies are a much more dire threat now. So someone who knows about them as much as you do is far too valuable to throw in prison."

"You mean?" asked Curran, startled.

"You're getting a second chance," said Daala, "just as soon you undergo a procedure to restore your Deck Lord powers. And we're going to change them this time, making them less for shock value and much more practical."

"Uhm, milady," said Skull Knight, who was standing by. "A word?"

Daala looked at him. She stood up, and they walked aside.

"What?" she said.

"Milady…" said Skull Knight, nervously. "The procedure… We make jokes to everyone about how painful it is… But we both know the truth… It is _quite_ agonizing. I'm not sure if subjecting Curran to it is a good idea."

Daala stared at him.

"What's the matter, Mulner?" she asked. "Turning soft?"

"NO!" exclaimed Skull Knight. "I'm just saying… Curran was put through the ringer in that duel, and she used to be one of Yumi's Monsters! If she's tortured with that thing, she may start questioning who she wants to work for!

"And there is another way…"

Daala glared at him.

"Are you suggesting…" she chuckled. "Are you suggesting that I expose Curran to the energies of the Core itself to restore her power?"

"Well…" muttered Skull Knight.

Daala beamed.

"Okay!" she exclaimed. "Done and done! Curran will receive the blessings of the Core…"

The flames surrounding her head started to intensify.

"And once she has it, she will be tested, just like anyone else who gets it, to see if she is worthy of keeping it. And if she fails, she will be banished."

Skull Knight's eyes widened in fear.

"Uh…" he gasped. "Wait a minute…"

Daala walked over to Curran. She gestured, and the shackles fell off.

"Come, Curran," she said. "We're going on a little trip."

"To where?" squeaked Curran, in fear.

"To a place where truth is twisted," said Daala, "reality is tossed, and Chaos is the only rule.

"We'll stop for lunch on the way…"

She put her arms around the small Spellcaster, and they both erupted in a bonfire of black flame. Skull Knight bowed his head as both of them vanished.

"Good luck…" he whispered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**VOLTECH KONG (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Beast/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description:** When this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent's Life Points, your opponent sends cards from the top of his/her deck to the Graveyard equal to the number of face-up LIGHT Monsters on your side of the field.

_Note: "Voltech Kong" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Ren's Deck Lord: "Penumbral Soldier Lady":** "Immortal Warriors": If you control no Monsters, and your Graveyard contains no Monsters other than DARK Warriors, you may Special Summon a DARK Warrior from your Graveyard. This effect may be used once per turn, during your Main Phase. (Greater Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Curran's Deck Lord:** "Pain Mirror": When an opposing Monster is destroyed by battle or by the effect of a card you control, your opponent loses an additional 700 Life Points. Your opponent also feels the pain that his destroyed Monster feels. (Greater Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**The team continues, slowly but surely, across the Flaming Peaks, and they soon discover that the dangers become even greater with this leg of the journey. The enemy that Gravekeeper's Commandant spoke of finally appears, a Duel Spirit whose hatred towards Penelope can best be defined by frustration and jealousy. Chelsea is forced to duel against a strategy in which her Monsters' greatest advantage is cut off, while her opponent gets more powerful each turn.**_

"_**Forsaken" is coming up next.**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Name that Card!**_

_**F.G.D. is not the only Monster that can only be defeated in battle by Monsters of a specific Attribute. This OCG-only Monster has that distinction as well. But unlike F.G.D., who can only be defeated in battle by Light Monsters, this one can only be defeated by Dark ones. Can you name it?**_


	38. Forsaken

_**What Monster can only be defeated in battle by Dark Monsters? If you said "Ally of Justice – Catastor", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"_**Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."**_

_**So it says in The Lord's Prayer. But mortals are not the only ones who should hope for this blessing. Even in Heaven above, all is not perfect. Among angels, haloes slip at times, and the beings who represent the greatest Good and Order succumb to temptation.**_

_**Dispater himself told Yumi that he and seven others, along with Lucifer himself, were once among the most powerful of the celestial hosts. The fact that beings of ultimate Good can be tainted by Evil and turn into fallen angels… Well, it's sad. Never once do you hear of the situation going the other way, and the evil creatures of the netherworld turning good.**_

_**Joan is a living example of this flaw in the system. She was once Marie the Fallen One, an outcast angel, expelled from the Higher Plane for some crime which she describes as theft of power. She got her act together, and was eventually forgiven and readmitted. **_

_**Now I learn that it's worse than I thought. It seems that most of those that were in Joan's situation do not succeed…**_

_**And the one I'm facing now has given in to frustration at not being able to do so, and chosen me and my best Monster as a target of her rage.**_

_**I can't change the system… All I can do is protect myself…**_

_**Duel…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Forsaken**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The pathway through the Flaming Peaks was rocky and uneven. As Atticus led the party, the small volcanoes surrounding them sent smoke billowing into the air, making the light somewhat dim.

They grew uneasy, as they were sure someone was watching them. Now and again, they saw a dark figure out of the corner of their eye. But whenever they turned to look with a full glance, it was gone.

Chelsea stopped and put her hand on her hip.

"I'm getting really sick of this," she muttered.

"Whoever's watching, come out and face us!"

There was silence for a few seconds.

"You're imagining things," laughed Atticus, nervously.

He took his ukulele off of his belt.

"This will cheer you up…"

He started to play and sing.

"I once knew a Monster named Clark… He scared me each day at the park…

"But the park was all right, I could play there at night…"

Then everyone was startled, as someone else sung the last line:

"'Cause Clark was afraid of the dark."

"Who?" shouted Yumi.

Then they saw someone, right in front of them, crouched on a rock. It was a fiendish-looking female, with ebony skin, small horns, black feathered wings, and blonde hair with bangs. She wore a white and pink dress and sandals. Most remarkably, she had gold crosses printed on her wrists.

Everyone gasped.

"Marie the Fallen One?" shouted Chelsea. "I thought Joan was Marie the Fallen One!"

"You think too small, little girl," said Marie, in a bitter tone.

She leapt down from the rock.

"That goodie-goodie was far from the only Fairy whom Voltanis cursed with this abominable form, and she likely won't be the last. This is the punishment he gives criminals whom he believes there's still hope for."

"Something tells me that you don't like the conditions he set," said Ren, nervously.

"No," said Marie, still in that bitter tone.

She sighed.

"I knew what everyone before me had done," she muttered. "I thought I knew the rules that were set out for me… If my time was spent in an a life of charity where all of my energy and all material wealth I acquired went to the selfless help of those who needed it, then eventually, the stain on my record might be lifted, and the light would be restored.

"Ever since I was thrown out of the Higher Plane, wearing the form of a Fiend, I tried. I tried hard. I did what I supposed to do in order to work my way back up. I practically lived the life of an ascetic to do so… The only things I owned that I didn't give away were the clothes on my back, my deck, and my Disk… A Duel Spirit who can't duel is a dead one…"

"It's no different than what Joan did," replied Atticus.

"So why is she special?" yelled Marie. "I've been at it so long, and have been passed up so many times, I'm starting to get fed up! Sure, I get a smile now and then, and a pat on the back, but I want recognition!"

"Marie, look…" said Chelsea.

"What right do you have to give me advice?" asked Marie, lifting up one of her claws. "When I first heard you of all people were working for Joan, that was the straw that broke the camel's back for me. My efforts aren't good enough… But she accepts a duelist who uses vampires. Creatures whose very existence is a blasphemy!"

"What?" gasped Chelsea. "It… It isn't like that…"

"Penelope's existence was the one that practically spat in my face," groaned Marie. "Heaven seems to have no problem loving a vampire, but it won't show me the same love."

"Hey, lay off!" shouted Ren.

Marie gestured, and a Duel Disk appeared on her arm.

"Duel me, Chelsea," she urged. "Show me some iota of proof that your Monsters are more deserving of what they get than I do."

"Marie, this is a mistake!" yelled Yumi. "Whether intentionally or not, you're helping Daala! If you thought Heaven rejected you before, you haven't seen what will happen once they hear about this!"

Marie gestured, and a ball of dark energy formed in her hand. She threw it at Yumi, hitting her in the stomach. Yumi gasped, and fell over.

"Don't!" yelled Chelsea. "Fine… I'll duel you…"

She activated her Disk.

"Then present your Deck Lord," said Marie, with a sly smile. "I'll enjoy consuming his energy…"

Chelsea gestured, and Vampire Genesis appeared behind her.

Marie activated her own Disk.

"Game on!" they both shouted.

_This is clearly the enemy that the Commandant spoke of,_ thought Chelsea. _I guess the frustration over her punishment and the jealousy sparked by learning about Penelope just caused her to snap…_

**(Chelsea: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Marie: 8,000)**

"I draw!" exclaimed Chelsea, drawing her first card.

She looked over her six cards.

"I summon Zombie Werewolf!"

In a burst of dark energy, the vicious wolfman appeared, and let out a howl. (1,200/1,200)

"And I'll leave it at that."

"Clever," chuckled Marie, drawing a card. "You think you can fool me summoning that weak Monster with no apparent protection?

"Well, I know his powers. If I strike him down, you'll be able to summon one who's even stronger…

"But that isn't going to happen…

"I summon Banisher of the Radiance!"

In a burst of light, a weird Monster appeared. It was a legless, faceless creature made of metal, with red metal wings and a pulsating orb in its chest. (1,600/0)

"When this charming creature is around," explained Marie, "all cards that would normally go to the Graveyards are removed from play."

"Oh no…" muttered Ren. "Chelsea's Werewolf has to go to the Graveyard to use its effect…"

"This was likely Marie's plan all along," said Atticus. "She's likely using some sort of RFG Deck to shut down Chelsea's strategy completely. Without a Graveyard, Zombies are practically powerless."

"Eradicate her Werewolf!" shouted Marie. "Orb of annihilation!"

Banisher of the Radiance threw a pulsating energy ball, and Zombie Werewolf burst into globs of light that vanished into thin air.

"I'll throw three cards facedown," said Marie, as a trio of facedown cards appeared behind the Banisher, "and then it's your move…"

**(C: 7,600) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 8,000)**

Chelsea muttered something, and then drew a card.

"This is gonna hurt me more than it does you," said Marie.

One of her facedown cards lifted.

"I activate Destruction of Destiny. This lets me discard three cards from the top of my deck. However, for each one that isn't a Monster, I lose 1,000 Life Points."

"Say what?" asked Chelsea.

Marie took the three cards off of her deck.

She chuckled a little and held them forward. They were Solar Flare Dragon, Chaos Greed, and Heavy Storm.

"Heh," chuckled Chelsea. "Maybe you should have thought that through some more."

Marie groaned as she was surrounded by a dark aura, and the three cards disappeared.

"Just continue your move," she muttered.

Chelsea looked at the card she had drawn.

_Zombie Master!_ she thought. _His effect may be shut down due to her Monster, but he's stronger than Banisher of the Radiance!_

"I summon Zombie Master!" she shouted.

Zombie Master started to appear in an aura of darkness.

"Did you think these were just bluffs?" replied Marie, as another of her facedown cards lifted. "I activate Forced Back. This negates your summoning, and sends Zombie Master back to your hand."

Chelsea gasped as Zombie Master vanished and the card appeared in her hand.

"That's playing dirty!" she shouted.

Marie simply smirked.

"Oh, just move…" muttered Chelsea.

**(C: 7,600) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 6,000)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Daala was watching with a smirk on her face.

"Looks like Marie has Chelsea right where she wants her…" she said, leaning back on her couch.

"And she's not the only one," said a voice.

Daala got up with a start. She knew that voice.

She spun around, and saw Vita standing at the entrance.

"How did you get past the guards?" she sneered.

"Oh, please," said Vita. "I know this place like the back of my hand.

"I came to challenge you, old friend. But since my deck isn't ready…"

She took a step forward, and formed a fighting stance.

Daala laughed, and assumed the same stance.

"Karate, huh?" she giggled. "Boy, this takes me back…

"This will be a pleasure…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Marie drew a card.

"During my Standby Phase, my Deck Lord effect kicks in," she said. "I only have one, but it's potent.

"It's called Banished Energy. For each of my own Monsters that I've removed from play, I gain 300 Life Points."

She glowed with golden energy.

"Now then, I summon Bountiful Artemis."

She played the card, and another strange creature appeared. Again, it appeared to be made of metal, and was vaguely feminine. She had no legs; her lower body was perched on a cone-shaped spire. She had large, metallic wings, and a flowing, purple cape. (1,600/1,700)

"People, this is bad," said Atticus. "Forced Back and Bountiful Artemis in the same deck? I know this deck…"

"What?" asked Sam.

"This is a Counter Fairy Deck," replied Atticus. "It's likely full of Counter Traps and Fairies whose effects work in synchronization with them."

"Not completely," said Marie. "It actually has another feature that I prepared special.

"Banisher… Artemis… Attack Chelsea directly!"

The two Fairies formed orbs of energy in their hands and hurled them at Chelsea. She staggered under the onslaught.

She bent over and gasped for breath.

**(C: 4,400) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 6,300)**

"The fun has only begun, darling!" laughed Marie. "I set another card facedown, and end my turn."

A new facedown card appeared.

"Oh, I bet it has," growled Chelsea, drawing a card.

"I play Heavy Storm!"

She played the card, and a fierce storm started to blow over the field.

"Typical…" chuckled Marie. "What you didn't know was, in your effort to destroy my Trap Cards, you only helped me activate one of them."

One of the two facedown cards flipped up.

"Dark Bribe. Now, you get to draw one card, but your Storm is quelled."

Chelsea growled as the winds died down, and she drew once.

_Call of the Mummy,_ she thought, looking at it. _If that other facedown card is another Forced Back, it can't negate a Special Summon…_

"By the way," said Marie, "since Dark Bribe is a Counter Trap, Bountiful Artemis's effect is activated, and I get to draw one card."

She made a draw.

Chelsea played the card she had drawn.

"I play Call of the Mummy!" she exclaimed.

The Spell Card appeared on her side of the field.

"Now, I'll use it to Special Summon Vampire Lady in Defense Mode."

Vampire Lady appeared, sitting on her haunches and crossing her arms. (1,550/1,550)

"Now, I'll summon Zombie Master again."

She played the card, and Zombie Master appeared, looking incredibly angry. (1,800/0)

Chelsea paused.

_Nothing…_ she thought. _Time to go for broke…_

"Zombie Master…"she ordered, "attack her Banisher!"

Zombie Master threw his arms forward, and shot a volley of lightning bolts at Banisher of the Radiance.

"Go, Negate Attack!" shouted Marie.

Her other facedown card lifted, and the lightning was absorbed by an invisible shield.

"Guess what, Chelsea?" she asked. "Negate Attack is also a Counter Trap."

Bountiful Artemis glowed, and she drew one card.

Chelsea looked at the rest of her cards.

"I end my turn…" she sighed.

Marie drew a card.

"I gain 300 Life Points from Banished Energy," she said, "then I summon Majestic Mech – Ohka!"

In an explosion of light, a Fairy appeared that was all-too familiar, and not very-well liked by any player who didn't use it. It looked like some radiant lion, made of gleaming, silvery metal with rose highlights and feathered wings. (2,400/1,400)

"Peachy…" muttered Chelsea.

"Attack her Zombie Master!" shouted Marie. "Righteous flame!"

Ohka breathed a blast of burning hot light from its jaws, and Zombie Master was burned to a cinder.

"Righteous flame…" muttered Erik. "Talk about a hypocrite…"

Bountiful Artemis gestured, and threw her own orb at Vampire Lady, and the vampiress dissolved into nothing.

"That's just to start, darling," chuckled Marie. "You likely have only one turn left. Then you'll be the one who disappears without a trace."

Banisher of the Radiance threw his orb and hit Chelsea in the chest. She fell to her knees.

**(C: 2,200) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 6,600)**

_Man…_ thought Chelsea. _I'm really getting clobbered here… She's right… One more round of this and I've had it…_

"I end my turn…" said Marie.

"That means Ohka goes away!" yelled Sam. "And since your Banisher is on the field, it's removed from play."

Ohka vanished into grains of light.

"I think that's the whole idea, Sam," said Atticus, shaking his head.

Chelsea slowly got up.

"My move…" she muttered.

She drew a card.

She quickly placed it in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

She bowed her head.

Marie laughed.

"So that was the best you could do, huh?" she asked.

She drew a card.

"I gain 600 Life Points from Banished Energy…

"This is the end. Artemis, Banisher… Finish her off."

Artemis threw her orb of light at Chelsea.

"GO!" shouted Chelsea, as her facedown card lifted. "Red Ghost Moon!"

The spooky harvest moon appeared behind her, and she discarded The Kick Man in her hand.

"I may have to sacrifice one of my Zombies, but it's Negate Attack and Draining Shield all in one!"

She glowed with energy.

"So I see…" muttered Marie.

She played a card.

"I summon Banisher of the Light."

In an aura of energy, a tall, pious-looking priest in a long vestment appeared, holding out his hand. (100/2,000)

"Why'd she put that guy in Attack Mode?" asked Erik.

"Likely to draw Chelsea's fire away from her other two Monsters," said Atticus. "And if she doesn't attack him and does attack Banisher of the Radiance, she can switch him to Defense Mode, and her strategy will still be unharmed."

**(C: 3,800) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 7,200)**

"My draw," said Chelsea, drawing a card.

She grinned as she looked at it.

IHow lucky can you get?/I she thought.

She turned to Vampire Genesis. He smiled, and nodded.

"I use Call of the Mummy to summon Vampire Lord!" she shouted.

In a flourish of dark energy, the elegant vampire appeared, forming a fighting stance. (2,000/1,500)

"Attack Banisher of the Light!" she shouted. "Children of the Night!"

Vampire Lord lifted his cape, and a swarm of bats shot at Banisher of the Light. The holy man exploded into pixels.

"Ergh…" groaned Marie.

"Now I activate his effect," said Chelsea with a grin. "I declare Spell Card."

Marie simply grinned back.

She took a Spell Card from her deck and held it up. It vanished.

"Uh, was that Spell Card what I think it was?" asked Erik.

"If it is, we'll find out in a minute…" sighed Sam.

"Your move…" muttered Chelsea.

**(C: 3,800) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 5,300)**

Marie drew a card.

"With one more Monster added to my Removed From Play pile," she said, "I gain 900 Life Points.

"And as your friends suspected, the Spell Card I chose to discard last round was this one…"

A Spell Card appeared in her hand.

"Card From a Different Dimension. Since it was removed from play last round, it goes to my hand this round, and we both draw two cards."

Both she and Chelsea made two draws.

"I'll set one card facedown, and then summon Layard the Liberator."

A facedown card appeared, and then another weird Fairy appeared. It was another legless, faceless, metal creature with six arms and wings. (1,400/1,500)

"Chelsea, be careful!" shouted Atticus. "That thing…"

"I know, I know!" replied Chelsea.

"I end my turn," said Marie.

**(C: 3,800) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 6,200)**

Chelsea drew a card.

It was Rush Recklessly.

_Layard the Liberator is another Counter Fairy,_ she thought. _If either of us activates a Counter Trap, she gets to recover two of her Fairies that have been removed from play._

_I'm guessing the facedown card is probably another Negate Attack to stop my Vampire Lord from destroying her Banisher. Then she'll use Layard's effect to get back Ohka._

She looked at the Spell Card she had drawn.

_But her plan has one flaw… She doesn't know that when she attempts to attack my vampire with Ohka, I'll turn the tables completely…_

She placed it in her Disk.

"I set one card facedown," she said, as it appeared facedown.

"Then I attack with Vampire Lord!"

The swarm of bats flew at Banisher of the Radiance. Marie's facedown card flipped up, and just as Chelsea had expected, it was Negate Attack.

"Now," said Marie, "the effects of both Artemis and Layard activate."

She drew one card. Then, two other cards appeared in her hand.

"I set one Monster in Defense Mode, and end my turn," said Chelsea, as a Defensive Monster appeared.

"My move…" chuckled Marie, drawing a card.

She looked at it, and smiled evilly.

"I gain 300 Life Points from Banished Energy," she said.

"Then, Banisher of the Radiance attacks your facedown Monster."

The Banisher threw its orb, and a second Vampire Lady appeared on the card. She was disintegrated.

"Now…" said Marie. "I'm going to fight you and your creatures with the enemy that vampires count as their greatest. A powerful, unrelenting force that they run in fear from. A great power that they can't possibly combat, because even confronting it would spell their doom…"

"What are you talking about?" said Chelsea, opening her eyes wide.

"I'm talking about… the sun!" laughed Marie. "Life-giving radiant rays from above, which cause the horrors of the night to wither and die. Even Penelope feared this great power…"

"And it was a cruel joke!" yelled Chelsea. "She was a pious holy woman all her life… The sun was a representation of the powers that she worshipped, the noble path she had dedicated herself to… But due to the curse that had been inflicted upon her, she was forced to hide herself from it…

"It was like she could never look the holy powers she worshipped in the face. One has to wonder what went through her mind in the hours before dawn as she searched for a place to conceal herself from the light…"

"Well, you're about to feel its incredible power firsthand," said Marie. "I summon Solar Flare Dragon!"

She played the card, and in a blast of flame, a large, fiery serpent appeared in front of her. (1,500/1,000)

"Now, I'll play the Spell Card Dimension Distortion. Since I have no cards in my Graveyard, this lets me Special Summon a Monster that has been removed from play. And I'll summon the one I discarded when I played Destruction of Destiny."

In another burst of flame, a second Solar Flare Dragon appeared. (1,500/1,000)

"A Solar Flare Lock!" shouted Chelsea.

"Correct, darling," said Marie with a grin. "You can't attack a Solar Flare Dragon so long as I have another Pyro Monster on the field. And both of them are Pyros, so they protect each other from attacks. It's only a matter of time now…

"I move Artemis and Layard into Defense Mode."

The two Fairies crossed their arms and shielded themselves.

"I end my turn, which means that the effects of my Solar Flare Dragons kick in."

The two Pyros breathed streams of flames at Chelsea, and she screamed loudly.

"And since I'm ending my turn with a hand that consists of eight cards, I must now discard two of them."

She held up Ohka and Banisher of the Light, and they vanished.

"Your move…"

**(C: 2,800) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 6,500)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Vita and Daala exchanged blows, Vita throwing most of them. But all of the punches and kicks she aimed at her foe were blocked aside.

"I know all of your moves, Vita!" shouted Daala. "Know why? Because I taught 'em to you!"

Then Vita threw a kick that connected, hitting Daala in the stomach and throwing her backwards.

"Whoa…" said Daala, getting up. "There's a new one…"

"I found a Legendary Jujitsu Master who was willing to teach me a few moves," said Vita.

"You don't say?" muttered Daala. "Ah, well, I'm sick of this anyway…"

She gestured, and two cards appeared in her hand.

"Holding Arms!" she shouted, as one of them glowed.

"Huh?" said Vita.

Then a golden rod with a pair of shackles on each end and the Eye of Wdjat in the center appeared. She screamed as it latched onto her two wrists and she was lifted into the air.

"Holding Legs!" shouted Daala, as the other card glowed.

A similar set of shackles appeared, and latched onto Vita's ankles.

She was thrown violently against the wall, and held fast.

"Comfy?" asked Daala. "That fool Marik may have been insane, but he had some good taste in cards."

"Cheater!" growled Vita.

"Cheating?" replied Daala. "It isn't cheating if you use your own abilities. Not my fault you didn't know that I learned a few new ones since we spoke last.

"Now, why don't we watch the rest of Chelsea's duel, huh?"

She lay back on her couch, and wiped her brow.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"This doesn't look good, people," said Atticus, shaking his head. "I faced this strategy before. I would have lost if it weren't for one Trap Card…"

"Is this a Trap Card Chelsea would have?" asked Erik.

"I sincerely doubt it…" sighed Atticus.

Chelsea slowly drew a card.

Her eyes lit up when she saw what card is was.

_Hey…_ she thought. _I got an idea…_

"I throw one card facedown…" she said, as a facedown card materialized.

"Then Vampire Lord attacks Banisher of the Radiance!"

The swarm of bats shot at Banisher of the Radiance, and the metallic Fairy exploded into shards. Marie cringed.

"All right!" shouted Ren. "Now Marie can't remove any more Monsters from play!"

"Big deal!" she laughed. "As if I need him anymore."

"I can still use Vampire Lord's effect," said Chelsea. "And I'm naming Trap Card this time."

Marie frowned. She took another copy of Forced Back from her deck, and discarded it.

"I end my turn."

**(C: 2,800) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 6,100)**

Marie drew a card.

"I gain 900 Life Points again… Then I'll play a facedown…"

A facedown card appeared.

"And I think I'll just end there."

Chelsea screamed as the two streams of flame hit her again.

**(C: 1,800) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 7,000)**

"My move…" muttered Chelsea. "And your two Dragons are going down…"

She drew a card. Then she opened the Field Slot on her Disk, and placed a card in it.

"I play… Infernalvania!"

Like all Field Spells, the whole landscape changed, transporting them to a broken badlands full of twisted trees. A spooky vampire's castle materialized behind Chelsea.

"In Infernalvania," said Chelsea, "all I have to do is toss one Zombie from my hand, and all Monsters on the field are wiped out."

Marie laughed out loud.

"The same goes for your Monsters, darling!" she laughed. "And you forgot that this Field Spell has a serious handicap. You aren't allowed to summon after you use its effect. So I may lose my Monsters, but you'll be completely defenseless from my next attack."

"Think again," said Chelsea. "When I use the effect of this Field Spell, my Vampire Lord will totally safe…"

Her facedown card lifted.

"I activate… Interdimensional Matter Transporter!"

A machine resembling a metallic, futuristic Christmas tree appeared behind Vampire Lord, and he vanished in a flash of light.

"Now," chuckled Chelsea, discarding her second Zombie Master, "I activate the effect of Infernalvania!"

Thunder rolled, and then four bolts of lightning struck, vaporizing Bountiful Artemis, Layard the Liberator, and the two Solar Flare Dragons.

"You are gonna pay for that…" growled Marie.

"I end my turn," said Chelsea, "which means Vampire Lord comes back."

The machine glowed, and Vampire Lord appeared again in a wave of light.

"All right!" shouted Ren. "Chelsea finally took out her side!"

"I'll build a new side!" yelled Marie, drawing a card.

"I gain 900 Life Points…

"Next, I play Mystical Space Typhoon!"

She held up the Spell Card, and a tornado tore through the whole arena. The castle behind Chelsea was blown to rubble, and the broken landscape was reduced to dust.

"Now, I activate my facedown Soul Release," she said, as her facedown card lifted. "I'll remove five of my Monsters from play."

Both Solar Flare Dragons, Banisher of the Radiance, Bountiful Artemis, and Layard the Liberator fell out of her discard slot. She held the cards up and they vanished.

"Now, I play a facedown…"

She fit a card in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"And then I call upon a being that can channel the power of the sun even more than those Dragons…

"I summon Helios – The Primordial Sun!"

The lights dimmed, and a new creature appeared. It looked like a tall, slim humanoid, made entirely of bandage wrappings. In place of a head was an orb of pure solar energy that shone like a beacon. Vampire Lord shielded his eyes.

"For each Monster that has been removed from play between the two of us," explained Marie, "Helios has 100 Attack and Defense Points. And so far, there have been a total of thirteen."

(1,300/1,300)

"I end my turn."

**(C: 1,800) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 7,900)**

Chelsea drew a card. She looked at it.

_Better be careful,_ she thought.

"Vampire Lord…" she ordered. "Attack Helios!"

Vampire Lord spread his cape.

"I activate this!" shouted Marie, as her facedown card lifted. "Planet Alignment!"

The sky darkened, and the bodies of the cosmos appeared behind her.

"With Helios on the field, this mighty Spell can move whole planets, and the cataclysm it causes wipes out your Monsters and deals you 300 points of damage!"

Vampire Lord groaned, and then exploded into pixels.

"Heh…" said Chelsea. "Don't you know what happens when Vampire Lord is destroyed by a card effect?

"In the meantime…

"I use Call of the Mummy to summon Ryu Kokki in Attack Mode."

She played a card, and the huge bone ogre appeared. (2,400/2,000)

"Then I'll set a Monster in Defense Mode."

She set a card, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"I'll throw another card facedown, and then play Mirage of Nightmare."

A facedown card appeared next to her other one, and the Mirage card appeared.

**(C: 1,500) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 7,900)**

"My move…" chuckled Marie, drawing a card. "And with five more of my Monsters removed from play, I gain 2,400 Life Points."

"Her Life Points are over ten-thousand!" shouted Ren. "How the heck is Chelsea ever gonna get them to zero?"

"That's just it," replied Marie. "She won't."

"Yeah?" said Chelsea. "Well, thanks to my Mirage, I get four cards."

She made four draws.

"And now, I activate Emergency Provisions!"

Her Quickplay Spell lifted, and the Mirage card was consumed.

"You still can't beat me," replied Marie. "Especially since I'm summoning Barrier Statue of the Heavens."

She played the card and a new Fairy appeared – sort of. It more looked like a statue of a Fairy, surrounded by a radiant halo. (1,000/1,000)

"A Barrier Statue?" gasped Sam. "Yumi, I remember those things!"

"How could we forget…" muttered Yumi.

In Duelatopia, Rasputin had sent two brainwashed duelists after her and Sam. One of them had used Barrier Statue of the Drought against them. It wasn't very strong, but it prevented any duelist from Special Summoning any Monster that wasn't an Earth Monster. Their two opponents used almost all Earth Monsters, but Yumi and Sam used mostly Dark ones.

"Anyway," said Marie, "now, neither of us can Special Summon any Monsters except Light Monsters.

"And I'm going to Special Summon one right now by sacrificing Helios…"

The Primordial Sun vanished.

"I summon Helios Duo Megistus!"

A new Monster appeared in Helios's place. It looked like it had been cut from the same cloth as The Primordial Sun, but it was chubbier, its solar orb was larger, and its body had vaguely feminine features.

"Duo is twice as good as her brother," said Marie, "because she gains 200 Attack and Defense Points for each Monster that's been removed from play."

(2,600/2,600)

"Attack Ryu Kokki!" she shouted. "Solar singer!"

A blast of fiery energy shot from Duo's solar orb at Ryu Kokki…

"Go, Rush Recklessly!" shouted Chelsea.

Her facedown card lifted, and Ryu Kokki's Attack Score shot up to 3,100. It swatted the blast of flame aside, and Duo exploded in a fiery burst of light.

"Your sun just went supernova," mocked Chelsea.

"Not yet, it didn't," replied Marie, as a facedown card appeared. "I play a facedown. Then move to my End Phase, and activate Duo's effect."

In a burst of light, Duo reappeared in front of Marie.

"She's not only back," continued Marie, "she's stronger than she was before!"

(2,900/2,900)

**(C: 2,500) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 9,800)**

Chelsea nervously drew a card.

_Darn…_ she thought. _With that Barrier Statue there, I can't use Vampire Lord's effect to bring him back…_

_I could attack the Barrier Statue with Ryu Kokki, but I have a feeling I know what's coming next, and if Ryu is in Attack Mode, it might be bad…_

She turned the card on her Disk, and Ryu Kokki crouched in Defense Mode.

"Go ahead…" she snarled.

"I draw," chuckled Marie, "and once again, I gain 2,400 Life Points…"

She glowed with a fiery aura of golden energy.

"I sacrifice Helios Duo Megistus to summon something stronger yet!" she declared. "It's the most powerful of its siblings, and it's three Monsters in one…"

Duo vanished.

"Helios Trice Megistus!"

The Monster that appeared did indeed seem to be three in one. It looked like three miniature versions of Helios, with oversized solar disks for heads. They levitated in a triangular pattern.

"And for each Monster removed from play, they have 300 Attack and Defense Points."

(3,900/3,900)

Chelsea grit her teeth.

"Attack Ryu Kokki!" ordered Marie. "Phoenix Prominence!"

The three solar beings burned with fire, and a huge, flaming bird flew from them, soaring towards Ryu Kokki. The Bone Dragon Ogre exploded into burned bones.

"Now I use Trice's effect," continued Marie. "When it destroys one Monster, it gets to attack again!"

The Phoenix flew forward again, towards Chelsea's facedown Monster. Pyramid Turtle appeared on the card, and exploded into dust.

"I use Pyramid Turtle's effect…" growled Chelsea.

"No you won't!" laughed Marie. "You can't Special Summon any Monsters that aren't Light, remember?"

"Oh, I remember," replied Chelsea. "I remember very well!"

An explosion of energy appeared on her side of the field, and Penelope appeared in front of her, looking incredibly angry. Chelsea's Call of the Mummy and Marie's facedown Dark Bribe were both blown to pieces. (1,000/200)

"Wha… Buh… How…" stammered Marie. "You mean… She's a Light Monster??"

Chelsea nodded.

"That's impossible!" screamed Marie. "She's… She's a vampire!"

"A vampire who kept her soul," replied Chelsea. "One who rejected their evil and the darkness they represented, and vowed to crush them whenever she could. She was a vampire who hated what she was, and turned against their foul race. Thus, she is a being of light.

"And she gains power from each creature of the night who perishes. For each Zombie in my Graveyard, she gains 400 more Attack Points."

(2,200/200)

Marie laughed out loud.

"Good thing I removed most of them from play," she chuckled. "She isn't even close to being strong enough to beat Trice."

"We'll see," said Chelsea. "It's my move…"

**(C: 2,500) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 12,200)**

She drew a card.

"I play… Graceful Charity."

She played the card, and the angel of charity appeared. Her feathers fell on her deck, and she drew three cards.

She looked at the cards in her hand, and discarded Zombie Bed and Soul-Absorbing Bone Tower.

"With another Zombie in my grave, Penelope gets even stronger."

(2,600/200)

"Still not enough," replied Marie.

"Now I'll play Monster Reborn!" shouted Chelsea.

"You don't have another Light Monster in your Graveyard!" screamed Marie.

"True," replied Chelsea. "So I'll get one from yours."

The holy ankh appeared, and then Helios Duo Megistus appeared next to Penelope. (2,600/2,600)

"Argh!" gasped Marie.

"Duo, destroy her Barrier Statue!" ordered Chelsea. "Solar singer!"

Duo blasted her burning stream of solar flames, and Barrier Statue of the Heavens exploded in a conflagration of light.

"Ergh…" muttered Marie. "How dare you!"

"I'm not done!" continued Chelsea. "Now that it's gone, I'm going to Special Summon a few more Monsters.

"First, I use one of my Deck Lord abilities. I remove two Zombies from play…"

Zombie Master and Pyramid Turtle slipped out of her discard slot, and Penelope fell to an Attack Score of 1,800.

"…to summon another Zombie from my Graveyard. So guess who's back?"

Vampire Lord appeared again. (2,000/1,500)

"FOOL!" sneered Marie. "Don't you realize that if you remove Monsters from play, you only make Trice stronger?"

Helios Trice Megistus rose to (4,500/4,500), while Helios Duo Megistus rose to (3,000/3,000).

"If they like power," said Chelsea, "I'll give them even more! I play Book of Life! I raise Ryu Kokki from my Graveyard, and then remove your Barrier Statue from play as well!"

Ryu Kokki appeared in front of her. (2,400/2,000) Penelope fell to (1,400/200), while Trice rose to (4,800/4,800). Meanwhile, Helios Duo Megistus rose to (3,200/3,200).

"I'll throw this facedown, and take a break."

A facedown card appeared.

**(C: 2,500) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 10,600)**

"I draw!" yelled Marie, drawing a card. "And with one more Monster in my Removed From Play pile, I gain 2,700 Life Points.

"Helios, kill Penelope!"

Helios Trice Megistus burned with flames, and the Phoenix blasted towards Penelope.

"Now who's being foolish?" asked Chelsea. "Activate… Widespread Ruin!"

Her facedown card lifted. Everyone cheered as the three suns exploded in a flaming blast.

"Seems Marie was so overcome with jealousy, she forgot to be careful," said Atticus, shaking her head. "She wanted to attack Penelope so much, she didn't even consider the facedown card."

Marie frowned. She looked at the three cards in her hand.

She placed a card on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"Attack me if you want," she said. "My Life Points are high enough to take it."

**(C: 2,500) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 13,300)**

Chelsea drew a card.

"Oh?" she said. "We'll see about that. I pay half my Life Points… Vampire Genesis, move to the field!"

"As you wish," said the huge vampire, stepping forward. (3,000/2,100)

"Is Chelsea crazy?!" shouted Ren.

"I have to agree with Ren," said Marie with a grin. "You do know that with him on the field, he's vulnerable to an attack."

"True," said Chelsea, "but not if I end this now. I'm Equipping him with Axe of Despair."

The huge, ugly axe appeared in Vampire Genesis's hands. (4,000/2,100)

"All right!" shouted Chelsea. "Penelope… Destroy her facedown Monster!"

Penelope shot a blast of burning light from her staff. Magician of Faith appeared on the card, and was blown to bits.

Marie grinned, and a Spell Card slipped out of her discard slot.

"Your Planet Alignment card, right?" asked Chelsea. "And the last card in your hand other than Card From a Different Dimension is clearly another Primordial Sun.

"Well sorry… But I'm never giving you a chance to use them!

"Vampire Genesis, get her!"

Vampire Genesis lunged at Marie, and delivered a fierce chop with the Axe of Despair. Marie screamed.

"Vampire Lord, children of the night!"

Vampire Lord opened his cape, and the swarm of bats flew at Marie. She shielded herself as they bit and clawed at her.

"Helios, solar singer!"

Helios Duo Megistus blasted its solar fire, and Marie screamed again.

"Ryu Kokki… Bone basher!"

Ryu Kokki lumbered up to the fallen angel and gave a mighty slam, throwing Marie backwards.

**(C: 1,250) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 1,700)**

Marie the Fallen One slowly got up, and panted for breath.

"Well, Chelsea…" she gasped. "I admit you had me worried there for a minute… But I still have Life Points left… And when my turn comes…"

"Still my turn, Marie," interrupted Chelsea. "And I'm using one of my other Deck Lord abilities. I can use it at any Phase of my turn, even my Battle Phase.

"It's called Vampire Evolution. It lets me sacrifice a Zombie Monster in order to Special Summon one from my hand that's exactly one Level higher.

"So, I'll sacrifice my Level Five Vampire Lord…"

Vampire Lord vanished.

"To summon Lich Lord, King of the Underworld!"

In a burst of darkness, the robed, undead sorcerer appeared. (2,400/1,200)

Marie bowed her head.

"Still my Battle Phase," said Chelsea. "Attack her directly! Unholy blight!"

Lich Lord aimed his staff, and cast a powerful dark spell. Marie barely moved as it hit her.

**(C: 1,250) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 0)**

"All right!" cheered Ren.

He ran up and hugged Chelsea.

"Ren, please…" gasped Chelsea.

Vampire Genesis lifted his claw, and Marie started to glow with a dark aura.

"That's it," muttered Marie. "Hug your boyfriend for now…

"And take pride in this victory. You haven't seen the last of me, Chelsea, and I won't be defeated again! I promise you!"

Then she burst into pixels.

"Where do you think she went?" asked Sam.

"From whence she came…" muttered Atticus. "From whence she came…"

"Can't you ever say 'I don't know'?" asked Erik. "Kinda feel bad for her though… She had the same chance that Joan had to get forgiveness, but she blew it…"

"I'll say she 'blew it' a long time ago," said Yumi, shaking her head. "The thing is, she never learned a very important part about redemption… Actively seeking forgiveness defeats the purpose of receiving it. Such a thing cannot be gotten… It can only be given…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ten minutes later, Daala was speaking to Marie over a screen.

"So, did it feel good to get it out of your system?" she asked, rather annoyed.

Marie merely bowed her head.

"That's what I figured," said Daala. "Now get back to your proper station, and be ready to face them again with your proper deck. Heck, you can even duel Chelsea again if you want. But I have enough to worry about without being disturbed by things like this."

"You're already disturbed, Daala," said Vita. "And your army has nothing to do with it."

Daala turned to her prisoner.

"Do you _want_ me to gag you?" she sneered.

Vita chuckled.

"Do it!" she laughed. "Of course, you'll have to take this mask off to put a gag on me… Are you willing to do that? In your own throne room where you receive guests and servants?"

Daala glared at her.

"Nice try…" she sneered. "The mask stays on, Vita. The one thing about you I can still control is using it to hide what you are, and it's going to stay hidden for as long as I'm in charge.

"And now that I've gotcha, I'm keeping you close by until I figure out a way make something that will hold you that you won't break out of. If my current plan works, it may be easy.

"For now, consider yourself lucky… You have a front-row seat to the best duels in Xanadu."

She chuckled, and continued to watch as Yumi's party trekked across the Flaming Peaks.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**PLANET ALIGNMENT (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** The planets of the solar system, lined up in perfect alignment.

**Card Description:** You may only activate this card when you have a "Helios – The Primordial Sun" face-up on your side of the field. Destroy all Monsters on the field except for "Helios – The Primordial Sun" and inflict 300 points of direct damage to your opponent.

_Note: "Planet Alignment" was first used by Banner in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Amnael's Endgame (Part Two)". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CARD FROM A DIFFERENT DIMENSION (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A weird machine, crackling with energy, with a Duel Monsters card being created inside it.

**Card Description:** When this card is removed from play, return it to the owner's hand during his/her next Standby Phase. Then, both players draw two cards from their respective decks.

_Note: "Card From A Different Dimension" was first used by Zane in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "The Graduation Match (Part One)". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**INFERNALVANIA (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image:** A broken wasteland with a creepy vampire's castle on a hill.

**Card Description:** Once per turn, during a player's own turn, a player may discard one Zombie-Type Monster from his/her hand to destroy all Monsters on the field. A player who uses this effect may not Normal Summon, Special Summon, or set a Monster for the remainder of the turn in which he/she uses this effect.

_Note: "Infernalvania" was first used by Camula in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Field of Screams (Part One)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HOLDING ARMS (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 500  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description:** When this card attacks an opposing Monster, battle damage to both players is reduced to zero and neither Monster is destroyed. This Monster and the attack target cannot declare an attack for three of your opponent's turns or until this Monster or the attack target is removed from the field.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HOLDING LEGS (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 800  
**DEF:** 600

**Card Description:** When this card is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned, return all Spell and Trap Cards on the field to their respective owners' hands.

_Note: "Holding Arms" and "Holding Legs" were first used by Marik in the multi-part original anime episode "Mind Game". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Chelsea's Deck Lord: "Vampire Genesis":** "Zombie Swap": You may shuffle one Zombie-Type Monster from your hand into your deck to search your deck for a Zombie-Type Monster that is an equal or lower Level than the one you sent back to your deck. You may use this effect once per round. (Intermediate Power) "Vampire Evolution": You may Tribute one Zombie-Type Monster to Special Summon a Zombie-Type Monster from your hand that is one Level higher than the Tributed Monster. This effect may be used at any Phase of your turn, and may be used during your opponent's turn. (Intermediate Power) "Graveyard Sacrifice": You may remove two Zombies in your Graveyard from play to Special Summon one Zombie from your Graveyard. This effect may be used a total of three times, once per turn. (Minor Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Marie's Deck Lord:** "Banished Energy": During your Standby Phase, gain 300 Life Points for each of your Monsters that have been removed from play. (Greater Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**The dangerous trek across the Flaming Peaks continues. Daala's plan for the heroes at this leg begins, and they learn that Horus is not the only powerful Duel Spirit who has become uneasy. To make matters worse, they meet a duelist who has apparently come from the pages of comic books, who uses cards with powers that few have been able to withstand. What is the secret behind this strange individual? **_

**_"Something Completely Different" is coming soon._**

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_**Name that Card!**_

_**Most of the time, the effect text for a Ritual Monster includes the name of the Ritual Spell required to summon it. One Ritual Monster does not, even though the Spell was still required, possibly because there was not enough room on the card to list it. Can you name it?**_


	39. Something Completely Different

_**What Ritual Monster did not have the name of its Ritual Spell on its card? If you said "Relinquished", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

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_**For this chapter, it represents my first foray into the "third generation" of Yu-Gi-Oh. This is something new to me, and represents a new challenge. So for all involved, bear with me. Also, a lot of the cards used in this chapter will not be released for the TCG until August 9th when the Sneak Preview event for **_**The Duelist Genesis**_** occurs in the United States. I won't waste space at the end of the chapter detailing ever single new card, except for one that I created myself. I'll provide a link if anyone desires to look the cards up.**_

_**Anyway, enjoy.**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**You'd think as the granddaughter of two duelists whose names are, well, legendary, I'd study up on the game some more.**_

_**The duelist I'm facing has Monsters I've never heard of. She possesses special Monsters that I've only heard stories about, whispered among duelists at Kaibaland. Several duelists I know claim they know someone who knows someone who's seen them, but they have a mythic status. And not like Kaiba's three Dragons either. He was all too willing to show them off. **_

_**As a result, I've gone into this duel completely unprepared, facing forces I can't comprehend. My opponent must be truly exceptional… She isn't afraid of these creatures, and tames them as easily as someone would a loyal dog.**_

_**I'm the Queen of Games. I can't refuse a challenge or back down. But now, I must defend my title like never before…**_

_**Time to duel, in a different way…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Something Completely Different**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Atticus continued to lead the way through the volcanic mountain range, the Cold Wave Spell radiating an aura from his Disk that held back the terrible heat.

His companions realized that it was likely the only thing that kept them from being deep fried by the flowing lava that bordered the paths, and the pools of it that they carefully circumnavigated.

"Uhm, Atticus?" asked Ren, nervously. "Question…"

"Shoot," he replied.

"How long does that Spell last?" he asked.

"Don't worry," he assured. "Unlike the actual version, it lasts longer than one round."

"What happens if someone comes along with a Mystical Space Typhoon?" asked Chelsea, nervously.

"No problem," replied Atticus, lifting his Disk and pointing to it. "Judgment of Anubis and Curse of Royal already set. A lot of Hunters have tried taking me out that way. They learned the hard way that I'm not that dumb…"

"I'm kinda curious, Atticus," asked Yumi. "If Joan programmed you, is there an AI version of his sister in Xanadu?"

Atticus stopped.

"There… used to be…" he said, sadly. "I'd rather not talk about it…"

"What do you mean?" asked Ren. "Where is…"

Chelsea hit him with her elbow.

"Don't you get it, Ren?" she whispered. "Alexis was part of Joan's army, but she was defeated in a duel. He doesn't know where she is now."

Atticus turned to them and nodded.

"But I know she's alive," he said. "We were programmed to be just as close as the real Rhodes siblings, so if she had been executed, I'd feel it in my gut.

"A lot of Joan's army has lost a friend or sibling since they came into Xanadu… It gives us something to work towards. We look forward to the day when we fight our way into the Core and liberate all the prisoners Daala has taken.

"We're gonna do it… I just know it…"

They walked over a crest, and found their path blocked by a wide lake of lava, with several stones within.

"Now what?" asked Sam.

Atticus studied the layout.

"Follow my lead," he said.

He leapt to the nearest stone, landing on it.

"You gotta be kidding," shouted Sam. "I never learned to swim in _water_ let alone _lava_!"

"It's easy," said Atticus, "so long as you don't think about what happens if you fall."

He jumped to the next stone.

"Okay…" muttered Yumi. "I'm not thinking about it… I'm not thinking about it…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi's party was being watched, as always, but not by Daala at the moment. She had vital plans for them that would be coming to a headway soon, and she was debriefing the one in charge of them.

When Daala had cast her physical body aside, she had freed herself of the restraints of a human woman. She didn't need to do many of the things that humans needed to do to survive, like eat or sleep. She didn't even need to breathe.

She could sleep if she wanted to, however. Sometimes she felt the need to rest, and to dream, something that sentient beings needed to keep sane. She knew that demons didn't sleep, and one theory was that some of the more maniacal ones owed their insanity to insomnia. Thus, she did sleep at times, often with someone to keep her warm.

And while she didn't need to eat, she often did so, to experience taste, another sensation that humans needed.

Since other servants in her army needed to eat, the palace at the Core had a large commissary. And Daala had a private chef as well, whose job was to cook for her and the members of her inner circle. He was an AI program that Daala modeled after her father's old cook that he had eventually fired. His name was Jean-Claude.

There was a reason that her father had fired him. Not that he was a bad cook. He was an excellent cook. The reason was, he was just plain rude, and it was a fault that Daala could not erase when she made the AI program, no matter how hard she tried.

Right now, he was peeling onions, and watching Yumi's party on a screen.

"Tread careful, you fools," he muttered. "One wrong step, and you'll be boiled like Marseille bouillabaisse…"

He wiped tears away from his eyes.

"Cursed onions…" he muttered.

"Jean-Claude?" said a voice.

An Otohime walked into the room. Jean-Claude frowned. He didn't like her at all. Then again, he didn't like any of the members of Daala's inner circle. All they ever did was order him around, and he was sick of it.

"Daala wanted me to give you a message," said the Duel Spirit. "She wants lox and bagels for breakfast tomorrow."

"VAT?" shouted Jean-Claude. "Lox has to be fresh! Do you know how early I'm going to have to get up tomorrow morning to download zat?"

"That's what I told her," said the Otohime. "She said to set your alarm."

"**Sacré bleu**…" muttered Jean-Claude, clenching his fist.

"Oh, and Jean?" she said, turning away, "I'll be in the library… Bring me a BLT…"

She closed the door.

"Bitch…" he growled.

The door swung open.

"WHAT was that?" she shouted. "Care to say that to my face?"

Jean-Claude shrank back in fright.

"I didn't think so," said the Otohime. "Do your job, Jean. I know it's tradition for the French to be impolite, but doing so to your employers here is not a good idea… You're hanging by a thread as it is."

She turned and left again.

Jean-Claude slammed the peeler down on the ground and sat down with a sulk.

"All I'm good for to zem is 'doing my job'," he thought. "Seems in zis place, in order to be noticed, you need to duel…"

He looked at a Duel Disk on the counter.

"Vell, I can duel, and I vould too…"

He looked at the screen. He saw Sam make it over the lake, the last one across.

"Maybe all I need is a few powerful cards… Oui, zen I could duel as vell as ze rest of zem…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi and company had crossed the lava pit, only to find trouble on the opposite side. A very big volcano ahead of them was rumbling, and smoke was pouring out of its crater.

"That thing is starting to stir, if you ask me," said Ren.

"Hey, guys, look," said Erik.

He pointed, and they all saw a building of some sort at the base of the volcano. It was dome-shaped, made of stone, with a single door in the front.

"That looks like Ben Kenobi's hut from the first _Star Wars_ movie," said Erik.

"Yeah, well I doubt that whoever lives there is as friendly as old Ben was," pondered Yumi. "If the owner built it right under a volcano, it's likely adequate shelter for an eruption… But we'd best find out who the owner is…"

They walked up to the door, and saw that it had a name plate on it.

**PSIONIC SURGERY**

**EMMA FROST PRESIDING**

"What the heck?" asked Sam. "A surgeon? Not exactly the best place for a medical practice…"

"I've heard that name before…" muttered Ren. "I have a bad feeling about this…"

Yumi pushed open the door, and a blast of cold air greeted them as they walked in.

The interior certainly didn't look like any doctor's office. The whole place was set up with cushioned couches and silk pillows, along with shag rugs. The smell of incense filled the air. It looked sort of like some spoiled princess's bedroom.

"Odd," said Yumi.

They heard a click, and some relaxation music came one. They turned towards another side of the large room, and saw that someone had come in, and turned on a sound system.

It was a tall and very attractive woman, blonde, blue-eyed, and busty. She wore white pants that were incredibly form-fitting, and a white halter top with a high collar, low-cut to reveal her cleavage. Connected to the halter was a white, flowing cape.

"Uhm… Emma Frost, I presume?" asked Yumi.

The woman looked at them with a cold glance.

"Indeed," she said. "So, which of you needs my services?"

"Services?" asked Yumi.

"You wouldn't have come unless Daala sent you," replied Emma. "Psionic surgery… Which of you is my patient?"

"People…"said Ren, nervously. "Out the door, now…"

"Huh?" said Chelsea.

Ren grabbed her, and retreated out the door. Everyone followed. Emma crossed her arms and shook her head in confusion.

"Why'd you do that?" asked Atticus, once they were outside. "We lucked out! She mistook us for members of Daala's army!"

"Yes, but I just remembered who Emma Frost is," replied Ren. "Her appearance kinda helped."

"She looked like she belonged at the Playboy Mansion," muttered Erik.

"She's an old X-Men character," continued Ren, "originally a villain, later a reluctant hero with questionable morals. She was known for having psychic powers, and being among the most powerful in that area.

"One thing that made her stand out in that area was her skill in psionic surgery, a skill that is unusual in even the most powerful telepaths. It basically lets the psychic control individual brain functions in such a way that the physical body can be altered… Mind over matter. A psionic surgeon can cure diseases, heal injuries, and even repair physical disabilities.

"This is clearly an AI program in Emma's shape. Dealing with her may be dangerous."

Everyone paused.

"Or…" said Yumi, looking at the door.

She paused. She gave it a long look.

"Or," she continued, "if we take her down, we can rob Daala of a very powerful resource. If psionic surgeons are that rare, her defeat would be an incredible blow to Daala's forces."

Atticus looked at the door.

"People," said Yumi. "Taking away enemy resources is an important part in any conflict. I'd say that doing away with a powerful healer qualifies."

"Okay…" said Atticus. "But let's be careful regardless…"

They turned and opened the door and walked in.

"Uh, Emma?" said Yumi. "Come to think of it, we…"

What happened next took them completely by surprise. A wave of energy hit them, and they were thrown against the wall.

And they didn't fall down after hitting it. Something was holding them there.

Emma grinned at them, and slipped a Duel Disk on her arm.

"You folks made two mistakes, Yumi," she said. "The first one was not taking advantage of an enemy when you took her by surprise.

"The second one was thinking you could hold that conversation without me hearing. In case you didn't know, I possess clairaudience."

"Heh, heh…" said Yumi, with a grin. "Well, you certainly can't blame me for trying, huh? By the way, I'm guessing you set up shop in Flaming Peaks so you wouldn't catch cold wearing that outfit?"

"Are you criticizing my fashion sense?" asked Emma.

"Course not," replied Yumi. "In fact, you're probably a lot luckier than most costumed folks. You didn't have to make your costume yourself. You just had to put in an order to Fredrick's of Hollywood."

"Uh, Yumi, you mind not insulting her?" asked Ren, nervously. "In case you didn't notice, she kinda has us pinned to the wall?"

"You want a duel, Yumi?" asked Emma, angrily. "Fine… We'll duel…"

Her eyes started to glow like white orbs.

"But we'll duel on _my_ terms…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi opened her eyes, unaware that she had closed them.

She screamed.

She was on a small island of stone in a huge lake of lava, in what seemed to be the very crater of a volcano.

She shivered. Memories of the terrible Shadow Game she had fought with Rasputin came rushing back.

"Yumi!" screamed Chelsea's voice.

Yumi got up and turned around. Her allies were standing on a rocky outcropping on the crater's edge.

"How'd we get here?" shouted Yumi.

Then Emma appeared in front of Yumi, thirty paces away, on another island of stone.

"We're in the crater of the volcano above my office," she said. "I used psychoportation to bring us here, a psychic's version of teleportation.

"And that isn't the only thing I did with my powers just now, Yumi. You see, for a little fun, I'm adding a time limit on this duel.

"This volcano is the home of an ally of mine. A very powerful Fire Duel Spirit. I won't tell you who, but he's powerful enough to make the volcano erupt. I gave him a telepathic message, telling him to do so exactly half an hour after the duel starts. And I also told him not to let anyone tell him to stop. No-one, that's right, no-one, not even me, can stop the eruption."

"You'll teleport to safety, leaving us to die fiery deaths…" muttered Yumi.

Emma grinned and nodded.

"And so long as I'm here, your own escape routes are cut off," she said. "I can knock you out of the sky if you even try it. But, if you beat me, I'll have to leave, and you should manage to fly to safety, I suppose."

"My Red-Eyes might be able to do that," whispered Atticus to the others. "I'll have him ready…"

Emma's Disk activated.

"So…"she said. "What are you waiting for?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In a deep part of Daala's palace, slightly above the prison, there was a large chamber, and at the far end stood a door. On the door was a sign that read:

**NO ENTRY!!**

**ENTRY FORBIDDEN!!**

If the not-to-subtle sign wasn't enough to keep anyone who wasn't supposed to be in this restricted area away, the sentry guarding the chamber was. It was a very powerful and very fearsome Duel Spirit called a Draconic Knight. It was a Level Seven Monster that looked like a humanoid Dragon, wearing the traditional armor of a knight, holding a very large sword and a shield.

Actually, the sword was currently in its sheath, and the shield was slung to its back. It was rather bored with its job; no-one had ever been stupid enough to challenge it for what was behind the door, so its job got tedious at times. Still, Daala paid it well in gold and gems, things that all Dragons coveted, so it didn't complain.

A serving cart rolled into the chamber. The Knight turned to face it, ready to draw its sword…

Then it lifted an eyebrow… It smelled pastrami…

It went over to the serving cart. Sure enough, a pastrami sandwich with Swiss cheese and horseradish was there.

It looked around. It looked down the corridor. It sniffed the air.

After about a minute, it decided that it was all right. It picked up the sandwich.

It didn't see the card underneath it until it was too late. A surge of energy struck it, and a Spellbinding Circle grabbed it.

Jean-Claude crept out of hiding. He smirked.

"If you ever vant to go hunt for a Duel Spirit," he said, "take a chef along. He'll know vat bait to use…

"Vant to catch a Draconic Knight? Pastrami."

He walked up to the door and held up another card. A Blast With Chain materialized on the lock.

"Now… Ze powerful cards inside zis vault vill surrender zemselves to me… And I'll prove my worth at last…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Aw, heck," laughed Emma. "Why not bring your Deck Lord out too? The more the merrier, I always say."

Yumi gestured, and Dark Magician Girl appeared in a shower of motes.

"Ready?" whispered Yumi.

"More than ever," said Dark Magician Girl's telepathic voice. "The power I absorbed from King Dragun has made me stronger than ever!"

"And here's mine!" shouted Emma.

The creature that appeared behind her wasn't even close to being as attractive as Emma. It was a demonic-looking creature with a huge, exposed brain, a full beard, and black, feathered wings. It wore a long, green robe, and held a long rod with a purple orb on the tip.

"My Deck Lord is Ancient Brain," she said. "Not very powerful Attack-wise, but he's got a good head on his shoulders.

"I'd love to explain to you what he's capable of, but we're wasting valuable time…"

**(Yumi: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Emma: 8,000)**

"Game on!" shouted the two duelists.

"I'll start…" said Emma, making her first draw. "And I summon…"

She placed a card on her Disk.

"Mental Master in Attack Mode!"

A weird Monster materialized in front of her, hovering over the lava. It looked like a brain inside a toaster-sized robotic body, half of which was made of Plexiglas. Two cords were attached to it, with hands on the end. (100/200)

"What the sam-hill?" muttered Yumi.

"I'll set one card facedown, and that will end my turn," said Emma, as a facedown card appeared.

Yumi quickly drew a card.

"Sorry, Emma, but I'm not falling for that," she said. "The facedown card is obviously a Trap, and the weak Monster is bait.

"I'll defend with this, and that will be all."

A facedown Monster appeared.

"My move again?" asked Emma, sweetly, drawing a card.

"I summon Mental Protector."

She played another card, and another weird Monster appeared, this one actually rising up out of the lava. It looked like a blocky, bulky robot made of gold with purple gems in its armor. It had big hands and no legs. (0/2,200)

"Another weak Monster in Attack Mode?" shouted Chelsea. "What is she up to?"

"Doesn't matter," said Emma. "I'm only going to sacrifice it, using Mental Master's effect.

"You see, by paying 800 Life Points and sacrificing a Psychic Monster, except for Mental Master itself, I get to Special Summon a Psychic Monster from my deck, up to Level Four."

"Psychic Monsters?" said Erik.

"How do you define a Psychic Monster?" asked Sam. "What definition do you use to…"

"Psychic is a _Type_ of Monster, moron!" shouted Emma. "Like Warriors!"

She calmed down a little.

"Sure, they aren't nearly as numerous as other Types… Even Reptiles have them outnumbered. But they make up for quantity with a great deal of _quality!_

"So, I pay 800 Life Points and sacrifice Mental Protector…"

Mental Protector vanished into grains of light.

"To summon Psycho Commander!"

Another Monster appeared, just as weird as the last two. From the waist up, it was a humanoid creature wearing army fatigues with a metal grill for a face. From the waist down, it was a saucer-shaped machine, with a large, futuristic cannon. (1,400/800)

"Psycho Commander, attack her Monster!" ordered Emma. "Id Insinuation!"

Waves of wavy, blue energy shot from Psycho Commander's cannon. Old Vindictive Magician appeared on the card, and was blown to shards.

"I use his effect!" shouted Yumi. "I'll destroy…"

She looked at the two Monsters.

"…Mental Master!"

Mental Master burst into silvery shards.

_Best get rid of her summoner,_ she thought.

"Id Insinuation?" asked Ren. "I've heard of some weird attack names, but…"

"I end my turn," said Emma.

**(Y: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 7,200)**

_Got to be careful…_ thought Yumi, drawing a card. _I have no idea how these… Psychics work…_

_But here's a solution to one problem…_

"I play Mystical Space Typhoon!" she shouted. "There goes your Trap Card!"

The Cyclone tore across the field, and Emma's Trap Card was blown to bits.

"Browning Power?" she asked. "What the heck does that do?"

"It was destroyed," said Emma. "What difference does it make?"

"Fine," said Yumi.

She played a card. Valkyria appeared, hovering over the dangerous pit. (1,600/1,800)

"I'll show you quality," she said. "Attack her Psycho Commander! Magic illusion!"

Valkyria aimed her staff at Psycho Commander.

"Sorry, Yumi," said Emma, "but she should have known better. Psycho Commander has a useful effect.

"Whenever it battles another Monster, I can pay up to 500 Life Points. Then the Monster it's battling loses the same amount of Attack and Defense Points. So I'll pay 300 of my Life Points."

Psycho Commander blasted its cannon, and Valkyria screamed as her Attack Points fell to 1,300. She dropped her staff and clutched her head in pain. Then she exploded into pixels.

"Nuts…" muttered Yumi.

"You think your magicians impress me, Yumi?" asked Emma. "Few would argue that a master of mental powers is any less formidable than an archmage. A psychic that hones his skills well can obtain the same level of power that great sorcerers do. In a different way, of course."

"I set one card facedown and end my turn!" shouted Yumi.

A facedown card materialized.

**(Y: 7,900) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 6,900)**

"I draw…" said Emma. "And thanks to my Deck Lord, I now gain Life Points equal to half of what I spent in the previous two turns due to the effects of my Psychic Monsters."

She and Ancient Brain glowed with energy.

"You see, Yumi, psychic powers tend to be exhausting if used repeatedly. This is reflected by the fact that the effects of most Psychic Monsters require a Life Point cost. My Deck Lord helps a bit, as do some other cards in my deck.

"Now I summon Psycho Walld."

With a wet, slurping noise, a tall creature that looked more-or-less like a humanoid snail with a muscular torso and a spiral shell on its hindquarters appeared. (1,900/1,200)

"Attack Yumi directly!" ordered Emma. "Ego whip!"

A lash of red energy flew from Psycho Walld and struck Yumi, and she yelled in pain.

Emma pointed, and Psycho Commander blasted its mental energy from its cannon. Yumi fell to her knees.

Emma placed a card in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"That should… do for now…" she said.

**(Y: 4,600) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 7,450)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Jean-Claude stopped to catch his breath. He was in big trouble.

It was his own fault, and he knew it. He should have guessed that the vault had other defenses besides the Draconic Knight.

He didn't even see it coming. As soon as he picked up one card, a whole mob of Millennium Golems appeared. Fortunately, he could run faster than they could – barely.

He had just made it to a room where they couldn't follow. No way creatures that big could fit through the door.

He stopped to look at the one card he had gotten out of this. He supposed that one card was better than nothing…

_Curses!_ he thought. _Zis is a Ritual Monster! How can I use a Ritual Monster without ze Ritual Spell?_

He read the card text. It was _very_ powerful.

_Zere must be some vay to use zis… Think, Jean-Claude, think…_

He looked at the card again.

_Of course!_

He looked at the door.

_Eh, zey're still zere. Zey're enchanted guardians… Zey have ze patience of Job…_

_So I'll use my alternate escape route…_

He held up a card. It was Dimensionhole.

A portal appeared in mid-air, and he leapt through it.

"Au revoir!" he shouted. "I'm home free!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi slowly got up off the ground.

She drew a card.

She gestured, as her facedown card activated.

"Go, Call of the Haunted!" she shouted.

A coffin rose out of the lava in front of her, and Magician's Valkyria stepped out again. (1,600/1,800)

"Now, I'll sacrifice Valkyria…"

Valkyria vanished into grains of light.

"To summon Chaos Command Magician!"

The powerful Chaos Mage appeared in a burst of light. (2,400/1,900)

"Huh?" gasped Emma. "My Commander's effect can't defeat a Monster _that_ powerful!"

"Your Commander's effect won't work on him at all, actually," said Yumi. "He's immune to all Monster effects that target. And there's nothing that says Psychics are exempt from that rule."

Emma growled. Her own facedown card lifted.

"I activate Psycho Healing!" she shouted. "This Trap Card grants me 1,000 Life Points for each Psychic I have on the field."

Psycho Commander, Psycho Walld, and Emma herself glowed with energy.

Yumi frowned.

"Chaos Command Magician, attack Psycho Commander with chaos magic!"

Chaos Command Magician fired his blast, and the Commander was blown into its component parts.

"Weird…" muttered Ren.

**(Y: 4,600) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 8,450)**

"My move," muttered Emma.

She drew a card.

"I move Walld to Defense Mode…"

Psycho Walld curled up like a serpent and lay down.

"Then, I summon Clevonce in Attack Mode."

A burst of ones and zeroes appeared in front of her, and a cackling laughter echoed over the lava pit. The Monster that appeared looked like a harlequin at first glance, but _only_ at first glance. Its limbs and head were not truly connected to its body, and its purple and gold clothing was covered with the pattern of a circuit board. Its visor had the mathematical symbols for "greater than/less than or equal to" on it. (1,200/400)

"Okay, that's disturbing…" muttered Yumi.

"I end my turn," said Emma.

Yumi drew a card.

_Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer,_ she thought. _One successful attack with this guy, and I won't have to see two of her Psychics again…_

She placed it on her Disk.

"I summon Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer!" she shouted.

In a burst of energy, Kycoo appeared, holding his Rosaries. (1,800/700)

"Chaos Command Magician, destroy Psycho Walld!"

The Spellcaster fired his blast, and Psycho Walld exploded into shards.

"Kycoo attack Clevonce! Spell of banishment!"

Kycoo called lightning to his hands.

"Not so fast!" shouted Emma. "Clevonce has a special effect as well. Whenever it's attacked, I can negate the attack if I pay 800 Life Points!"

Clevonce cackled, and a shield of mental energy formed around it. Kycoo's spell bounced off of it.

"In that case," muttered Yumi. "I end my turn…"

_I'll attack it with Chaos Command Magician next turn,_ she thought. _He's immune to that effect…_

**(Y: 4,600) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 7,650)**

Emma drew.

"I gain 400 Life Points from my Deck Lord," she said. "Then I play Pot of Greed.

The green jug appeared, and she drew two cards.

"Finally!" shouted Erik. "Finally she uses a card we recognize!"

"I throw two cards facedown, and set one Monster in Defense Mode," she said.

A facedown Monster and two facedown cards appeared.

"Over to you…"

**(Y: 4,600) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 8,050)**

"Hurry up, Yumi…" said Ren, as Yumi drew. "We only have twenty minutes before this thing blows its top…"

Yumi looked at the card she had drawn.

"I play Premature Burial!" she shouted.

She played the card, and glowed with red energy as Magician's Valkyria appeared again. (1,600/1,800)

"Now, she attacks your facedown Monster!"

Valkyria fired a bolt of energy. The Monster that appeared on the card looked like a nutty female professor with an oversized head, wearing a helmet covered with light bulbs. It was blown to pieces.

"That was my Cabalist," said Emma. "When it's destroyed, I can pay 800 Life Points to add any Psychic I want from my deck to my hand."

A card slipped out of her deck, and she took it.

"You'll need it!" yelled Yumi. "Chaos Command Magician, attack Clevonce!"

The blast of Chaos Magic flew towards Clevonce. The Psychic grinned evilly…

Emma's facedown card flipped up.

"Activate, Draining Shield!" she shouted.

"No…" gasped Yumi.

The blast hit the invisible shield, and energy flowed into Emma.

"When you run a deck with Psychics, Yumi," said Emma, "you can never have too much Life Point recovery!"

Yumi clenched her fist.

"Kycoo, you attack Clevonce!" she screamed.

Kycoo cast his spell of banishment. Emma gestured, and Clevonce erected its mental shield again.

"I end my turn…" muttered Yumi, sadly.

**(Y: 3,800) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 8,850)**

_Eighty-eight-fifty Life Points?_ thought Yumi. _How can I win now?_

_I don't know if I can…_

She closed her eyes for a second.

This was all her fault… She should have recommended running away when Ren told them what Emma could do. But trying to face her was her own idea.

How was she to know that Emma would be this powerful? She was a soldier in a rebellion trying to overthrow a tyrant… It was her responsibility to combat the enemy.

And her plan may well have doomed all of them now…

"My draw…" said Emma.

She drew a card.

"I gain 800 more Life Points from my Deck Lord.

"Then I activate the Trap Card, Psycho Charge."

Her facedown card lifted.

"This lets me take three Psychics from my Graveyard, and shuffle them into my deck."

Mental Master, Psycho Commander, and Psycho Walld slipped out of her Graveyard, and she quickly shuffled her deck.

"Then I get to draw twice."

She made two draws.

"Now I summon a second Mental Protector…"

Another Protector, much like the first, appeared. (0/2,200)

"Now, there's something I didn't tell you about Clevonce…"

"It has another effect?" groaned Yumi.

"Technically, no," said Emma. "But it is a Tuner Monster."

Yumi and her five allies gasped in surprise.

"A Tuner Monster?!" they all shouted at once.

"She's actually going to summon a…" gasped Chelsea.

"I've heard about them…" gasped Sam. "I never thought I'd see them…"

"To invoke this great power," chanted Emma, "I need one Tuner, and five total Levels worth of Monsters… No more, no less…"

Mental Protector and Clevonce started to glow with sparkling light. Then they leapt up into the sky, and the sky turned into a starry field.

"I summon a being from the stars! I tune Clevonce and Mental Protector. Clustering stars form a new force!

"_Synchro Summon!_

"Behold Magical Android!"

The two Psychics were consumed in the display of stars, and they congealed into a new shape. A tall figure flew out of the ether, this one clearly feminine. She was dressed in a costume that was a cross between robes and armor, all the colors of the rainbow, held an oddly-shaped metal staff in one hand, and a shield shaped like a swirl in the other. (2,400/1,700)

"No… way…" said Ren.

"People…" said Atticus. "Emma is no AI program… There's no WAY artificial life could ever harness the power of Synchro Monsters! The Spirits of Synchro Monsters would never allow it! They're powerful and complex beings, and they won't obey just anyone…"

Emma sighed.

"Yeah, the truth is out…" she said.

_Huh?_ thought Yumi. _Her voice just changed… Deeper, and… older…_

"I'm not an AI program," muttered Emma. "I'm fully human.

"I was once a champion Pro League duelist. And I was just as beautiful then as what you see here. My opponents feared and respected me for my ability to use the rare Psychic Monsters, and the even rarer Synchro Monsters. I was a terror… If it had continued, I might have been Queen of Games myself…"

"So what happened?" asked Erik.

"I turned forty!" shouted Emma.

She sighed.

"Duel Monsters is a male-dominated game, you know that? Female duelists only get respect if they're hot.

"What was I supposed to do? Do what Mai Valentine did and join an evil cult that used cursed magic in order to be noticed? Or perhaps I had to do what Alexis Rhodes did, and disappear without a trace after traveling on a plane that crashed?

"When my hair started to turn grey, and wrinkles started to form, I started to lose the respect. Cosmetic surgery can only do so much, and is so costly… How I envied Emma Frost… She and other female characters in comic books… They not only have beauty, their beauty is eternal. Comic book characters are ageless.

"I was about to stop dueling professionally and try teaching, when Daala contacted me with an offer that was too good to refuse. I only had to come to Xanadu, where my beauty would be just as eternal as the true Emma Frost, and I'd receive real psychic powers. All I had to do was serve in her army, and use psionic surgery on any other member of her army that needed it."

"Oh, come on…"said Ren. "That's…"

He stopped short.

"Actually, that's a pretty sweet deal… It sure beats teaching…"

"Whose side are you on?" asked Sam, with a frown.

"But anyway," said Emma, taking a card from her hand, "I have no regrets… None at all. I'd been a duelist all my life… It's what I was, and there was no changing it. If I had to become evil to continue playing the game I loved, and get respect while doing it, then consider this my path to Hell. I made my choice, and I'm sticking with it.

"I play the Equip Spell, Synchro Hero! This gives my Monster 500 more Attack Points, and increases its Level by one."

Magical Android rose to an Attack Score of 2,900.

"Attack Magician's Valkyria! Psychic Storm!"

Magical Android's eyes glowed, and a storm of energy surrounded her. A tornado of pulsating, crackling energy shot towards Magician's Valkyria. She screamed right before she was atomized.

"So much for her…" muttered Emma, as a facedown card appeared. "I throw one card facedown. I end my turn, which means Magical Android's effect activates. I gain 600 Life Points for each Psychic Monster I have. I only have Magical Android herself, but every little bit helps."

**(Y: 2,500) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 10,250)**

"My move…" growled Yumi.

She drew a card.

"I sacrifice both my Monsters…"

Chaos Command Magician and Kycoo vanished into grains of light.

"Come on out, Dark Magician!"

In a flourish, Dark Magician appeared, and brandished his staff.

_The Mouto family signature Monster!_ thought Emma, opening her eyes wide. _Oh… When I was on the Pro League, I dreamed of facing him…_

"Now, I play Rush Recklessly!" shouted Yumi, playing a card.

Dark Magician's Attack Score rose to 3,200.

"Destroy Magical Android!" she commanded. "Dark Magic Attack!"

Dark Magician fired his mighty blast, and Magical Android screamed. The Psychic exploded into triangles.

"You made a big mistake, Yumi!" shouted Emma. "By destroying my Psychic Monster, you triggered my most powerful Trap!"

Her facedown card lifted.

"Telekinetic Force!"

Another wave of psychic energy shot towards Yumi's side of the field, but this time it came from Emma herself. A wave of mental beams shot from her forehead, striking Dark Magician. He exploded into shards.

"Dark Magician!" screamed Yumi.

"My Trap not only destroys the Monster that destroyed mine," said Emma, "but the base Attack Score of your Monster goes into my Life Points. It's Sakuretsu Armor and Draining Shield all in one handy card!"

Yumi seethed with rage. She threw a card into her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

**(Y: 2,500) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 12,450)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In Daala's throne room, Daala and the Otohime were viewing a screen. A young teenager in a very familiar-looking outfit was standing by a stable part of the Flaming Peaks.

Vita was still pinned to the wall behind them, still held prisoner by the fiendish shackles. And she wasn't very happy. Apparently, the Holding Arms and Holding Legs were actual Duel Spirits, but they could best be described as mindless. They couldn't be reasoned with, so she was weighing her other options.

After all, Daala wasn't paying much attention to her right now.

"Are you in position Hiroki?" asked Daala.

"Oh yes," said the young man. "They got sidetracked by Emma, but they should be coming by here in an hour or so."

"Just remember, stay with the plan," replied Daala. "Don't get carried away. Your deck was hard enough to program, and we can't afford to screw up at this stage."

"Don't worry," said the young man. "This duel will be a pleasure."

Otohime frowned.

"I don't like this…" she muttered. "If anyone should take down Erik, it should be me…"

Daala looked at her.

"Don't forget the conditions we set," she said. "You handle Erik if no-one else can handle him."

"I kind of hoped I would take a more hands-on approach," said the Spirit Monster.

Daala frowned.

"Watanabe…" she said. "Do you know why I recruited you, made you a member of my inner circle, and gave you the blessings of the Core? Like all members of my inner circle, I was looking for individuals who had information on Yumi's allies, and motives to use that information against them.

"As far as Erik was concerned, you were not the only one I approached. There were a lot of folks in Domino who didn't like him… Mostly tournament duelists who were humiliated by losing to someone using a Toy Deck…"

"And you're saying I wasn't humiliated by him?" shouted the Otohime. "I worked for years trying to get my tenure, only to lose my chance at it because of that brat!"

"True," said Daala. "And that's likely why you, and no-one else I approached regarding him was willing to abandon her life on Earth, as well as her humanity, in order to take the position. I didn't force you Watanabe, but you agreed, and you now must follow all the conditions.

"You will continue to act as a member of my ruling council. Most members of my army would kill for that chance. And you will act as my advisor for any matter regarding him.

"Because… If you went back to Earth now, you'd soon realize that there are even fewer career opportunities for an Otohime, than there are for a teacher who doesn't have tenure…"

Vita smirked.

_So, the members of your inner circle have names, huh?_ she thought. _And apparently, this Otohime used to be human…_

_Seems you and your partner have been more than willing to share the method in which such a situation can be arranged…_

_Very interesting… Very interesting indeed…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The lava was starting to boil even fiercer. Yumi's friends backed away from the edge until their backs were against the wall.

"I'll never eat lobster again…" gasped Ren.

"We may not have a choice in the matter," said Chelsea. "It doesn't look good for Yumi right now…"

Emma drew a card.

"I summon Power Injector," she said.

The Monster that appeared was both bizarre and ugly. It looked like Frankenstein's monster, complete with bolts in its head, with a thick torso dressed in a blue jacket. On its forearms were two odd objects that looked like crosses between cannons and tanks full of bubbling red liquid. (1,300/1,400)

"I've seen stronger," said Yumi.

"Don't you realize by now that my Monsters all have special powers?" asked Emma. "Power Injector is no different. Every round, if I pay 500 Life Points, it can increase the Attack Points of all Psychics on my side of the field by 500 points.

"And since Power Injector itself is a Psychic…"

Power Injector glowed with energy, and its Attack Score rose to 1,800.

"Attack Yumi directly!"

Power Injector aimed one of its cannons at Yumi, and a blast of foul liquid shot at her…

"Not so fast!" shouted Yumi. "I have a Draining Shield of my own!"

Her facedown card lifted, and the invisible shield surrounded her for a change. She glowed as energy fed into her.

**(Y: 4,300) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 11,950)**

"What's the point, Yumi?" asked Emma. "I have almost three times as many Life Points as you. Why don't you just give up?

"Tell you what… Just deactivate your Duel Disk, and surrender, and neither you nor your friends will die. I'll just send you to Daala like any other losers. Surely, being prisoners is better than being dead, right?"

Yumi sighed.

_Maybe I should…_ she thought.

She started to lift her left hand.

"Don't you dare!" screamed Sam.

"Huh?" said Yumi.

"I'm with Sam, Yumi," yelled Ren. "It _isn't_ better. I'd rather go down in the history books of Xanadu as having gone down fighting than having given up."

"Excuse me, but can someone tell me where Yumi went?" asked Chelsea. "Cause she seems to have gone away and left behind someone who would consider giving up!"

"But…" muttered Yumi, closing her eyes. "But what if I fail?"

"Weren't you even paying attention an hour ago?" asked Chelsea. "Marie had me in this exact same situation! I wouldn't have been half the duelist I am today without you, Yumi. If I can reverse a situation like this, then you sure can."

Yumi opened her eyes. Why hadn't that occurred to her?

She glared at Emma.

"You were playing with my mind, weren't you?" she asked. "You've been using your powers to inflict subtle manipulation this whole duel to psyche me out, haven't you?"

"I most certainly have not!" snapped Emma.

Yumi glared at her.

"Are you clairvoyant too?" she asked. "Can you see through my eyes and spy on my hand of cards?"

Emma laughed.

"You credit me with powers I clearly don't have," she chuckled.

"Well, whether you do or don't," said Yumi, "I just got my second wind back… Time to turn this around!

"Draw!"

She drew a card.

"I play Monster Reborn! Dark Magician, return!"

The golden ankh appeared, and Dark Magician appeared in a burst of light. (2,500/2,100)

"Next, I'll set this in Defense Mode."

A facedown Monster appeared.

Yumi turned to Dark Magician Girl.

"It's time," she said.

Dark Magician Girl nodded. Then she flew above Yumi, glowing with eldritch energy.

"_Soul Circle!"_ she chanted.

"After so many battles, and so much power gained," said Yumi, "Dark Magician Girl now has a Deck Lord ability that equals the one she had when she was my grandmother's Deckmaster in Noah's world.

"I now get to draw cards equal to the number of Spellcaster Monsters in my Graveyard, so long as I stop drawing when I reach the legal hand size limit."

The images of Old Vindictive Magician, Magician's Valkyria, Chaos Command Magician, and Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer appeared behind her. They faded away, and she quickly drew four cards. She looked them over.

"I'll set one of them facedown…"

A facedown card appeared.

"Then I'll attack with Dark Magician!"

Dark Magician's Dark Magic Attack struck Power Injector, blowing it to particles.

"Heh, heh, heh," chuckled Emma. "My Life Points are so high, I barely felt a thing!"

"I end my turn," said Yumi.

**(Y: 4,300) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 11,250)**

Emma drew a card.

She smiled a wicked smile.

"I gain 250 Life Points from my first Deck Lord ability," she said. "Then I activate my other Deck Lord ability. I can only use it once per duel. I get to Special Summon from my Deck or Graveyard a high-Level Psychic Monster. If I wanted to, I could bring Magical Android back. But, since this effect costs me Life Points equal to half its base Attack Score, I'm going to summon someone from my deck that isn't as strong.

"So I'll pay 1,150 Life Points to summon my Storm Summoner."

As the creature appeared, it was clear that "Storm Summoner" was a good name for it, because its arrival started a windstorm. It was a bulky, muscular, partially mechanical creature that wore a helmet-harness combination that held a generator of some sort above its head. (2,300/2,000)

"Next, I play the Spell Card, Emergency Teleport. This lets me Special Summon a Psychic Monster from my hand. Of course, it will be removed from play at the end of my turn…

"So… I summon Psycho Jumper."

In a blast of electricity, a new creature appeared. It was an incredibly gaunt humanoid, with pale, white skin, and claws on its hands and bare feet, wearing a brown trenchcoat, black leather pants covered with belts, no shirt, punk glasses, and two headbands covered with spikes. All of its clothing was covered with electrodes, which sparked with energy. (100/1,500)

"…but that isn't going to happen. You see, Psycho Jumper is also a Tuner, and Magical Android isn't the only Synchro Monster I have…"

"Another Synchro Summon?" gasped Ren.

"The Levels of those two Monsters add up to… Eight!" shouted Sam. "Whatever she's summoning is probably the strongest Monster in her deck!"

"Oh, trust me, it is!" laughed Emma.

Psycho Jumper and Clevonce flew into the sky again, and the stars appeared around it again.

"Now I summon a dark star," she chanted. "I Tune Psycho Jumper and Storm Summoner. Clustering stars form a force from the dark side! Synchro Summon!

"Come forth… _Mental Sphere Demon_!"

This time, the two Monsters were consumed in violet flames. The flames congealed into a much bigger, and much more frightening form.

It landed, and it certainly did look like a demon. It had a bony carapace, diabolical horns, claws, demonic wings, and a long, snaky tail.

It let out a bellowing roar… (2,700/2,300)

"Looks like someone gave my grandpa's Summoned Skull a makeover," muttered Yumi.

"He's no Fiend," chuckled Emma. "He's all Psychic. And just like the leader of your precious rebellion, the Attack Points of any Monster he destroys are added to my Life Points.

"So… Time to start gaining them… Attack Dark Magician! Psionic Crush!"

The sky darkened, and Mental Sphere Demon's eyes started to glow. The air started to warp.

"Not this time, sister!" shouted Yumi. "I activate… Magic Cylinder!"

Her facedown card lifted.

"Pointless," chuckled Emma. "My Demon has another ability. When he's targeted by a Spell or Trap Card, I can pay 1,000 Life Points to negate it."

The Demon gestured, and Magic Cylinder exploded.

"I won't let you destroy him…" said Yumi though her teeth.

She quickly discarded a card.

As the attack started again, Sorcerer of Dark Magic appeared in front of Dark Magician in a phantasmal form. He blocked with his arms, and he strained against the attack. Then, he shattered, but Dark Magician was safe.

"What?" said Emma.

"I used another of my Deck Lord abilities," muttered Yumi. "Martyr Shield. If a Spellcaster Monster is attacked, I can discard a Spellcaster who's a higher Level than the target to negate the attack. Sorcerer of Dark Magic is two Levels higher than Dark Magician. And since Deck Lord abilities count as Monster effects, your Demon couldn't use his effect to negate it."

Emma frowned, and took the last card in her hand.

"I summon Teleki-Attacker," she said.

A new Psychic appeared in a burst of electrical energy. It looked like a man in a red suit with black pants, and a spherical glass helmet that covered its entire head. (1,700/700)

**(Y: 4,300) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 9,350)**

"My draw!" shouted Yumi, drawing a card.

She looked at it.

"I throw one card facedown," she said, as a facedown card appeared. "Then I set a Monster in Defense Mode."

A facedown Monster appeared.

"Next, I play the Spell Card, Dedication Through Light and Darkness. This lets me trade in my Dark Magician for someone better."

Dark Magician vanished in a dark shadow, and the mighty Dark Magician of Chaos appeared. (2,800/2,600)

Yumi's discard slot glowed, and Monster Reborn slipped out.

_I'll save this,_ she thought.

"Attack her Mental Sphere Demon!" ordered Yumi. "Scepter strike!"

Dark Magician of Chaos twirled his staff, and a burning beam of magic shot towards the monstrous Psychic. He groaned as it hit him.

"I activate Teleki-Attacker's effect!" screamed Emma. "If one of my Psychics would be destroyed, I can pay 500 Life Points, and Teleki-Attacker is destroyed instead!"

Teleki-Attacker exploded into shards.

"Fine," said Yumi. "My turn is over. And my Monster is still stronger than yours."

**(Y: 4,300) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 8,750)**

"I draw!" shouted Emma. "Then I gain 750 Life Points from my Deck Lord…

"Then I play Pot of Avarice!"

The goofy jar appeared, and Psycho Commander, Cabalist, Psycho Walld, Clevonce, and Magical Android slipped out of her discard slot. She shuffled them into her deck, and drew twice.

"I'm taking down your Magician," she said with a smirk. "One theory in the comic books says that the mutant race is an evolutionary offshoot of humanity. And to illustrate that, I play the Equip Spell, Evolution of Mankind!

"But I'm not Equipping it to my Monster… I'm Equipping it to yours."

She played the card, and Dark Magician of Chaos groaned. His Attack Score fell to 1,000.

"What happened?" gasped Yumi.

"Evolution of Mankind has two effects," explained Emma. "Which one depends on whether I'm winning or losing. If my Life Points were lower than yours, the Equipped Monster's Attack Score would become 2,400. But since mine are higher, it becomes 1,000. And that cuts your Magician down to size.

"Attack! Psionic Crush!"

The air started to warp again…

"Go, Dust Tornado!" shouted Yumi.

"Huh?" said Emma.

Yumi's Trap Card flipped up, and the tornado tore across the field, blowing Evolution of Mankind to pieces. Dark Magician of Chaos shot back up to 2,800 Attack Points…

He aimed his staff at Mental Sphere Demon, and Yumi's allies cheered as the beast exploded in a blast that sent flames flying skyward.

"Ergh…" muttered Emma.

"Your Demon is destroyed," muttered Yumi. "And due to my Monster's effect, he won't be coming back."

"I beg to differ!" growled Emma.

She played the last card in her hand.

"Since I didn't summon this turn, I can play Reality Revision. On my next turn, not only will my Demon be back, but he'll be Level Nine and have 500 more Attack Points.

"And it's your move. Attack me… I don't care…"

**(Y: 4,300) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 9,400)**

Yumi drew a card.

_It's now or never…_ she thought.

One of her two facedown Monsters flipped up.

"I Flip-Summon Crystal Seer," she said, as the veiled gypsy appeared. (100/100)

She quickly took the top two cards off of her deck, and looked at them. She placed one on the bottom of her deck.

"Now, I sacrifice her and my facedown Monster to summon Cosmo Queen!"

Crystal Seer and the facedown Monster vanished, and the powerful Empress appeared. She gave Emma a stern look. (2,900/2,450)

"Now, I use Monster Reborn!"

The ankh appeared for the second time, and Dark Magician appeared once again. (2,500/2,100)

Emma laughed.

"Go ahead!" she dared. "Attack me with all three of them! I'll still have Life Points left, and when my Demon comes back next turn, I'll just start regaining them!"

"2,900 plus 2,500 plus 2,800…" muttered Yumi, counting. "Gee, I think you're right…"

"Ain't that a shame…" mocked Emma. "And you have no cards left in your hand… No-one else you can summon…"

Yumi gave her a dirty look.

"Wrong…" she said, quietly.

"I pay 1,000 of my Life Points! Dark Magician Girl, move to the field!"

"With pleasure…" said Dark Magician Girl, as she floated forward. (2,000/1,700)

Emma stepped back in surprise.

"Wait a minute…" she gasped.

"Cosmo Queen," ordered Yumi, "Cosmic Nova!"

Cosmo Queen fired a blast of black, sparking energy, and hit Emma in the stomach. She groaned and keeled over.

"Dark Magician of Chaos, scepter strike!"

The chaos mage slammed his scepter to the ground, sending a shockwave that caught Emma in its path. She took a step backwards.

"Dark Magician, Dark Magic Attack!"

Dark Magician cast his lethal spell, and Emma screamed in pain.

"Dark Magician Girl… Finish her off…"

Dark Magician Girl flew up to Emma, and cast one final Dark Burning Attack. Emma groaned…

**(Y: 3,400) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 0)**

Yumi's Monster's vanished; all except for Dark Magician Girl. She pointed her scepter at Ancient Brain, and the Fiend screamed before bursting into black shards.

Smoke was pouring from Emma Frost's body, but miraculously, she was still standing. She looked like she was going to fall at any second, however.

"She looks kind of dizzy," said Ren.

"What do you expect?" asked Sam. "She just took 10,300 points of damage from direct attacks! I'm surprised she's still alive!"

"Uh, she may not be in a minute…" added Atticus.

Everyone saw what he meant. She was teetering on the edge of the stone island she was standing on.

"NO!" screamed Yumi. "Someone catch her before she falls!"

Dark Magician Girl quickly flew towards Emma, in an attempt to do just that…

It seemed too late. Emma started to fall into the lava…

Then, to everyone's shock, a pair of huge hands reached out of the lava itself and caught her. They gently placed her back up on the island. Dark Magician Girl let out a cry of surprise and backed off.

"What in the name of…" gasped Atticus.

Emma slowly came to as the whole creature emerged from the lava. It was a giant, standing over twenty feet tall, muscular and broad, wearing only a kilt, with strange tattoos on his arms. Instead of hair, his scalp was awash with flames.

Dark Magician Girl backed away towards Yumi in fear…

"Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi?" exclaimed Sam.

"Let me guess…" said Yumi. "Your ally…"

"Yeah…" growled Emma. "Also my bodyguard and heavy lifter. Not to mention the only guy in Xanadu who knows how to prepare Abyssal coffee so mortals are able to drink it. Good stuff.

"By the way, Yumi, I lied when I said that beating me would make me leave… Most members of Daala's army who lose are locked up. But Daala gave me a very sweet deal, as you already know. Since a psionic surgeon is such a valuable commodity, she said she'd forgive me for one loss.

"Unfortunately, since you forced me to use it up, my friend here is gonna deal with you in a far less formal manner.

"Turn them to paste!"

Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi cracked his knuckles.

Yumi gestured, and Dark Magician Girl vanished.

"You want a fight, big guy?" she asked. "Well… We'll see what we can do about that…"

Her eyes glowed with intense light…

Then the lava started to bubble again. A claw burst out of it on Yumi's side…

The whole creature pulled itself up out of the lava. It was a huge, hulking, flaming, almost reptilian creature with a fiendish face, and it was just as big as Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi.

It looked at the Spirit Monster and roared. Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi sneered at it.

"Volcanic Doomfire??" gasped Erik.

"Makes sense," said Atticus. "You fight fire with fire, and you fight giant Fire Monsters with giant Fire Monsters."

The two titans roared with rage and charged at each other. Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi tackled the creature, only to receive a punch to jaw. The Spirit Monster punched Doomfire back in the snout.

Geysers of lava started to erupt around them. Yumi started to panic as she looked around the island she was stranded on.

Atticus threw a card on his Disk, and the giant form of Red-Eyes Black Dragon appeared.

"Move, move, move!" he shouted to everyone. "Move while she's distracted! This volcano is about to blow its top!"

The Dragon bent down, allowing the five humans to climb on its back.

"Grab Yumi and let's get out of here!" shouted Atticus.

Red-Eyes roared, and spread its wings. It turned towards the human in the middle of the lake…

A sign of recognition appeared in its eyes as it flew off the ledge… It clearly knew someone whom the human female was related to…

But before it was halfway, an explosion of flames erupted around the island, and Yumi vanished.

"NOOO!" screamed Chelsea.

Then a second explosion nearly knocked them off their mount. Red-Eyes turned away and flew to safety, leaving the erupting volcano and the two angry Monsters behind.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

They were a good mile from the dangerous volcano now. They could clearly see the lava cascading down its sides.

They didn't even know what happened to Emma at this point, and they really didn't care. They were too busy sobbing. They hadn't spoken a word since Red-Eyes had landed.

They were startled as a voice called them to awareness.

"So, how long are you going to be crying? Gimme a ballpark so I can plan my day."

They looked up. They thought they were hallucinating at first. Yumi was standing there, her clothes burnt and her hair and skin singed, but alive.

"How…" muttered Sam.

Then they noticed that Yumi wasn't alone. A very large Monster was behind her.

"I'm not sure…" said Yumi. "But, uhm… I think it had something to do with _her_."

The Monster looked like a giant bird of some sort, with golden armor and wings. A plume of flame surrounded its head.

"Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys!" gasped Atticus.

"Yeah…" muttered Yumi. "I kinda blacked out, and… Well, next thing I knew, she was carrying me here in her talons."

She looked at the huge Winged Beast.

"We can't thank you enough…" she started.

Then she was interrupted as a telepathic voice echoed in their heads. It was powerful, stern, and clearly feminine.

"_You're welcome,"_ it said. _"But far worse matters are at hand, and I can not save you from them when they come to pass._

"_Heed my words, and __take every step through this fiery wasteland with care. The destructive side of fire has been given life in the most horrible way. She cannot be born unless she first dies, and before she dies, three have to die first, and two of those must surrender their souls to her terrible hunger. But when she is finally born, beware, for whatever barrier you erected to keep her back will not hold…"_

The humans stared at the huge Duel Spirit. The Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys spread her wings, and flew into the sky, leaving a trail of flames in her wake.

"Anyone have any idea what exactly that meant?" asked Erik.

Everyone else shrugged.

Yumi watched Nephthys leave, and she held her chin with worry.

_First Horus…_ she thought. _Now Nephthys… And both had ominous warnings that we can't make out…_

_This is getting serious…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**REALITY REVISION (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image:** Magical Android flying out of the Dimensional Fissure, glowing with energy.

**Card Description:** You cannot Normal Summon, set, or Special Summon a Monster on the turn you play this card. Upon activation, select one of your Psychic Monsters that has been removed from play. On your first Standby Phase after playing this card, if it remains on the field, Special Summon the selected Monster, and increase its ATK by 500 and its Level by one. Then, destroy this card.

_All other new cards in this chapter were released in "The Duelist Genesis", due out for the TCG in August (except "Power Injector", "Psycho Jumper", and "Storm Summoner" which are part of the next set, "Crossroads of Chaos"). English names are subject to change._

_For anyone who wants to know, "Browning Power" does the same thing as "Solemn Judgment", except it cannot negate a Flip-Summon, and instead of paying half your Life Points, you must sacrifice one Psychic Monster._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Yumi's Deck Lord: "Dark Magician Girl":** "Soul Circle": Once per duel, you can draw cards from your deck equal to the number of Spellcaster-Type Monsters in your Graveyard. You must stop drawing cards when your hand size reaches the current hand size limit. (Greater Power) "Martyr Shield": If a face-up Spellcaster-Type Monster you control is targeted by an attack, you can discard a Spellcaster-Type Monster from your hand that is a greater Level than the attack target to negate the attack. This effect may be used once per turn. (Intermediate Power) "Spellcaster Shuffle": Once per round, you can send one Spellcaster-Type Monster in your hand to your deck. Then, take a Spellcaster-Type Monster from your deck that is at least two Levels lower than the one you sent back to your deck, and add it to your hand. Then, shuffle your deck. (Minor Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Emma's Deck Lord: "Ancient Brain":** "Psionic Surgery": During your Standby Phase, increase your Life Points by half of what you paid since your previous Standby Phase for the effects of Psychic-Type Monsters. (Greater Power) "Probability Traveler": Once per duel, you may Special Summon a Psychic-Type Monster from your deck or Graveyard that is Level Five or higher. You must pay Life Points equal to half the base ATK of the Special Summoned Monster. The Special Summoned Monster's effect(s) cannot be used. (Intermediate Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**Daala's plans hit a snag, as Jean-Claude, the errant chef turned thief, takes a moment to ponder his plunder. Anxious to use the prize he pilfered, he confronts Yumi's group, and Atticus steps forward to face the thieving card sneak. The legacy of the Rhodes siblings continues in Xanadu, and fortunately, Nightshroud isn't around to interfere. **_

"_**Special of the Day" is coming up next.**_

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_**Name that Card!**_

_**Zane's Cyber Tails Deck combined Machines with Dragons for brutal and powerful combinations. His original deck, while using mostly Machines, had one Dragon in it, even thought he did not summon it in any duel we witnessed. Can you name it?**_


	40. Special of the Day

_**What Dragon did Zane have in his original deck? If you said "Kaiser Glider", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

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_**In his heyday, Atticus Rhodes, the older of the two Rhodes siblings, had many admirable qualities. He was charming, knowledgeable, popular with the ladies, and above all, a pretty good duelist. In his class at the original Duel Academy, he was likely right behind his close friend Zane Truesdale in terms of skill.**_

_**Unfortunately, this was what drew the attention of the demonic being known as Nightshroud. Using trickery, this being abducted Atticus, and buried his consciousness in a remote part of his mind. Then Nightshroud used his body as a vessel to extend his will in the mortal world, as he wasn't yet strong enough to manifest his true form.**_

_**Fortunately, when Nightshroud first decided to strike as one of the Shadow Riders, he made a mistake that many who faced Jaden Yuki did at that point – underestimating him. Jaden defeated him, and Atticus was freed from his control. **_

_**Nightshroud returned, twice possessing Atticus again, once in another, more willing vessel, and eventually in his true form. The last time, his defeat was apparently final, and he has not been seen since.**_

_**And what of Atticus? He went on to become a great duelist in the Pro League, until the tragic accident where he and many of Jaden's other allies vanished and were presumed dead.**_

_**I know all this, because I'm a copy of the duelist who bore Nightshroud on his shoulders. His memories are programmed into my head, as are his skills and personality. Joan knew the potential he had, and gave Atticus a new life in Xanadu. My purpose is to oppose Daala and her minions…**_

_**One of them just showed up… So what am I waiting for?**_

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**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Special of the Day**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

"Is it much farther, Atticus?" asked Erik.

"Not much," replied their guide. "We should be able to see it in about an hour.

"Although, the Realm Lord's fortress is not unguarded. Several Fire Monsters patrol the outskirts. But getting past them isn't usually a problem…"

"So, Atticus," said Yumi, "you actually have three Red-Eyes in your deck?"

Atticus nodded.

"I know the story behind the card," he said. "Pegasus originally designed Red-Eyes as a symbolic rival of the more powerful Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Originally, both cards were going to be given a limited release.

"But for some reason, that was only the case with Red-Eyes. It was given a limited release, making it a very rare card, while only four copies total of its rival, the prototypes, were ever made.

"Heck, according to some stories, Red-Eyes didn't get along very well with Dark Magician either, the more prominent rival of the Blue-Eyes, making it a three-way rivalry…"

"And making the situation between my two grandfathers and Seto Kaiba even stranger than it already was," replied Yumi.

"Exactly," continued Atticus. "Now, when you look at it, Red-Eyes isn't all that special as far as cards go. It's Level Seven, no effect, and many Level Six Monsters are stronger. Even Blue-Eyes is outclassed nowadays. Seems that Monsters with 3,000 Attack Points or more are turning up all over the place.

"But since Red-Eyes was more common than its rival, it got some help. Accessory cards began to be made, more special edition and limited release cards for anyone lucky enough to own one."

"Like Lord of the Red," said Yugi.

"That's only one example," replied Atticus. "There are many more. And pretty soon…"

"Ergh!" shouted Erik.

He clutched his head.

"What?" shouted Sam. "What is it baby?"

"He's having one of his visions!" answered Yumi. "It's been so long since he's had one."

Erik concentrated.

"No…" he whispered.

"What was it baby?" asked Sam.

Erik looked at Sam.

"It was too foggy, Sam…" he said. "I… I couldn't see it clearly…"

He looked at Sam sadly.

He was lying. He had seen Sam dueling, and saw her taking a very powerful direct attack. But he couldn't see just what the Monster or her opponent was.

"I think…" he said.

He paused. He sniffed the air.

"That's funny… I could swear that the smell of brimstone that we've been taking in suddenly changed to grilled shrimp."

Everyone sniffed the air.

"I smell it too, Erik," said Yumi. "Someone is grilling jumbo shrimp around here…"

"There!" shouted Ren.

He pointed down a side pathway, towards a rocky depression. Jean-Claude was standing by a hibachi grill, casually grilling food.

Atticus carefully led them down the pathway.

"Bonjour, Monsieurs," he said. "A nice day, is it not?"

"Hardly," replied Sam. "And this really isn't the place for a barbecue. Who the heck are you?"

"I am Jean-Claude Rousseau!" he exclaimed.

He placed his spatula on the grill table, and then picked up a Duel Disk.

"And I am a duelist of a different taste entirely. One vith abilities you could not imagine!"

"Give me a break," sighed Erik. "What are you, Daala's chef?"

Jean-Claude glared at him.

"Think you know everything, smarty pants?" asked Jean-Claude. "Vy don't you duel me, and zen maybe you'll believe?"

"Oh, I just think I will," chuckled Erik.

"Stand aside, Erik," said Atticus. "Save your energy for the big guy. I'll handle this Emeril Lagasse wannabe."

He placed his deck in his Disk, and it activated.

"Very well, Monsieur Rhodes," said Jean-Claude, rolling the grill to the side. "Today, I serve up a multi-course banquet of pain on a silver platter!"

"Bring it on!" laughed Atticus. "I was feeling a little hungry for some action anyway!"

He tossed the Cold Wave card to Yumi.

"Use that before the heat starts getting to you again."

"Not necessary, Atticus," said Sam. "I have it covered…"

She concentrated, and an aura of cold energy started to radiate from her body. Everyone moved closer to her.

"Refreshing," said Erik. "Keep it up, baby."

**(Atticus: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Jean-Claude: 8,000)**

"Here goes," said Atticus, drawing a card.

He looked at it. He smirked slightly, and then chose another one.

"I summon… This! The Red-Eyes Wyvern!"

In a burst of shadow, a black-scaled Dragon appeared in front of him. It looked much like a smaller version of the more famous Dragon, only with no front legs. (1,800/1,600)

Sam noticed that Yumi was writing something down in a notebook.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Taking notes," said Yumi, "in case I ever want to make a deck using my grandpa Joey's Red-Eyes. If I know how Atticus's cards work, they'll help.

"Of course, the hard part will be getting two more copies of Red-Eyes itself…"

"There'll be harder parts than that," said Atticus. "Some of the cards in this deck are even rarer than Red-Eyes.

"I'll set two facedown cards, and that will be all."

Two facedown cards appeared.

"Oui, oui," said Jean-Claude, making a draw. "Time for an appetizer…

"I summon Mad Lobster."

It a burst of watery bubbles, a very large lobster appeared. It had huge pincers, and a skull for a head. (1,700/1,000)

"You like lobster, monsieur?"

"I prefer steak," replied Atticus.

"Zen perhaps I'll make you one out of zat Dragon!" laughed Jean-Claude, playing a card. "I play Banner of Courage. Now, for my Battle Phase only, my Monsters gain 200 Attack Points.

"Mad Lobster, attack his Monster at once!"

Mad Lobster lifted its pincers, and clapped them together. Its Attack Score rose to 1,900. It scuttled towards Red-Eyes Wyvern.

"Did you actually think these facedown cards didn't do anything?" asked Atticus, as one facedown card lifted. "I activate Dragon's Heart!"

He took his deck from its holder.

"By choosing three Dragons from my deck, and sending them to the Graveyard, this Spell Card gives one of my Dragons on the field a power surge."

He discarded a Cave Dragon, Attachment Dragon, and a Red-Eyes Black Dragon. Red-Eyes Wyvern glowed with energy, and rose to an Attack Score of 2,800.

It blasted a stream of scorching fire from its jaws, and Mad Lobster shrieked before exploding into pixels.

"That lobster just got boiled," chuckled Ren.

"Curses…" growled Jean-Claude. "I'll set a facedown card of my own, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared in front of him.

**(A: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (JC: 7,100)**

"My move…" said Atticus, drawing a card.

"And I summon Hunter Dragon!"

He played the card, and a smallish dragon with blades on its wings, tail, and chin appeared. (1,700/100)

"Now I've got something for you to sample," he said. "Two direct attacks!

"Hunter Dragon, you first!"

Hunter Dragon leapt into the air and did a somersault, lashing its bladed tail at the chef. It slammed into him.

"Sacré bleu!" exclaimed Jean-Claude, clutching his chest.

"Wyvern, you're up!" shouted Atticus.

Red-Eyes Wyvern exhaled a stream of flames, and Jean-Claude grunted as he shielded himself.

**(A: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (JC: 3,600)**

"Look, Frenchie," chuckled Atticus, "I think I know what's happening here… You're some wannabe duelist who wants to get Daala's favor by trying to win this duel. Well, in my opinion, you're doing lousy. Why don't you just give up now, and keep what little pride you have?"

"You know nothing about me, Monsieur Rhodes," growled Jean-Claude. "If you did, you'd know zat I lost all ze pride I had a long time ago. Zis duel is my only way to get it back.

"I'm an AI program like you, modeled after ze chef that Daala's father used to have. I didn't exist in Xanadu for an hour before she told me to make her a roast beef sandwich. And zen she complained zat I had used regular mustard instead of ze spicy kind.

"I work and slave all day over a hot stove for her and ze members of her inner circle. Zey make demands over and over again, running me to exhaustion. For creatures who don't need to eat, zey eat too much!

"I've burned all my bridges by coming here, and zis is my only chance. I'm not about to give up.

"It's my move!"

He drew a card.

"I summon Ze Bistro Butcher!"

In an aura of darkness, the fiendish chef that Sam commonly used appeared, holding his well-used cleaver. (1,800/1,000)

"Zat's not all," he said, as his facedown card activated. "I also activate Pineapple Blast. Zis Trap Card destroys your Monsters until you have ze same number zat I have. But on ze bright side, you get to choose which one stays and which one goes."

Atticus looked at him.

"I choose to keep Hunter Dragon!" he shouted.

A large bomb that looked like a pineapple made of metal rolled onto the field, towards Red-Eyes Wyvern. Atticus braced himself as the Wyvern was blown to pieces.

"Huh?" said Ren. "Why did Atticus choose to spare his weaker Monster?"

"You got me," said Yumi.

"You know," chuckled Jean-Claude, "in ze army, 'pineapple' is a slang term for a grenade. Guess you found zat out.

"Butcher, frappe his Hunter Dragon!"

The Bistro Butcher raised his cleaver, and his Attack Score rose to 2,000. He made a slash, and Hunter Dragon burst into metal shards.

"You apparently forgot about your Monster's effect," said Atticus. "I get to draw two cards now."

He made two draws.

"Vatever," replied Jean-Claude. "I set two facedown cards, and zen play Mirage of Nightmare."

Two more facedown cards appeared, and then the familiar Mirage card appeared.

**(A: 7,700) - - - - - - - - - - (JC: 5,600)**

"My draw," said Atticus, drawing a card.

"Mine as well, thanks to my Mirage card," said Jean-Claude.

He made four draws.

"And now, I play Emergency Provisions. Ask any soldier, K-Rations aren't too pleasant, but zey are good for energy."

His facedown card lifted up, and both Mirage of Nightmare and Banner of Courage dissolved into light.

Atticus closed his eyes and grinned.

"Not gonna do much this turn," he said. "I'm going to skip all the way to my End Phase…

"You see, on a turn where I don't summon a Monster, and Red-Eyes Wyvern is in my Graveyard, I can remove it from play to summon something better from my Graveyard…"

An explosion of fire erupted on the field, and a dark form loomed over him…

Red-Eyes Black Dragon had arrived. (2,400/2,000)

"I'm finished…" he said.

Jean-Claude cursed in French, and drew a card.

Then he chuckled.

"First, I play a second Banner of Courage," he said, as the Spell Card appeared again.

"I seem to recall you saying you preferred steak. Vell, give ze customer vat he wants, I always say. I summon Great Angus!"

In a burst of fire, a new Monster appeared. It looked like a savage, humanoid, tusked bull, with no horns and red skin. It roared with rage. (1,800/600)

"I kind of like it a little more well done than _that_," muttered Atticus.

"Afraid you won't be eating this," said Jean-Claude. "It vill more likely be eating _you_. I play ze Spell Card Riyoku.

"Now, I can take half of ze Attack Score of your Monster, and give it to my Butcher."

Everyone gasped as Red-Eyes fell to an Attack Score of 1,200, while The Bistro Butcher rose to 3,000.

"And before I attack, I'll activate my facedown card," he said, as his Trap Card lifted. "It's called Greed. Sure, my Monster lets you draw extra cards, but vith zis card on ze field, doing so vill hurt you, costing you 500 Life Points for each extra card drawn.

"Butcher, attack his Red-Eyes!"

The Bistro Butcher faced Red-Eyes, and his Attack Score rose even further, to 3,200. He leapt at the huge Dragon, and slashed with his cleaver. Yumi looked away as the Dragon shattered.

Atticus cringed.

He slowly drew two cards.

"I'm not done vith you," continued Jean-Claude. "Great Angus, attack him directly!"

Great Angus roared again, and its Attack Score rose to 2,000. It lunged at Atticus.

"I don't think so," said Atticus, as his facedown card lifted. "I activate Red-Eyes Spirits! I can activate this card when a Monster with the words 'Red-Eyes' in its name is destroyed, and bring it right back to the field."

In an explosion of energy, Red-Eyes Black Dragon appeared again.

"So your Angus is gonna have to back off…"

Great Angus whimpered in fear, and backed away from the huge Dragon.

"Very well, Monsieur," replied Jean-Claude. "I end my turn, vich means ze effect of my Trap Card activates."

Atticus groaned as a fiery aura surrounded him.

**(A: 4,700) - - - - - - - - - - (JC: 5,600)**

"Am I imagining things?" asked Erik. "Or did this clown just take the lead?"

"You aren't imagining things," replied Sam. "But don't worry… This guy is using Red-Eyes. You know, Joey Wheeler's best Monster? The same guy who stood up to Marik in Battle City and survived Ra's Phoenix Mode?

"I often wonder how he managed that…"

"I asked him once," replied Yumi. "He said he had no idea. Heck, _no-one _had any idea! That attack was powerful enough to destroy the other two God Cards!"

"Yeah, well," said Sam, "if Atticus has his Monster, he must have enough of his dumb luck to beat this idiot."

Atticus sighed.

"You're confidence in me is so reassuring…" he muttered.

He drew a card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Joan was looking through a large tome in her library.

"Whoever this Testament is," she muttered, "there's no record of it in the history of the Higher Plane… But it might be native to another of the Dimensions… If I look long enough, I'm pretty sure I can find a reference here somewhere…"

As she perused the pages, a Mokey Mokey floated over her shoulder and curiously looked at what she was reading. Joan didn't take notice for about a minute.

She grimaced.

"Look little guy," she said, "I'd appreciate it if you didn't read over my shoulder. It's distracting."

The Mokey Mokey didn't say anything. It just floated away.

Joan went back to the book.

Then she looked up in surprise.

"READ over my shoulder?" she said. "Mokey Mokeys can read?"

She looked behind her, but it was gone.

Then Sheena walked in.

"No luck, Ms. Arachne?" asked Joan.

"None," replied Sheena. "Gaining control of my own computer was one thing… Gaining control of Daala's communication network is quite another. She's pretty adamant about making sure no messages go out of Xanadu that she doesn't approve of."

"Tell me about it," replied Joan. "I've only communicated with Dr. Ting via e-mail three times since I got to Xanadu. Each time, I had to find an opening in Daala's system that was caused by some glitch. And each time I had finished, the opening was fixed, and subsequently closed, forcing me to wait for another opening.

"Perhaps the only way to get a proper message out would be to sabotage Daala's system somehow, creating a big opening… A window that would create a large blind spot in her defenses.

"Unfortunately, I have no idea how we're gonna do that."

"Hey, Joan!" shouted Jesse's voice.

He came running into the room.

"The book you asked Doriado to send you came."

He handed her a tome.

"Finally!" muttered Joan, taking it. "Hopefully, this may shed some light on our Testament…"

She opened the old book and skimmed a few pages.

"Oh… Thank you so much, Doriado!" she said with a hint of frustration. "I just know she does this because I always beat her at chess…"

"What?" asked Sheena.

"It's written in Ancient Draconic," muttered Joan.

"Do you know it?" asked Sheena.

"This language is incredibly ancient, Ms. Arachne," muttered Joan. "It's older than Hebrew. The only creatures today that actually speak this language are Dragons who are at least five-thousand years old who were born on the Isle of the Elders, and they're in short supply. This book likely came from the libraries of the Isle itself…"

"Where's that?" asked Sheena.

"It's the ancestral home of dragonkind," replied Joan. "No living beings other than Dragons have ever seen it. They don't allow visitors. But who can blame them? The place supposedly contains the source of the race's power, records of their entire history, and hordes of wealth that would put Fort Knox to shame. They can't risk interlopers going there to try to steal their heritage. I have no idea how this book ever left their archives.

"But anyway, Modern Draconic evolved from this language, so maybe I can translate it to the more modern version first, and from there translate it to the common language.

"Maybe, that is. But it may take some time…"

She looked at one page.

"Say… I already recognize something here…"

She pointed to a symbol, one that resembled an eye on a pedestal, inside a pentagon.

"Hmm… That's pretty universal… The symbol of Boccob…"

"Boccob?" asked Sheena.

"An incredibly powerful entity worshipped as the god of magic," replied Joan. "He's known as The Uncaring, The Lord of All Magic, and The Archmage of the Deities…"

"The Uncaring?" asked Sheena.

"Boccob is incredibly powerful," replied Sheena. "But he is known for taking a completely neutral stance in almost every struggle. Good and Evil, Law and Chaos… Things like that don't concern him. He's a very aloof deity. He only cares about the accumulation and distribution of knowledge and magical power."

"A god of magic…" muttered Sheena. "And Yumi uses Spellcaster Monsters…"

"We'll keep that in mind…" replied Joan. "I'll get to work translating this, and we'll see what we can find out…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Atticus looked at the card he had drawn.

Polymerization.

_That's the ticket,_ he thought, as a grin appeared on his face.

He chose another card.

"I play this!" he said. "The Spell Card, Inferno Fire Blast! Now, if my Red-Eyes doesn't actually attack this round, he can really do some damage, burning you for an amount equal to his Attack Score!"

"Say what?" said Jean-Claude.

"Red-Eyes," ordered Atticus, "give him a taste of his own cooking!"

Red-Eyes's eyes glowed like pools of molten lava, and his jaws opened. A blast of burning flame shot out of his jaws, honing in on Jean-Claude. The chef screamed as the flames covered him and started to burn.

"Whoa…" said Ren.

"And double-whoa…" added Chelsea.

**(A: 4,700) - - - - - - - - - - (JC: 3,200)**

"I'm not done with you," said Atticus. "Since my Red-Eyes can't attack this round, I'm trading him in for someone better…

"I play Polymerization, fusing Red-Eyes Black Dragon with Meteor Dragon…"

Another Dragon appeared on the field, this one with a spherical body that suggested a large boulder, with small wings and a beaklike snout.

The two Dragons turned to orbs of fire, and then combined into a flaming pinwheel of energy…

"I summon Meteor Black Dragon!"

The pinwheel exploded, and a much bigger Dragon was hovering in the air. It was not lithe, like most Dragons, but hulking, with violet skin covered with red veins that glowed like fire. (3,500/2,000)

"Sacré nom d'un chien!" exclaimed Jean-Claude.

"Yeah, that's what they all say," said Atticus with a frown. "Attack The Bistro Butcher! Burning Dark Meteor!"

It was hard to describe what happened next, at least in the way a Monster's attack is described. It was more like a natural disaster than any attack that a living creature could manage. Meteor Black Dragon inhaled, and formed a great ball of flame in its massive jowls. Without warning, the ball of flame shot at the Fiend like an actual meteorite crashing to earth, obliterating him and throwing Jean-Claude off his feet.

**(A: 4,700) - - - - - - - - - - (JC: 1,500)**

"Care to throw in the towel, Frenchie?" asked Atticus. "I really doubt right now that you can manage to summon a Monster that's more powerful than this one."

"NO!" screamed Jean-Claude. "I'm not finished yet!"

He drew a card.

"I play ze Spell Card Blasting Vein! Now, I merely have to destroy one of my Spell or Trap Cards, and I get to draw twice."

Flaming cracks appeared on the Greed card, and it burst in a shower of embers. Jean-Claude made two draws.

He chuckled.

"I first summon Sangan," he said.

He played the card, and the cute, three-eyed Fiend appeared. (1,000/600)

"And just what are you going to do him?" asked Atticus.

"I'm a chef," said Jean-Claude. "What do you think?"

He reached over and pulled the hibachi grill in front of him.

"I'm going to cook it. Using ze Ritual Spell, Hamburger Recipe."

The Spell Card appeared, and both Sangan and Great Angus vanished. The grill fired up, and Jean-Claude started to prepare something, as the sound of sizzling meat started to come from it.

"What do you think he's making?" asked Ren.

"Dunno…" replied Chelsea. "But it smells pretty good."

Jean-Claude reached for a set of spice shakers on the grill stand.

"Black pepper, onions, coriander, paprika, and just one touch of salt," he said, sprinkling the ingredients. "And as ve French are so fond of saying…

"Voila!"

He flipped his spatula forward, and a very unlikely Monster appeared. It was a giant hamburger, with its two buns forming a fanged mouth. (2,000/1,850)

"Say bonjour to my Hungry Burger!"

"And say au revoir to my appetite…" groaned Sam.

"And just how is that Monster gonna beat mine?" laughed Atticus. "It may be a Big Mac, by my Monster is bigger still."

"I'll show you how in a minute," replied Jean-Claude. "But first, since I sent Sangan to ze Graveyard, its effect activates."

A card slipped out of his deck, and he took it. He looked at it.

"Next, I'm giving my Burger some special sauce vith kick. Since zis Monster is a Ritual Monster and Level Six, I can Equip it with Ritual Weapon. Zis card raises both of its scores by 1,500 points."

He played the card, and Hungry Burger glowed with energy. It rose to (3,500/3,350).

"Their Attack Points are exactly the same!" shouted Erik. "They'll kill each other!"

"Not quite," said Jean-Claude with an evil grin. "You forget, I still have Banner of Courage on ze field.

"Hungry Burger, attack his Dragon!"

Hungry Burger rose to an Attack Score of 3,700. It grew to three times its normal size, and then swallowed Meteor Black Dragon in one gulp.

**(A: 4,500) - - - - - - - - - - (JC: 1,500)**

"So, Monsieur Rhodes…" laughed Jean-Claude. "What do you say now?"

Atticus didn't answer.

"Speechless, eh?" laughed Jean-Claude. "Maybe you finally realize zat I am not ze fool you thought I was."

"Actually, no," replied Atticus, quietly. "I think you're a bigger fool now than I previously thought…"

He looked at Jean-Claude with rage in his eyes.

"You humiliated one of my best Monsters by feeding it to an oversized hamburger… That, my friend, was a mistake…

"I offered you a chance to surrender… That offer no longer stands. You made me angry, pal…

"You want to duel like a member of Joan's army? Fine! From this point on, I'll duel you as if you were any other member of Joan's army…

"…without mercy!

"It's my move!"

He drew a card.

"I set a Monster in Defense Mode, then play a facedown, and that will be all."

A facedown Monster and a facedown card appeared.

"I draw…" chuckled Jean-Claude.

"And I play Pot of Greed."

He played the card, and drew twice.

"Now I summon Battle Ox!"

With a roar, the familiar bull-like Beast-Warrior in armor, a helmet, carrying an axe appeared. (1,700/1,000)

"Hungry Burger, destroy his last Monster!"

The huge Burger lunged. The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave appeared on the card, and was swallowed whole.

"Battle Ox, attack him directly!"

Battle Ox lifted his weapon, and his Attack Score rose to 1,900. He charged at Atticus.

"Look out!" shouted Yumi.

"I'm fine!" replied Atticus. "Thanks to this…"

His facedown card lifted.

"Offensive Guard! This cuts the attack power of your Battle Ox in half!"

Battle Ox's Attack Score fell to 850. It still made a slash at Atticus, and he grunted a little.

"Offensive Guard also allows me to draw one card."

He made a draw.

"But of course…" replied Jean-Claude. "I wouldn't want this duel to end before dessert was served.

"I set one card facedown, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared.

**(A: 3,650) - - - - - - - - - - (JC: 1,500)**

"Dessert?" said Erik. "I really don't like the sound of that…"

"Me neither," replied Sam. "French desserts are known for being the type that people eat when they really don't give a damn how many calories they're taking in. I mean, this is the country that invented the chocolate éclair."

"That's on the list of foods my mom has forbidden in our house," muttered Chelsea. "And she's French herself."

"I don't like it either," said Yumi. "He's clearly up to something…"

Atticus drew a card.

_Finally,_ he thought.

"The Spell Card I'm about to play is something that was sort of a family heirloom to the real Rhodes siblings," he said. "And it works just fine with my deck…

"I play Swing of Memories!"

The Spell Card appeared.

"This card lets me Special Summon a Normal Monster from my Graveyard, but it only stays around for one turn.

"So Red-Eyes… Welcome back…"

Red-Eyes Black Dragon loomed over the field again. (2,400/2,000)

"Fool," chuckled Jean-Claude. "It can't defeat my Burger, so he'll be here long after it has to leave, and you'll be wide open."

"Actually," said Atticus. "My Dragon is leaving right now… I'm going to sacrifice it…"

Red-Eyes vanished. Then the pools of lava around them started to boil and bubble.

"What is he summoning?" shouted Ren.

"Wait…" said Yumi, opening her eyes wide. "Grandpa told me about this… He was never able to find the card, but someone told him about it… An evolved version of Red-Eyes…"

"That's right!" shouted Atticus, as a dark shape started to form above him. "The ultimate form of the Red-Eyes! The Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon!"

Slowly, the dark form took shape. It was twice as big as Red-Eyes, with a wingspan that reached a hundred feet. Its hide was pure black, with red highlights, and had a metallic texture. (2,400/2,000)

"Wait a minute…" muttered Chelsea. "It's no stronger than the normal Red-Eyes…"

"Only to start," said Atticus. "It has a special ability… The ability to draw power from the angry souls of every defeated Dragon! So for every Dragon I have in my Graveyard, it gains 300 more Attack Points!"

The phantoms of Red-Eyes, Hunter Dragon, Attachment Dragon, Cave Dragon, Meteor Dragon, Meteor Black Dragon, and The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave appeared around the huge Dragon. They turned to energy, and it absorbed them with a mighty roar. (4,500/2,000)

"It's over, Frenchie!" shouted Atticus. "Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon, attack his Battle Ox with Infernal Darkfire!"

Red-Eyes opened its jaws, and a ball of flaming energy appeared in them.

"You haven't beaten me yet, Monsieur!" shouted Jean-Claude. "I'll activate Mystik Wok!"

His facedown card lifted. A huge wok with a fire underneath it appeared behind him, and Battle Ox disappeared.

"Now my weaker Monster has left the field, so your Dragon is forced to change targets. Plus, I gain 1,700 Life Points to buffer your attack!"

"So you managed to survive," said Atticus. "Red-Eyes, avenge Meteor Black Dragon! Destroy his Hungry Burger!"

The huge Dragon roared, and let out a blast of searing, burning energy. An explosion ripped through Jean-Claude's side of the field, and Hungry Burger was no more.

**(A: 3,650) - - - - - - - - - - (JC: 2,200)**

Atticus looked hard at Jean-Claude.

"I'll set a facedown, and end my turn," he said.

A facedown card appeared.

_He may have lasted that round,_ thought Atticus, _but I'm ending this on my next round. With my Dragon's Rage set, he'll have nowhere to hide…_

Jean-Claude drew a card.

And then he laughed. He laughed out loud.

"What's so funny?" asked Atticus.

"I just drew my most powerful card!" laughed Jean-Claude. "My mightiest Monster! Once I unleash its power, no more will Jean-Claude Rousseau be taken for granted!

"It's another Ritual Monster, but it's far more powerful than that feeble Burger could ever hope to be…"

He played a card.

"I summon Manju of the Ten-Thousand Hands," he said.

He played the card, and an ugly, silvery-skinned creature that was completely covered with hands appeared. (1,400/1,000)

"And you're gonna use that to get the right Ritual Spell, right?" asked Atticus. "Well how will you summon it once you do? You won't have any Monsters to sacrifice except Manju itself. Clearly, it must be higher than Level Four."

"Au contraire, Monsieur," said Jean-Claude, as he took a card from his Disk. "I don't even have the correct Ritual Spell. I had to improvise…

"I play Advanced Ritual Art! Now, I simply have to send Normal Monsters from my deck to ze Graveyard whose combined Levels equal ze Level of zis Ritual Monster, and zey can be ze sacrifices."

He slipped a second Great Angus and a second Battle Ox into his discard slot.

The two Monsters appeared behind him, and erupted in black flames. The sky began to darken.

"Uh oh…" muttered Ren.

"I think this is the dessert he promised…" said Erik.

"Indeed it is," laughed Jean-Claude. "And you can choke on it! I summon Eurynomus the Gluttonous!"

The creature appeared in a dark shadow. It was clearly a Fiend – all the stereotypical features of Fiends were there, wings, horns, cloven feet… However, the eight-foot-tall Monster was incredibly fat, almost as wide as it was tall, and it had an incredibly hideous feature – it had a second mouth, a huge one, placed on its giant stomach. (2,600/2,000)

"GA-ROSS!" shouted Sam.

"I'm starting to miss the Burger!" yelled Chelsea.

Even Jean-Claude was a little nervous. He really didn't expect it to be _this_ hideous.

"Okay, Jean-Claude, fine," said Atticus. "You proved your point… You summoned some hideous thing, and a Monster that I must admit, I've never heard of. But it still can't beat my Dragon."

"Oh no?" said Jean-Claude, with an evil grin. "Guess again. Eurynomus has a potent ability. Whenever it battles a Monster, the Monster it battles is assumed to have its base Attack Score."

Atticus gave a look of shock.

"_Base_ Attack Score?" he shouted.

"Yes," said Jean-Claude. "As in, the Attack Score written on its card, before any modifications and bonuses.

"And your Dragon's base Attack Score is 2,400…"

"No…" gasped Atticus.

"Eurynomus…" ordered Jean-Claude, "attack his Dragon with gastro acid!"

The beast's second mouth opened, and its Attack Score rose to 2,800. A cloud of putrid, stinking, corrosive gas blasted from its maw, and Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon screamed, right before it melted into sludge.

Atticus looked at his opponent in disbelief… He practically forgot about Jean-Claude's other Monster.

"Manju, attack him directly!" ordered Jean Claude.

Manju blasted a beam of pure light at Atticus, and he cringed from the impact.

"Zat will be all…" said Jean-Claude.

**(A: 1,850) - - - - - - - - - - (JC: 2,200)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In Daala's throne room, the Otohime was looking at the bound Vita with a sinister smirk. Vita avoided looking her in the face.

"You don't look so tough…" chuckled Otohime. "Why do you wear that mask, anyway? Are you all gross and disgusting under there?

"Maybe I should take a look…"

Vita didn't move as she reached for the mask…

Then a blast of dark energy shot at the Otohime, throwing her on the floor and well away from Vita.

She looked up, and saw Daala standing at the door.

"I can't even step out to powder my nose without trouble happening," she growled.

"What? What?" asked Otohime.

"Want to know why Vita wears the mask, Watanabe?" asked Daala.

She grabbed the Duel Spirit by the neck.

"Why don't I do to you what I did to her, and then maybe you'll find out!"

"You're choking me…" gasped the Otohime.

"And if you go near Vita again, I'll snap your neck!" threatened Daala. "Do not talk to her, do not touch her, do not even take notice of her. And don't ask questions that might get you in trouble. No-one deals with her in _any_ way but me! Is that clear?"

She dropped her.

"Clear…" she squeaked. "Crystal clear…"

"My queen!" shouted a voice.

Daala turned to the screen, and saw Hiroki on it.

"What is it Hiroki?" asked Daala.

"Uhm, milady…" muttered Hiroki. "I was waiting for them… I was kind of wondering why they hadn't gotten here yet… So I left my post and did a looksee…

"And… Well, uhm…

"Maybe you'd better see for yourself…"

Daala and the Otohime went to the screen, as it switched to show a wide view of Atticus dueling Jean-Claude.

The flames around Daala's head started to burn fiercer.

"I never did get my BLT…" growled the Otohime.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Atticus is in trouble!" shouted Chelsea.

"Tell me about it," said Sam. "A direct attack from that thing will finish him off… And probably give him indigestion on top of it…"

Atticus paused before he drew.

_You can do this Atticus…_ he thought. _There are two ways to beat this thing…_

_One, summon a Monster with a higher base Attack Score than 2,600. Unfortunately, the only two Monsters I have that fit the bill are Meteor Black Dragon and Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon._

_The other way is to destroy that thing in some way that doesn't involve attacking._

He drew a card.

He slowly took it and another card in his hand, and set them in his Disk. Two facedown cards appeared.

"That's all for me…" he said.

Jean-Claude laughed as he drew a card.

"Pathetic," he chuckled. "I regret to inform our customers zat ze kitchen is now closed. Eurynomus, attack him directly!"

The Fiend's terrible second mouth opened again.

"Trap activate!" shouted Atticus. "Birthright!"

One of his two facedown cards lifted.

"Now I get to Special Summon a Normal Monster from my Graveyard. Guess who it is…"

Red-Eyes Black Dragon reappeared. (2,400/2,000)

"Fine!" shouted Jean-Claude, angrily. "I'll kill him again! Eurynomus, attack…"

"Not a chance!" yelled Atticus. "Go, Burst Breath!"

His second facedown card shot up.

"Now, by sacrificing my Red-Eyes, all Monsters on the field with Defense Scores lower than his Attack Score are wiped out!"

Red-Eyes roared, and a ferocious wave of flame covered Jean-Claude's side of the field. The two-mouthed Fiend howled as it was burned alive.

"Eurynomus the Gluttonous is no more!" shouted Atticus.

Jean-Claude fell on his behind and his two Monsters turned to ashes.

"My strongest Monster…" he sobbed. "Baked like a Crêpe Suzette…"

"And you're next, pal," said Atticus.

Jean-Claude started to sweat. He placed his card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"It's my move!" shouted Atticus.

He drew a card. He looked at it, and nodded.

"I play Dark Factory of Mass Production," he said, as the Spell Card appeared on the field. "Now, two Normal Monsters go from my Graveyard to my hand."

His Red-Eyes and his Hunter Dragon slipped out of his discard slot. Then he played another Spell Card.

"And now I'm summoning one of them. I play the Spell Card, Ancient Rules. Like the outdated rules of Duelist Kingdom, this lets me Special Summon a high-Level Monster with no sacrifice, so long as it's a Normal Monster.

"So, I'll summon my Red-Eyes once again."

With a roar, Red-Eyes appeared once again. (2,400/2,000)

"I'll Normal Summon Hunter Dragon as well."

He played the card, and Hunter Dragon appeared again. (1,700/100)

"This meal is over," he said. "But since your service was so lousy, you're definitely not getting a tip."

Hunter Dragon leapt up, and lashed with its tail. Jerry Beans Man appeared crouching on the card, and shattered into shards.

"Figures," said Atticus. "Red-Eyes… Attack him directly! Inferno fire blast!"

Red-Eyes blasted his deadly flame in a focused stream. And Jean-Claude Rousseau, the errant chef turned thief, screamed one last time.

**(A: 1,850) - - - - - - - - - - (JC: 0)**

He fell to his knees.

Then he noticed that the Eurynomus card had fallen in front of him.

"My card!" he shouted.

He reached for it.

Then he cried out in pain as a foot came down, stepping on his hand.

Everyone was shocked, Jean-Claude most of all, when they saw who it was.

Daala looked down at the chef, incredibly angry. Then she bent down and picked up the card herself.

"Correction…" she hissed. "MY card."

"Daala!" yelled Yumi.

Everyone activated their Disks, but Daala paid them no heed. She seized Jean-Claude by the throat, and then both of them vanished in a dark shadow.

"Uh…" muttered Sam. "Can someone tell us what just happened?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Both Skull Knight and Otohime had not seen Daala this angry in a long time. Jean-Claude was kneeling on the floor in front of her, with both his arms and legs chained by heavy shackles.

"Jean-Claude Rousseau…" said Daala. "Such a grandiose name for such a blooming idiot.

"I know that there wasn't enough room on that door to write the message in French, but you surely knew what the word 'forbidden' meant, right?

"And why did you steal from me? Because you felt you were being taken for granted, and hated your job. Jean-Claude, do you have any idea how many of my slaves would love to be promoted to favored status and get your job?"

"Several?" asked Jean-Claude, in fear.

"All of the ones who know how to cook who aren't already at favored status," replied Daala. "And after the heartburn I got from that poor excuse for Mandarin chicken you served last night, I was almost ready to promote one of them!

"I might have forgiven you if you had simply pilfered a normal card… But this…"

She held up the Eurynomus card.

"Do you have any idea what it was that you stole? Why I had a Monster as powerful as a Draconic Knight guarding that vault when he could have been taking a more active role in my army?"

"It's a card…" muttered Jean-Claude.

Daala got up.

"No, Jean, it's more than a card," she said with a scowl. "You see, in my experiments combining magic and technology, the fusion that created Xanadu, I have constructed many magical items. Among them, several magical cards. Whenever such projects are done, mistakes and failures often happen. It's part of the way magic works, unfortunately. Like any form of experimentation, a lot of wrong things happen before you find the right ones.

"The vault you broke into was a storage place for a very _special_ type of magical cards…

"_Cursed_ magical cards! This card you used in that duel is cursed!

"You see, Jean-Claude, most Monster Cards are reflections of Duel Spirits. But Eurynomus the Gluttonous is no Duel Spirit. He's a true demon, and a resident of the Abyss. One of its most infamous residents I might add. In a place where souls are the most sought-after commodity, Eurynomus craves something else… Flesh.

"He has a voracious appetite. Nothing gives him more pleasure than chewing the meat off the bones of a freshly killed victim, a sentiment that is shared by the packs of ghouls that tend to follow him as his minions. Not even other demons are safe from his hunger. When he was first spawned, he didn't have that second mouth on his gut. Legend states that it grew there so he could eat faster.

"He does whatever he can to feed this addiction. He sometimes hires himself out to Blood War generals, but he makes a poor mercenary. He's been known to travel to mortal worlds to feed, especially ones ravaged by war. Battlefields filled with the wounded and dying are like invitations to dinner for him. And as soon as the mortal inhabitants learn of his coming, funerary customs change quickly, with the dead being cremated instead of buried to spare them from being desecrated.

"By playing this card, you actually summoned him to Xanadu. Most of the time when a master of the dark arts summons a demon, he erects pentagrams and magical circles, wards to protect himself and keep the demon at bay. You had nothing except the duel itself.

"The only thing that prevented a disaster was Atticus's Burst Breath card, which sent him fleeing back to the Abyss. If you had won that duel, he'd have turned on you and everything he perceived as edible, which to him would have been practically everything that moved!"

Jean-Claude was listening to this whole conversation, and he was now trembling in fear. Daala waved her hand, and a screen came up in front of her.

"What are you doing?" gasped Jean-Claude.

"I was tired of you even before this happened, Jean-Claude," muttered Daala. "Tired of your complaining, and tired of your rudeness. I realize now why my father fired your counterpart.

"Well, guess what, Jean-Claude? I have an easier way to deal with certain employees. You're an AI program. I made you… And I can unmake you…"

"Milady, no!" screamed Jean-Claude. "You can't!"

"Want a bet?" growled Daala, hitting a button.

Jean-Claude burst into an explosion of digital ones and zeroes, and the chains restraining him fell to the floor.

Daala sat back on her couch. She let out a long sigh.

"Skull Knight…" she said. "Since Atticus kinda did us a favor, we'll do him a little favor, and make his sister happier… Go tell Alexis she's being promoted. She can have Jean-Claude's job."

"As you wish," said Skull Knight.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Joan was writing something down on a scroll carefully, as she looked at a page in the large tome…

Then she gripped her head in frustration, and tore the scroll in half.

"Joan?" asked Sheena. "What's wrong?"

"Have you perchance ever heard an angel scream?" asked Joan.

"Having trouble with the translation?" asked Sheena.

"That's an understatement," muttered Joan. "Even working with Modern Draconic is hard. Their alphabet is over twice as long as the English one, with nine vowels. And their whole syntax is confusing. Do you realize that they have ten different words for water?"

"Ten different words for water?" asked Sheena. "I heard that the Inuit had four different words for snow, but…"

"That's a myth," said Joan. "They don't. But apparently, Dragons have ten different words for ten different ways water can be presented…

"Translating this thing could take years…"

She leaned her head on her hands.

"There has to be some linguist you know who could help," suggested Sheena. "Someone who might…"

"Wait…" said Joan, raising her hand.

"That's it! Linguist! Why didn't I think of it!"

She picked up a blank scroll and a pen. She started to write.

"The greatest linguist in the Higher Plane is Meltiel, Sage of the Sky. He's a researcher and a record keeper among the Fairies. He can read, speak, and understand over three-thousand forms of communication. And he can learn a new one by listening to it for only five minutes.

"If somewhere in his immortal life he heard a conversation spoken in Ancient Draconic, he can translate this book in an hour."

"Can he come here?" asked Sheena.

"My superiors forbade any other resident of the Higher Plane from coming to Xanadu," replied Joan, "but I'll send him a message, he'll get back to me in a few hours, and if he says he can translate this, I'll go to him."

She finished writing.

"There! Once I send this through the portal, it will be like a wireless telegram. How soon we get a response will depend on where he is and how busy he is right now…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Realm Lord's castle loomed over the group.

It was situated on a large plateau, and the building itself resembled an old Shinto temple, shaped like a shiro.

The group was in front of a cave opening in the plateau itself.

Atticus looked nervously around.

"This passageway leads to the fortress proper," he said. "But this place is usually crawling with guards… Not a single one this time?"

"I sent them home," said a voice from inside the cave.

Sam opened her eyes in surprise.

"That voice…" she whispered. "It can't be…"

A young man walked out of the cave entrance. He looked somewhat younger than anyone he was facing, with raven hair cut neatly into bangs. His outfit was a style that everyone recognized… They all had seen someone who was known for wearing it.

"HIROKI?" shouted Sam.

The youth looked at Sam.

"Well, what's the matter Sam?" he asked. "No hug? I thought you'd be glad to see me!"

Everyone looked at Sam, as she nervously looked at him…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DRAGON'S HEART (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** A classic-looking dragon with a glowing ruby where its heart would be.

**Card Description:** You cannot Normal Summon a Monster during the turn you use this card. Select three Dragon-Type Monsters from your deck, and send them to the Graveyard. Then, shuffle your deck. Increase the ATK of one Dragon-Type Monster on the field by 1,000 points until the End Phase of the turn.

_Note: "Dragon's Heart" was first used by Atticus (as Nightshroud) in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "The Darkness Within". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**RED-EYES WYVERN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Dragon/Effect  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,600

**Card Description:** Remove this card in your Graveyard from play during the End Phase of a turn you did not Normal Summon a Monster to Special Summon one "Red Eyes B. Dragon" from your Graveyard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**OFFENSIVE GUARD (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A warrior with a shield and sword deflecting a spell cast from a wizard.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when you are attacked directly. Reduce the battle damage by half, and then draw one card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**RED-EYES SPIRITS (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** Red-Eyes B. Dragon in flight, in a majestic pose.

**Card Description:** Activate only when a "Red-Eyes" Monster that you control is destroyed. Special summon that Monster from your Graveyard, disregarding its summoning requirements.

_Note: "Red-Eyes Wyvern", "Offensive Guard", and "Red-Eyes Spirits" were all first used by Atticus in a multi-part fourth season episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. ("Red-Eyes Wyvern" has since been made into a real card that will be released as a promo in "Tag Force 3".)_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**EURYNOMUS THE GLUTTONOUS (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Ritual/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,600  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description:** This card may only be Ritual Summoned by means of the Ritual Spell Card "Unleashing of the Ravenous One". When this card battles a Monster, the opposing Monster is assumed to have its base ATK.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BLASTING VEIN (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A Duel Monsters card in the middle of a fire.

**Card Description:** Destroy one Spell or Trap Card you control. Draw two cards from your deck.

_Note: "Blasting Vein" was first used by Axel in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Hanging With Axel (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**Who is Hiroki? How does Sam know him? And wait a minute… Wasn't the plan involving him supposed to be aimed at Erik?**_

_**It's all confusing, but Daala's plan starts to take shape next chapter. A duel of desperation begins, and what happens may surprise you. The heroes are getting closer to their goal, and Daala knows that the time for subtlety is past.**_

"_**Legacy" is next.**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Name that Card!**_

_**Yusei Fudo's ace card is the powerful Synchro Monster "Stardust Dragon", and as far as we know, he doesn't have any other Dragons in his regular deck. However, in his Deck Zero Deck that he used in the detention center, he had one Dragon that, while not used much nowadays, can truly be called a classic. Can you name it?**_


	41. Legacy

_**What Dragon was part of Yusei's Deck Zero Deck? If you said "Tri-Horned Dragon", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**This chapter is kinda short, so I'm posting it early, and once it finishes, I've included a bonus.**_

_**In this story and the previous one, I've made references to a group of elemental beings known as the Wind Dukes of Aaqa. Who are they? Stay around, and you'll learn their whole story. Because when fighting the forces of Chaos, Yumi needs to know who her allies are.**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Seto Kaiba was a great duelist. Not even his rival Yugi Mouto would deny otherwise.**_

_**Having the only three copies of Blue-Eyes White Dragon in the world wasn't the only thing that made him great. He was cunning, resourceful, crafty, and could think of a strategy for any situation. When one looked him in the eye while facing him, you could almost see the wheels turning.**_

_**One selfless act was all it took for a representative of Heaven to recognize his potential, and choose him as one who would protect the Mandate of Heaven, a responsibility he willingly took. He ultimately gave his life fulfilling this responsibility. His legacy fell upon his chosen heir, his nephew Siegfried.**_

_**Sadly, Siegfried made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the Mandate too… But not before siring an heir of his own.**_

_**I am that heir. I may not be able to formerly claim the name Kaiba, but the blood of this duelist runs in my veins. I've tried all my life to make him proud.**_

_**I never thought I'd face a challenge for the title…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FORTY**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Legacy**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

"What is going on, Daala?" asked Vita. "Just who is that?"

Daala chuckled.

"So many questions…" she said, with a pleasant sigh. "Keep watching, Vita, you'll see soon enough."

Vita started to struggle against the bonds holding her.

"Give it up…" chuckled Daala. "I've used those things to hold creatures far more powerful than you."

Vita sighed, and hung her head.

Then she lifted it. A shimmering light was starting to appear in front of her.

"Just watch what's about to happen," said Daala. "You may find it amusing."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Hiroki, what the Hell is this?" shouted Sam. "Why are you here? And what are you doing wearing my uncle's clothes?"

"Huh?" said Ren.

Then he realized what Sam meant. Hiroki's outfit was the exact same sleeveless white coat and black shirt and trousers that Seto Kaiba had worn during Battle City.

"This guy has some nerve…" added Chelsea.

"Aren't you going to introduce me?" asked Hiroki. "Introduce your friends to your brother?"

"BROTHER?" shouted Yumi, Erik, Ren, and Chelsea at once.

Sam bowed her head.

"Sam, that's impossible…" said Yumi. "Siegfried Kaiba was killed just after you were conceived… He didn't have any other children…"

Sam let out a long sigh…

"Hiroki is my half-brother…" she muttered. "His dad has custody, and they live in Hiroshima most of the time. His dad and my mom… They were old business partners…"

"It wasn't a planned pregnancy, huh?" asked Ren.

"It wasn't even a planned relationship!" yelled Sam.

She turned to Hiroki.

"Hiroki, what going on?" she asked. "We may not see each other much, but we've always shown each other a modicum of respect…"

"Yeah, well," said Hiroki. "Frankly, I was getting sick of living in your shadow."

A very fancy Disk appeared on his arm, one where each space on the Monster Zone was a curved blade.

"You were a big name in the dueling world, while I was content to stay hidden in the background… You were dueling in the finals of Duelatopia, and where was I? Watching it at home on satellite TV!"

"What did you expect, Hiroki?" shouted Sam. "You can't duel worth squat! Lord knows, I tried to teach you…"

"Well, I got a better teacher," chuckled Hiroki. "So what say we settle this right now, between brother and sister?"

"Are you mad?" asked Sam. "This is Xanadu! Do you know what happens here if you lose a duel?"

Hiroki glared at her.

"Sam, baby, no!" shouted Erik. "Don't duel him! I'm getting a very bad feeling…"

The spirit of Blockman appeared behind him.

_There's something powerful in his deck,_ he thought, _I just know it… This is what the vision I had meant…_

Hiroki gestured, and a metal portcullis shut behind him, sealing the cave entrance.

"Huh?" said Sam.

"You want to get into Leichter's castle?" he asked. "I'm the only one who has the key to that gate. If Sam doesn't duel me, your trip here is going to be a big waste."

Sam sighed again. Her Disk activated.

"Fine," she said. "If that's the only way I can drive some sense into you…"

"Game on!" they both shouted.

**(Sam: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Hiroki: 8,000)**

"I have a bad feeling about this…" muttered Atticus.

"Ladies first, I always say," said Hiroki.

"Then I draw," said Sam.

She drew a card. She looked over the cards in her hand.

"And I end my turn."

"WHAT?" shouted Chelsea.

"Sam, are you crazy?" yelled Erik.

Hiroki laughed.

"Bad opening hand, sis?" he asked, drawing a card. "Well, I guess that can't be helped…

"I summon Kaiser Sea Horse!"

In an aura of shining light, the armored fish-man holding his spear appeared. (1,700/1,650)

"Attack her directly!"

Kaiser Sea Horse charged at Sam, and stabbed her in the torso with its spear. Sam staggered backwards.

Then she grinned evilly as she held the wound.

"Thank you…" she chuckled. "You fell right into my trap, sucker!"

She threw a card on her Disk.

"Since you attacked me when I had no cards on my side of the field, I get to Special Summon Messenger of Hades – Gors!"

A bonfire of black flame appeared on the field, and Gors stepped out, holding his nasty zanbatô aloft. (2,700/2,500)

"Erk!" gasped Hiroki.

"And his effect activates too," continued Sam. "I get to conjure up his partner, Messenger of Hades – Kaien."

In another burst of dark flames, the fallen angel appeared, garbed in her battle dress and Spartan helmet, holding two swords.

"And Kaien's Attack and Defense Scores are equal to the amount of damage I took to summon Gors."

(1,700/1,700)

"Okay, sis, I'll admit that was clever," replied Hiroki. "I have to end my turn."

**(S: 6,300) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 8,000)**

"Seems Sam played him like a piano," laughed Ren.

"Yeah," said Atticus. "But… I wonder why Hiroki summoned Kaiser Sea Horse?"

"I'm trying hard not to think about it," replied Yumi.

"First, I draw one card," said Sam, drawing. "Then I sacrifice Kaien to summon Dark Ruler Ha Des!"

Kaien vanished into grains of light, and with an explosion of black smoke and flames, the ruler of the Underworld appeared. (2,450/1,600)

"Hmm…" he growled, looking at Hiroki.

"You said it," said Sam. "Gors, attack his Kaiser Sea Horse!"

Gors leapt at the Sea Serpent, and made a slash with his blade, smashing it to pieces.

"Ha Des, attack him directly! Stygian blast!"

Ha Des formed a ball of flames in his hands, and then hurled a steady stream of the dark fire at Hiroki. Hiroki didn't move in the least, even when it hit him.

**(S: 6,300) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 4,550)**

"He didn't even flinch!" shouted Ren. "He just stood there like a statue!"

"Something is seriously wrong here…" added Chelsea.

"I take it it's my move?" asked Hiroki.

He drew a card. Then he took one from his hand and placed it in his Disk.

"I'll drop 800 more Life Points to play Premature Burial," he said, as he glowed with a red aura. "And since I only have one Monster in my Graveyard, you probably know what I'm summoning with it."

In another blast of light, Kaiser Sea Horse reappeared. (1,700/1,650)

"There's a legend behind this card, sis," he said. "In Japanese myth, after living for a hundred years, a seahorse turns into a dragon…"

"Wait just a minute…" started Sam.

"But in any case," continued Hiroki, "you likely know that when Kaiser Sea Horse is sacrificed to summon a Light Attribute Monster, it can count as two Monsters.

"So I'll sacrifice it…"

Kaiser Sea Horse vanished, and the sky darkened. Thunder started to rumble…

"To summon… _This_!"

In an explosion of energy, a Monster appeared that everyone present knew shouldn't have been there. They knew that no one, least of all Hiroki was allowed to have it…

But before their eyes, the impossible was happening.

The Blue-Eyes White Dragon let out a mighty roar. (3,000/2,500)

"No…" gasped Sam.

"Hiroki!" shouted Yumi. "What the Hell do you think you're doing! My father's edict specifically forbade those cards from ever being used again by anybody!"

Hiroki glared at Yumi.

"And what right did your father have to even make that edict?" asked Hiroki. "Those cards did not belong to him! He didn't have the right!"

"Uh, Hiroki, I hate to tell you this, but yes they did, and yes he did," replied Yumi. "Siegfried's will bequeathed the cards in his deck, the three Dragons included, to Yugi Mouto Jr. That means they were my father's legal property, and he was free to do with them as he pleased."

Hiroki glared at her angrily.

"Fine…" he snarled. "Legalities aside, he didn't have a _moral_ right. The Blue-Eyes are too powerful for their talents to be wasted. They don't deserve to be locked up in some museum.

"And besides, this is Xanadu. Daala really doesn't care about any rules that your father sets forth.

"As for how she was able to duplicate them, usually, it's hard for her to duplicate unique cards. Her attempts to duplicate Jesse's Crystal Beasts and Aster's Destiny Heroes have thus far ended in failure.

"Fortunately, Seto Kaiba was a gloryhog who never stayed out of the public limelight for a second. Information on his cards was well-known and readily available, so downloading the information was easier. Not _easy_, mind you, just _easier._ It took months for Daala to program this deck."

He chuckled.

"Joan can duplicate the Destiny Heroes in a day… She likely could have duplicated Kaiba's Dragons in an hour. She was a fool not to."

"She had more respect, Hiroki!" shouted Yumi. "Seto and Siegfried were martyrs who died to protect the Mandate of Heaven! Using the cards that represent their souls… It's a blasphemy!"

"And I want to know why," said Sam. "WHY are you stealing my uncle's cards?"

"Because you're doing a poor job fulfilling his legacy," said Hiroki. "It's up to me now."

"YOU?" shouted Sam. "How much Kaiba blood do you have? NONE! You're my half-brother, and you aren't related to the Kaiba line at all!"

"A technicality that won't matter soon," said Hiroki. "Blue-Eyes, annihilate Gors with White Lightning!"

Blue-Eyes roared, and blasted a bolt of pure, white energy from its jaws. Gors screamed and shattered onto black shards. Sam cringed and shielded herself.

**(S: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 3,750)**

"This duel might be like my annual physical," muttered Ren. "Painful, and short."

"It's your move…" said Hiroki.

Sam's hand trembled as she drew a card.

"All right!" she shouted. "I play… Graceful Charity!"

She played the card, and quickly drew three cards.

She looked at her hand, and then discarded Opticlops and Archfiend Soldier.

"Now, I play Silent Doom, AND Monster Reborn!"

She played both Spell Cards, and the two Fiends appeared on the field, kneeling and crouching in Defense Mode. (1,800/1,700) (1,900/1,500)

"Now, I'll Special Summon Dark Queen Per Sephone."

In a burst of darkness, the fiendish beauty appeared, kneeling and shielding herself in Defense Mode. (2,200/1,200)

"And Ha Des moves into Defense Mode too."

Ha Des knelt and shielded himself.

"That's all. You may have a big, bad Monster, but you'll have to crash through my defenses before you can get to me."

Hiroki laughed as he drew a card.

"So this is how the Kaiba legacy ended up…" he muttered. "Cowering behind Monsters in Defense Mode and unable to fight back…

"And as for having to crash through your defenses, I think not…

"I play the Spell Card, Burst Stream of Destruction!"

"Oh no!" shouted Atticus. "I know about that card!"

"With at least one Blue-Eyes on the field," said Hiroki, "this card works just like Raigeki."

Blue-Eyes exhaled a mighty blast of White Lightning, and all four of Sam's Monsters were atomized.

"No…" gasped Erik. "She's completely defenseless…"

"Don't worry…" added Atticus. "Blue-Eyes can't actually attack on the round he plays that card."

"Look who knows so much," said Hiroki, playing another Spell Card. "I play the White Dragon Ritual. Now, by offering a Level Four Monster as a sacrifice, like my Vorse Raider, I can summon my Paladin of White Dragon."

Another of Seto Kaiba's trademark cards, the Dark, axe-wielding Beast-Warrior, appeared on the field. Then it vanished into grains of light.

Another Monster appeared in its place, a knight in armor, holding a lance and riding a white dragon the size of a horse. (1,900/1,200)

"Sure, my Blue-Eyes can't attack, but who cares? I have someone else who can do it.

"Attack her directly! Sonic lance!"

Paladin of White Dragon flew at Sam, and blasted a beam of pure sound from his lance, striking her in the chest. She cringed and fell over.

**(S: 4,100) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 3,750)**

"Now I activate my Paladin's effect," said Hiroki. "I sacrifice him to summon someone else. Give you three guesses who it is…

"And the first two don't count."

Paladin vanished, and in a flash of light, a second Blue-Eyes appeared next to the first. (3,000/2,500)

"Two of them?!" shouted Ren.

"This is bad," muttered Chelsea. "I have a feeling that his deck may be an exact copy of Kaiba's deck… And as we all know, only one duelist has ever been able to beat that deck without cheating…"

Everyone looked at Yumi. She shook her head.

"My turn is over…" said Hiroki.

Sam started to sweat. She slowly drew a card.

She played it, and the Pot of Avarice appeared on her side of the field. Gors, Ha Des, Opticlops, Per Sephone, and Archfiend Soldier slipped out of her discard slot, and she reshuffled them back into her deck. She drew two cards.

"All right, Hiroki," she shouted, "I'm done playing!

"I play my own Ritual! Curse of the Masked Beast!"

The card appeared on her side of the field, and the sinister altar rose up around her.

"Now, I offer Belial, Marquis of Darkness as a sacrifice. Begone!"

The Fiend lord appeared, and was consumed by the flames. Then, the altar exploded, and the immense form of The Masked Beast appeared. (3,200/1,800)

"Go!" she shouted. "Attack the Blue-Eyes on the left!"

The Masked Beast lifted its cudgel and charged. It slammed its weapon into the massive Dragon. Blue-Eyes roared, and shattered.

"Yeah…" said Ren.

**(S: 4,100) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 3,550)**

"So…" said Sam. "What do you say to that, dear brother?"

"I say," said Hiroki, "it's my move…"

He drew a card.

"Hmm…" he said. "I'll admit that your attempt wasn't bad… Blue-Eyes can't defeat The Masked Beast in a head-to-head battle…

"So I'm just going to have to get rid of it another way. I pay Soul Exchange!"

A Spell Card appeared.

"This Spell lets me use one of your Monsters as a sacrifice to summon one of mine. So I'll use The Masked Beast…"

Sam gasped as The Masked Beast vanished.

"Then I'll summon Different Dimension Dragon."

A new Dragon appeared on Hiroki's side of the field next to Blue-Eyes. It was a small, wispy Dragon that seemed to be sculpted out of pure light, with two sets of wings and no legs. (1,200/1,500)

_Different Dimension Dragon?_ thought Sam. _Uhm… It sounds familiar, but…_

"No…" gulped Erik. "She's defenseless again…"

"Don't worry," said Atticus. "He played Soul Exchange. He can't attack at all this turn. And he has no more cards in his hand."

"He's right…" muttered Hiroki, with a shrug. "But it was the preferable option. So I guess I'll just end my turn."

Sam looked at the last card in her hand. It was The Bistro Butcher.

_This guy can easily take down his Different Dimension Dragon,_ she thought, _and I have to do so before he uses whatever nasty effect it's hiding. Clearly, a Level Five Monster with Attack Points that low has a powerful effect. But he'll get to draw two cards._

_This next draw had better be my best ever…_

She made a draw.

Her eyes lit up.

"I play a facedown," she said, as a facedown card appeared. "Then I summon The Bistro Butcher!"

In a burst of dark energy, the diabolic chef appeared, holding his cleaver. (1,800/1,000)

"Slay his Different Dimension Dragon!" she shouted.

The Bistro Butcher flew at the smaller Dragon, lifting his cleaver…

But when he swung, the blade passed through it as if it wasn't there.

**(S: 4,100) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 2,950)**

"What?" said Sam. "It wasn't destroyed?"

"Different Dimension Dragon is able to exist simultaneously in our dimension and the Different Dimension," said Hiroki. "As a result, it's hard to hurt. Monsters can't destroy it unless they have more than 1,900 Attack Points, and it can't be destroyed by card effects that don't specifically target a Monster.

"However… Since I still took damage, I get to draw two cards due to your Butcher's effect…"

He made two draws.

"And since you're the one with no cards left to play now, it's my move…"

He drew a third card.

"I summon Kaibaman," he said.

"NO!" shouted Sam.

Before Sam's unbelieving eyes, it happened. The Monster that her uncle had designed himself appeared… The one modeled to look just like him, wearing a helmet shaped like the head of the Blue-Eyes. (200/700)

"You have some nerve, Hiroki…" growled Yumi.

"I'll take that as a compliment," said Hiroki. "Anyway, he won't be staying long… Because by using his effect, I can sacrifice him to summon his servant…"

Kaibaman vanished.

"You see, Sam, as Chels already guessed, I copied your uncle's deck perfectly, so I have three copies of Blue-Eyes!"

The third Blue-Eyes White Dragon appeared. (3,000/2,500)

"Seems all you have protecting you is that facedown card," he continued.

He took the last card in his hand.

"I don't like it, so I'm getting rid of it…

"I play Stamping Destruction!"

He played the card, and one of the two huge Dragons slammed its foot down. A shockwave tore across the field, and Sam's Bark of Dark Ruler was blown to pieces.

_No…_ thought Erik, as he watched with terror. _The Monster I couldn't see in the vision that she took the attack from… It was that thing…_

"Blue-Eyes number one," ordered Hiroki, "annihilate The Bistro Butcher!"

The Blue-Eyes blasted its mighty breath, and the Fiend was blown to particles.

"Second Blue-Eyes, attack directly! White Lightning!"

The second Blue-Eyes blasted its breath directly at Sam, and she screamed…

She fell to her knees.

**(S: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 2,950)**

"SAM!" screamed Erik. "Sam baby, no!"

Sam looked up, and started to sweat. Smoke rose from her body.

"Sorry, baby…" she gasped. "I guess this is as far as I go…"

She started to fade.

"Give Daala a good one for me, huh?"

Erik ran up to her, but she vanished into globules of light before he made it to her.

"She… she lost…" gasped Yumi.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala chuckled.

"Part one is complete," she said, getting up. "Well, Vita, what do you think of…"

Then she was surprised to see that Vita was gone. The Holding Arms and Holding Legs were lying on the floor, along with a card.

She picked it up.

"Mesmeric Control?" she muttered, looking at. "It must have put those two restraints to sleep…

"But Vita couldn't have played it herself, her hands were bound… Some ally of hers must have gotten past my defenses and done it…"

She thought for a minute.

"I'll worry about it later… We have to continue the current plan. Hiroki's job isn't quite done, and I have to see if Leichter got the process right…

"We can't screw up this time…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I'm gonna kill you, Hiroki!" screamed Erik.

"And I'm gonna kill you again when he's done!" shouted Yumi.

Hiroki sighed, and crossed his arms.

"That's the dumbest thing I ever heard," he muttered. "You folks had best stop threatening me and start listening to me. Your girlfriend is a prisoner, Erik… If you ever want her back, you'll do what I say."

Erik stopped short.

"Want her back?" he asked.

"What are you talking about?" asked Atticus. "Daala has never been willing to release a prisoner for any terms…"

"We've never had one that we could use as a bargaining chip," replied Hiroki.

He pointed to the fortress above him.

"Sam is up there, and let me tell you, she isn't very happy. However… You ever hear of a little thing done in times of war called prisoner exchange?"

"Huh?" said Atticus. "You want to trade Sam?"

Hiroki nodded.

"For who?" said Atticus with a scowl. "Joan doesn't have any prisoners! Any members of Daala's army who are taken prisoner turn into defectors once Joan shows them a mere glimpse of her side. That should tell you people something, you know?"

"It's not who Daala wants to trade for," said Hiroki. "It's what."

The gate behind him opened.

"If the four of you will just follow me, Leichter will conduct the negotiation with you in a more proper setting."

Atticus sighed.

"We'd better do it guys," he said.

"I said, the _four_ of you," repeated Hiroki. "The Big Kahuna is certainly not welcome."

Atticus glared at him.

"Hiroki…" he said, in a cheery voice, "tell me something… Have you ever seen me angry?"

"Frankly, no," said Hiroki. "I don't think it's possible for you to get angry."

"Oh, it's possible for me to get angry," chuckled Atticus. "It simply takes a LOT to get me angry.

"And when I am angry, it's not a pretty sight…

"You, my friend, are getting very close to reaching the precipice where that might happen…"

"Nonetheless," sighed Hiroki, "you stay outside."

"You'd better wait out here," whispered Yumi to Atticus. "If there's any chance to save Sam, it depends on doing what he says for now."

"Don't tell me you actually trust Daala," replied Atticus.

"No, frankly I don't," said Yumi. "But we can't abandon Sam if we can help it."

"All right…" he replied. "But I don't like it…"

He watched as the four of them followed Hiroki into the cavern.

"I don't like it at all…"

Then he dodged out of the way, just as a ball of flame shot at him from behind. The fireball burst on a rocky ledge next to him.

"Like _this_ is a surprise…" he growled.

He got up, and looked at the assailant. It was a woman dressed in a blue toga, golden jewelry, a headband, bracelets, and tattoos on her arms, with an exotic hairstyle dyed white.

"Hello, Atticus," purred the Lady Assailant of Flames with a sweet smile. "Remember me?"

"Yeah," said Atticus, "just like I remember having my wisdom teeth taken out."

His Duel Disk activated.

"You want a fight, bitch? I'm just in the mood for it…"

The Assailant smiled sweetly and activated her own Disk.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"JOAN!" screamed Sheena. "You gotta do something! My baby is in the hands of that madman, and she might…"

"Calm down, Sheena, calm down…" said Joan.

She was working the controls of the special mainframe inside the temple.

"Ms. Arachne…" she said. "As hard as you may find this to believe, there may yet be a silver lining in this dark cloud."

"What do you mean?" shouted Sheena. "One of my children has been captured, and another one has turned traitor! Why would Hiroki do this to us?"

"I can't speak for Hiroki," muttered Joan. "But listen carefully…

"We know for a fact that the Realm Lord of the Flaming Peaks is Leichter now, as Hiroki freely admitted it.

"Now, for some unknown reason, Samantha has neither been moved to Daala's regular prison, or to wherever Leichter keeps his own prisoners. She's being kept in some restraining device right in the middle of Leichter's control room, where his own mainframe is kept. Since Sam is not being kept under the same security as most prisoners, I can still keep tabs on her. For now."

"So?" shouted Sheena.

"I think I can use her as a beacon of sorts," said Joan. "Use her as a focus… To sabotage Leichter's computer, and from there, Daala's whole network.

"Remember when I said that in order to get a message to Domino, we needed to create an opening in Daala's system? A blind spot? Well, this may be our means to create a huge one."

Sheena paused.

"How will that help Sam?" she muttered.

"Yumi and the others will have to do their best to help Sam, Sheena," said Joan. "We'll just have to pray that they are able to do so before Sam is moved somewhere where she cannot be reached. Hiroki claims he wants to conduct a prisoner trade, but Daala has never complied with the Rules of Engagement before, and I doubt she intends to now.

"For now… Sam's loss will not be in vain. You must try hard to work through your tears. I'll attempt to use Sam to sabotage Daala's system…

"And when I give the word that I've succeeded, you must be ready to make an attempt to breach Daala's barrier and get a message to your allies. If Daala's invasion takes Domino by surprise, many others may suffer the same fate Sam is facing now…"

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_**I know, this was a short chapter. So next chapter, I'll just have to make up for it with a long one.**_

_**Coming up next, as Yumi and company confront Leichter, the deadliest member of the Big Five, they finally learn the reason why Daala forced them to come to Xanadu. Leichter forces Erik to make a choice, dropping all curtains of deceit and secrecy. Now it's time to tell the truth. What is the mysterious Key?**_

_**Oh, and Nicholas and Olga might show up again too.**_

_**It's all coming up in a chapter called "The Key", coming soon.**_

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**The Legend of the Wind Dukes of Aaqa**

The following story is told in _The Book of Origins: A History of Planar Races_. One copy is known to be in the library of Meltiel, Sage of the Sky.

Long ago, before Shogarr was powerful enough to be the threat that he is now, the Abyss was ruled by his race, a type of demon called the Obyriths. Unlike modern demons, obyriths were chaotic first and evil second, and had forms so seeped in Chaos that no mortal could look upon them without being driven mad.

The most powerful obyrith of the time was the Elder Evil known as the Queen of Chaos. Like Shogarr would one day plan, she yearned to flood the universe in endless Chaos. So she set about building an army. She recruited most of the other obyrith lords to this cause. Some of them refused, and when they did, the Queen forcibly recruited them or killed them. Obox-ob, who then held the title of Prince of Demons, was one who refused. The Queen killed him personally, and bestowed his title on her consort, Miska the Wolf Spider.

Shogarr, not yet known as the Dread Emperor, was another who refused. But his power was great, even in that ancient time, so the Queen decided to leave him alone and not waste her energy in a battle that would weaken her.

The Queen decided to take a different approach than Shogarr eventually would. She would wage war against the mightiest representations of Law in the universe, hoping to prove the superiority of Chaos. And her first target was the then-numerous race of elemental beings called the Vaati, the Wind Dukes of Aaqa.

At this time, the Vaati ruled a vast empire that spanned many dimensions, which was governed by the power of Law, and their population numbered in the millions. They lived in cities that formed perfectly symmetrical streets, with buildings constructed in perfect shapes. Nowhere in the universe was Law closer to perfect than it was in the lands of the Vaati… It is with little wonder that the Queen of Chaos chose them as her first target.

The armies of the Abyss took the Wind Dukes by surprise, and swept like a dark tide over their lands. The Vaati were mostly pacifistic by nature, and had few warriors. Those that they had tried to fight back, but they were no match for the near-infinite hordes. One by one, their cities fell in ruins, and they were slaughtered by the hundreds… Then by the thousands… The air was full of their screams and the Queen's wicked laugh.

After a year of this onslaught, the unfortunate Vaati were close to extinction. The survivors fled to their ancestral birthplace, the sacred Vale of the Aaqa. They knew it was pointless. The armies of Chaos would quickly overrun it as well.

They wept… And then they prayed. They called to the sky, begging the gods above for aid…

And apparently, some divine force took pity, because their prayers were answered… At the exact same time, knowledge was implanted in the heads of seven of them, seven Vaati craftsmen.

Hardly knowing what they were building, they hammered metal into shape in seven forges. Seven short rods were the result. As the metal was tempered, the energy of the spirits of the survivors infused the seven artifacts, enchanting them with the defining moral concept that the race was so dedicated to. And when all seven of them were brought together in one place, all seven fused together, forming one long rod…

The ultimate weapon of Law… The Rod of Seven Parts.

Handing the weapon to the greatest Vaati warrior who had survived, they waited as the Queen's army came to invade the Vale, ready to stand for the last time. But as she did, the battle went differently then before. The warrior held aloft the Rod of Seven Parts, and its incredible light burned the flesh of chaotic spawn.

With the surviving Vaati strengthened by its light, they found strength they never knew they had, and cut through the hordes without mercy. Miska the Wolf Spider tried to rally the demonic troops, and the warrior faced the Prince of Demons, and struck his head clean off with one blow from the Rod.

Finally, he faced the enraged Queen of Chaos herself, even as her army was fleeing in fear. The fight was long and brutal, but finally, the Elder Evil was impaled by the weapon, and was no more.

The Rod of Seven Parts was broken into its component pieces in this last act, the pieces scattering to the far corners of the universe. Since then, many have claimed to have found one or even two of the pieces of this great weapon of Law, but it has not been whole since.

When Shogarr learned that his people had been decimated, he knew that his decision to reject the Queen had been the right one. And he vowed never to make the same mistakes she had made…

The Vaati were victorious, but at terrible cost. While they had once numbered in the millions, their race could now be counted in the hundreds. But they now had a new purpose: They would end their pacifistic ways, and become stronger… They would become hardier. And they would fight the forces of the Abyss wherever they showed their vile heads.

The Vaati are immortal as a race. The typical Vaati is over 5,000 years old, and most are much older than that. But their birth rate is incredibly low, with a child being born perhaps once or twice every century. Sadly, their race will likely never recover from the Queen's attempted genocide.

The Vale of the Aaqa is hard to find, and even harder to enter. Once inside, a visitor will find a virtual paradise, with manicured fields and gardens, and stately pavilions surrounded by exquisite rock gardens. In the entire valley, there is not a single blade of grass or leaf out of place. The valley could easily support ten times more Vaati than currently reside there, and most of the pavilions stand empty.

To most observers, the Vaati seem stiff and over-concerned with formalities. They are excruciatingly regular in their routines and they have rules governing every aspect of life. They are quick to criticize any lapse in etiquette. Other beings of Law often admire them, but others find them annoying.

Still, even one who finds them the most annoying would rather have them on his side when facing the demons of the Abyss. Since the great battle where the Queen of Chaos was slain, the Wind Dukes of Aaqa have become one of the most powerful forces of Law ever to take arms. Until the war between Law and Chaos has a definite victor, they likely will continue, never forgetting how the forces of Chaos once desired their extinction. As immortal creatures, their memories are long.

And in their free time, they endlessly search for news and information on the whereabouts of the seven pieces of the weapon that they used to defeat their enemy. They know that if the Rod of Seven Parts were ever made whole again, whoever used it might be able to turn the tables completely, and tip the balance of the universe towards Law. Possibly, because a universe dominated by Law would likely be as unpleasant as one dominated by Chaos, the weapon was made fragile on purpose, and cannot be reassembled. Still, the Rod of Seven Parts serves as a symbol of the race's power, even if it must remain a symbolic one.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Name that Card!**_

_**Level Four Monsters with 2,000 Attack Points (or more) and some sort of liability have been around for a long time. This Monster was the first. Can you name it?**_


	42. The Key

_**What was the first Level Four Monster to have an incredibly high Attack Score? If you said "Jirai Gumo", you were successfully able to Name that Card! (Give yourself half credit if you said "Dark Elf". Both cards were released in the same set, but Jirai Gumo came first in the order of Set Numbers.)**_

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_**All five members of the Big Five were unique, but Leichter… Well, he was uniquely unique. And he had more reasons to hate Seto Kaiba then the others.**_

_**He was Gozaburo's right-hand man, and he was given the task by his boss to aid young Seto in an apparently difficult test to prove his competency in business, in order to prove that he was worthy of the Kaiba name. Seto had to take the two percent of Kaibacorp's stock that he was given, and increase its value by a hundredfold within a year. Leichter would be the only employee of Kaibacorp allowed to help him. Seto passed the test easily. This test would prove to be Gozaburo's biggest mistake, because that two percent turned out to be exactly the amount Seto needed to wrest control of Kaibacorp.**_

_**However, Leichter bore resentment long afterwards. He had believed that he would take over the company when Gozaburo eventually retired, and believed that Seto could not have passed the test without his aid. Seto's version of the facts, however, was vastly different. He believed that Leichter was nothing more than a lickspittle who was good for nothing but following orders, and even Gozaburo knew it.**_

_**Whichever version you believe, you cannot deny that Leichter became very dangerous when the Big Five put their plans into action. Using Jinzo as his Deckmaster, he was clearly the best duelist of the Big Five, using cards chosen for usefulness rather than any personal preference. He goaded Kaiba during the whole duel with accusations, including one that he manipulated and betrayed his own brother Mokuba in order to deceive Gozaburo. Was it the truth? Kaiba flatly denied it, and we may never know. Still, he learned his lesson the hard way… Very few strategies, in Duel Monsters or otherwise, are any good when they were used against Kaiba.**_

_**And so it's come to this… Him against me, with Sam on the line. Daala isn't taking chances any more… Everything from this point on is for keeps.**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FORTY-ONE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Key**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Hiroki led the group into a large chamber. Everyone was surprised. The wooden floors and banners with kanji script reminded them of a dojo.

"What the heck is this place Hiroki?" asked Erik. "Is Leichter teaching martial arts in his spare time?"

"If he's still Jinzo," added Ren, "that would be hard to do. I would think Jinzo would lack the motor skills for martial arts."

"Not martial arts in the traditional sense," said Hiroki. "As you said, he has taken the form of Jinzo. As such, he has adopted the lifestyle of the old Psycho Style of dueling."

"Never heard of it," said Yumi.

"I'm not surprised," replied Hiroki. "Not many have heard of it these days, since it's pretty much defunct.

"A long time ago, the Psycho Style was a respected and powerful style of dueling. It was a style that focused on Jinzo and other Dark Machines. But like most styles, it had rivals. Its biggest rival was the Cyber Style."

"The one that Zane Truesdale belonged to," said Ren.

"Exactly," replied Hiroki. "During Jaden's third year, the Psycho Style produced an incredibly ambitious champion. Maybe he was too ambitious for his own good. Frankly, he was rather arrogant. He decided to end the rivalry by challenging Zane to a battle for dominance."

"Let me guess," muttered Chelsea. "Zane kicked his butt good, and the Psycho Style had to shut its doors."

"No," growled Hiroki. "That was the ironic part. Zane was too weak and sick to duel him, so his brother Syrus agreed to duel in his place. And _Syrus_ kicked his butt good!

"After that, people started taking Syrus seriously for a change, and the Psycho Style faded into oblivion.

"But that's all water under the bridge…

"Leichter will be here shortly. I don't believe you folks will be seeing me again."

He walked to the other side of the room where a door opened.

"Come back here!" shouted Erik.

Hiroki walked through the door, and it slammed shut.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Atticus sweat heavily.

He had Red-Eyes on his side of the field, and 2,000 Life Points remaining. His opponent had three Solar Flare Dragons, a facedown card, and 3,000 Life Points remaining.

"I'm not done yet," said Atticus, drawing a card. "In case you forgot, I've already beaten this strategy once."

"Go ahead!" mocked the Lady Assailant of Flames. "Use Burst Breath… I dare you…"

Atticus looked at the facedown card.

_It's clearly Destruction Jammer,_ he thought. _Or maybe My Body as a Shield… Well, you aren't the only one who can burn your opponent, sister…_

"I play Dragon's Gunfire!" he shouted. "This lets me inflict 800 points of damage on you, so long as I have a Dragon on the field."

"Huh?" said the Assailant.

Red-Eyes spit a ball of flame, and the Assailant screamed. Her Life Points fell to 2,200.

"That the best you can do?" she asked.

"No," said Atticus. "I can do better…

"I play Inferno Fire Blast!"

The Assailant's eyes opened wide…

Red-Eyes blasted an even more intense blast of flame from its jaws, and she screamed as her Life Points fell to nothing.

She fell to her knees, smoke pouring from her body. Atticus didn't say anything as she started to vanish into motes of light.

He took out his cell phone.

_Better call for backup,_ he thought. _I have a feeling they're gonna need it up there…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Erik switched the last card from his side deck to his deck.

_If Leichter's Deck Lord ability is anything like his old one,_ he thought, _Traps are no good against him. That makes dealing with him chancy at best… I guess…_

And then they were all shocked as the whole back wall lifted up.

Behind it was a room full of computers and monitors. And standing in front of them was one of the most dreaded Monsters in the game. It was easily recognizable, by its alien-looking cranium with a metal faceplate, atop a stiff, spiked collar, over a black, metallic robe.

"You're something else, Leichter," said Yumi. "Jinzo was once one of my grandfather Joey's most powerful cards. And now, with you as one of the rulers of Xanadu, it's become a symbol of evil…"

"You're grandfather couldn't comprehend half of the secrets that Jinzo possessed," replied Leichter. "Heck, even I couldn't when I took it for my Deckmaster in Noah's world. Back then, I simply admired it for its ability to nullify Trap Cards.

"But Daala has shown me secrets about the card that I never knew existed… I'm more powerful now than I ever was before. Jinzo possesses a special power… The power of…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" interrupted Erik. "Tell it to someone who cares! Where's Sam, Leichter?"

"Direct and to the point, I see," said Leichter. "Well, to answer your question, Mr. Matell… She's over there."

He lifted a small remote control and hit a button on it, while pointing to the side. Something started to rise out of the floor…

Everyone gasped…

The "something" appeared to be a huge diamond, about eight feet tall and five feet wide. If it were an actual diamond, it would clearly be worth a king's ransom. However, what startled them was the fact that Sam was imprisoned inside it, like a fly in a block of amber. Her eyes were closed – whether she was conscious or not, it was impossible to tell.

"Is that a…" gasped Yumi.

"Yes," replied Leichter. "A soulgem. One of Shogarr's special prisons."

"No…" moaned Erik.

"I'm sure Unus mentioned these to you," replied Leichter. "How each one is designed to hold one specific mortal being. In truth, Shogarr is far more merciful than most demon lords, who would consume a victim or work him to death in slavery. Shogarr merely keeps them as keepsakes."

"That's more merciful to enemies than killing them?" shouted Erik. "Forcing them to serve as… trophies?! It's sick!"

"Don't cry yet," said Leichter. "I lack the skills to complete the magic that completely binds a mortal to one of these things. Only Shogarr and certain other powerful demon lords can truly finish what I've started here…"

He lifted the remote.

"But… I can send her to him with one little flick of my thumb. And it would be the first thing he'd do."

"DON'T!" screamed Erik. "What do you want, Leichter?"

"Simple," said Leichter. "In exchange for Sam's safe return, I want the Key."

A screen behind him flickered, and Daala's face appeared on it.

"The Key?" said Erik. "What is that?"

"Well, I guess I have time to explain…" muttered Leichter. "I have nowhere to go, after all…

"Joan used a lot of enchantments while building her temple that were hard to come by. Do you recall the legend of the philosopher Diogenes? He was said to have wandered the world at night with a lantern in hand, looking for an honest man."

"True," said Yumi. "And he had a reason for doing so. He was a cynic, and believed that such a thing did not truly exist. The legend never specified whether or not he ever found one."

"Well," said Leichter, "when Joan built the temple, she needed the blessings of an honest Duel Spirit, one who wasn't a Fairy. She found that one did exist. The Unhappy Girl. She was all too willing to help out. But unfortunately for her, when she did so, she learned important secrets of its construction. When Daala found out she knew these things, it didn't take much persuasion to coerce them out of her."

"You…" gasped Ren. "The Unhappy Girl… Daala tortured her?"

"We learned of the existence of the Key," said Leichter, not answering the question. "A spiritual linchpin that held the enchantments of the temple together. At first, it was stored in a gemstone inside the temple, and was what held the protective barriers in place.

"But the Key was fragile. It was slowly decaying, as it lacked a proper container. Joan knew that after a while, it would break apart, and the temple's defenses would fail.

"At first, Daala thought she could wait Joan out, and attack when the Key finally died. But her patience started to wear thin. She knew how Joan could preserve the Key and keep it from dying…

"She had to implant it in the subconscious mind of a sentient being. But Duel Spirits and AI programs could not hold it. Their minds tend to be too one-sided. Only a mind as complex as a human's could store the spiritual linchpin."

Yumi's eyes opened wide.

"That's why she forced us to come to Xanadu…" she gasped.

"Daala knew Joan would recruit you," said Leichter. "And she knew she wouldn't pass up the opportunity to put the Key in one of you for safekeeping. She didn't know that we knew about it. Once we found out which of you had it through our scans, we would take it and destroy it."

He pointed to Erik.

"The other members of the Big Five have scanned everyone but you, Mr. Matell," he said. "The process of elimination puts it in your head. I don't need to waste time dueling you to make sure. Now you will kindly sit still and let me take it…

"Or…"

He held up the remote.

"Erik, wait…" said Chelsea.

"I'm not giving you time to make up your mind, Erik," said Leichter. "You have thirty seconds to agree. Then Sam is doomed."

"No…" gasped Erik, starting to sweat.

"Twenty seconds…" said Leichter.

Erik looked at Sam in horror…

"ALL RIGHT!" he screamed.

He bowed his head.

"You win…

"I'm sorry, Joan…"

"I knew you'd see it my way," said Leichter.

Behind him, Daala grinned.

Leichter reached to the console by his side, and tapped a few buttons.

"Just stand still and breathe normally…"

There was a low hum, and some data appeared in front of him. A few tense seconds passed.

More seconds passed. Leichter's brow became more wrinkled than normal.

"Where is it…" he whispered. "It's gotta be here…"

"Problems, Leichter?" asked Daala, speaking for the first time.

"N-no…" said Leichter. "No, milady… Just let me double-check… It has to be…"

Then he paused.

"This… This is impossible!" he shouted.

"What?" demanded Daala.

"The… The scan's results are negative…" said Leichter.

"What do you mean?" shouted Daala. "That IS impossible!"

"Oh?" asked Yumi. "Maybe the Key is indeed in one of us… But it's so well-hidden, that Daala's technology can't detect it. Just like her technology can't duplicate Aster's and Jesse's cards the way Joan's can."

The four of them activated their Disks.

"Release Sam now, Leichter," demanded Yumi.

"Stay back!" shouted Leichter, lifting the remote again. "Or Sam's history!"

"Oh?" said Yumi. "You sure that would be wise? What if the Key is in Sam's head? You banish Sam, the Key goes with her."

"LEICHTER!" yelled Daala. "Drop that remote right now!"

"But… Milady…" gulped Leichter.

"I mean it, Leichter," growled Daala. "If Sam is banished, the next one to be banished will be _you_."

Leichter dropped the remote like a hot potato.

"What do I do?" he shouted, starting to panic.

"Duel the boyfriend," said Daala. "I'll send help."

Her face vanished from the screen.

Erik stepped forward.

"Oh, by all means," he said. "I might even enjoy this…"

Leichter gestured, and a Duel Disk appeared on his arm. Erik stepped back nervously…

It was an Anarchist Disk.

"O-kay…" he gulped. "Didn't expect that…"

Leichter looked at the deck, and smiled inwardly.

"So, Leichter…" said Erik. "As leader of the Big Five, Daala has taught you some pretty intense secrets… She's shown you the secrets of Chaos, and you've become her eager pupil. You know how to use that Disk… You can begin to craft soulgems… How much of your own soul does Shogarr have ownership of by now? Is it a controlling percentage?"

"You say that as if it were a bad thing," replied Leichter. "Do you realize how many times mankind has benefited from the power of Chaos?"

"Name one," replied Erik.

"Penicillin," replied Leichter. "Sir Alexander Fleming discovered the miraculous antibiotic completely by accident, when some foreign material got into another experiment he was working on."

Erik was dumbfounded. That was true.

"The thing is," said Leichter, "most people confuse chaos with insanity. Well, they said Socrates was crazy… They said Aristotle was crazy… They said Koji Horanai was crazy…"

"Who was _that_?" asked Erik.

"He was my uncle," replied Leichter. "He _was_ crazy. But I'm not crazy. You see, there's a line between genius and insanity that's hard to determine sometimes. I mean, if a scientist accidentally mixes two chemicals together and discovers a cure for a crippling disease, they call him a genius. But if he accidentally mixes two chemicals together and blows up his laboratory, they call him an idiot.

"A lot in this life depends on luck, Mr. Matell… The unexpected can often change the world, and Chaos can often make a difference."

His Disk activated.

"And I will defeat you."

Blockman appeared behind Erik.

"You think you scare me just because you're Jinzo?" asked Erik. "I _knew_ you were Jinzo! I reworked my deck before you showed your ugly face! I don't have a single Trap Card in it."

"That's all well and good," replied Leichter, "but that still takes away a lot of your defenses. I, on the other hand, can still use them, and I intend to."

"Game on!" they both shouted.

**(****Erik: 8,000) ****- - - - - - - - - - (Leichter: 8,000)**

Erik looked at Sam again.

_I'll get you out of there, baby,_ he thought. _I swear… Just hang on…_

"I'll go first…" said Leichter, making the first draw.

He looked over his hand.

"I'll set one Monster on the field, and then one facedown card…"

A concealed card and a concealed Monster appeared.

"…and then you go…"

_Got to be careful, _thought Erik, making his first draw. _This is one guy I'm not taking chances with…_

He looked at his opening hand.

"Having trouble deciding?" asked Leichter. "Well, if you're lucky, you may get a couple more options…"

His facedown card lifted.

"I activate DNA Physical Examination."

"Say what?" asked Erik.

He looked at the odd Trap Card. Its picture depicted Magical Scientist being given a physical by three comical demons dressed like the doctors on DNA Surgery.

"Here's the deal," said Leichter. "You have to try to guess what Attribute my facedown Monster is. In fact, you get two guesses. That's fair, isn't it?

"If you guess right, you get to draw two cards. If you guess wrong, I get to draw two cards."

"Be careful, Erik!" cautioned Yumi. "Think before you answer!"

Erik thought.

_He played it on his first move…_ he thought. _I have no idea whether he's using his old deck or a new deck…_

_What Monsters did he use in his old deck? Cyber Jar… No, that's illegal… Satellite Cannon… He couldn't have set that without a sacrifice… Injection Fairy Lily… Who'd set her in__ Defense__ Mode? Dreamsprite… No, he wouldn't set that on his first turn…_

_Oh, who am I kidding? He's using that Anarchist Disk. He likely doesn't have any of his old cards…_

"Well?" asked Leichter.

"Uh… Light and Dark!" shouted Erik.

"Heh, heh, heh…" chuckled Leichter.

The card slowly lifted up, and was revealed to be D.D. Crazy Beast.

"As you can see, my Monster is neither Light nor Dark," said Leichter, "so you lose."

The card set back down, and he drew two cards.

Erik looked at the six cards in his hand.

_At least I know what his Monster is,_ he thought. _D.D. Crazy Beast has 1,400 Defense Points, and I have nothing here that can beat that…_

_But…_

"I set a facedown card, and then summon Toy Wind-Up."

A facedown card appeared, and then the tall, tin soldier appeared, pointing its blunderbuss. (1,000/700)

_Eh?_ thought Leichter. _If he has no Traps, what's the facedown card? Some sort of Quickplay?_

"My draw," said Leichter.

He drew a card.

"And I play Card Destruction!"

He played a Spell Card.

"Huh?" said Erik.

"Now we both have to fold all the cards in our hands, and draw an equal number," said Leichter.

"I know how Card Destruction works," said Erik, discarding the cards in his hand.

He drew five cards, and Leichter drew six.

"Perfect," said Leichter. "Now I flip my Monster into Attack Mode… You guessed it…"

His facedown Monster flipped.

"D.D. Crazy Beast!"

The Monster that appeared was huge and weird. It looked like a big, wormlike thing, with six clawed legs, and a huge set of jaws, with beady eyes to either side. (1,400/1,400)

"That guy's bark is worse than his bite," muttered Ren.

"Perhaps," said Leichter. "But his _breath_ is worse than his bark, as Toy Wind-Up is about to find out. And any Monster he destroys is removed from play.

"Attack his Toy Wind-Up!"

D.D. Crazy Beast opened its jaws, and bright blue flames started to appear in them…

"Go, Spell Card!" shouted Erik. "Toy Robot Box!"

His facedown card lifted, and he quickly discarded one of his cards (it was Double Snare). Three Monsters that looked like armored robot superheroes appeared. They knelt and crouched in Defense Mode. (0/0 x3)

"Dolls?" asked Leichter.

"They aren't dolls," said Leichter. "They're action figures! And so long as these tokens are on the field, you can't attack any Monsters except them."

"Fine!" shouted Leichter. "I think I'll do just that."

D.D. Crazy Beast shot a blast of bright blue flame from its jaws, and one of the three Toy Robots exploded.

_And since Tokens aren't considered cards in this respect,_ he thought, _I can't use the effect I need to yet. But I will soon…_

"I set one card facedown on the field," said Leichter, as a facedown card appeared, "and then it's your move."

Erik quickly drew a card.

_All right,_ he thought, looking at it.

"Thanks to Bandit Keith," he said, "my Deck Lord now has a Greater Power of his own."

Blockman started to glow with golden light.

"It's called Toy Tinker, and lets me take a low Level Toy Monster from my deck every other round."

Toy Soldier slipped out of his deck, and he looked at it.

"But I won't be using him yet. I sacrifice my two Tokens…"

The two Toy Robot Tokens vanished into grains of light.

"To summon Puppet King!"

In an explosion of energy, the mighty Puppet King appeared, looming over the field. (2,800/2,600)

"Impressive," said Leichter.

"Attack his D.D. Crazy Beast!" shouted Erik. "Majestic Checker!"

Puppet King lunged at the Beast.

"It isn't so easy, Mr. Matell," said Leichter. "I activate No Entry!!"

His facedown card flipped up.

"Now, all Monsters on the field move to Defense Mode."

Puppet King, Toy Wind-Up, and D.D. Crazy Beast squatted in defensive positions.

Erik sighed.

"I'll throw two cards facedown," he said, "and that will be all."

Two facedown cards appeared.

Leichter drew a card.

"Just what I needed," he said, as he placed it in his Disk. "Gaze upon… The Different Dimension Gate!"

With a rumbling noise, a huge apparatus appeared behind him. The giant contraption had a portal of rainbow-colored lights in its center, which were moving in a haphazard pattern.

"This Continuous Spell Card lets me remove two Monsters on the field from play. But there is a catch. One of those Monsters has to be one of mine.

"So I'll remove your Puppet King and my D.D. Crazy Beast."

There was a fierce suction, and both Monsters were swept up, and sucked through the portal.

"HEY!" shouted Erik.

"And that's not all," said Leichter. "One of the cards I tossed when I played Card Destruction was a creature called Zeta Reticulant. When it's in my Graveyard when one of your cards is removed from play, I get to summon an EBE Token."

A small creature appeared on Leichter's side of the field. It looked like your standard little alien, with a big head on a small body with large eyes. (500/500)

"EBE stands for Extraterrestrial Biological Entity, by the way."

"And just what are you going to do with it?" asked Erik.

"I'm going to sacrifice it," said Leichter, holding up a card. "To Special Summon this! Zeta Reticulant!"

The EBE Token vanished, and a much bigger, much nastier alien appeared. It was a monstrous creature with sharp spurs all over its body, spherical orbs on its chest, razor-sharp teeth, and claws, standing seven feet tall. (2,400/2,100)

"Wait a minute!" shouted Erik. "You said it was in your Graveyard, not in your hand!"

"True," said Leichter. "Is there any rule that says my deck can't have more than one copy?"

"I've heard of this creature," muttered Chelsea. "It may not look like any relative of Joan's, but it's a Fairy of some sort. And a powerful one…"

"Attack his Toy Wind-Up!" ordered Leichter. "Plasma blaster!"

Zeta Reticulant fired a beam of destructive energy from its hands, and Toy Wind-Up was atomized.

"Consider yourself lucky your Monster was in Defense Mode," said Leichter. "It's your move…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Joan was still working her main console, while Sheena nervously sat at another console.

"It's working, Sheena!" said Joan. "Leichter is too occupied by the duel to notice my sabotage, and Daala has drawn her attention elsewhere. She's likely upset at her failure to get the Key. We'll likely have our window in a matter of minutes.

"Be ready to start communications, and be prepared for what you have to tell your allies."

"Right," said Sheena, starting to type. "Uh…

"Out of curiosity Joan… Who _does_ have the Key?"

Joan looked a bit uncomfortable.

"I can't tell you, Sheena," she said. "Especially now that we know that Daala knows of its existence. If I told you and you were captured, Daala would force the information out of you, and then send wave after wave after the one I gave it to until he or she was also captured, and the rebellion would fall.

"Suffice to say, it's safe."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Okay…_ thought Erik. _He's got a butt-ugly alien, and I got…_

He drew a card.

_Spell Striker?! Not exactly the king of Warriors…_

Then he noticed something behind Leichter, at the podium where the big gem was that was holding Sam prisoner.

_Vita?_ thought Erik.

It was indeed Vita. She had apparently snuck in, and had crept up to the big gem.

She turned to Erik, and put her finger to the mouth on her mask, as if to say "Shhhh."

Erik got the idea. He paused for a minute as Vita placed her hand on the gem, and a dark blotch started to form on it, like a bruise.

He placed a card on his Disk.

"I summon Spell Striker," he said.

In a flash of light, the toy wizard with his horned helmet and cape appeared. (600/200)

"Attack him directly!" shouted Erik.

Spell Striker flew at Leichter and shot sparks from his wand. Leichter barely flinched.

"That the best you can do?" asked Leichter.

"I do the best I can," replied Erik.

**(****E: 8,000) ****- - - - - - - - - - (L: 7,400)**

"My move!" shouted Leichter.

He drew a card.

It was Destruction Jammer.

_I'll save this for when I need it,_ he thought.

"I summon a second D.D. Crazy Beast," he said.

He played a card from his hand, and another of the weird dimensional Monsters appeared. (1,400/1,400)

"Attack his Spell Striker!" he ordered.

The Crazy Beast breathed its blast of blue flames, and Spell Striker was disintegrated.

"Due to his effect," said Erik, "I take no damage…"

"I know that," said Leichter, "that's why I attacked with him first.

"Zeta Reticulant, attack him directly!"

Zeta blasted its plasma blaster, and Erik screamed as he was struck and propelled backwards.

Erik groaned and sat up.

"Facedown card activate," he said. "Emergency Provisions. I'll send my other facedown card to the Graveyard to gain 1,000 Life Points back."

His Quickplay lifted up, and then his Symbol of Heritage lifted up and vanished.

**(****E: 6,600) ****- - - - - - - - - - (L: 7,400)**

"It's your move, Mr. Matell," said Leichter. "You may have prepared your deck against Jinzo, but you hardly had any idea what else you'd be facing."

Erik quickly drew a card.

_I hate villainous rant,_ he thought. _Especially when it makes a valid point._

He looked at it.

"I use my Toy Tinker ability again," he said.

He took a card out of his deck. He looked at it.

"I set a card facedown, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared.

"Let me get this straight," said Leichter. "You used your Deck Lord's effect to search for a low Level Monster, and you didn't even defend with it?"

Erik just glared at him.

"Oh, fine," said Leichter, drawing a card.

"D.D. Crazy Beast, attack him directly!"

"Go, Spell Card!" shouted Erik. "Mystical Space Typhoon!"

His Quickplay lifted up, and the cyclone shot towards the Different Dimension Gate, causing the portal to crack. It smashed into pieces, and two orbs of light flew onto the field…

Two Monsters materialized, Puppet King on Erik's side of the field in Defense Mode. (2,800/2,600) and Leichter's original D.D. Crazy Beast on his side of the field, also in Defense Mode. (1,400/1,400)

"I'm not dumb, Leichter," he said. "I knew that destroying the Gate would bring those two back."

"Okay, you're very smart," growled Leichter. "I'll move Zeta to Defense Mode, and end my turn."

Zeta Reticulant knelt down and shielded itself with its claws.

"My move!" shouted Erik, drawing a card.

He paused as he drew, and looked at what Vita was doing. The black spot she was creating on the gem had spread, creating an ugly imperfection on the huge gemstone.

_God, I hope you know what you're doing…_ he thought.

"I play Pot of Greed," he said.

He played the card, and drew two.

"I move Puppet King to Attack Mode."

Puppet King stood up.

"Then, I summon Toy Soldier."

Toy Soldier appeared in a flash. (800/300)

"Now," he said, opening his Field slot, "I play Toy Town!"

The computer room faded away, and the fairy tale village with its gingerbread houses and the rainbow in the sky appeared. Toy Soldier grew to an ATK of 1,100.

"Bah!" said Leichter.

"Puppet King, attack Zeta Reticulant!" shouted Erik.

Puppet King lunged, and clobbered the alien. It shattered into shards.

"Now I play… Shrink," continued Erik, "to cut your Crazy Beast to a more manageable size."

The Crazy Beast in Attack Mode shrunk to half its size, and an Attack Score or 700.

Toy Soldier aimed his musket and fired, and the Crazy Beast roared before it shattered.

**(****E: 6,600) ****- - - - - - - - - - (L: 7,000)**

"That's all for me."

Leichter drew a card.

He played two cards, and a facedown card and a facedown Monster appeared.

"That all?" asked Erik. "You must be slipping…"

He drew a card.

"I get to use my Toy Tinker ability again…"

A card slipped out of his deck, and he took it.

"Then, I get to summon two more Toy Soldiers from my deck."

Two more Toy Soldiers appeared in Attack Mode. (800/300) –) (1,100/300)

"Next, I summon Toy Magician!"

In a flash of light, the colorful, plastic mage appeared. (1,600/1,500) –) (1,900/1,500)

"Finally, I play Crowning of the Emperor! I'll trade in one Toy Magician, to summon Toy Emperor!"

One Toy Magician vanished, and Toy Emperor appeared astride his wooden steed. (2,300/800) –) (2,600/800)

"You," he said to one of the Soldiers, "attack his facedown Monster!"

The Soldier fired his musket, and Dark Mimic LV1 appeared on the card. It was blown to pieces.

"I get to draw one card," said Leichter, making a draw.

"Toy Magician, destroy the last D.D. Crazy Beast!" ordered Erik.

Toy Magician fired his blasts of light, and the Crazy Beast exploded into colored lights.

"Puppet King, attack him directly!"

Puppet King charged at Leichter.

"I don't think so!" shouted Leichter.

His facedown card lifted, and Negate Attack appeared. Puppet King was thrown backwards.

"Huh?" said Ren. "He could have used that to protect his Crazy Beast… But for some reason… He waited… Why?"

Leichter chuckled.

"I'll show you all why," he said. "It's time for my true strategy to be unveiled…"

He drew a card. Then his own Field slot opened.

"I play… Cosmic Space!"

Toy Town crumbled into dust, and the whole room went dark. As everyone looked around, they saw that they had been transported off the Earth, and into the astral. Around them were the bodies of the cosmos… Stars, planets, suns…

They were in outer space.

"What is going on?" asked Erik.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At this moment, in Kaibaland…

Olga was facing Nicholas at a table in the main computer room in the virtual reality lab, and she was thinking very hard.

"Okay, Nicholas," she said. "I think I've found the killer…

"I believe…

"That it was Ms. Scarlet, with the Revolver, in the Billiard Room!"

Nicholas looked at her.

He took the envelope in the center of the game board, and opened it. He looked at the three cards inside.

Then he groaned, and held his head in frustration.

"I'm right, aren't I?" laughed Olga. "HA!

"You gotta admit, Nicholas, I'm either the greatest _Clue_ player who ever lived, or you just plain stink."

"Let's play something else…" growled Nicholas.

"Wanna duel?" asked Olga.

Before Nicholas could answer, the screen behind them came to life.

"Hello?" said Sheena's voice. "Hello? Nicholas… Olga… Are you still there?"

The two of them jumped up, and went to the screen. Sheena's face appeared, blurry, but still there.

"We're here, Ms. Arachne," said Nicholas. "Are you safe?"

"More or less," said Sheena. "But Domino is in trouble…

"Listen… I need your help again… We know Daala's plans…

"Pretty soon, they're going to go far beyond Xanadu…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"What's going on, Leichter?" asked Erik. "What is this? Macro Cosmos?"

"Macro Cosmos is a Continuous Trap," replied Leichter. "This is a Field Spell."

"I can see that," said Erik. "What does this Field do?"

"It's one of the deadliest Fields in existence," said Leichter. "Most Field Spells have some sort of benefit for one Type, Attribute, or archetype of Monster.

"Not this one. The void of Cosmic Space is hostile to all forms of life. So it technically doesn't benefit any Monster at all. It has a debilitating effect on all Monsters on the field.

"During each End Phase, yours and mine, all Monsters have their Levels reduced by one. If a Monster is Level One at the time, it is destroyed."

"The same goes for your Monsters, Leichter!" shouted Yumi.

"True," said Leichter. "However, I have a Monster that has a unique way of surviving.

"It's still my turn, I believe…"

He placed a card in his Disk.

"I activate Premature Burial. Once I give up 800 Life Points, I can bring back someone else I discarded when I played Card Destruction. My EBE Abductor."

Another weird alien appeared on the field. Its body looked like it combined both its torso and head into one, with arms on the sides and legs at the bottom. Its eyes were cold and inhuman. (1,000/500)

"This is one of those aliens that is notorious for kidnapping humans in order to study them," said Leichter. "And it can do so once per turn if I simply discard one card."

He discarded a D.D. Trainer from his hand.

"Take one of his Toy Soldiers!"

EBE Abductor's eyes glowed with hypnotic light, and one of the two Toy Soldiers looked dizzy. He was pulled over to Leichter's side.

"Huh?" said Chelsea. "I don't get it… If Leichter could have brainwashed any of Erik's Monsters, why did he choose Toy Soldier instead of Puppet King?"

"Because, I would benefit more if Mr. Matell kept his stronger Monsters," said Leichter. "The reason why will become apparent in a minute.

"I sacrifice Toy Soldier and EBE Abductor…"

The Toy Soldier and the strange alien vanished.

"…in order to summon Greed Quasar!"

A new, much more frightening creature appeared. This one looked more like a space-age demon than a true alien. Its torso was a fiendish skull with a fanged jaw, with small, clawed arms and no legs, and a head with a pointed top.

"Let me explain how Greed Quasar works," said Leichter. "Its Attack and Defense Score are each 300 times its Level. When I summon it, it's Level Seven, so…"

(2,100/2,100)

"HA!" laughed Chelsea. "If that's true, your Field Spell will weaken it every turn!"

"Yes and no," replied Leichter. "You see, every time Greed Quasar defeats an enemy, its Level increases by an amount equal to the defeated Monster's Level.

"So, if it were to destroy Toy Emperor, it would gain six Levels, and gain 1,800 points."

"That would make it Level Thirteen!" exclaimed Ren. "The maximum Level a Monster can be is Twelve!"

"Uh, Ren, technically, that isn't true," replied Yumi. "There's no rule that puts a maximum limit on the Level a Monster can be. Granted, no Monster has ever been designed that was greater than Twelve, but…"

"Regardless," said Erik, "I see another thing wrong with your plan. It isn't strong enough to defeat Toy Emperor."

"It could if Toy Emperor were in Defense Mode," said Leichter.

He took a card from his hand.

"I play Book of Moon!"

Erik gasped as Toy Emperor vanished, and was replaced by a facedown Monster.

"Attack!" shouted Leichter. "Quantum blast!"

Greed Quasar exhaled a blast of violet flames from the jaw on its torso. The facedown Toy Emperor exploded.

Greed Quasar glowed with energy, and rose to (3,900/3,900).

"See how it copes now?" asked Leichter. "It may lose a Level every round, but it gains Levels by battling enemies. So it can easily survive the debilitating effect of Cosmic Space."

_Even worse,_ thought Erik, _the higher in Level it is, the stronger it is… And with no Trap Cards in my deck, destroying it is going to be very hard…_

Leichter looked at the last card in his hand, which was Destruction Jammer.

_It needs a discard to use, so setting it this round would be pointless,_ he thought. _I'll take my chances for now…_

"I end my turn, which means that all Monsters on the field lose one Level."

Greed Quasar fell to (3,600/3,600)

**(****E: 6,600) ****- - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,200)**

"All right, my draw…" said Erik, drawing a card.

His eyes opened when he saw what it was.

_One of the cards that Sam won from Nezbitt…_ he thought. _Oh, but it would be no good now…_

He turned the cards on his Disk, and Toy Magician, Puppet King, and the last Toy Soldier moved to Defense Mode. Then he took the other Toy Magician in his hand, and placed it on his Disk, and it appeared facedown.

_If I manage to flip it into Attack Mode,_ he thought, _its effect can destroy this Field Spell. Let's just hope it lasts that long._

"That's all," he said.

Greed Quasar fell to (3,300/3,300)

Leichter drew quickly.

"Perfect," he said. "I set one card, and then play Coins from Heaven."

A facedown card appeared, and then golden motes shown through the whole void.

"How lucky can you get?" muttered Chelsea.

Erik frowned. Leichter was getting twice as many cards out of this as he was.

"Now let's use them," said Leichter. "I play Shield Crush."

The Spell Card appeared, and a beam of energy shot towards the facedown Toy Magician, blowing it to pieces.

"Crud…" muttered Erik.

"Next," continued Leichter, "I summon Lyra the Giver."

"Huh?" said Erik.

A new alien appeared on the field. It was tall, thin, and skeletal, with a skull-like, inhuman face. (1,800/1,500)

"Don't worry, it isn't staying," said Leichter. "As its name suggests, it likes to give things. Case in point, by sacrificing it, its Level is added to the Level of any other Monster on the field. So I'll sacrifice it, and give that value to Greed Quasar."

Lyra the Giver vanished into grains of light, and Greed Quasar glowed with energy again. (4,500/4,500)

"Next," said Leichter, "I play Fairy Meteor Crush, and I'll Equip it to Greed Quasar."

He played the card, and Greed Quasar burned with fiery energy.

"Attack his Puppet King! Quantum blast!"

Greed Quasar blasted its flames at Puppet King, and the wooden monarch exploded.

"ERGH!" shouted Erik.

**(****E: 4,700) ****- - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,200)**

"Your Puppet King was Level Five just then," said Leichter, "so my Greed Quasar gains five more Levels, and 1,500 more points."

Greed Quasar glowed again. (6,000/6,000)

"Six thousand?" shouted Chelsea. "That's insane!"

"Like the guy using it," added Ren.

"I end my turn," said Leichter. "Unfortunately for your Toy Soldier, that means his time is up."

Toy Soldier vanished in a plume of smoke and flames. Greed Quasar fell to (5,700/5,700).

"By the way, the same thing's gonna happen to your Toy Magician as soon as you end your next turn. So make the most of it."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"This is serious, Nicholas!" said Olga. "Invasion… A dark army… We gotta tell the authorities…"

"And tell them what, Olga?" asked Nicholas. "Oh, officer, an army of Duel Spirits from another dimension is planning to invade the city, and we won't be able to see them until they're right on top of us. We have to call in the National Guard.

"In case you forgot, Olga, something similar to this has happened before. When…"

He shuddered in fear.

"When that thing with the Orichalcos started, Duel Spirits appeared worldwide, and they were _very_ visible. Everyone then accused Kaiba of using satellite technology to create them as a publicity stunt.

"It'll be just like that old 1950's monster movie… What was it called? The Glob?"

"_The Blob_," sighed Olga.

"That's the one," said Nicholas. "When things like this happen, the authorities never believe it until it's too late."

"So what do we do?" asked Olga.

"We have to prepare ourselves," said Nicholas. "We have to make sure our decks are ready… We have to…"

He stopped short.

"We have to make a phone call…"

He turned to the computer screen, and typed in some commands. The Domino telephone directory appeared on it.

"Who you gonna call?" asked Olga.

"This is kinda a long shot," said Nicholas. "But ever since I started using the Six Samurai, I heard rumors from other duelists.

"One of Yumi's father's old allies might, just might have something I can use that would make my deck far more powerful…"

"Will he give it to you?" asked Olga.

"She," said Nicholas. "And frankly, I doubt it. But if it exists, she likely knows how one can get it…

"It wouldn't hurt to ask…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"My draw…" muttered Erik, drawing a card.

He looked at Vita. The black stain had now covered fully half of the diamond, and it was covered with cracks now.

He played the card, and the Pot of Avarice appeared. All three Toy Soldiers, Puppet King, and Toy Wind-Up slipped out of his discard slot, and he shuffled them into his deck. He made two draws.

"Now, I use my Deck Lord ability to get back Toy Soldier…"

One Toy Soldier slipped out of his deck and he took it.

"As if that pathetic thing scared me," replied Leichter.

"We'll soon see," said Erik, playing a card. "I play Toy Box."

He played the card, and the smiling Toy Box appeared on the field. (0/0)

"This Token can't be attacked," said Erik, "and it's immune to Spells, so it's safe from your Field Spell. Plus I get to hide two Toy Monsters in it."

The box opened, and the Toy Magician that was cowering in Defense Mode jumped into it. Then one of the cards in Erik's hand turned into to an orb of energy, and flew into it.

"I set one card facedown, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared. Greed Quasar fell to (5,400/5,400).

Leichter drew a card.

"You seem to have made a fatal error," he said. "I happen to know that if a Monster can't be targeted by attacks, it also can't defend against direct attacks."

Erik just stared at him.

"I could wipe you out with one blast from Greed Quasar," continued Leichter, "but something tells me that you aren't that dumb… Your facedown card may well be a Quickplay that will protect you… Maybe another copy of Shrink, perhaps… You'd take a lot of damage, but you'd still be in the duel…

"So to better my chances, I'll summon EBE Epsilon."

He played a card, and another Monster appeared. It was little more than a pair of sharp claws on a bony, crustacean frame. (1,500/1,600)

"Epsilon, attack him directly!"

The EBE Epsilon flew at Erik, and slashed at him with its claws. Erik screamed and fell on his behind.

"Goodbye, Mr. Matell," said Leichter. "Greed Quasar, attack him directly!"

Greed Quasar glowed with energy.

"Activate… Enemy Controller!" shouted Erik.

His facedown card flipped up.

"Typical…" muttered Leichter.

The video game control pad appeared, and Greed Quasar backed up, shielding itself in Defense Mode.

"You've only bought yourself a turn," said Leichter. "My Quasar has just as many Defense Points as it has Attack Points.

"And the effect of my Toy Box activates," said Erik.

The Toy Box opened, and Toy Soldier hopped out. (800/300)

"Didn't you learn your lesson the first time?" asked Leichter. "He won't last long here.

"I end my turn."

Greed Quasar fell to (5,100/5,100).

**(****E: 3,200) ****- - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,200)**

"Draw…" said Erik.

He quickly drew a card.

"I use Toy Soldier's effect once again, to summon two more of his comrades."

Two more Toy Soldiers appeared. (800/300 x2)

"Next, I'll use the effect of Toy Box again, to bring Toy Magician out, this time in Attack Mode."

Toy Magician hopped out of the Toy Box. (1,600/1,500) The Toy Box vanished.

"By the way, Leichter, since he left the field and was summoned to it again, his Level is reset to four."

"As if it mattered," said Leichter.

"But it does matter!" shouted Erik, thrusting a Spell Card forward. "Thanks to your overconfident friend Nezbitt, I'm about to bring out the strongest Monster in my deck!

"I play Sky Union!"

"Sky Union?" gasped Leichter. "Wait… Doesn't that summon…"

"You gotta be kidding me…" said Chelsea.

"I sacrifice three Monsters…" continued Erik.

All three Toy Soldiers vanished…

A shadow slowly started to fall across the field as it appeared out of the astral. It was a giant, armored airship, like a flying navy battleship with far more emphasis on armaments. Dominating it was a huge, robotic head in the center with glowing eyes, and it was armed to the teeth with dozens upon dozens of cannons, gun turrets, and missile launchers.

"This is a toy that isn't recommended for children ages ten and under," said Erik. "The _Air Fortress Ziggurat_!"

(2,500/2,000)

"And guess what, Leichter? It's completely impervious to all Spell and Trap Cards, so your Field Spell can't hurt it in the slightest."

"Big deal!" shouted Leichter. "It may be… big, but my Greed Quasar is still over twice as strong!"

"I'll get to him in a minute," said Erik. "First, I Normal Summon Toy Tank."

He placed a card on his Disk, and the small, plastic tank appeared on the field. (1,300/1,100)

"Now, for your Greed Quasar. As I've already said, I was ready for you, Leichter. I switched all of the Trap Cards in my deck with useful Quickplays."

He held a card forward.

"Does this look familiar? It should… You used it on my Toy Emperor."

"Book of Moon?!" shouted Leichter.

"And I think I'll use it on your Greed Quasar," said Erik.

Leichter gasped as Greed Quasar vanished, and was replaced by a facedown Monster.

"What have you done?" he screamed. "If Greed Quasar is flipped facedown…"

"Its effect is reset," said Erik. "Just like any Monster is if it's flipped facedown. That means its Level is now seven, so its Defense Score is now 2,100.

"So good luck dodging THIS!"

All at once, every artillery on Air Fortress Ziggurat ignited. Yumi, Ren, and Chelsea covered their ears as missiles, shells, and rockets flew towards the facedown Monster, blowing Greed Quasar to oblivion.

"I'm not done with you!" shouted Erik. "Toy Magician, attack EBE Epsilon with sparkle blast!"

Toy Magician cast his spell, and the bony alien shattered into splinters.

"Toy Tank, attack him directly!"

With a loud BOOM, a blast of energy shot out of Toy Tank's turret, and Leichter staggered backwards, clutching his chest.

"It's your move, Leichter…" chuckled Erik.

**(****E: 3,200) ****- - - - - - - - - - (L: 4,800)**

Leichter slowly drew a card.

_Okay, now I'm in trouble…_ he thought. _Darn, it Daala, where's the help you promised to send? I don't have another Monster in my whole deck that can defeat that thing…_

He looked at a card in his hand.

_Except this one… It will be risky, but it's my only option right now…_

He chose a card from his hand.

"I play Giant Trunade," he said. "Now, all Spell and Trap Cards on the field return to the owners' hands."

The void of Cosmic Space vanished, as did Leichter's facedown card, and both appeared in his hand.

"Next, I set two cards facedown on the field…"

Two facedown cards appeared (one of them obviously the one he had just sent back to his hand).

"…then, I pay 1,000 Life Points to summon my favorite Monster… Myself."

He stepped forward five paces, onto the field. (2,400/1,500)

"Now you've done it," said Erik. "You realize, Leichter, that those facedown cards can't stop my Fortress, and it's stronger than you are."

"That won't be the case," said Leichter, "once I make a small upgrade…"

He placed a card on his Disk, and he slowly began to glow with an eerie, dark aura…

Slowly, his stiff robe became covered with bulky battle armor. His faceplate became more streamlined, and a third optic sensor appeared. Then, six long cords with sharp buckles on the ends sprouted from his back. (2,600/1,600)

"What in the name of…" gasped Yumi.

"I've upgraded myself to Jinzo-Lord," replied Leichter.

"What the Hell is that?" shouted Ren.

"I don't expect you kids to have ever heard of it," replied Leichter. "It isn't a card that just any duelist can obtain. Jinzo is rare enough. This evolved version is a card that was only given to licensed practitioners of the Psycho Style.

"But… The power of this Anarchist Disk can work wonders. As you're about to find out…"

He played another card.

"And I'll also summon something that Nezbitt would be fond of. The Battle Android Trooper, also known as the B.A.T."

A faceless android made of black metal, with a rifle in place of its left hand and a large pincer in place of its right appeared next to him. (1,400/1,900)

"This Monster's effect is similar to Command Knight. With it on the field, all Machines gain 400 Attack Points. And you can't attack it if there's another Machine on my side of the field."

Leichter's Attack Score went up to 3,000, while the B.A.T. itself went up to 1,800.

Then Erik noticed that Air Fortress Ziggurat's Attack Score went up to 2,900, and Toy Tank's Attack Score went up to 1,700.

_Huh?_ thought Erik. _Oh, I see… Unlike Command Knight, the B.A.T.'s effect applies to Machines on both sides of the field… _

_Hmm… There might be a way I can use that to my advantage._

"Now to ground your Fortress…" said Leichter.

He held his hands together, and a crackling ball of blackness formed in them.

"Cyber Energy Impact!"

He hurled it at the huge structure, and it exploded on the center of the hull. Erik shielded himself as explosions rocked all over the hull of Air Fortress Ziggurat, and debris rained down on him. The airship started to go down in flames, and finally burst into pixilated remains.

"No…" moaned Erik. "It was my best card…"

"Then you're in trouble," said Leichter. "Because now my B.A.T. attacks your Toy Tank!"

The B.A.T. pointed its rifle and fired a burst of rounds. Toy Tank exploded into scrap.

"I use its effect!" shouted Erik. "I get to summon a Toy Wind-Up!"

Toy Wind-Up appeared once again, pointing its blunderbuss. (1,000/700)

Then its Attack Score rose to 1,400.

Leichter looked at his two facedown cards.

_I still have Destruction Jammer,_ he thought. _The only way he can defeat me is to summon something with more than 3,000 Attack Points. Only his Toy Dragon fits the bill, and he'd need at least two other Toys on the field._

_So, I'll simply wipe them out before he can do it. With no way for him to protect them, it shouldn't be hard._

"Your move, Mr. Matell."

**(****E: 3,000) ****- - - - - - - - - - (L: 3,800)**

Erik drew a card.

_Oh, Armor Breaker?!_ he thought. _Just the card I DIDN'T need!_

"I set one Monster in Defense Mode, and then move Toy Magician and Toy Wind-Up to Defense Mode," he said.

The facedown Monster appeared, and Toy Magician and Toy Wind-Up knelt and held their weapons in their laps.

"My draw," said Leichter, drawing.

"B.A.T., destroy his facedown Monster," he commanded.

The B.A.T. fired its rifle, and Armor Breaker was blown apart.

"Since I destroyed one of your Monsters in Defense Mode," he continued, "I'm able to activate this…"

One of his facedown cards lifted.

"Lineage of the Destructor Lord. Now I can attack twice with a Level Eight Monster. Such as myself."

He threw his Cyber Energy Impact, and Toy Wind-Up was blown to metal shards.

Then he blasted his lethal bolt at Toy Magician, and he exploded.

"Seems you have nothing left, Mr. Matell. It's your move…"

_All right, now I'm in trouble,_ thought Erik. _I'm running low on cards, and he's powering up to finish me!_

He closed his eyes and drew a card.

He looked at it.

"All right, Leichter…" he said. "I'd like to say it's been fun, but it hasn't.

"I play Autonomous Action Unit! It costs me 1,500 Life Points, but I get to raise a Monster from your Graveyard!"

"Huh?" said Leichter.

Erik played the card, and a creature appeared in a burst of steam. It was Zeta Reticulant, and it had apparently been resurrected using cybernetics. Its left arm was bionic, and it had a breathing apparatus connected to odd tanks on its back. It made a heavy breathing noise that reminded everyone present of that made by the villainous Darth Vader. (2,400/2,100)

**(****E: 1,500) ****- - - - - - - - - - (L: 3,800)**

"And just how is that going to hurt me?" asked Leichter.

"It's gonna get some help," said Erik. "From your Battle Android Trooper."

"That's ridiculous!" shouted Leichter. "Zeta isn't a Machine. Regardless of what your Spell Card appeared to do to it, it's still a Fairy!"

"Then I'll just have to change your B.A.T.'s effect to accommodate it," said Erik.

He played the Spell Card he had just drawn.

"I play Code Change!"

"Code Change?" replied Leichter. "What does THAT do?"

"It lets me choose a card on the field whose effect specifies a Monster Type," explained Erik, "and change that Type to any I desire."

Leichter's optic sensors widened in horror.

"That means you're going to…" he gasped.

"That's right," said Erik. "I'm going to change the Type of Monster that B.A.T. bestows its bonus on from Machines to Fairies!"

The Code Change card glowed with energy. Leichter fell to an Attack Score of 2,600, the B.A.T. fell to 1,400, and Zeta Reticulant grew to 2,800.

"This can't be!" screamed Leichter.

"Oh, but it is," said Erik. "This is for kidnapping my girlfriend, you jerk. Zeta Reticulant, attack Jinzo-Lord with plasma blaster!"

Zeta pointed at Leichter, and fired its bolt of energy, striking the evil Machine in the chest. He fell to his knees, with smoke and sparks pouring from the wound.

"This duel is over!" gasped Yumi. "Leichter may have Life Points left, but his Deck Lord was just defeated… That means he loses!"

Sparks started to fly from Leichter's armor.

"Yeah…" sighed Chelsea. "And so the fifth one falls… Let's hope this is the last we see of the last of the Big Five…"

Leichter let out a bloodcurdling scream, before he exploded into dark shards.

**(****E: 1,500) ****- - - - - - - - - - (L: 0)**

The remaining Monsters vanished, and Erik took a deep breath.

"Sam!" he shouted.

He looked to where Vita was working on the crystal.

"Stay back, Erik," warned Vita. "Just a few seconds more…

"Almost there…"

Then the diamond crumbled into powder, and Sam started to collapse. Vita stood up and caught her.

"Baby!" screamed Erik, running up.

Vita handed her to Erik, and Erik hugged her. Sam moaned a little as he felt her pulse. Fortunately, it was strong.

"Vita," said Yumi. "What…"

"Guys!" shouted Atticus's voice.

He ran in. Then Aster ran in behind him, followed by Mako and Jesse.

"We intercepted a few of Daala's duelists that she sent Leichter for backup," said Aster.

"But apparently, the situation is under control," said Mako.

"Mostly," said Erik, holding Sam close.

Sam tried to say something, opening her eyes a little.

"Don't try to talk, Sam," he said.

"There's something missing here," said Yumi. "Wait… Leichter didn't display his prisoners like the other members of the Big Five did…"

"You don't suppose…" gasped Chelsea. "You don't suppose he did to them what he threatened to do to Sam?"

"No," said Vita. "AI programs are perhaps the only sentient creatures that are truly safe from demons. Artificial life doesn't interest them. Only true life with true souls does.

"That's why Daala never told Ruin to 'execute' a member of the resistance who was an AI. Shogarr doesn't want them.

"Leichter likely keeps his prisoners in a more secure area of this compound."

"You know…" said Ren, "it's kinda odd that he doesn't have any servants aside from Hiroki…"

Yumi looked at the door that Hiroki had gone through.

"We'd best start looking for them," she said. "Until we find them, our job isn't done…"

She paused for a minute.

_And the mystery deepens… Who has the Key anyway?_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It was late in the afternoon in Domino.

Dr. Ting sipped dry cognac as he sat alone in his study. A lot was on his mind.

He didn't know why, but he was suddenly reminded of something. The odd e-mail he had gotten from Joan shortly after she agreed to come to Xanadu.

He remembered it word-for-word. He had a photographic memory.

_Dear Dr. Ting,_

_Attached to this e-mail is a link. Read this entire e-mail before you click on it, because if you choose to do so, this e-mail will delete itself. This e-mail will also delete itself when you close it or try to save it, so read it carefully now._

_I am asking for a favor. I need you to keep something safe, something that the forces I am fighting must never have._

_I cannot tell you what it is. If you knew, others might trace it to you. Suffice to say, it is important._

_You are not required to do anything. It will not harm you in any way. And I will not ask for anything else. All you must do is promise to be wary of anyone who might be working for your daughter._

_If you accept this responsibility, simply click on the link, and it will do the rest, right before this e-mail is deleted. If you choose not to, just close the e-mail and forget about it._

_I trust you will do the right thing._

_Thank you,_

_Guardian Angel Joan_

It was a strange e-mail, but Ting wanted to help any way he could. He clicked on the link, and the e-mail simply disappeared. That was all.

But in his gut, he knew that there was more to it than that…

Just what, he didn't know. And he wondered if he ever would…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ZETA RETICULANT (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fairy/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,400  
**DEF:** 2,100

**Card Description:** If this card is in your Graveyard, when a Monster on your opponent's side of the field is removed from play, Special Summon an ''EBE Token'' (Dark/Fiend/Level 2/ATK 500/DEF 500) to your side of the field in Attack Position. Offer an ''EBE Token'' on your side of the field as a Tribute to Special Summon a "Zeta Reticulant" from your hand.

_This card was inspired by the story of Barney and Betty Clark, two alleged alien abductees who claimed that their abductors told them that they were from Zeta Reticuli._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GREED QUASAR (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** ?  
**DEF:** ?

**Card Description:** This card's base ATK and DEF are equal to this card's Level x 300. Whenever this card destroys a Monster as a result of battle, its Level is increased by the Level of the destroyed Monster. This increase lasts as long as this card remains face-up on the field.

_Note: "Zeta Reticulant" and "Greed Quasar" are Japanese promotional cards that have not yet been released in the United States._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**EBE ABDUCTOR (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,000  
**DEF:** 500

**Card Description:** Once per round, you may discard one card from your hand to take control of one opposing Monster. If this card changes battle position, the controlled Monster(s) change to the same battle position. If this card attacks, the controlled Monster(s) must also attack. If this card leaves the field, return control of the controlled Monster(s) to your opponent.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**COSMIC SPACE (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image:** A cosmic scene, full of stars and planets.

**Card Description:** During the End Phase of each turn, downgrade the Level of all face-up Level Two or higher Monsters on the field by one, and destroy all face-up Level One Monsters. The decreases in Level last until the respective Monsters are no longer face-up on the field or this card leaves the field.

"_EBE Abductor" and "Cosmic Space" were first used by Depre Scott in the "Yu-Gi-Oh R" episode "Battle in the Space Void!!". Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**LYRA THE GIVER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fairy/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,500

**Card Description:** During your Main Phase, by Tributing this card, you can increase the Level of another Monster on the field by an amount equal to the Level of this card. This increase lasts until the Monster whose Level was increased by this effect is no longer face-up on the field.

"_Lyra the Giver" was first used by Depre Scott in the "Yu-Gi-Oh R" episode "Toy Magic!!". Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

**EBE EPSILON (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,500  
**DEF:** 1,600

**Card Description:** When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, increase the Level of one Monster on the field by an amount equal to the Level of this card. This increase lasts until the Monster whose Level was increased by this effect is no longer face-up on the field.

"_EBE Epsilon" was first used by Depre Scott in the "Yu-Gi-Oh R" episode "Another Partner!!". Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**AIR FORTRESS ZIGGURAT (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,500  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card can only be Special Summoned via the effect of "Sky Union". This card is not affected by Spell or Trap Cards. This card is not destroyed as a result of battle with a Monster that has equal ATK. During your End Phase, you may Special Summon one "Toy Robot Token" (Machine/Earth/Level One/0 ATK/0 DEF) to your side of the field in Defense Position. "Toy Robot Tokens" cannot attack. So long as you have at least one "Toy Robot Token" on the field, your opponent cannot attack any Monster except a "Toy Robot Token".

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SKY UNION (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** The silhouette of Air Fortress Ziggurat flying above the clouds.

**Card Description:** Offer three Monsters on your side of the field as a Tribute. Special Summon one "Air Fortress Ziggurat" from your hand, deck, or Graveyard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**TOY ROBOT BOX (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** Three robot action figures.

**Card Description:** Discard one card from your hand. Special Summon three "Toy Robot Tokens" (Machine/Earth/Level One/0 ATK/0 DEF) to your side of the field in Defense Position. "Toy Robot Tokens" cannot attack. So long as you have at least one "Toy Robot Token" on the field, your opponent cannot attack any Monster except a "Toy Robot Token".

_Note: "Toy Robot Box", "Air Fortress Ziggurat", and "Sky Union" were first used by Alister in the original anime episode "Flight of Fear (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CODE CHANGE (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** A papyrus scroll being written in kanji with a brush.

**Card Description:** Declare one Monster Type, and choose one face-up card on the field that includes a Type in its effect text. The Type written on that card's effect is assumed to be the one you declared until the End Phase of the current turn.

_Note: "Code Change" was first used by Jaden in a fourth season episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DNA PHYSICAL EXAMINATION (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** Magical Scientist being examined by three comical demons dressed like the doctors on "DNA Surgery".

**Card Description:** Select one set Monster on your side of the field. Your opponent declares two Attributes. Then, reveal the selected Monster. If the selected Monster is an Attribute that your opponent declared, your opponent draws two cards. If not, you draw two cards.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**LINEAGE OF THE DESTRUCTOR LORD (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** Giant Soldier of Stone and Mystical Elf caught in an explosion as Vennominon the King of Poisonous Snakes looms in the background.

**Card Description:** Activate by selecting a Level Eight Monster you control during a turn when a Monster in Defense Position that your opponent controls is destroyed. The selected Monster may attack twice in that turn's Battle Phase.

_Note: "DNA Physical Examination" and "Lineage of the Destructor Lord" were released in "Crossroads of Chaos", recently released for the OCG (American release date unknown)._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**B.A.T. (Battle Android Trooper) (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,400  
**DEF:** 1,900

**Card Description:** As long as at least one other Machine-Type Monster exists on your side of the field, your opponent cannot select this card as an attack target. Also, increase the ATK of all Machine-Type Monsters on the field by 400 points.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Erik's Deck Lord: "Blockman":** "Toy Tinker": Once every two turns, starting on your second turn, you may search your deck for a Monster with the word "Toy" in its name that is Level Four or less and add it to your hand. (Greater Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Leichter's Deck Lord: "Jinzo":** "Trap Malfunction": Your opponent cannot activate Trap Cards. If the Deck Lord has been summoned to the field, it keeps its Deck Lord Power but its actual effect is not applied. (Greater Power) "Psycho Upgrade": If the Deck Lord is summoned to the field, you may Tribute the Deck Lord to Special Summon "Jinzo-Lord" as you would Tribute an ordinary "Jinzo". If you use this ability, "Jinzo-Lord" becomes your new Deck Lord, remaining on the field, and the original Deck Lord is removed from play. The new Deck Lord acquires all Deck Lord Powers of the original Deck Lord, except this one. (Minor Power)

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**It isn't hard to find Leichter's prisoners, but standing in the party's way is a familiar face isn't about to let them go. And this duelist has a potent weapon – the fourth Apocalyptic Monster, and the most powerful of the four. But there's even more at stake… This time, a higher power is intervening, and both sides of this conflict have an ally, whether they want it or not.**_

"_**Vision" is coming up next.**_

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**_Name that Card!_**

**_This rarely-used Quickplay Spell, that might be used to foil your opponent's plan to use "Scapegoat", has the four Scapegoats in its artwork. Can you name it?_**


	43. Vision

_**What Quickplay Spell that can be used to destroy "Scapegoat" has the four Scapegoats on its artwork? If you said "Tornado", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

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_**My true name is not known to beings who are not at least equal to my own rank in the hierarchy of the Higher Plane. Humans and Duel Spirits call me Voltanis the Adjudicator.**_

_**I am known as the highest representation of Law among Duel Spirits. I would even have authority over Shinato, if by some tragic catastrophe, he would turn rogue. I have functioned as a judge in disputes whenever laws, treaties, and contracts among them have been broken. It is against my nature to brag, but of all the laws that govern the Twelve Dimensions, there are none that I am not aware of.**_

_**Still, I like to think of myself as a judge, and as such, I serve the law; it does not serve me. I know I must temper justice with mercy. I must take into account all mitigating factors in my decisions, and weigh every piece of evidence. And it isn't my job to enforce the laws… It's just my job to interpret them, and carry out their purposes.**_

_**As such, I know that there are exceptions to all rules, even this one… **_

_**Chaos and evil have poisoned the mind of a child of the Higher Plane… It is time I intervened…**_

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**CHAPTER FORTY-TWO**

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**Vision**

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It was at the point of Erik's duel where he was about to summon Air Fortress Ziggurat.

Below the computer room, in a dark chamber in front of a locked door, Marie the Fallen One brooded.

She nervously looked at the deck in her Disk again. She was planning to use it, and hopefully use it against Chelsea again. Even if the card that Daala had given her to put in it had made her uneasy.

A lot was going through her mind, however.

"_I'll say she 'blew it' a long time ago. The thing is, she never learned a very important part about redemption… Actively seeking forgiveness defeats the purpose of receiving it. Such a thing cannot be gotten… It can only be given…"_

Why couldn't she get those words out of her head? She didn't want to believe them… But they had struck at her deeply, and held more meaning than anything she had perceived.

As she thought this, she was surprised as a shimmering portal started to appear in front of her. She slowly got up.

A familiar smell wafted from the portal.

Saffron and roses? Could it be?

She paused.

It was too much of a temptation for her. She had to investigate.

She walked into the portal. Nothing held her back.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Marie emerged into a sight that she thought she would never see again. She was in a beautiful garden, with huge trees weighed down by ripe fruit, lovely flowers, and cool fountains in the distance, all under a sapphire blue sky. Clouds passed overhead, some of which had ancient temples perched on them.

"The Higher Plane…" she whispered. "I'm home…"

"Yes," said a voice that was deep and commanding, "but only for a few minutes."

Marie turned around startled.

Facing her was an intimidating figure, about eight feet tall. He (identified as male only by his voice) was covered in purple robes or armor (it was hard to tell which), and was faceless, except for a gemstone that suggested an eye. Behind him were two vast wings that seemed to be floating behind him, rather than attached to his body. He held a long scepter topped with a blue gem.

Marie's eyes narrowed with an annoyed look as she looked up at Voltanis the Adjudicator.

"So why did you call me here?" she asked. "If you're going to give me a lecture, I really don't have time.

"If you're going to arrest me for associating with Daala, then just do it."

"I will do neither," replied Voltanis. "Though maybe I should do both. You think that I've given up on you, Cassandra, but I haven't. However, I'm nearing that fine line."

Marie sighed. It had been so long since anyone had used her actual name. "Cassandra" was her Fairy name, and she wasn't allowed to use it as a Fiend.

She looked at him.

"I know about that special card in your deck…" said Voltanis.

"Let me guess," replied Marie, "you're going to tell me that if I use it, my last chance will be gone forever."

"On the contrary, just the opposite," replied Voltanis. "Soon, those mortals will be coming to meet you. You will challenge Chelsea again, and I want you to do everything in your power to use that card against her."

Marie looked at him.

"Is this some sort of joke?" she asked.

"Have you ever known me to joke?" asked Voltanis.

He held up his hand.

"Now begone."

Marie was lifted off her feet, and thrown back through the portal. She fell on her behind, back in the dark chamber.

She slowly got up as the portal vanished.

"Why would he tell me to…" she asked.

She thought for a minute.

"Oh, I get it!" she exclaimed. "Reverse psychology, right? Well, sorry, but I'm not gonna fall for that."

She looked at the deck.

"You made a big mistake, your honor. If you try to punish me for using this card, I'll have the perfect excuse…"

She started to sweat.

Deep down, she knew that there was more to this than that…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The team, now five again, walked down a stairway, Erik supporting Sam who was still rather weak.

"How you holding up?" he asked.

"Where's Hiroki?" she muttered.

"We'll worry about him later!" exclaimed Yumi. "Don't even think about going after him right now!

"He beat you good, Sam, and you're in big trouble! You lost that duel… I don't know if Joan can protect you anymore, and Daala might just be biding her time before she decides to come get you…"

"Anyone know where Vita went?" asked Ren.

They all looked around. The masked woman had apparently vanished again.

"Man, you gotta be a magician to keep her around for longer than a few minutes," said Chelsea.

Then, as they reached the bottom of the stairway, they stopped short.

Marie was crouched down on the floor, holding her knees to her chin, watching them enter with a solemn look.

She quickly got up.

"I knew you'd come," she sighed. "I didn't have much faith in Leichter's ability to hold you back…"

Yumi looked at the locked door behind her.

"So, are you the jailer, Marie?" she asked.

"Well, sort of," replied Marie. "Daala told me to watch the prisoners until you got here, so that makes me the jailer by default, I guess…

"But you're free to liberate them… I just want a rematch."

Chelsea looked at her.

"Oh, really?" she asked. "Without your Deck Lord Power? It won't be as easy without it."

"The advantage is yours if you think so," said Marie. "Just let me duel you again, and once it's over, one way or another, no matter where you go in the Twelve Dimensions, I'll never bother you again."

Chelsea looked at her.

_Something is wrong,_ she thought. _When we last met, she was cruel and merciless. Now, she's uncertain of herself… In fact, she seems a little scared. What happened between now and then?_

"Chelsea, maybe we should think this thing through…" said Yumi. "Maybe I should duel her…"

"Don't worry, Yumi," replied Chelsea. "I beat her once, I can do it again."

She stepped up and faced the fallen angel.

"Let's do this."

Both Disks activated.

"Game on!" they shouted.

**(Chelsea: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Marie: 8,000)**

Chelsea made one draw.

"I summon Zombie Werewolf," she said.

Zombie Werewolf appeared, and let out an angry snarl when he saw Marie. (1,200/1,200)

"I end my turn."

"What's Chelsea doing?" asked Ren. "That's the same opening move she made last time."

"Well, there's a chance Marie won't have Banisher of the Radiance in her opening hand…" replied Erik.

Marie drew a card.

"I summon Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei," she said.

She played the card, and a hulking creature appeared in a burst. It was a tall, muscular brute, wearing a breastplate and helmet, with the lower body of an ape. (2,300/0)

_HUH?_ thought Chelsea. _That's no Counter Fairy!_

She looked at Marie.

"Change decks, Marie?" she said with a small laugh. "And he isn't as intimidating as he seems. I happen to know that he has to move to Defense Mode after he attacks, and his Defense Score is a big zero."

"I end my turn," said Marie.

_So then she isn't going to attack,_ thought Chelsea. _She's using him as an offensive wall…_

She drew a card.

"Zombie Werewolf moves to Defense Mode," she said.

Zombie Werewolf knelt, and crossed his arms.

"Then I'll set another Monster in Defense Mode."

A facedown Monster appeared.

"And that's all."

Marie drew a card.

She added it to her hand and took another one.

"I summon Goblin Attack Force," she said.

She played the card, and a small squad of five goblins, dressed in leather armor and helmets, carrying clubs appeared. (2,300/0)

"_Another_ high-Attack Score Level Four Monster?" asked Erik.

"I play a card facedown, and end my turn," said Marie.

A facedown card appeared.

Yumi looked at the two Monsters.

_Marie is clearly planning something,_ she thought. _Just what, I have no idea._

Chelsea drew a card.

She set a new Monster in Defense Mode.

"That's all," she said.

Marie drew.

Her hand shook as she looked at the card. She had seen the card before when looking through the deck, but that was only when Daala had told her to use it. Now, both Daala AND Voltanis were telling her to do so.

Two opposing forces wanted her to use this card… And she really didn't know the reasons behind either of them. Daala had simply told her that it was instrumental to her plans, and that it would be a potent weapon against the rebellion. Why then, did Voltanis want her to use it?

She added it to her hand and chose another one.

"I, uhm, I summon Zombyra the Dark," she said.

A dark portal appeared, and a powerful form flew out of it. It was a dark, costumed superhero in black, wearing a skull-like mask and a cape with a high collar. (2,100/500)

"Something wrong, Marie?" asked Chelsea. "I'm beginning to think that you're not all into this."

"I'm _completely_ into this!" shouted Marie. "Nothing has changed at all! I'm still going to beat you and cast you and your accursed Monsters into the fiery bowels of Hell!"

"Yeah, yeah," chuckled Chelsea, drawing a card. "'Bowels'? A little too high on the melodrama there, Marie…

"I'll just play a facedown, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared.

Marie quickly drew.

"Here's a guy you'd remember," she said. "Majestic Mech – Ohka!"

She played the card, and the radiant, celestial lion appeared. (2,400/1,400)

"Ohka, attack the facedown Monster on the left!"

Ohka opened its jaws, and bright flames appeared in them.

"Go, Trap Card!" shouted Chelsea. "Widespread Ruin!"

Her facedown card flipped up, and Ohka exploded into a burst of colored lights.

Marie put her hand on her hip.

"Well, that was pointless," she said. "Ohka would have been gone when I ended my turn anyway.

"And since you used that Trap Card…

"Zombyra, you attack."

Zombyra flew at the facedown Monster, and Vampire Lady appeared on the card. He punched her hard, and she shattered.

Zombyra groaned, and his Attack Score fell to 1,900.

"Goblin Attack Force, attack the other facedown Monster!"

The small squad charged, and Blood Sucker appeared on the card. The goblins pummeled it with their clubs, and it shattered.

"Take the last one, Lei Lei!" ordered Marie.

Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei snarled. He dropped to all fours, and rushed at Zombie Werewolf, tackling it and blowing it to pieces.

"I use his effect," said Chelsea. "I get to summon a stronger one."

A second Zombie Werewolf appeared in Defense Mode. (1,700/1,200)

Goblin Attack Force sat on the group and started to drink from wine flasks. Lei Lei slumped over and fell asleep.

"I set down two more facedown cards, and end my turn," said Marie.

Two more facedown cards appeared.

Chelsea drew a card.

"I summon a second Vampire Lady," she said.

She played the card, and the sultry vampiress appeared. (1,550/1,550)

"I activate a Trap Card," exclaimed Marie. "Threatening Roar!"

One of her facedown cards lifted, and a roar echoed over the field.

"Okay, fine," said Chelsea. "I'll leave Zombie Werewolf in Defense Mode then… You still can't switch those two guys to Attack Mode next turn."

"I don't intend to," said Marie, drawing a card.

She quickly added it to her hand.

"I sacrifice my three Monsters…" she said.

Lei Lei, the Goblins, and Zombyra vanished. A windstorm started to pick up in the room.

Everyone was startled as that terrible sound echoed through the chamber… The neighing of that demonic horse.

"YOU, Marie?" asked Chelsea. "You have the fourth Horseman?"

Marie nodded.

"And here she is," replied Marie. "Death, the Pale Horseman!"

As the creature appeared, it became clear that the word "Horseman" may have been inaccurate. This creature was clearly female. It was a svelte woman with pale skin, dressed in a long, dark robe, low-cut in front, with a long cloak and hood. Her eyes glowed with pale light, and her face was emotionless. (2,500/2,500)

"Death is… A girl?" asked Yumi.

"Never even occurred to you, did it?" said Marie, with a nervous chuckle.

She looked at her Monster…

Then she was startled, as the lighting in the room suddenly dimmed. She started to see dark shadows out the corners of her eyes.

She shook her head, trying to get the fog out of it.

"Now I activate a Trap Card," she said, as one of her two facedown cards lifted. "Skull Invitation. This inflicts 300 points of damage on a player whenever a card goes to her Graveyard."

"You sure you want to do that?" asked Chelsea. "The same applies to you, you know."

"I'm well-aware," said Marie. "Death, attack Vampire Lady!"

The Pale Horseman simply lifted her finger, and it glowed with pale light. She made a quick slash, and Vampire Lady gasped in shock, right before she was sliced in half. Her remains shattered.

The Skull Invitation card glowed, and Chelsea groaned.

"Now I activate my other Trap," said Marie, as her last facedown card lifted. "Desperate Battle. Now, my Monster can attack a second time, so long as I cut 1,000 Attack Points off her score."

Death fell to an Attack Score of 1,500. She made the slash again, and Zombie Werewolf was cleaved in half.

The Skull Invitation card glowed again, hurting both of them this time.

"I summon my third one," said Chelsea.

A third Zombie Werewolf appeared. (2,200/1,200)

"I end my turn," said Marie, as Death rose to an Attack Score of 2,500 again.

She looked around nervously. She could see those mysterious shadows clearer now, and it was clear that no-one else in the room could see them. What were they? They weren't any tricks of lights…

**(C: 6,450) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 7,700)**

Chelsea drew a card.

It was Vampire Lord.

_All right!_ she thought, looking at her hand. _I have Vampire Genesis too… She has no facedown cards… Now I can end this before it begins…_

"I sacrifice Zombie Werewolf to summon Vampire Lord!" she shouted.

Zombie Werewolf vanished, and the tall vampire appeared. She cringed as Skull Invitation glowed again. (2,000/1,500)

"Now, I remove him from play, to summon Vampire Genesis!"

Vampire Lord vanished, and the huge, muscular vampire deity appeared. (3,000/2,100)

"Yes!" shouted Ren.

"Destroy the Pale Horseman!" ordered Chelsea. "Crimson shroud!"

Vampire Genesis collapsed into the burning, red cloud, and flew at Death…

Death and Marie grunted, but the Horseman only staggered back a little. Genesis reformed and fell to his knees.

"Death cannot be destroyed in battle," said Marie. "Your Monster, however, won't be so lucky…"

Chelsea gasped in surprise as Vampire Genesis shattered into pixels.

"Any Monster that so much as touches the Pale Horseman pays with its life," said Marie.

Chelsea groaned as Skull Invitation glowed again. She took another card from her hand and played it.

"I play Symbol of Heritage," she muttered.

Zombie Werewolf appeared on the field, crouching in Defense Mode. (1,200/1,200)

**(C: 5,850) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 7,200)**

Marie drew a card.

The shadows around her were starting to take shape… They started to form eyes and limbs. She tried hard to ignore them.

"I summon Des Wombat," she said.

Most folks who didn't live in Australia didn't know what a Wombat was. As far as facts went, it was a quadruped, herbivorous, burrowing marsupial that resembled a rodent about a meter long with sharp claws and large teeth.

This Monster looked pretty much like its real-world counterpart, but was much larger. It looked at Chelsea and her Monster with a very curious expression. (1,600/300)

"With this critter on the field," said Marie, "all effect damage to me is reduced to zero."

"Meaning you don't take any damage from your own Skull Invitation, right?" asked Chelsea.

Marie nodded.

"Not to mention the fact that it's stronger than your Werewolf," she replied.

Des Wombat scurried over and charged Zombie Werewolf, headbutting it in the chest. The Zombie shattered. Chelsea groaned as the Trap Card glowed again.

"Death, attack her directly," ordered Marie.

Chelsea stepped back in horror as the Pale Horseman loomed over her. She reached over with one hand and simply grabbed Chelsea in the face. Chelsea screamed as an unearthly chill tore through her…

**(C: 2,750) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 7,200)**

"ERK!" gasped Marie.

She gripped her stomach.

What had happened? It was almost as if Death had attacked _both_ of them. She felt like someone… No, _several_ someones had clawed at her.

Then she noticed that the room around her was smoldering, like hot coals. And the shadows had taken fiendish forms. They were looking at her with evil smiles.

Had _they_ attacked her just then?

"Chelsea…" she muttered. "Can't you see them?"

Chelsea looked at her.

"See what?" gasped Chelsea, still a little winded from Death's attack. "Just finish your move so I can think of a way to bring this thing down."

Marie looked nervously at the two cards in her hand.

She placed one in her Disk, and it appeared facedown.

"I end my turn," she said.

Chelsea drew a card. She looked over the four cards in her hand.

"I set two cards facedown, and then play Mirage of Nightmare," she said. "That will be all."

Two facedown cards and the Mirage Card appeared.

"No Monsters?" shouted Ren. "She's toast!"

Marie quickly drew.

The smoldering coals had now turned into fires. The shadowy demons were chuckling at her.

"I get to draw three extra cards now," said Chelsea.

She made three draws.

"Fine…" said Marie. "Three-hundred won't help you…

"Death, attack directly again!"

Death loomed over Chelsea again.

"I activate Red Ghost Moon!" shouted Chelsea.

Her Trap Card flipped up, and she discarded The Kick Man from her hand.

Marie's hand went for her Disk to trigger her own Trap.

Then she paused.

A sinister voice reached her ears.

"G'wan!" it chuckled. "It couldn't be easier!"

Marie saw who had spoken. The shadows had spoken for the first time.

She quickly changed her mind.

The harvest moon appeared over Chelsea, and the Pale Horseman was stopped short. Chelsea glowed with energy.

"Now, Emergency Provisions!" exclaimed Chelsea. "I'll send Mirage and Red Ghost Moon to the Graveyard to gain 2,000 more Life Points!"

The two cards vanished, and she glowed with energy again.

"That move may have cost me 1,200 Life Points due to Skull Invitation, but I gained 4,500, for a net gain of 3,300."

"Chelsea always gets A's in math," laughed Ren.

**(C: 6,050) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 7,200)**

Marie cringed again, as she felt another claw scraping at her, in the buttocks, no less. She nervously took another card from her hand.

"I'll set a Monster in Defense Mode, and then you go," she said.

A facedown Monster appeared.

Chelsea drew.

Marie looked around. The fires around her had turned into an inferno full of choking smoke, and the shadows had completely taken shape. Terrible, horrible shape…

She knew… She now knew exactly what it was she was seeing…

"Time to defeat Death," said Chelsea. "I play Call of the Mummy."

She played the Spell Card.

"Now, I summon your old friend… Come on out, Penelope!"

In a flash of light, the Lady of the Night appeared, brandishing her staff. (1,000/200) – (4,200/200)

She glowed. Call of the Mummy and Skull Invitation shattered. Then Marie's facedown Trap Card lifted and shattered.

"HUH?" shouted Yumi, when she saw what it was.

"What?" shouted Ren.

"She could have…?" exclaimed Erik. "She didn't?"

"She's crazy!" exclaimed Sam, who had recovered a little.

Chelsea looked at Marie.

"Why…" she started.

"I'll tell you if Penelope manages to defeat Death," replied Marie. "If she can, I'll know that I made the right choice…

"But I don't know if she can… If Penelope simply attacks, I'll take some damage, but Death's effect will kill Penelope."

Chelsea took another card from her hand.

"I play Monster Reborn!" she shouted. "I'll raise Majestic Mech – Ohka from your Graveyard!"

In a flash of light, the ankh appeared, and Ohka appeared next to Penelope. (2,400/1,400)

"Now, I remove both Monsters from play…"

Penelope and Ohka vanished into grains of light.

"To summon Penelope, the Divine Avenger!"

The shining portal appeared, and with a majestic flourish, Penelope's other self flew out, her wings spread, and her sword aloft, radiating divine light. (2,800/2,500)

The shadowy demons around Marie howled in fright…

"She gains Attack Points equal to Ohka's Attack Points…" said Chelsea.

(5,200/2,500)

"And, one card on the field is annihilated!"

The Pale Horseman showed emotion for the first time, as Penelope lifted her sword. She screamed as the Divine Avenger's blade made a slash, cutting her in twain.

The shadowy demons around Marie dissolved into nothing, the flames died down, and the lights came back around her.

"I still have her normal attack," continued Chelsea. "Attack Des Wombat with avenging blade"

Penelope struck the Beast with her longsword, and Des Wombat was smashed to pieces. Marie didn't even flinch.

**(C: 6,050) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 3,600)**

"Now talk, Marie!" shouted Chelsea. "You had Solemn Judgment set! You could have stopped me from summoning Penelope! Heck, you could have stopped me from activating Red Ghost Moon! You threw this duel, and I want to know why!"

Marie sighed.

"I had a good reason," she said.

She paused.

"Chelsea… As a fallen angel, my ultimate goal is to win my way back to Heaven. I had pretty much consigned myself to the fact that I wouldn't be able to do so…

"Daala gave me that card, thinking I might hate you enough to use it effectively… But the evil Spirit inside of it reacted with the curse placed on me by Voltanis in a way that not even Daala could have predicted."

"How?" asked Chelsea, opening her eyes wide.

Marie sighed again.

"As I said, the goal of a fallen angel is to regain Heaven," she said. "That card was giving me… a vision.

"It was showing me a vivid look at the alternative…

"And it scared me…"

She looked Chelsea in the eye.

"We both have Life Points left, Chelsea," she said. "I'll leave it up to you whether we finish this duel or not… But if you choose to do so, I swear… No more strings attached. The Horseman will stay dead, and we'll finish like honorable duelists. And once this is over, I'll do whatever I have to do to make amends."

"What about Daala?" asked Chelsea.

Marie chuckled.

"Daala has no authority over this duel," said Marie. "Death is still in my Graveyard, and its Spirit is so infused with Chaos, no being's authority functions. They defy any attempts to enforce any form of law. Daala was taking a big risk with all four of the Horsemen."

Chelsea smirked.

"Well then…" she said. "Why not?"

She took a card from her hand.

"I set a Monster in Defense Mode, and end my turn."

A facedown Monster appeared, and Penelope vanished in a ripple of light.

"Hey…" said Ren. "What happened to Penelope?"

"The Divine Avenger only stays on the field for one turn," said Chelsea. "Then she goes back to my Fusion Deck."

"So both of them have lost their ace Monsters," said Sam. "I guess maybe now it's fair…"

Marie drew a card.

She set it in her Disk, and it appeared facedown.

"That's all," she said.

Chelsea made a draw.

"I'll set this facedown too," she said, as a facedown card appeared. "Then I'll flip Pyramid Turtle to Attack Mode."

The facedown card flipped, and a large, sandy turtle with a pyramid for a shell appeared in its place. (1,200/1,400)

"Attack her facedown Monster!" she shouted. "Dust of decay!"

Pyramid Turtle breathed a cloud of sand and grit at the facedown Monster. The Morphing Jar appeared on the card, and was eroded into sand.

Chelsea grinned. Marie discarded the one card in her hand and drew five, while Chelsea simply drew five.

Chelsea looked over the five cards.

"Okay…" she said. "Think I'll end my turn there…"

Marie drew a card.

"I play Pot of Avarice," she said, playing the card.

The goofy jug appeared.

"But I won't go back on my word… Death is staying where she is."

Zombyra the Dark, Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei, Goblin Attack Force, Des Wombat, and Morphing Jar fell out of her discard slot. She shuffled the five Monsters back into her deck, and drew two cards.

"Now I'll throw two cards facedown…"

Two facedown cards appeared.

"And I'll summon an… acquaintance of mine… Nurse Reficule the Fallen One."

In a burst of wind, a female figure appeared. It looked like a woman who was swathed in bandages from head to toe, with dark hair that looked somewhat like blades. She had wings that were more bat-like than the feathered wings of the typical angel. (1,400/600)

She turned to Marie and made a slight smile.

"Another fallen angel?" asked Sam.

"Fallen angels tend to keep informed of each other's activities," replied Marie. "After all, who else can we find to commiserate with? Once you've been thrown out of Heaven, not many folks trust you unless they're in the same boat.

"Anyway, I end my turn."

_Hmm…_ thought Chelsea. _She didn't attack Pyramid Turtle, clearly because she doesn't want me to use its effect just yet…_

She drew a card.

"I summon… Zombie Master!"

She played the card, and in a burst of darkness, the undead lord appeared. (1,800/0)

"Hold, it, Chelsea," said Marie. "I have a Trap, and this time I'm gonna use it."

A facedown card flipped up.

"It's called Dark Cure. Now, whenever you summon a Monster, you gain Life Points equal to half the Monster's Attack Score."

"I _gain_ Life Points?" asked Chelsea, as she started to glow with golden energy. "Are you nuts?"

"Not really," said Marie, "you see, Reficule has a powerful effect… She converts any Life Point gain on your part to effect damage."

Reficule's eyes glowed with red light. Then the golden glow around Chelsea turned to a red glow, and Chelsea cringed in pain.

"Zombie Master can still beat her…" she muttered.

Another facedown card lifted.

"Not once I activate this," said Marie. "It's called Brutal Potion, and it Equips to my Monster."

A set of shackles appeared on Reficule's wrists, and a spiked harness appeared around her neck.

"Now, once per turn, whenever you take effect damage, her Attack Score gets a 1,000-point boost until the End Phase."

(2,400/600)

Chelsea looked at the rest of the cards in her hand.

_Using Zombie Master's effect would just cause me more damage,_ she thought.

"I'll move my Turtle to Defense Mode, and that will be all," she said.

Pyramid Turtle withdrew into its shell.

**(C: 5,150) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 3,600)**

Marie drew a card.

"Here's someone you'll remember," she said. "Your old friend, Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei."

In a burst of energy, Lei Lei appeared again. (2,300/0)

"Now, I activate a facedown card…" she said, as a Trap Card lifted. "It's called Gift Card. This Trap gives my opponent a little gift… 3,000 Life Points."

"Crud," said Ren. "I get it… Reficule will convert that to damage."

"Yeah," said Yumi. "Seems she's like Bad Reaction to Simochi."

"Only worse," said Sam. "Monsters can't be destroyed using Heavy Storm."

Chelsea screamed as the red aura surrounded her again, only much more intense.

She gasped for breath.

"And don't forget the effect of Brutal Potion," continued Marie, as Reficule's Attack Score rose to 2,400.

"I'll keep on going, Chelsea. I'll play Rain of Mercy."

As she played the Spell Card, clouds formed on the ceiling, and rain started to fall in the chamber.

"This Spell increases the Life Points of both players by 1,000."

"But with Reficule there, only you'll benefit," muttered Chelsea. "I, on the other hand, will lose 1,000 Life Points."

The fact that the raindrops started to burn her skin like acid was all the proof she needed that she was right.

She started panting.

**(C: 1,150) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 4,600)**

"You know…" said Chelsea, with a grin. "After you decided to ditch that evil card and play fair… You aren't half bad…"

Marie smirked.

"Then maybe the vision was for the best," she said.

"Reficule, attack Zombie Master with infectious wrath."

Reficule threw out her arms, and her very hair came to life. It reached out like a swarm of tentacles and grabbed Zombie Master, pulling him close.

Reficule grinned, as part of her hair formed a sharp blade, and made a swipe, cleaving the Zombie in half.

"You know…" said Sam. "I'm beginning to think that whatever Reficule did to get thrown out of the Higher Plane was worse than anything that Marie did…"

**(C: 550) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 4,600)**

"Lei Lei, destroy Pyramid Turtle!" ordered Marie.

Lei Lei roared again, and bull-rushed the turtle, crushing it with his fist.

"Well…" said Chelsea. "So much for that… But now I can Special Summon a Zombie with 2,000 Attack Points or less."

"Oh?" asked Marie. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

"Marie is right…" said Erik. "There isn't much that Chelsea _can_ summon. With only 550 Life Points left, and with Marie's combo of Dark Cure and Reficule, she'll receive a lethal blow if she summons anything with 1,100 Attack Points or more…"

Chelsea nervously looked at the cards in her deck.

"I summon… this," she said.

In a burst of darkness, Soul-Absorbing Bone Tower appeared in Defense Mode. (400/1,500)

"Only 400 Attack Points," she said, as the red aura surrounded her again. "So I only lose 200 Life Points. I'm safe for now."

Lei Lei slumped down and fell asleep.

"Then I end my turn," said Marie.

**(C: 350) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 4,600)**

Chelsea slowly drew a card.

"I set one Monster, and one facedown card, and I end my turn," she said.

A hidden Monster and a facedown card appeared.

Marie drew a card. She smiled.

"I summon Burning Algae," she said.

She played the card, and a large, burning bush with a fiendish face on the trunk appeared. (500/1,500)

"No!" shouted Ren. "If that goes to the Graveyard, Chelsea would gain 1,000 Life Points… But because of Reficule, she'll lose it instead!"

"But how is she going to send it to the Graveyard?" asked Sam.

"With this," replied Marie. "The Spell Card, Tribute to the Doomed."

She played the card, and then discarded Zombyra the Dark.

"Not so fast!" shouted Chelsea, as one of her facedown cards lifted. "I activate Spell Shield Type-8! This negates your Spell Card!"

A weird machine appeared on the field and started spinning. The Tribute to the Doomed card was shredded into confetti.

"Even better," said Chelsea, "since Tribute to the Doomed targets a Monster, I don't have to pay a cost."

"Clever," said Marie. "I end my turn."

Chelsea drew a card.

Her eyes opened wide.

She slowly placed it in her Disk, and it appeared facedown.

"Go ahead…" she said.

Marie drew.

"I Equip Reficule with Cestus of Dagla!" she exclaimed.

Reficule's hands glowed with golden energy, and two weapons that looked like crescent-shaped blades appeared in them. Her Attack Score rose to 1,900.

"Reficule… Attack Soul-Absorbing Bone Tower!"

Reficule lifted the Cestus, and flew at the Bone Tower.

"I activate… Malevolent Catastrophe!" shouted Chelsea, as one of her two facedown cards lifted.

"Huh?" said Marie.

"Now, since you ordered an attack, all Spells and Traps on the field are destroyed!" continued Chelsea.

Chelsea's other facedown card, the Cestus of Dagla, and Marie's Brutal Potion and Dark Cure were blown to bits. Marie tried to punch the Bone Tower with her fist, but it did nothing.

"I had to destroy my own Trap Card too," said Chelsea, "but that's okay, because it was Zombie Bed. And since it was destroyed, I get to Special Summon a Zombie from my Graveyard. And now that Dark Cure is gone…"

Vampire Lady appeared, striking a pose. (1,550/1,550)

"And since I just Special Summoned a Zombie, Soul-Absorbing Bone Tower's effect activates, and you lose two cards from your deck."

Two cards flew off the top of Marie's deck.

Marie chuckled,

"You aren't too bad either," she said. "I'll move Burning Algae to Defense Mode and end my turn. Have any more?"

"You bet!" shouted Chelsea, drawing a card.

"I'll flip my facedown Monster into Defense Mode. My third Vampire Lady!"

Another Vampire Lady appeared. (1,550/1,550)

"Next, I'll Equip one of them with Axe of Despair."

She played a card, and the Axe appeared again, this time in one of the vampires' hands. (2,550/1,550)

"Next, I'll sacrifice Soul-Absorbing Bone Tower to summon Ryu Kokki."

The Bone Tower vanished, and a much larger Zombie made of bones appeared. Ryu Kokki loomed over the field. (2,400/2,000)

"Now, Book of Life! I'll summon Zombie Master back from my Graveyard."

In another burst of energy, Zombie Master appeared again. (1,800/0) Zombyra the Dark fell out of Marie's discard slot.

"Finally… I'll use Zombie Master's effect."

She discarded Vampire's Curse from her hand. Lightning flashed, and Zombie Werewolf appeared, howling at some nonexistent moon. (1,200/1,200)

"Stronger Vampire Lady, attack Reficule!"

The armed Vampire Lady slashed at Nurse Reficule the Fallen One with her axe, and the fallen angel screamed. She shattered into dark shards.

"Second Vampire Lady, attack Burning Algae!"

The unarmed Lady gave the burning bush a kick, and it burst into a shower of embers. Chelsea glowed with golden energy.

"Zombie Werewolf, destroy Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei!"

The Werewolf pounced, and raked at the Beast-Warrior with his claw. Lei Lei was blown to pieces.

"Ryu Kokki… Zombie Master… Attack directly."

Marie the Fallen One screamed as Zombie Master shot bolts of lightning that shot through her. Then she fell backwards as Ryu Kokki clobbered her with its fist.

She let out a long sigh…

**(C: 1,350) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 0)**

"All right, Marie…" said Yumi. "Now… The keys to the cells, if you don't mind?"

Marie slowly got up.

She turned around, and lifted the keys off of a hook on the wall that were behind her.

Yumi was dumbfounded. She hadn't noticed that they were there…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sam had completely recovered by now, and was slowly shuffling her deck. She was secretly hoping that Hiroki would show up again, but he had disappeared.

They were standing in front of Leichter's castle, while Marie was looking out towards the wasteland of the Flaming Peaks.

"So what will you do now, Marie?" asked Chelsea.

Marie hung her head.

"I honestly don't know," said the Fallen One. "I strayed from the track… It's going to take something very special to gain the Higher Plane's favor again…

"Maybe once I find my way out of Xanadu, I'll head to Dark World. The place was thrown into practical anarchy when the Supreme King fell, and the Dark World Fiends haven't been able to form a proper government. Both the humans and Duel Spirits alike who live there suffer from terrible poverty. If any place has a need for charity now, it's there."

She started to walk off.

"Should we just let her go?" asked Erik.

"We have another concern," said Yumi.

She held up the Death card, which Marie had given her.

"If Daala had no authority over those four duels, that means that when Ares, Want, and Chaos Sorcerer lost, they left via their own free wills."

Everyone looked at each other.

"The cards were left _on purpose_!" they all shouted at once.

Yumi quickly started dialing on her phone.

"Joan?" she said. "It's me… We're heading back, and we have some information that's might be of interest…

"What? Okay, I'll tell her…

"Chelsea, she says to use your Interdimensional Matter Transporter card."

Chelsea gave a strange look. She looked through her deck.

She took the card, and placed it in her Disk. The odd machine appeared.

Then they were covered by a wave of weird light.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Minutes later, they were in an inner sanctum of the temple, where Joan, who had used a second Interdimensional Matter Transporter, had brought them there quickly.

Joan had quickly taken the Death card, and placed it in a capsule made of transparent material (clearly not glass) surrounded by wards. The other three Horseman cards were in separate capsules.

"Joan," said Erik, "why are you keeping them here and not sending them to… I dunno, Switzerland?"

"Erik's right," said Ren. "They're clearly going to be used as part of some attack on the temple."

"I had suspected that for a long time," replied Joan, "but the Spirits in these cards will now be helpless. These capsules are foolproof prisons.

"Foolproof, so long as the settings are not changed from the Type, Attribute, and Level set to contain these Spirits: Fiend, Dark, and Level Ten. And only I can change the setting."

She waved her hand, and a light turned green.

"Light green, capsule clean," she said.

She turned to Sam.

"Sam, stand still," she said, picking up a small box.

"What?" asked Sam.

Joan picked up a wooden brush, and started to paint a strange rune on Sam's forehead.

"You were defeated, Sam," said Joan. "My dictum can no longer protect you. Daala could arrest you at any time, unless I do this…

"This sigil will provide further protection. More fragile than my dictum, but it will do.

"There. Just don't play with it."

Sam took a makeup mirror out of her purse and looked at it.

"So I have to wear this until I leave Xanadu?" she asked.

"Sam," said Joan, "technically, this violates the rules. Fortunately, Daala cannot appeal to any higher powers, because she breaks far more rules on a daily basis.

"And be careful. All it will take is one more loss for this sigil to crumble into nothing.

"Now, we have neglected our guests long enough…"

"Guests?" asked Yumi.

Joan led them out to the common room of the temple. There, sitting with a teacup in his hand, was the powerful, armored man with his sword slung to his back. The Command Knight was standing behind him.

"Folks," said Joan, "this is an old college of mine… Freed the Matchless General."

"It's a pleasure," said Freed. "As I said before, Joan, my army stands ready. As soon as you plan your assault on the Core, we'll be ready to march."

"We won't be ready until we have secured the last Realm," said Joan.

"The Realm of Wind…" muttered Yumi.

Joan nodded.

"The Frozen Wastes," she said. "An icy tundra. Most think that Hell is fire, but some are sure it is ice. If so, this is their Hell."

"All of the Big Five have been defeated. Whoever rules this land, we have no idea. Only one group has ever made it as far to the fortress of the mysterious Realm Lord. I recruited four powerful Duel Spirits to undertake the mission to gather information on the Lord.

"The Elemental Heroes."

"There are more than four of them," replied Erik.

"The four original ones?" asked Chelsea.

Joan nodded.

"I'm guessing they didn't come back…" replied Yumi, somberly.

Joan shook her head.

"We assume they are prisoners now," she replied. "Since then, only one member of the rebellion dares patrol the Frozen Wastes… He's my second-in-command, and the strongest duelist in my army. I'll arrange for him to meet you any time you are ready…"

"Huh?" said Freed.

A pouch on his belt started to glow.

"What's that?" asked Ren.

"I was…" started Freed. "I was given custody of a card that had a very powerful Spirit… I was told that it would choose its master…"

The pouch burst open.

"I think it wants to choose!"

A mote of light flew out of the pouch, and into the air. It flew over the assembled duelists.

It flew towards Sam, but then flew away. Then it flew towards Yumi, but flew away again.

Then it flew towards Ren.

It didn't fly away.

The mote slowly transformed into a card. It floated towards Ren, and he reached out with his hand.

He took it. He looked at it.

"No…" he said in disbelief.

"Yes!" said Freed. "The Spirit apparently wants to be with you, Ren."

He took something else out of the pouch.

"You're probably gonna need this too."

He handed Ren another card.

"What you choose to do with them is up to you…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It was nine PM.

Sam was sitting in the main room of the temple, going over her cards.

"Sam?" said a comforting voice.

Sam turned, and saw her mother come in.

"It's late," said Sheena. "You're gonna need your strength tomorrow."

"Hiroki's still out there," muttered Sam.

Sheena sighed.

"Sam, it was all I could do to get a message to Nicholas and Olga," sighed Sheena. "Getting in touch with his father is out of the question.

"I don't know why he betrayed us, but for whatever reason, he's become very dangerous. And hunting him down for revenge is not a good idea."

Sam opened the pouch that contained her side deck, and took out a card.

"I know mom, I know," she said. "But this whole situation seems a little upside-down if you ask me."

She looked at the card.

"He told me during that duel that Daala had worked on his deck for months… That would imply that he's worked for her for months… But we saw him at that… Travesty of a party you threw two months ago."

"Sam, it was my PR guy's fault that it turned out the way it did," sighed Sheena. "He'll never work for Kaibacorp again."

"Well, if Hiroki bore any resentment towards me then, he was hiding it pretty well," said Sam.

"And when I was being held prisoner, I was half-conscious, and I had… A vision, a dream… It's hard to explain, but it made me doubt whether everything is as it seems."

"Might he be brainwashed?" asked Sheena.

"That would be the easy answer," muttered Sam. "I really don't think the answer is so clichéd."

She looked at the card again.

"There's something else… And sooner or later, I'm gonna find out what it is…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala was in the center of an arena of sorts, located in a subterranean location. This arena had no seats for spectators. It only had monstrous-looking statuary on the walls surrounding the sandy floor.

In front of her was a very nervous and scared-looking Ebon Magician Curran, holding her Duel Disk.

"Here's the deal, Curran," said Daala. "I've given you the power of the Core. Now I have to test you.

"The one in charge of distributing that power is going to send a duelist. You're going to duel it. I'm not allowed to help you any more than I have.

"If you win, it will just go back.

"If you lose, it will go back, and take you with it. And I have no control over what happens to you after that.

"Understand?"

Curran slowly nodded.

Daala slowly turned to the front of the arena.

"She's ready," she said.

A dark portal slowly opened, and a large form slithered out. It stood seven feet tall. From the waist up, it might have resembled an attractive human female, except that it had six arms. From the waist down, it had a long serpent's tail instead of legs.

Curran gasped and took a step back. The demon grinned at her, the same way a cat tended to grin at a cornered mouse. A Duel Disk appeared on its upper-left arm.

"_Duel,"_ it said, in a sinister voice.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ZOMBIE BED (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A sinister-looking coffin made of green stone.

**Card Description:** This card is activated when it is destroyed while facedown on your side of the field. Special Summon one Zombie-Type Monster from your Graveyard.

_Note: "Zombie Bed" was first used by Camula in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Field of Screams (Part One)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DESPERATE BATTLE (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A small kid in a boxing outfit standing up to a hulking muscleman in a boxing outfit.

**Card Description:** Activate only during your own Battle Phase. Select one Monster that has attacked. Reduce the ATK of the selected Monster by 1,000 until the end of the Battle Phase. The selected Monster may attack a second time.

_Note: "Desperate Battle" was first used by Crowler in a fourth-season episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX". All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DEATH, THE PALE HORSEMAN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 10  
**ATK:** 2,500  
**DEF:** 2,500

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card can only be Normal Summoned by offering three Monsters as a Tribute. This card cannot be destroyed as a result of battle (damage calculation still applies). When this card battles a Monster and does not destroy it, the Monster that battled it is destroyed at the end of the Battle Phase.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**The heroes don't waste any time. Coming up next, they start to venture into the Frozen Wastes, where another powerful Duel Spirit greets them with another enigmatic warning. Plus, they soon learn that this Realm is the one closest to the Core, when Ren in confronted by the Archfiend of Gilfer, a Duel Spirit who calls himself the Lord of Nothingness. Chaos starts to become far more dangerous in "Blank Slate", coming soon.**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Name that Card!**_

_**A lot of fans of the original anime wondered just why Joey wasted space in his deck with a Monster as weak as Swordsman of Landstar. The answer is simple: According to anime rules (which are not the case in real rules), the effect of this other card that he was known to use only worked on Monsters that had 500 ATK or less. Can you name it?**_


	44. Clean Slate

_**Which of Joey's cards was the reason he had Swordsman of Landstar in his deck? If you said "Graceful Dice", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Want to give someone something to fight for? Give him something to believe in. **_

_**Countries are founded on beliefs. Wars are started over beliefs. Whole cultures come into being due to beliefs. Never have conflicts started due to someone willing to fight simply over disbelief. As one of the Wind Dukes of Aaqa, I personally believe in the power and superiority of Law. But I'm not going to go into a discussion of my personal philosophy right now. You have already read about that.**_

_**Still, there are indeed philosophies of disbelief. And I'm not talking about atheism either. An atheist often has valid beliefs of his own, such as the belief that mankind should control his own destiny. Some atheists can be quite optimistic. I'm talking about something else entirely.**_

_**There exists a school of thought that is referred to as nihilism. Quite simply, this is the philosophy of disbelief. This philosophical standpoint argues that existence is without purpose, meaning, or intrinsic value.**_

_**If you think this is a pessimistic outlook, you're right. A nihilist will hold that objective morality does not exist. He'll state that existence has no goals, and no choice of actions is preferable to another. He naturally argues that there is no proof for the existence of any higher powers or creators, and will also say that if any do exist, mankind is under no obligation to worship them.**_

_**In short, a nihilist believes in nothing.**_

_**If you think this suits the needs of chaotic entities like Shogarr just fine, you're understanding his ways better. Demon lords like him are the ones who first taught mortals this concept. If more mortals truly believe in nothing, more of them embrace hopelessness and despair, and the power of the Abyss grows stronger, gaining more recruits for their dark empire. The Abyss feeds on despair… It's like sweet nectar to the demons.**_

_**What I'm seeing now surprises even me. My race has no duelists, but we have tried to study this game that was inspired by Duel Spirits as much as we can, ever since Shogarr has expressed an interest in it. And it seems that this belief in nothing has spawned a duelist who draws upon its power…**_

_**Power derived from belief in nothing? As oxymoronic as that sounds, I must admit that Chaos has done stranger things…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FORTY-THREE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Clean Slate**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

"Attack directly!" screamed Curran.

The demon let out a vile hiss as a dark sword made a swipe across its chest. Its Life Points fell to zero.

It fell to the floor of the arena with a crash that shook the whole chamber.

Curran held her chest and took deep, slow breaths. The demon slowly turned to dark mist, and was sucked back through the portal.

She heard clapping behind her.

Curran turned around, and saw that the clapping was coming from Daala, who was smiling.

"Well done!" said Daala. "You have become more powerful than even I imagined Curran…"

Curran still couldn't respond. She was still out of breath. Daala knelt down to look her in the eye.

"You know, Curran…" she said. "That slot in my inner circle that recently opened is still available… Interested? You might get a chance against Yumi after all…"

Curran gave a weak grin.

"It… It would be an honor," she said.

Daala carefully straightened Curran's hood.

"You have passed the test…" she said. "You are a child of Chaos now…

"Yumi won't know what hit her…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It was midnight.

Saturday had just changed into Sunday.

As her charges slept, Joan was hard at work in the main room of the temple.

In front of the huge throne, she had erected something new: A large, crystal spire, ten feet tall, four feet thick at the base, and tapering to a point at the top.

She was concentrating, feeding energy into it. Once her charges completed the last job, and she hoped they could, she could use it, as she had been wanting to do for years.

She paused.

Something had come through the portal.

She stopped, and turned to retrieve the scroll. She recognized the seal. It had been sent by Meltiel. It was the reply.

She broke the seal, and read the message.

_My dear Joan,_

_Of course I can read Ancient Draconic, it's like a second language to me._

_Come to the Great Library tomorrow when the gears of Mechanus have turned ten percent, and I'll be happy to translate it._

_- Meltiel_

Joan chuckled.

Planar time was measured by the gears of Mechanus. That was a formal way of saying, "come at eleven AM".

And she'd be sure to do so.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala was nervous.

Her morning shower couldn't have been more luxurious. It resembled an indoor lagoon with a waterfall more than a typical shower. And she even had two handmaidens to scrub her back.

Still, as two others gave her a towel, she was more nervous than she had been for a while.

It was Sunday. Tonight, at nine o'clock, she would have to report back to that arena. And this time, _she_ was the one who would be tested.

She sighed.

When she was first building Xanadu, her patron – she didn't know yet that it was Shogarr, although she would later – put her under the guidance of a more experienced master of the dark arts. He taught her magic, and they learned the secrets of merging it with technology, increasing both their powers greatly.

Ever since she had become queen, this mentor served as her partner and advisor. But Shogarr said there would be a condition.

Daala would eventually have to prove she was worthy of keeping the crown. She'd have to face her mentor in a duel, and win. The conditions were _very_ generous. She'd even be allowed six attempts.

But… If she failed all six, her status would be demoted. From queen, to slave.

And she had lost five times. Tonight was her last chance.

As she got dressed, she chose her best outfit. It was pretty revealing – a low-cut halter and a short skirt. If she was going to be sacrificed to Shogarr, she would at least look the part.

As one of the handmaidens started to do her hair, she picked up a phone. She still had several responsibilities before nine o'clock.

"General?" she said. "It's time… Start gathering your troops. And start by sending a few scouts…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi and the others stood outside of the temple, wearing some winter clothing that Joan had provided.

"Okay folks, listen up," she said. "I'm not big on speeches.

"But… We've taken out the Big Five… We've survived this far… We only have one more Realm to go, and then we can take out Daala herself.

"So… Onward, I say."

They walked down the path, and once again, the odd spatial effect of Xanadu kicked in. A cold chill ripped through them, as they emerged in a tundra of snow and ice.

They looked around. Glaciers and mountains of ice surrounded them. Wind whipped and howled.

Chelsea gestured, and flames erupted around her hands. It started warming the others up a little.

"Well," said Ren. "Joan said our guide would be…"

Then the ice burst in a great explosion of electricity in front of them, and a giant form rose out of it. Everyone stepped backwards.

Standing in front of them was a twenty-foot-tall titan made of bronze metal. It was human-shaped, in a way that suggested armor, with a giant, circular discus on its back, covered with strange runes. Its eyes glowed with energy.

"The Creator!" gasped Erik.

He activated his Disk.

"Wait…" said Yumi. "If my hunch is right…"

She walked up to the huge Monster and glared at it in the face. It glared back. Then, a deep and commanding telepathic voice sounded in their heads.

"_Mortals, hear my cry,"_ it said, _"and prepare, for a beast stalks the night. It commands the power of lightning, but such gives no illumination, for it is the lightning of the dead. It cannot come unless all of its allies who came before are dead, and not unless those allies number five. But when it comes, it can consume the soul of one of those allies to give life to another. Beware the beast who causes death in order to give life!"_

As it said the last of these words, lighting struck from the sky, and as one powerful one struck, it vanished.

"What did it mean?" shouted Sam.

"Beats me," said a voice. "I certainly never heard him talk before."

Everyone looked up, and saw who had spoken. It was a dark figure, wearing a black trenchcoat, with long, neatly-trimmed, dark hair and a solemn expression. He wore a standard-issue Duel Disk on his left arm.

Everyone was shocked, as they quickly recognized him.

"Zane Truesdale?" asked Ren. "You're Joan's second-in-command?"

The figure nodded.

"Before we get started," he said, "let me give you a tip for surviving the Frozen Wastes.

"Friends here are few and far between. So don't lose the ones you have.

"And stay close… If a blizzard strikes, if you wander off, you might be lost forever."

With those encouraging words, they followed him.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"We all heard the stories, Zane," said Ren. "You used to be Hell Kaiser… The meanest guy in the Pro League…"

"You confuse me with someone else," replied Zane. "Don't forget, I'm just a copy of someone who's long gone."

"We heard about what happened to Syrus in this world," said Chelsea. "We're… sorry…"

Zane paused. He nodded.

"In the real world, Zane gave his brother the Cyber Tails Deck," replied Zane. "And Syrus fashioned a new deck that was a combination of it and his own… A Cyberoid Deck.

"In Xanadu, we were both programmed to have the sibling bond they had, and Syrus had the Cyberoid Deck. The deck I used at first isn't important.

"Then Daala defeated him personally. And gave the deck to one of her top lieutenants.

"I wouldn't let that go unchallenged. I hunted that lieutenant down, and defeated him. Then I took the deck back. And I reworked it, turning it into the Cyber Tails deck that I remembered due to my programming."

He hit his chest with his fist.

"Those cards may have caused the real Zane health trouble, but they can't hurt an AI. I'm going to keep fighting until we liberate Daala's prison and get him out of there."

"And we're going to do it," said Yumi. "This is the last visible Realm that Daala controls. Soon we'll…"

"Get out of sight!" interrupted Zane.

A winged Fiend flew overhead. They all looked for a place to hide.

"What?" asked Erik, as they ducked behind an icy outcropping.

"The Realm Lord's air force…" replied Zane.

He watched the creature.

"Oh, too late!" he shouted.

The Fiend started circling, and landed about thirty feet away.

"That's an Archfiend of Gilfer," muttered Sam.

The Archfiend walked over to them, his wings folding against his back like some odd cape. Even as the humans tried to conceal themselves, he crossed his arms.

"I know you're there," he said, in a bored tone of voice.

"Well, Yumi…" muttered Chelsea, looking at the horned, clawed Fiend. "This guy used to be in your grandpa's deck… Why don't you BS him?"

"Hey, I hardly know him!" replied Yumi.

The Archfiend shook his head.

"That guy was the white sheep of the Archfiends," he said. "I'm not as approachable.

"So I'm left with a choice, I suppose…

"I could fly back to the fortress right now and raise the alarm…

"Or, I could handle one of you right now before doing so…"

He pulled the horn on his left elbow, and his forearm split, unfolding a Disk that had seemingly been implanted there.

Ren stood up.

"You want to duel?" he asked.

"No, not really," said the Archfiend. "But I guess there's no avoiding it forever…"

"You don't sound very enthusiastic," replied Ren.

"Not much to be enthusiastic about," said the Archfiend. "Don't you know the effect of my card? It can't do anything useful unless it dies first.

"Archfiends of Gilfer like myself are called the Lords of Nothingness… There isn't much that makes you get excited when you rule over a cause that isn't truly a cause."

"Lords of Nothingness?" asked Sam. "What exactly do you do with your time?"

The Archfiend made a slight smirk.

"We do our best to spread our message," he said. "That there is no meaning to anything."

The Disk activated.

"And once I defeat you, Ren, perhaps I'll have you thinking the same way."

"You must be a big laugh at parties, pal," said Ren, activating his own Disk. "So, will we be using Deck Lords?"

"Makes no difference to me," replied the Archfiend with a shrug.

"I'll take that as a yes," said Ren.

He gestured, and Penumbral Soldier Lady appeared behind him.

"Game on!" he shouted.

"Whatever," muttered the Archfiend.

**(Ren: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Archfiend of Gilfer: 8,000)**

"You're the expert, Zane," said Chelsea. "Do you believe this guy?"

"Frankly, no," replied Zane. "This is a Fiend, and such creatures tend to be experts at deception and trickery. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if this guy's glum attitude was nothing but an act.

"Ren had better watch himself."

"Guess I'll go first," mumbled the Archfiend, making a draw.

He glanced over his cards and then chose one.

"I summon Clear Phantom in Attack Mode."

The Monster simply appeared, with no display of energy, and no sound. It looked like a fiendish skeleton, with one glaring eye, sealed inside a crystal prism. (1,200/1,400)

"I guess that will do," he said.

"Clear Phantom?" said Ren, raising an eyebrow. "What the…"

He drew a card.

_No idea what the heck that thing is,_ he thought. _But I can take care of it…_

"I use one of my newest Deck Lord abilities," he said. "It's called Dark Demotion. I simply have to discard one Dark Warrior-Type Monster from my hand…"

He discarded The Fiend Megacyber.

"…and I get to search for one from my deck that's a lower Level."

A card slipped out of his deck.

"Now, I'll summon Mataza the Zapper!"

He played the card, and the armored ronin holding his katana appeared. (1,300/800)

"Attack his Clear Phantom!" shouted Ren. "Zapping blade!"

Mataza the Zapper swung his katana, and the prism was smashed to bits, smashing the bony Fiend inside it with it.

"All right!" shouted Ren.

Then pieces of the prism flew at Mataza the Zapper and stabbed into him. He screamed, and then shattered into pixels.

"All wrong…" muttered Ren.

"When Clear Phantom is destroyed in battle," sighed the Archfiend, "you lose the Monster that destroyed it. As well as the top three cards from your deck."

Ren gasped as three cards flew off his deck and disappeared.

"Why didn't you say so?!" he shouted.

"You didn't ask," replied the Archfiend.

Ren growled.

"I have to end my turn."

**(R: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 7,900)**

The Archfiend drew a card.

"I summon Clear Rage Golem," he said.

Another Monster sealed in a prism appeared. This one was humanoid (more or less), seven feet tall, and made of solid, black rock. (1,600/1,800)

"Attack him directly," said the Archfiend.

The Golem burst free of its prism with a roar, showing much more emotion than its master. It lunged at Ren and slugged him in the stomach.

"Ergh…" groaned Ren.

"And now its effect activates," said the Archfiend. "When it attacks directly and deals damage, you lose an additional 300 points of damage for each card in your hand."

Ren looked at his hand as a painful red aura surrounded him. He never thought it would be a _liability_ to have a hand of five cards…

Clear Rage Golem glowed with green flames, and the prism reformed around it.

"I'll set a facedown card, and end my turn there," said the Archfiend.

A reversed card appeared.

**(R: 4,900) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 7,900)**

"Can't you show just a _little_ emotion?" asked Ren. "This is like a lecture by my economics teacher, only not as exciting."

The Archfiend just glared at him.

"Why show emotion?" he asked. "They just keep you from thinking clearly. Anger makes you careless… Fear holds you back… Doubt keeps you from acting.

"And positive emotions are little better. They set you up for big disappointments. If I enjoyed myself in this duel, I'd just have a letdown once it was over. So I don't bother anymore."

Ren glared at him.

_What was I thinking?_ thought Ren, as he drew a card. _There's a reason that the Frozen Wastes are the most dangerous Realm… This guy is and his… Clear Monsters are obviously deadly!_

_I don't know whether he actually believes what he's saying, or whether he's messing with my mind…_

_I'll be more careful…_

"I use another of my Deck Lord abilities," said Ren. "Since I have no Monsters on the field, and my Graveyard has only Dark Warriors, I get to Special Summon one from there."

Mataza the Zapper appeared again. (1,300/800)

"Next, I'll summon Dark Blade."

He played another card, and Dark Blade appeared, brandishing his scimitars. (1,800/1,600)

"Destroy his Golem! Dark sword slash!"

Dark Blade made a swipe with his sword, and Clear Rage Golem and its prism was blown to bits.

"Mataza the Zapper, attack him directly!"

"I activate Call of the Haunted," replied the Archfiend.

His facedown card flipped up, and once again, Clear Rage Golem appeared. (1,600/1,800)

"In that case," said Ren, "I call off my attack, and end my turn."

**(R: 4,900) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 7,700)**

Archfiend of Gilfer drew a card.

"I activate my Deck Lord ability," he said. "If I have at least one Monster face-up on the field during my Standby Phase, I get to draw an extra card."

He made a draw.

"Say WHAT?" shouted Ren.

"But…" said the Archfiend, "if the drawn card is a Monster, and its Attribute is the same as one I have on the field, I lose the drawn card, and every copy of it on the field, in my deck, and in my Graveyard."

"O-kay…" muttered Ren. "That seems fair."

The Fiend flipped the card around. It was Hallowed Life Barrier.

Then he added it to his hand and chose another one.

"I play Clear World," he said.

He placed the card in a slot on his Disk, and the whole arena changed…

It was like they had been transported to a blue void of sorts. Hanging in the air were white crystal prisms, and under their feet was a sandy surface.

"A Field Spell?" asked Ren.

Archfiend of Gilfer nodded.

"Clear World is a place where only absence has any power," he explained. "So it rejects all forms of matter, including most forms of life. That includes both Monsters, and the ones controlling them. In game terms, this Field Spell has one or more debilitating effects on each player, depending on what Attribute of Monsters they control. As far as you're concerned, I believe all your Monsters are Dark. So as long as you have at least one on the field in Clear World, you aren't allowed to declare an attack."

"Wait a minute…" said Ren. "Your Monsters look pretty Dark too…"

The Archfiend shook its head.

"Clear Monsters rule over Nothingness, Ren," he said. "They have no Attribute."

Ren's eyes opened wide.

"That's…" he started.

"That makes his Deck Lord power _broken_!" shouted Sam. "If his Monsters have no Attribute, there's no drawback to it at all!"

"And this Field Spell gives him a pretty unfair advantage," said Chelsea. "At least Clear Rage Golem isn't strong enough to beat Dark Blade."

"Still my move," said the Archfiend. "But… I think I've done enough for now anyway… So I'll end my turn…"

Ren looked at him.

_Why the heck didn't he attack Mataza?_ he thought. _This makes no sense…_

He drew a card.

He looked at his hand.

_First order of business is to tear this Field down,_ he thought. _Then try to gain the upper hand before any more nasty surprises show up._

"I summon Getsu Fuhma," he said.

In a shower of cherry blossoms, the redheaded, female ronin appeared. (1,700/1,200)

"That's all I can do," he said.

"I draw," said the Archfiend, drawing a card.

He yawned as he looked at it.

"Then I use my Deck Lord ability to draw again."

He made a second draw. He turned the card forward, revealing it to be Morphing Jar.

"Now I play an Equip Spell," he said. "It's called Attribute Mastery."

He played the card. The art appeared to be one of those ever-present prisms surrounded by the six Attribute symbols.

"When I Equip this to my Monster, I have to name one Attribute… Let's see… Think I'll name Dark.

"Next, I play a second Equip Spell. It's called Attribute Bomb."

The Spell Card that appeared was rather ominous. It depicted a group of men in dark suits and sunglasses around a roulette wheel with colored tiles, with a bomb for a marble.

"Again, I have to name one Attribute. I think I'll name Dark again.

"Now… Clear Rage Golem… Attack Dark Blade."

"Huh?" said Ren.

Clear Rage Golem burst free of its prism again, and lunged at Dark Blade. It made a slash with its claw, and the results were dramatic. Dark Blade literally exploded, and Ren was thrown to the ground.

"What happened?" gasped Ren.

"Thanks to Attribute Mastery," explained the Archfiend, "when the Equipped Monster battles a Monster that is the Attribute I named, damage calculation is ignored, and the attack target is destroyed.

"And thanks to Attribute Bomb, you lose 1,000 Life Points when that happens.

"And now it's your move."

**(R: 3,900) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 7,700)**

Ren growled as he drew a card.

"I move Mataza and Getsu to Defense Mode," he said.

Both the Warriors sheathed their katanas, and knelt down, shielding themselves.

"Then I summon Dark Squire."

The young, black-garbed page appeared. She crouched down and crossed her arms. (300/300)

"And that ends my turn."

The Archfiend drew.

"I draw a second card due to my Deck Lord ability," he said, making another draw.

He turned the card forward. It was a Trap Card called Attribute Gravity.

_What the Hell is that?_ thought Ren.

"Now I summon a second Clear Rage Golem."

He played another card, and a twin of the first Golem appeared.

"Now my Equipped one will attack Getsu Fuhma."

The first Golem broke free of its prism, and lunged at Getsu. Like before, Getsu exploded, and Ren cringed.

"Second one, destroy Dark Squire."

The second one broke free of its own gem. It lifted its foot, and squashed Dark Squire with one stomp.

"Thank you," said Ren. "Now we both get to draw two cards."

Archfiend of Gilfer shrugged, and they both made two draws. The two Golems burned with green flames, and the prisms reformed around them.

"My turn is over," said the Fiend.

**(R: 2,900) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 7,700)**

"Your friend had better do something fast," said Zane. "This guy is clearly not fooling around."

"Don't worry…" said Chelsea, with a nervous laugh. "He'll likely draw just the right card right now…"

"Actually," said Ren, "I already drew it."

He made his draw.

"Thanks to Dark Squire, I can play this… Heavy Storm!"

He held the card up, and a fierce wind tore through Clear World. The prisms burst, and the void blew away. Then Attribute Mastery and Attribute Bomb shattered, and so did Call of the Haunted, along with the Clear Rage Golem that it had summoned.

"I'm not done," said Ren. "I sacrifice Mataza…"

Mataza the Zapper vanished.

"To summon Total Defense Shogun! Burgundy, welcome back."

The powerful Shogun appeared, lifting his huge sword and shield. Then he knelt down, and held his shield in front of him. (1,550/2,500)

"An Archfiend, eh?" said his voice (although his lips didn't move). "I never had the misfortune of messing with one of them… But after dealing with the Dark Army, it shouldn't be hard."

"With that," said Ren, "I end my turn. It's your move…"

The Archfiend drew a card casually.

"I use the effect of my Deck Lord to draw again," he said.

He made a draw. He turned the card forward.

"Argh, that's a Level Eight Monster!" exclaimed Chelsea.

"And I don't like it at all!" replied Sam. "Clear Vice Dragon?"

"Don't worry," added Zane. "He'd need two Monsters to summon it, and he only has one."

"You think too small," said the Archfiend, adding it to his hand. "But I won't summon it this round anyway.

"First, I'll play a facedown."

A facedown card appeared.

"Then, I'll play Clear World again."

He placed a second Field Spell in his Disk, and once again, the crystal-filled void covered the arena.

"I'm starting to hate this place…" said Ren.

"I move Clear Rage Golem to Defense Mode," said the Archfiend, as the prism holding the Golem settled on the ground.

"Then I Equip Total Defense Shogun with Scroll of Bewitchment. This lets me change its Attribute. I'll change it from Dark to Earth."

He played the card.

"Why did you do that?" asked Ren. "If I don't have any Dark Monsters, that means I can attack…"

"But Shogun isn't strong enough to defeat my Golem's Defense anyway," said the Archfiend. "And now you must deal with the Earth effect of Clear World. During your End Phase, you must destroy one of your Monsters.

"What's more, if you summon another Monster, you must deal with both the Earth effect, _and_ the Dark effect."

"Of all the dirty…" muttered Chelsea.

"I end my turn," said the Archfiend.

Ren drew a card.

"Sorry to ruin your plans, pal," he said. "I play Mystic Plasma Zone."

He played his own field Spell, and the crystals of Clear World shattered again. A creeping darkness covered the field.

Deep inside the dark heart of the Archfiend of Gilfer, which had long ago been numbed to all emotion, an emotion was starting to form…

Anger. Not once, but twice now, this insolent human had destroyed the Field Spell that was the key to his perfect strategy.

He had decided. Next turn, he would show Ren the true terror of his deck.

"I summon a second Dark Blade!" shouted Ren.

He played the card, and another Dark Blade appeared. (1,800/1,600) –) (2,300/1,200)

"Dark Blade, destroy Clear Rage Golem!"

Dark Blade slashed with his scimitar, and the Golem and its prism was blown to pieces.

"Total Defense Shogun, attack him directly!"

The Shogun slammed his sword down, and a blade of energy tore across the field. The Archfiend cringed a little as it hit him.

He frowned.

**(R: 2,900) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 6,150)**

"I set two cards facedown, and then end my turn," said Ren.

The Archfiend drew a card. He looked at it, and then added it to his hand.

"Time to take this duel to the next level," he said. "With a more powerful Monster… My Clear Vice Dragon."

"Yeah?" asked Chelsea. "How are you gonna summon it? You need two sacrifices, and you don't even have one!"

"Oh, but I do…" said the Fiend.

He played a Spell Card.

"I play Clear Sacrifice," he said. "Now, if I need sacrifices to summon a high-Level Clear Monster, all I have to do is turn to my Graveyard. The Monsters there can serve as the sacrifices, even though they've already been destroyed."

Clear Phantom and Clear Rage Golem appeared behind him.

"And I'll also chain Emergency Provisions to this card's activation."

He played the card, and Clear Sacrifice vanished, as did the two Monsters.

"Now behold… The Lord of Nothing… The Clear Vice Dragon."

It loomed over the field, casting a shadow over the already-dark arena. Once again sealed in a prism, it looked like a cross between a Dragon and some wicked demon, with jagged claws and rows of teeth. (0/0)

Ren was mortified. This was the Monster he had the nightmare about all those nights ago…

"It… It has zero Attack Points…" he gasped. "That's bad, right?"

"It only has zero Attack Points when it isn't battling," said the Archfiend. "When it battles a Monster, its Attack Score becomes double that of its opponent. Long story short, it _cannot_ be defeated in battle."

The Dragon burst free of its crystal, and let out a roar of bloodlust.

"Attack his Dark Blade," ordered the Archfiend. "Clear Malicious Stream."

Clear Vice Dragon roared again, and its Attack Score became 3,600.

"I activate Sakuretsu Armor!" shouted Ren, as one of his Trap Cards lifted.

"That won't work," replied Archfiend of Gilfer. "If my Dragon would be destroyed, by _anything_, I can protect it by simply discarding one card."

He discarded a card in his hand, and the Trap Card shattered.

Dark flames appeared in Clear Vice Dragon's mouth…

"Ren!" shouted Burgundy. "The other Trap!"

"Are you sure?" shouted Ren.

"Do it!" yelled the Shogun. "I'll be fine!"

"I activate Attack Guidance Armor!" screamed Ren, as his other facedown card lifted.

The fiendish suit of armor appeared, and fit over Burgundy's chest.

"Now, your Dragon's attack is redirected to my Total Defense Shogun!"

Clear Vice Dragon's Attack Score fell to 3,100. It blasted a bolt of black flames, and Total Defense Shogun exploded.

Ren hung his head.

"Thank you Burgundy…" he whispered.

He looked up.

"Since he was in Defense Mode, I take no damage."

"So you didn't," replied the Archfiend. "And since it attacked, my Dragon must move to Defense Mode itself."

Clear Vice Dragon shielded itself with its wings, and purple flames surrounded it as the prism reformed around it.

"It may have zero Defense Points, but even if you attack it, I can negate its destruction by discarding a card.

"And just in case, I'll set one card facedown."

A facedown card appeared.

"It's your move."

**(R: 2,900) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 7,150)**

Ren drew a card.

"I play Monster Reborn!" he shouted.

He played the card, and the holy ankh appeared on the field. The Fiend Megacyber appeared in a flash of light. (2,200/1,200) –) (2,700/800)

"Next," he said, "I'll discard Familiar Knight from my hand, so I can summon Black Lotus without a sacrifice."

He discarded the card, and the veiled, black-garbed assassin appeared, holding her sai. (1,300/1,400) –) (1,800/1,000)

"Take a look, buddy," he said. "I have three Monsters, so I have three attacks. And you have only two cards to discard. So you can't stop me from taking out your Dragon!"

The Archfiend looked at his hand.

"Well, well…" he said. "Well, well, well… You're right… Huh…"

"Dark Blade," ordered Ren, "attack Clear Vice Dragon!"

Dark Blade made a great leap, and brought his sword down on the huge crystal. A great crack formed in the huge prism, and Clear Vice Dragon burst into rocky shards.

_Huh?_ thought Ren. _He didn't even try?_

_His problem…_

"Black Lotus, attack him directly!"

The Kunoichi made a rush at the Fiend…

"I activate Hallowed Life Barrier," said the Archfiend, as one of his facedown cards lifted.

He discarded the Attribute Gravity in his hand, and a dome of force materialized around him. Black Lotus's blade glanced off of him.

Ren looked at his hand.

"I'll play a facedown of my own," he said, "and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared on his own side of the field.

The Archfiend quickly drew.

"I set one Monster in Defense Mode," it said, "and then I play my own Monster Reborn, to summon Clear Cube in Defense Mode."

A facedown Monster appeared. Then the holy ankh appeared, and a new Clear Monster appeared. This one was, again, sealed in a prism, but it was smallish, and resembled a robot of some type, cubical in shape, with small mechanical limbs. (0/0)

_Clear Cube?_ thought Ren. _When was that…_

He paused.

_Oh… He must have discarded it to activate his Dragon's effect._

"You have no more cards," he said, "so it's my move…"

He drew a card.

"I summon my second Getsu Fuhma!" he exclaimed.

In another shower of petals, Getsu appeared again. (1,700/1,200) –) (2,200/800)

"Yes!" cheered Chelsea. "Ren has him outnumbered four Monsters to two!"

"Black Lotus," ordered Ren, "destroy his Cube!"

Black Lotus lunged, and stabbed the Machine with her sai. It burst into shards.

"And since she destroyed a Monster, she gains 200 Attack Points."

Black Lotus wiped her sai on her leotard, and her Attack Score rose to 2,000.

"Clear Cube has a special effect as well," replied the Archfiend. "When it leaves the field, I get to summon another Cube."

A second Clear Cube appeared in Defense Mode. (0/0)

"Dark Blade, attack the second one!" shouted Ren.

Dark Blade brought his scimitar down on the Cube, and it shattered.

"As you may have already guessed," said the Archfiend, "my deck has three Cubes in it."

A third Clear Cube appeared. (0/0)

Ren pointed, and Getsu Fuhma slashed with her scimitar, slicing the third Cube in half.

"Now for your last Monster," said Ren. "Fiend Megacyber, get it!"

The Fiend Megacyber rushed at the facedown Monster. The Morphing Jar appeared on the card and cackled before it was ripped to shreds.

Ren frowned. He should have remembered that his opponent had that.

He discarded the three cards in his hand, and made five draws. Archfiend of Gilfer simply made five draws.

Ren looked over the five new cards.

"All right…" he said. "I end my turn."

"And I start mine," said the Archfiend, drawing a card.

"First, I play Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy this Field Spell."

He played the card, and the cyclone blew the uncanny darkness away. Dark Blade fell to an Attack Score of 1,800, Getsu Fuhma fell to 1,700, The Fiend Megacyber fell to 2,200, and Black Lotus fell to 1,500.

"Next," he continued, "I activate my facedown Trap Card."

His facedown card lifted up.

"It's called Nihilistic Summoning Technique, and it lets me summon to the field one Monster that has been removed from play in Attack Mode."

Clear Rage Golem appeared once again.

"Of course," he continued, "It's Attack Score becomes zero, and I'm not allowed to switch it to Defense Mode."

(0/1,800)

"So what's the point?" asked Chelsea.

"You'll see," continued the Fiend. "I next play Golden Sarcophagus."

He played the card, and a golden chest with the Eye of Wdjat on its front appeared. He took a card from his deck, and held it over the chest. It lowered into the chest, which then closed, and the chest lowered into the ground.

"We'll get to that later. For now, I play a facedown, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared behind Clear Rage Golem.

_This is a pretty obvious Trap if I've ever seen one,_ thought Ren.

He looked at the facedown card. He looked at the card he had just drawn.

_Well, sorry, buddy, I'm not gonna bite…_

He placed a card on his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"Your move," he said.

The Archfiend frowned.

He drew a card. As he did so, Ren's facedown card lifted.

"Dust Tornado!" he exclaimed.

The Tornado flew across the field, and towards the facedown card that the Archfiend had set. It was a second Attribute Gravity.

The Fiend actually smirked a little as it shattered. He looked at the card he had just drawn.

"Clever," he said. "That was a pretty powerful Trap. It would have drawn your attacks to your own Monsters. But what you should have done was destroyed my Nihilistic Summoning Technique. If you had, my Monster would have gone with it."

"What the heck are you going to do with a Monster that has zero…" started Ren.

He stopped short.

"You're going to sacrifice it, right?"

"That's right," said the Archfiend. "For a greater Lord of Nothing. This Monster is Level Eight, but if my opponent has at least one Monster, I can summon it with one sacrifice…"

Clear Rage Golem vanished.

"Behold… The Clear Vicious Knight."

The Monster that appeared was not as big as the Dragon, but just as intimidating. Inside its prism, it stood seven feet tall, and while its name suggested that it was a Warrior, its armor made it look like a cross between an alien and some sort of demon soldier. The armor looked more like a black exoskeleton than any that came from a forge, and it came equipped with two sharp blades on its wrists. (2,300/2,000)

"O-kay…" said Ren, nervously. "Nothing I can't handle…"

"We'll soon see," said the Archfiend. "I play a Spell Card. It's called Trojan Ploy."

The Spell Card appeared, showing the image of the Trojan Horse under the full moon at night.

The Archfiend started to walk up to Ren.

"What's going on?" asked Ren.

"I have no need for the rest of the cards in my hand, Ren," said the Fiend, "so I'm giving them to you.

"Here."

He casually handed the two cards to Ren.

"I'm not sure I want them," replied Ren. "What's the catch?"

"Well," said the Archfiend, as he walked back to his position, "if you actually want to use any of them, you have to pay 1,000 Life Points apiece.

"But you won't get a chance to anyway, because I'm ending this now. You see, when I have no cards in my hand, and Clear Vicious Knight is the only card I have on the field, its effect activates.

"Its Attack Score is increased by the base Attack Score of the most powerful Monster on your side of the field. That would be your Fiend Megacyber."

Clear Vicious Knight threw up its arms and broke free of its prism. It glowed with ominous blue flames, and its Attack Score rose to 4,500.

"Attack Black Lotus," ordered the Archfiend. "The End of Clean."

"This is it!" screamed Sam. "If Ren can't block this attack, he loses!"

Clear Vicious Knight flew at Black Lotus…

"Not so fast!" shouted Ren. "I have a Trap Card!"

His facedown card lifted up.

"It's called Covering Fire! Now, I can increase Black Lotus's Attack Score by that of another Monster on my side of the field. So she can gain the same bonus that your Knight is getting!"

The Fiend Megacyber and Black Lotus glowed with energy, and Black Lotus shot up to an Attack Score of 3,700.

Clear Vicious Knight slashed at the assassin, and she screamed before shattering into shards.

"I may not have been able to save Black Lotus," muttered Ren, wiping his brow, "but I managed to avoid losing the duel."

**(R: 2,100) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 7,150)**

"You know…" continued Ren. "For a Lord of Nothing, that guy is really something."

Archfiend of Gilfer looked at him.

"Oh, c'mon!" said Ren. "That was a joke!"

Clear Vicious Knight was surrounded by an aura of blue flames, and the prism reformed around it.

"Your move," said the Archfiend.

"Some folks have no sense of humor…" muttered Ren, drawing a card.

He looked at his cards, and the cards that the Archfiend had given him.

_Hey…_ he thought. _I just got an idea…_

"I activate my Litmus Doom Ritual Spell," he exclaimed, as the Spell Card appeared. "And I offer Getsu Fuhma and Dark Blade as sacrifices."

The ominous altar with its spires and cauldron appeared behind him. The two Warriors vanished, and lightning struck the spires.

From out of the shadows, the flamboyant form of Litmus Doom Swordsman appeared. (0/0)

"There are no Trap Cards on the field," said the Archfiend. "That means he's powerless."

"Then I'll help him," replied Ren. "I'll pay 1,000 Life Points to use one of the cards you gave me."

He placed a card into his Disk.

"Didn't expect that, did you? Scroll of Bewitchment. I'll Equip it to your Clear Vicious Knight, changing its Attribute to… Let's see… How about Fire?"

Clear Vicious Knight became surrounded by an aura of flames.

The Archfiend raised an eyebrow.

"Why?" he asked. "What good would it do you to change its Attribute to Fire?"

"Because, I'm also playing Double Spell," replied Ren. "Now, I'll toss the other card you gave me…"

He discarded a copy of Terraforming.

"…so I can use a Spell Card in your Graveyard. And I think I'll use Attribute Mastery."

Archfiend of Gilfer's face actually showed an expression for the first time. And this time, it was fear.

"I'll Equip it to Litmus Doom," continued Ren, "and once again, I'll name Fire.

"Litmus Doom, attack Clear Vicious Knight!"

Litmus Doom Swordsman raised his scimitars, and charged at the demonic Warrior. With one slash, the evil knight broke into a shower of flaming shards.

"See you in my nightmares," continued Ren. "And I'm not done with you… Fiend Megacyber… Attack him directly!"

The Fiend Megacyber slid up to the Archfiend, and slashed at him with his gauntlets.

"ERGH!" groaned the Fiend.

**(R: 1,100) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 4,950)**

"I'll toss three cards facedown, and end my turn," said Ren.

Three facedown cards appeared in front of him.

_Now…_ he thought. _If what he put in that Sarcophagus is what I think it is… Let's hope he manages to use it._

"All right Ren…" growled the Archfiend, now sounding genuinely angry. "I draw one card…"

He made a draw.

"And I couldn't have asked for better. I retrieve the card I placed in the Golden Sarcophagus."

The Sarcophagus rose out of the floor, and the card floated out. He took it.

"And I activate a Trap," said Ren, as one of his facedown cards lifted. "Final Attack Orders.

"And with a Trap Card on the field, my Swordsman's Attack Score becomes 3,000."

"Well, that certainly makes things easier, you fool," said the Archfiend with a sinister smile. "Time for some reminiscing…"

He played a Spell Card.

"I'm sure you remember how Clear Sacrifice works, right?"

Two Clear Cubes appeared behind him, and vanished into grains of light.

The huge form of Clear Vice Dragon reappeared. (0/0)

"And I'm sure you remember this Monster's effect?" he asked. "It's Attack Score is double the Attack Score of the Monster it's attacking.

"Attack his Swordsman."

Clear Vice Dragon roared, and busted out of its prism. Its Attack Score shot up to 6,000.

"I can't watch!" screamed Chelsea.

"That's exactly what I wanted you to do, fellah," said Ren.

Another of his facedown cards lifted.

"Emergency Provisions!"

The Final Attack Orders card vanished, and Litmus Doom Swordsman's Attack Score fell down to zero.

Clear Vice Dragon breathed its dark flames at the Swordsman, but he swatted them aside, and the Dragon exploded into shards.

"What happened?" asked Erik.

"Seems Ren set him up," said Zane with a grin. "And he figured out that Clear Vice Dragon is _not_ unbeatable in battle.

"The ability to double any Monster's Attack Score is clearly an incredibly powerful ability. But what would that Dragon do against a Monster with zero Attack Points? Two times zero is also zero.

"Normally, such a battle would be a draw. But since Litmus Doom Swordsman can't be destroyed in battle, and Archfiend of Gilfer had no cards to discard, Litmus Doom won."

**(R: 2,100) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 4,950)**

"Seems the best way to fight Chaos is with Law," said Ren. "And what represents Law better than a universal rule of mathematics?

"And it's my move."

He drew a card. Then his last facedown card lifted.

"I activate Call of the Haunted!"

A coffin appeared on his side of the field. It opened, and Getsu Fuhma stepped out. (1,700/1,200)

"A Trap Card is active again, so Litmus Doom's Attack Score becomes 3,000 again."

Archfiend of Gilfer just stared at him.

"Attack him directly!"

The Archfiend didn't even move as The Fiend Megacyber slammed his fist into him. He didn't move when Litmus Doom slashed at him either.

**(R: 2,100) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 0)**

"He won!" cheered Chelsea.

"Big deal," replied the Archfiend.

Penumbral Soldier Lady lifted her sword, and the Archfiend of Gilfer glowed with dark energy.

"What difference does it make?" he asked. "Even if I had won, you likely wouldn't have seen my point of view anyway… You would have denied it to the end. You're too full of emotion for me to ever convince…"

"Most people won't see your side no matter what you do," said Ren. "I mean, face it. It's hard to convince anyone that life has no purpose. There's too much proof otherwise.

"Come to think of it, if you think life has no purpose, why do you even bother trying to express your idea to others? Isn't that a purpose in itself?"

The Archfiend's eyes opened wide. Then they bugged out. He hadn't realized that.

"Wait…" he gasped. "I try to show people my point of view… That life has no purpose… But… But… That _gives_ my life a purpose…

"But… My point of view is that life has no purpose…

"I spend my life trying to show that life has no purpose… But doing so gives my life a purpose…"

He held his head and fell to his knees… He screamed…

And then he shattered into dark triangles.

Sam chuckled softly.

"I wonder if he'll ever figure that out?" she asked.

"Heh," chuckled Zane. "I doubt it… If he ever does, it would make his purpose even more solid. Controversial philosophies tend to create paradoxes when people think about them enough."

"So, how far is it to the Realm Lord's fortress?" asked Yumi.

"Not too far," replied Zane. "The Frozen Wastes aren't too-too big. Unless we run into a snowstorm, we should be there by mid-afternoon, and…

"Look…"

He pointed up. Flying overhead was a huge, beautiful bird. It was none other than Simorgh, Bird of Divinity.

"Whoa," muttered Sam.

"Well, this is the Realm of Wind," replied Zane. "It has a lair somewhere around here, but it keeps to itself."

They watched as the large Duel Spirit passed by. Apparently, it was not concerned with them.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In downtown Domino, Nicholas and Olga were standing in front of a building. The sign on the front was written in Japanese, but they could read it pretty well:

**WHITE LOTUS SCHOOL OF MARTIAL ARTS**

**Koryū Style Training**

Olga looked at Nicholas.

"A dojo that teaches Koryū style martial arts?" she asked. "Those are pretty old."

"They're big on traditional Japanese styles here," replied Nicholas. "Jujitsu, kenjutsu, naginatajutsu, and the like. They don't teach the modern techniques like judo and aikido at this place.

"And they don't teach karate either. Karate wasn't truly invented by the Japanese, only adapted by them, so it doesn't have a place here."

"Then how are we going to find some great secret of Duel Monsters here?" asked Olga. "Duel Monsters is more modern than almost all martial arts."

"Trust me," said Nicholas. "The woman who runs the place knows a thing or two about it.

"There aren't any classes today until noon, and she said she'd at least talk to us.

"Just above all, be polite… You don't want to get on this lady's bad side…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CLEAR PHANTOM (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 1,200  
**DEF:** 1,400

**Card Description:** This card is not treated as a DARK Monster while it is face-up on the field. When this card is destroyed as a result of battle, destroy one Monster your opponent controls, and your opponent sends the top three cards from his deck to the Graveyard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CLEAR RAGE GOLEM (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Rock/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,600  
**DEF:** 1,800

**Card Description:** This card is not treated as a DARK Monster while it is face-up on the field. When this card attacks your opponent directly and inflicts damage, inflict an additional 300 points of damage for each card in your opponent's hand.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CLEAR VICE DRAGON (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Dragon/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description:** This card is not treated as a DARK monster while it is face-up on the field. If this card attacks, or is attacked, its ATK becomes equal to twice the ATK of the Monster it battles until the end of the Damage Step. If this card attacks, switch it to face-up Defense Position at the end of the Battle Phase. By discarding one card, negate the activation of a card effect that would destroy this card. Negate this card's destruction as a result of battle by discarding one card from your hand.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CLEAR CUBE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description:** This card is not treated as a DARK monster while it is face-up on the field. When this face-up card is removed from the field (except when used as a Tribute), Special Summon one "Clear Cube" from your deck.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CLEAR VICIOUS KNIGHT (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,300  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description:** This card is not treated as a DARK monster while it is face-up on the field. If your opponent controls at least one Monster, you may Normal Summon this card with one Tribute. While this card is face-up on the field and you control no other cards and have no cards in your hand, this card gains ATK equal to the base ATK of the face-up Monster your opponent controls with the highest base ATK.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CLEAR WORLD (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image:** A silhouette of a man below a large, brilliant gem. (The man is apparently Yusuke Fujiwara.)

**Card Description:** If a Monster(s) of any of the following Attributes exists on the field, apply the relevant effect(s) to that Monster's controller:  
● LIGHT: Play with your hand revealed.  
● DARK: You cannot declare an attack  
● EARTH: Once per turn, destroy one Monster you control.  
● WATER: During your End Phase, discard one card from your hand.  
● FIRE: You take 1000 points of damage during your End Phase.  
● WIND: You cannot activate Spell Cards.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CLEAR SACRIFICE (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A crystal peak with ghostly spirits flying out of it.

**Card Description:** Select one Level Five or higher "Clear" Monster in your hand. Remove from play from your Graveyard "Clear" Monsters equal to the number of Tributes necessary to Tribute Summon the selected Monster. This turn, you may Normal Summon the selected Monster without Tributes.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ATTRIBUTE MASTERY (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image:** A blue gem in the center of the six Attribute symbols.

**Card Description:** Designate one Attribute when this card is played. When the Equipped Monster battles a Monster of the designated Attribute, destroy the opposing Monster without applying damage calculation.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ATTRIBUTE BOMB (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image:** A group of shadowy men gathered behind a roulette wheel where a bomb is the marble.

**Card Description:** Designate one Attribute when this card is played. When the Equipped Monster battles a Monster with the declared Attribute, inflict 1,000 points of damage to the Life Points of the controller of the attack target before damage calculation.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**NIHILISTIC SUMMONING TECHNIQUE (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image:** Clear Rage Golem surrounded by an aura of flames.

**Card Description:** Select one of your Monsters that has been removed from play that is Level Four or lower and Special Summon it in Attack Position. This card is then treated as an Equip Spell and is Equipped to the Special Summoned Monster. The Special Summoned Monster's ATK becomes zero and cannot be switched to Defense Position. If this card leaves the field, destroy the Special Summoned Monster.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ATTRIBUTE GRAVITY (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image:** Command Knight and Hiita the Fire Charmer with a dark orb of crackling energy between them.

**Card Description:** During your opponent's Battle Phase, all his Monsters in Attack Position must attack if they are able to. If your opponent attacks with a Monster and one or more Monsters of the same Attribute as the attacking Monster exist on either side of the field, the attacking Monster's attack is directed towards a Monster with the same Attribute.

_Note: The proceeding eleven cards were used by __Yusuke in the fourth season of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX". Creative credit goes to the creators._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**TROJAN PLOY (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **The Trojan Horse looming over the city of Troy at night under a full moon.

**Card Description:** Select any number of cards in your hand, and give them to your opponent. Your opponent must pay 1,000 Life Points to summon, set, or activate any of these cards.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Ren's Deck Lord: "Penumbral Soldier Lady":** "Immortal Warriors": If you control no Monsters, and your Graveyard contains no Monsters other than DARK Warriors, you may Special Summon a DARK Warrior from your Graveyard. This effect may be used once per turn, during your Main Phase 1. (Greater Power) "Dark Demotion": Send one DARK Warrior-Type Monster from your hand to the Graveyard. Search your deck for a DARK Warrior-Type Monster that is a lower Level than the one sent to the Graveyard. Dark Rush: You may pay 800 Life Points to increase the ATK of one of your DARK Warrior-Type Monsters by the same amount during your own Battle Phase. If you use this effect, you may not use again until three of your Standby Phases have passed. (Minor Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Archfiend of Gilfer's Deck Lord:** "Archfiend's Contract": If you have at least one Monster face-up on the field, you may draw one card during your Standby Phase. If the drawn card is a Monster with the same Attribute as a Monster that is face-up on the field, remove all copies of the drawn card on your side of the field, your deck, and your Graveyard from play. (Extraordinary Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**It isn't like Shogarr is the first Elder Evil that Yumi's family has dealt with. Her grandfather and his spiritual partner felt the influence of two of these beings – the Leviathan and Zorc **__**Necrophades. These beings are so powerful, it's thankful that they appear not like each other that much.**_

_**WHY don't Elder Evils like each other that much? Maybe they don't like competition. But next episode, a clue is provided, as the team stumbles upon the nutty mad scientist Kozaky, who is working on a project that they decide must be stopped at all costs. Erik takes up the challenge in a chapter called "Cold War", coming soon.**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Name that Card!**_

_**In the second season of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" Sartorious used a deck full of cards that, at the time, had not yet been released in the real world. Only one card seen in his deck was real at the time. Can you name it?**_


	45. Cold War

_**What was the only card in Sartorious's deck that was real at the time? If you said "Monster Reincarnation" (seen in his duel with Chazz when Chazz shuffled his deck) you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**As we walk through the Frozen Wastes, a sense of foreboding slowly works its way into my bones.**_

_**On the surface, this is the Realm where Wind is the strongest Attribute. But if I had to guess, I'd say that it also borders the Core in some way.**_

_**The proofs of this theory keep coming. The lordship of this place is uncertain, but whoever rules it is someone who the Elemental Heroes, Monsters famous for being the stars of Jaden's deck, tried to take down and failed. That Archfiend of Gilfer that Ren dueled seemed to have Shogarr's interests in mind.**_

_**And now… We've stumbled upon an experiment that would bring back terrible memories of another entity of Chaos for Yumi's grandfathers. **_

_**Zane has made a heavy wager, and it's up to me to do the business end of it. I have to do my best not to let him down… The things that my opponent has agreed to ante… We can't let Daala keep them…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Cold War**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Nicholas and Olga walked into the reception area of the dojo, which was typical for such a place. A trophy rack containing awards that students representing the dojo had won (lots of them) was against the wall, and Japanese style paintings hung over cushioned couches.

"Well, I guess we should…" said Olga.

"Welcome," said a voice from the other door.

They turned towards the woman who had come out to greet them.

In her youth, this woman was a picture of beauty, even when she was wearing armor and holding a katana blade. Her flowing blonde hair and violet eyes had made her a reflection of her mother, albeit more muscular with a more serious expression.

She was in her fifties now, and her armor had been put away in favor of a green kimono. But she was still beautiful; her hair still had its color, she was still fit, and her face was still unblemished.

"I've been expecting you," she said.

"It's an honor, Ms. Valentine," said Nicholas.

The woman made a slight smile.

"You can call me Jade," she said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As this was happening, Yumi's party was not having a very good time. Despite Chelsea's fire, it was getting colder, and the wind was picking up. Clouds were quickly forming.

"Man, Clear Monsters, Lords of Nothingness," muttered Erik. "Why do bad guys always summon hideous things? Why can't they ever use Monsters like the Ice Cream Sandwich Man?"

"Or the Double Pepperoni Pizza Creature?" added Sam.

Ren looked at the sky.

"Think it might snow?" he asked.

"I'd count on it," replied Zane. "We'd best find shelter before this squall starts."

As if to answer them, a plume of smoke appeared over a ridge above them.

Smoke meant fire, so they carefully made their way up the icy hill. What was at the top surprised them.

It looked like a temple of some sort, made entirely of black marble. It was covered with carved frescos, most of them depicting frightening monsters that they couldn't identify.

Or could they? Yumi looked at one of them carefully. It looked sort of like the odd traditional Japanese statuary from the Jomon Period, commonly called a Dogū. Only this one was more fiendish than any clay Dogū she had seen in a museum.

_I could swear I heard about something like that once before…_ she thought.

"This is a new structure," said Zane, "and it's likely dangerous in there. But a storm may be much more dangerous.

"Follow my lead."

As snow started to fall, they followed him into the temple.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Inside the temple, they were met by a welcome sight – a roaring fireplace.

The whole room seemed to be a big library of some sort, with lots of books on shelves lining the walls. (Ren glanced at one, but the title was in a language he could not read.)

As they warmed themselves by the fire, Yumi's attention was drawn to a glass display case on the other side. She motioned to Zane, and they went over to it.

"Guys!" she shouted, as she looked in it.

Everyone ran over. The display case had six Monster Cards in it.

"Are those…" gasped Sam.

"Yeah…" muttered Yumi, starting to sweat. "I've only been told descriptions of these, but I recognize them…

"These were Dartz's Monsters."

"I never thought I'd see them," gasped Ren. "I'm actually kinda curious as to how they work."

Yumi nervously pointed to one, a Fiend that looked like it was made of fire. It had 1,500 Attack Points and zero Defense Points.

"That's Orichalcos Malevolence," she said. "It was the least broken… Its effect was simply the ability to change the battle position of one Monster every round."

She pointed to another Monster. A hulking, ugly ogre with a spiked harness and collar and chains on its wrists. It had 400 Attack Points and 1,500 Defense Points.

"Then there was Orichalcos Gigas," she said. "If it was destroyed, and its controller was willing to skip his next Draw Phase, he could Special Summon it back during the next End Phase, with 500 more Attack Points. And this bonus stacked each time."

"Plus it got the standard 500-point bonus from The Seal of Orichalcos," added Zane.

"Yes," said Yumi, "but these two guys were small potatoes compared to Dartz's actual strategy. It started with this card."

She pointed to a Monster that looked like a diabolic eye surrounded by tentacles. It had 500 Attack and Defense Points.

"Orichalcos Kyutora. When it was attacked, all battle damage was reduced to zero, and the controller got to Special Summon this…"

She pointed to a Monster that looked like a demonic bronze statue. (This was the one that looked the Dogū that she had seen outside.)

"It was called Orichalcos Shunoros. And when it was summoned, its effect Special Summoned its two limbs…"

She pointed to the last two cards in the case.

"Orichalcos Aristeros and Orichalcos Dexia. Aristeros and Dexia could not be destroyed so long as Shunoros was on the field, and while their Attack and Defense was normally zero, both became equal to the Attack Score of the Monster they were battling, plus 300."

"Plus the bonus from the Seal," added Chelsea.

"Right," muttered Yumi. "As for Shunoros itself, its Attack Score started at the amount of damage Kyutora's effect negated. My grandfather and Sam's uncle made a _big_ mistake in that duel by trying to end it early, activating Meteorain and attacking it with Dragon Master Knight. As a result, Shunoros started with a _lot_ of Attack Points.

"And every time it destroyed a Monster in battle, it lost Attack Points equal to the Attack Score of the destroyed Monster."

"It _lost_ Attack Points?" asked Erik. "But… Eventually then, it would be defeated…"

"That was the idea," replied Yumi. "If it was destroyed, the controller got to summon…"

She gulped.

"…The Divine Serpent… That card isn't here, fortunately."

"I haven't had a chance to work on that one yet," said a cheery voice.

Everyone turned to the back of the room, where someone had entered.

It looked like a creepy, fiendish mad scientist, dressed in a white coat, formal shirt and vest, trousers, and tie. His grey hair was unkempt, and he had diabolic horns growing out of his head, pointing backwards. He wore thick glasses, and had slate grey skin.

"Kozaky?" said Zane, surprised.

"I see you folks are admiring my handiwork," said Kozaky, with a smile. "Working on these cards has been anything but easy… I only had descriptions to go by. There are no websites with information on such cards. Kinda surprising, actually… Nowadays, you can find almost anything on the internet."

"Listen, fellah," said Yumi, "I don't know what your intentions are. If you're planning on recreating The Seal of Orichalcos, stop before it's too late! That thing is evil."

"Oh, NO!" replied Kozaky. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no! I wouldn't dream of it! As you say, The Seal of Orichalcos is an evil thing, that threatened humans and Duel Spirits alike.

"You see, I'm working on an experiment for Daala, to try to duplicate Dartz's cards so they'll work _without_ the Seal."

As they were speaking, the Goblin of Greed poked his head in the entrance.

_The Orichalcos Monsters?_ he thought. _Very interesting…_

"Of course, like I said," continued Kozaky, "it's been hard. Those cards don't even function yet. All they can do now is look intimidating. But slowly but surely, I'm making progress, and…"

"Look, Kozaky!" shouted Zane. "Nothing good can ever come from those six cards!"

He lifted his Disk.

"I'm willing to duel you to get them out of Daala's hands… And I'll wager my entire deck against those six cards!"

"Zane!" shouted Sam. "Are you sure?"

Underneath his glasses, Kozaky's eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

_The Cyber Tails Deck?_ he thought. _I'd be the strongest duelist in Daala's army…_

"Think of it, Kozaky…" said Zane, with a grin. "You're only a Normal Level One Monster. Only duelists who run Human Wave Decks like you… If it weren't for your brains, no-one would give you the time of day… This deck could make you important…"

_True,_ thought Kozaky. _But then… I'm not stupid…_

"I might be willing to make that wager," he said. "But I'm certainly not dueling _you_, Truesdale. If I'm allowed to choose my opponent, I'll accept."

Zane looked at him.

"Fine," said Zane, closing his eyes.

A Disk appeared on Kozaky's arm.

"Then I choose Erik," he said.

"ME?" shouted Erik.

Zane looked at him.

"Erik," he said. "You have to win… Those six cards cannot stay in Daala's hands. She could commit all sorts of atrocities with them.

"You can beat this small fry…"

_And if I don't,_ thought Erik, _I'll never be able to look Zane in the face again!_

He stepped up to Kozaky.

"Okay, Dr. Caligari," he said. "Let's do this."

Both Disks activated.

"Game on!" they both shouted.

**(Erik: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Kozaky: 8,000)**

_This should be amusing,_ thought the Goblin, as he watched.

"My move," said Erik, drawing a card.

He looked at his hand.

"I'll set a Monster and a facedown card, and that will end my turn."

A facedown Monster and a facedown card appeared.

"Ooh, sneaky!" chuckled Kozaky, drawing a card. "Well, let's see here.

"Living in the Frozen Wastes tends to have its advantages, don't you know… I've made friends with some very unique Duel Spirits…

"I summon one right now… This lovely lady! Cold Enchanter!"

"Huh?" asked Erik. "Who's she?"

As the Monster appeared in a shower of ice crystals, it was clear that "she" was a coldly beautiful and icy woman, dressed in a low cut robe, fancy hat, and high boots. She held a long staff topped with a snowflake symbol. (1,600/1,200)

Erik raised an eyebrow.

"A Fairy?" he asked.

"An Aqua," replied Kozaky. "Attack his Monster! Chill blast!"

Cold Enchanter shot a blast of ice and frost from her staff. Toy Soldier appeared on the card, and was frozen in a block of ice before shattering.

"Trap activate!" shouted Erik. "Call of the Haunted! Now he's coming right back!"

His facedown card lifted up, and a miniature coffin appeared on his side of the field. Toy Soldier hopped out. (800/300)

"Hmm, so he did," said Kozaky. "Still my turn…"

He played a Spell Card.

"I play Frigid Ice Pillars. This gives my Monster a little accessory."

Two six-foot pillars made of ice rose out of the floor to either side of Cold Enchanter.

"I'll toss a card facedown, and that will be all."

A facedown card appeared.

"My move," said Erik, drawing.

He looked at his hand.

"I use Toy Soldier's effect, to call out two more of them."

In two flashes of light, two more Toy Soldiers appeared.

"Next… I play Forced March!"

He played the Spell Card.

"Sorry," said Kozaky, as his facedown card lifted, "but this time, I'm leaving you cold. Activate Instantaneous Freezing!"

"Huh?" said Erik.

Then he gasped as the Forced March card fell facedown on the field, and froze over.

"Instantaneous Freezing negates the effect of your card," chuckled Kozaky, "and then freezes it to the ground. And it won't defrost until three of my End Phases have past."

"Fine!" shouted Erik. "I have another option…"

He played another card.

"I Equip one Toy Soldier with Chthonian Alliance. This raises his Attack Score by 800 for each Monster on the field with the same name. You're the intellectual… You do the math…"

The Toy Soldier in the center glowed with a dark aura. (2,400/300)

"Now, attack Cold Enchanter!"

Toy Soldier fired his musket. However, Cold Enchanter ducked behind one of the two pillars, and the pillar shattered, shielding her from the bullet.

"My Frigid Ice Pillars aren't just for show," chuckled Kozaky. "They gave her two Counters, and each one lets her dodge one attack."

Erik took a deep breath.

"Fine…" he said. "I end my turn…"

Kozaky drew a card.

"I play the Field Spell, Absolute Zero Barrier," he said.

He placed a card in his field slot, and the whole library changed, turning into a chilling ice cave. Chelsea conjured up her fire again quickly.

"What does this do?" asked Erik.

"I'll show you," said Kozaky. "I discard one card to use Cold Enchanter's effect and place an Ice Counter on your Equipped Toy Soldier."

He discarded a card, and the Toy Soldier gasped and turned a shade of blue.

"Cold Enchanter gains 300 Attack Points for each Ice Counter on the field," continued Kozaky.

Cold Enchanter rose to (1,900/1,200)

"But your Toy Soldier won't be so lucky. Because in this Field, any Monster that has one loses 500 Attack Points, and can't attack."

Toy Soldier fell to an Attack Score of 1,900.

"Cold Enchanter," ordered Kozaky, "attack one of the un-Equipped Toy Soldiers!"

Cold Enchanter cast her icy hex, and one of the weaker Toy Soldiers iced over and shattered.

"Ergh…" muttered Erik.

**(E: 6,900) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 8,000)**

"And with him gone," said Kozaky, "your Equipped one gets even weaker."

The Equipped Soldier fell to 1,100 Attack Points.

"I'm done," said Kozaky.

Erik drew a card.

"Since my Toy Soldier can't attack," he said, "I'll sacrifice him, by using Crowning of the Emperor!"

He played the card, and the Toy Soldier vanished. Toy Emperor galloped onto the field. (2,300/800) Cold Enchanter fell back to 1,600 Attack Points.

"Attack Cold Enchanter!" he shouted.

"Forget?" asked Kozaky. "She still has one Pillar left."

Cold Enchanter hid behind the remaining Pillar as Toy Emperor charged. It shattered under a swing of his sword, but she was safe.

"I set a Monster in Defense Mode, and move my last Toy Soldier to Defense Mode," said Erik.

A facedown Monster appeared, and Toy Soldier knelt and held his gun in his lap.

"I set a card facedown, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared.

"My move…" said Kozaky.

He drew a card.

"Well…" he said. "It's been fun using Cold Enchanter, but now it's time to say goodbye…

"I sacrifice her…"

Cold Enchanter vanished into grains of light…

"…to summon Mobius the Frost Monarch!"

The infamous Monarch loomed over the field. The ten-foot-tall giant made entirely of ice, wearing a blue cape. (2,400/1,000)

"I guess we all saw _that_ coming, huh?" muttered Sam.

"By a mile," replied Chelsea.

Mobius blasted its chilling breath, and Erik's facedown Forced March and Draining Shield turned to ice and shattered into bits.

"Now, wipe out his Toy Emperor!" ordered Kozaky. "Ice blight!"

Mobius breathed a cone of chilling frost, and Toy Emperor was frozen solid. He shattered into shards.

_Looks like Kozaky has Erik just where he wants him,_ thought the Goblin of Greed. _Guess Zane won't be winning those cards…_

_Which means Kozaky will be tired when I come in later and take them from him… I could probably name my price when I got back to Lower Planes if I had copies of those things…_

**(E: 6,800) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 8,000)**

"Your move…" said Kozaky, with a grin.

Erik quickly drew a card.

"All right…" said Erik. "I play Pot of Greed."

He played the card, and quickly made two draws.

He looked at them.

"All I have to do," he said, "is set one card facedown, and that's all."

A facedown card appeared.

Kozaky chuckled and drew a card.

"Mobius, wipe out his Toy Soldier!" he shouted.

Mobius breathed its blight again…

"Go, Mirror Force!" shouted Erik.

His facedown card lifted up, and the holy light washed over the field. Mobius exploded into ice crystals.

"All right!" shouted Ren. "It finally worked!"

"Mmm, unfortunate," replied Kozaky. "But at least now I can activate this…"

He played a Spell Card, and snow started to whip through the icy cavern.

"Ice Age Panic. Since I have no Monsters on the field, I get to Special Summon any Earth Monster I desire from my deck. So I can bring out my Big-Tusked Mammoth."

A Monster even bigger than Mobius lumbered onto the field. It was a giant, wooly pachyderm, with huge, curving tusks. It let out a great trumpet that shook the cavern. (2,000/1,000)

"I've seen stronger Earth Monsters," said Chelsea.

"True, but Big-Tusked Mammoth has a powerful effect," replied Zane. "None of Erik's Monsters can attack the turn they're summoned."

Erik looked at the last card in his hand. Then he drew.

"I Flip-Summon Toy Magician into Attack Mode," he said.

His facedown Monster flipped up, and Toy Magician appeared. (1,600/1,500)

"When Toy Magician is flipped, I get to destroy one Spell or Trap Card for each Toy Magician present."

The ice cave started to crack and crumble, and then collapsed into shards.

"Next, I set one card facedown, and summon Toy Wind-Up."

A facedown card appeared, and Toy-Wind-Up appeared, holding its blunderbuss. (1,000/700)

"And I end my turn."

Kozaky chuckled as he drew a card. He looked over the three cards in his hand.

"You think I'm going to fall for _that_?" he laughed. "Not one, but _two_ Monsters in Attack Mode that are weaker than my Mammoth? Your facedown card is clearly deadly.

"I'll just set one card of my own facedown, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared behind the huge elephant.

Erik quickly drew.

He looked at the card. It was Blockman.

_I'll save this guy,_ he thought.

His facedown card lifted.

"I activate Shrink!" he exclaimed.

Big-Tusked Mammoth was reduced to half its size, and an Attack Score of 1,000.

"Eh?" said Kozaky.

Toy Magician aimed his scepter at the Beast, and with a blast of energy, it was blown away.

"Now, Toy Wind-Up attacks directly! Blunderbuss blast!"

Kozaky screamed as the weapon ignited and the shell hit him.

"Now I use Wind-Up's effect to summon another one," continued Erik.

A second Wind-Up appeared. (1,000/700)

It fired another blast at the mad scientist.

"Sweet Mother McCree!" screamed Kozaky, as he was hit a second time.

In a burst of light, a third Wind-Up appeared. (1,000/700) It fired its weapon, and Kozaky fell over.

**(E: 6,800) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 4,400)**

Kozaky got up, panting for breath.

"Your move," said Erik.

"Well…" chuckled the mad scientist. "Seems I kinda sold you short…"

He drew a card. Then he played one.

"I'll summon Lord of Dragons."

He played the card, and the famous the black-cloaked, draconic Spellcaster appeared. (1,200/1,100)

"Attack one of his Toy Wind-Ups!"

Lord of Dragons put his hands together, and blasted a bolt of darkness at one of the Wind-Ups. It exploded into pieces of metal.

"That's all for me."

**(E: 6,600) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 4,400)**

"Huh?" asked Chelsea. "Erik can take that out without half-trying! What does Kozaky expect to do with it?"

"You got me," replied Zane.

Erik looked at Lord of Dragons and Kozaky's facedown card. Then he drew a card.

He looked at it.

"I activate my Trap," said Kozaky, as his facedown card lifted. "Frozen Soul. Now, since My Life Points are at least 2,000 points less than yours, you have to skip your Battle Phase."

"There's your answer," said Yumi.

"In that case," said Erik, "I'll just switch my offensive Monsters to Defense Mode, and end my turn."

Both Toy Wind-Ups and Toy Magician knelt and shielded themselves.

Kozaky drew a card.

"I play my own Pot of Greed," he said, playing it.

He made two draws. Then he grinned.

"I activate The Flute of Summoning Dragon!" he said with a laugh.

The golden flute appeared in Lord of Dragons' hand. He put it to his lips, and it let out a haunting chime.

"So… Say hello to Blizzard Dragon and Dragon Ice!"

The first Dragon that appeared was familiar. They had seen Daala use it. (1,800/1,000) The second one was more humanoid, more muscular, scalier, and had a face that looked like a skull-like mask. (1,800/2,200)

"Blizzard Dragon, attack one Toy Wind-Up!" ordered Kozaky. "Cryogenic cold wave!"

Blizzard Dragon breathed a wave of ice at the first Wind-Up, and it froze in a block of ice and shattered into bits.

"Now, my Dragon Ice attacks the last one!"

Dragon Ice breathed a similar wave, and the third Wind-Up froze and shattered.

"Lord of Dragons, destroy the last Toy Soldier!"

Lord of Dragons put his hands together and cast a dark spell. The final Toy Soldier exploded.

"Fortunately, they were in Defense Mode," said Erik.

"Fortunately," said Kozaky. "I doubt that Toy Magician is much of a threat, but I'll use Blizzard Dragon's effect anyway."

Blizzard Dragon blasted a bolt of ice at Toy Magician, and the plastic Spellcaster froze solid in a block of ice.

"Now he can't attack or even change his battle position until the end of your next turn," laughed Kozaky. "My turn is over."

Erik drew a card.

"I play Toy Memorial," he said, playing the other one. "Now, I get to draw one card for each card with the word 'Toy' in its name in my Graveyard, so long as I skip my Battle Phase. I have Toy Emperor, three Toy Soldiers and three Toy Wind-Ups"

He quickly made seven draws. He looked them over.

"I set two cards facedown," he said, "and then summon Blockman.

Two facedown cards appeared. Then, in a flash of energy, the bulky man made of Legos appeared in front of him. (1,000/1,500)

"That will be all."

The ice entrapping Toy Magician melted and crumbled into nothing.

Kozaky chuckled and drew a card.

"I sacrifice Lord of Dragons…" he said.

The Spellcaster vanished.

"To summon Frostosaurus!"

A bone-chilling wind tore through the room as a huge Monster appeared on Kozaky's side of the field. It looked a huge Apatosaurus, sculpted completely out of ice and covered with snow. It let out a hoarse roar. (2,600/1,700)

"Look at the size of that thing!" gasped Ren.

"Dragon Ice," ordered Kozaky, "attack his Blockman!"

Dragon Ice opened its jaws…

"Activate… Zero Gravity!" shouted Erik.

One of his facedown cards lifted. Toy Magician stood up into Attack Mode, while Blockman knelt and shielded itself, and Dragon Ice, Blizzard Dragon, and Frostosaurus all sat down, and curled up in Defense Mode.

"So you last another turn," said Kozaky, fitting his last card into his Disk. "I play a facedown…"

A facedown card appeared.

"Then I use Blizzard Dragon's effect on Toy Magician again."

Blizzard Dragon lifted its head, and blasted its breath, entrapping Toy Magician in a coffin of ice again.

"And I end my turn."

Erik quickly drew a card.

"I activate Blockman's effect," he said. "Since this is the second turn he's been on the field, I can sacrifice him…"

Blockman vanished into grains of light.

"…and get two Block Tokens in return."

Two Tokens that looked exactly like Blockman appeared, crouching in Defense Mode. (1,000/1,500 x2)

"Next, I sacrifice both Tokens…" he said.

The two Block Tokens vanished into grains of light.

"To summon Puppet King!"

In an explosion of energy, Puppet King appeared, looming over the field. (2,800/2,600)

"GO!" shouted Erik. "Break the ice and destroy Frostosaurus!"

Puppet King charged, and hit the huge Dinosaur with his fist. The giant creature shattered into shards of ice.

"I'm beginning to get… annoyed!" shouted Kozaky.

"It's your move…" muttered Erik.

The ice imprisoning Toy Magician crumbled again.

Kozaky drew a card.

Then he laughed. He started laughing like a lunatic.

"Uh, I think he got a good draw…" said Sam.

"That I did," chuckled Kozaky. "I just drew the star of my deck. But she needs help before I summon her…"

His facedown card lifted.

"I activate DNA Transplant. I get to name one Attribute, and every Monster on the field becomes that Attribute.

"I name… Water."

"I don't get it," replied Erik.

"You will," replied Kozaky. "I sacrifice Blizzard Dragon and Dragon Ice…"

Both Dragons shattered into shards of ice. Slowly, the shards began to take shape…

"…to summon her majesty… The Ice Queen!"

He played the card, and a powerful female figure appeared. She was beautiful, and dressed in royal raiment, but she had icy skin and hair, and radiated an aura of pure cold. She held a staff made of white crystal, with a crystalline design on the tip. She opened her eyes, and they glowed blue and cold. (2,900/2,100)

"Oh no," said Sam. "She's stronger than Puppet King!"

"True," said Kozaky. "She could defeat Puppet King. But that's not my intention. She has a potent special ability.

"Once per round, I can pay 500 Life Points, and she can take control of a Water Attribute Monster for the rest of the round. And thanks to my Trap Card, all Monsters on the field are Water."

Erik gasped.

The Ice Queen pointed her staff, and Puppet Queen looked confused. He was pulled over to Kozaky's side of the field.

"Now to business," said Kozaky. "Your majesty… Put the chill on Toy Magician!"

The Ice Queen's eyes glowed. She pointed her staff, and shot a blast of chilling vapor. Toy Magician was covered with ice and frost, just before he shattered into icy shards.

"Puppet King…" ordered Kozaky, "attack him directly!"

"Go, Fortress of Sand!" shouted Erik, as his facedown card lifted.

The huge sand castle appeared behind him, just as Puppet King lunged.

"My castle has 3,000 Life Points, and that's just enough to protect me!"

Puppet King threw a punch, and half of the castle collapsed.

"Well then," said Kozaky. "I end my turn, which means you get Puppet King back."

Puppet King appeared back on Erik's side of the field.

**(E: 5,300) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 3,900)**

Erik drew a card.

_I can't believe this!_ he thought. _Seven cards, and not a single one that can help me!_

_All I need is one card…_

"I move Puppet King to Defense Mode," he said, as Puppet King knelt and shielded himself.

"Then, I summon Card Blocker."

The small, toy soldier appeared holding his sword and shield. He quickly knelt in Defense Mode. (400/400)

"That's all," he said.

Kozaky chuckled again as he drew a card.

"I play… Pot of Avarice," he said.

He played the card, and Cold Enchanter, Lord of Dragons, Blizzard Dragon, Dragon Ice, and Mobius the Frost Monarch slipped out of his discard slot. He shuffled them into his deck, and drew twice.

"I play Tribute to the Doomed!" he laughed, playing one of them. "I'll discard one card to destroy your Card Blocker!"

He discarded the other card, and waves of energy struck Card Blocker. He shattered into shards.

"Now, I'll pay 500 Life Points again so that The Ice Queen can do her job."

The Ice Queen gestured, and Puppet King was pulled over to Kozaky's side again.

"Don't they make a cute couple?" asked Kozaky, as Puppet King moved to Attack Mode. "What's a Queen without a King, I always say…"

Erik just glared at him.

"Puppet King, tear the rest of his Fortress down!"

Puppet King lunged, and hit the remains of the sand castle with his fist. What was left of it collapsed.

"Ice Queen, attack him directly with arctic punisher!"

The Ice Queen's frigid spell blasted forward, hitting Erik. He screamed as numbing cold ripped though him.

He fell to his knees.

**(E: 3,400) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 3,400)**

"I end my turn," said Kozaky.

Puppet King reappeared on Erik's side of the field.

Erik looked up to see that Puppet King was looking down at him with a look of horror. The Duel Spirit couldn't believe what had happened.

"It's okay…" whispered Erik. "Wasn't… Wasn't your fault…"

_But I gotta do something, fast! One more round of this, and not only will I lose, Zane will lose his deck! I'll never forgive myself!_

"As Jaden would say…" he muttered, getting up, "here goes… something!"

He drew a card. He held it up to the light.

"I summon Armor Breaker!" he shouted.

In a flash of light, the small toy soldier with a huge helmet shaped like a mallet appeared. (800/800)

"Next, I remove one Spell Card from play…"

Toy Memorial slipped out of his discard slot.

"To Special Summon Spell Striker!"

The small toy wizard holding his wand appeared. He made a big smile. (600/200)

"Eh?" said Kozaky.

"Okay, boys," said Erik, "let's DO it!"

Armor Breaker leapt into the air and started to spin around. He quickly transformed into something resembling more a real mallet. Spell Striker caught it and held it aloft.

"Time to finish this!" shouted Erik. "Spell Striker, attack Kozaky directly!"

Spell Striker flew at the mad scientist swinging the mallet. Kozaky grunted as the toy Warrior hit him with it.

"Finish this?" asked Kozaky. "You barely made a dent!"

"Really?" asked Erik. "Well, when a Monster deals damage using Armor Breaker, he gets to destroy one card on the field!"

"Huh?" asked Kozaky.

Spell Striker slammed the mallet into the ground, and a tremor rocked the room. A huge crack opened in the floor. The Ice Queen screamed, just before she plummeted into the crevice.

"What have you done?" screamed Kozaky.

"I think I've just beaten you," said Erik. "Puppet King, put this guy on ice! Attack directly with Majestic Checker!"

Puppet King glared at Kozaky with an angry look.

"Uh…" gulped Kozaky, looking at the huge Warrior. "You aren't really _that_ mad at me, are you?"

Puppet King slugged the mad scientist hard in the stomach, with such force that Kozaky flew against the wall and into the bookshelf. To add insult to injury, a volume landed on his head.

"I do believe he was," said Yumi.

**(E: 3,400) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 0)**

Erik's opponent was not only out of Life Points, he was out, period. The last blow had him seeing stars and mumbling something about the square root of seven.

"Good job, Erik," said Zane. "And it looks like we've won the wager…"

He walked up to the glass case. Then he reached into his satchel and took out a studded, leather glove.

"What are we going to do with them?" asked Ren.

"I'll keep them safe until we get back to Joan," said Zane putting the glove on. "Anyone who wants them is going to have to beat me, and I didn't become Joan's second-in-command due to my good looks."

He punched through the glass case with his gloved hand, shattering it.

He carefully cleared away the glass, and then started to gather the cards.

"Joan will know what to do with these cards…"

The Goblin of Greed watched. He frowned.

_If I want them then,_ he thought, _I'll have to lift them before I confront Chelsea. Getting them off of Zane will be hard…_

_Hard, but not impossible…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala was working hard at her mainframe. She intended to punish Kozaky severely for accepting that wager once she got her hands on him, but now she had other concerns.

She was working on the program that had created the AI version of Raiden, the one that could create AI versions of video game characters.

But she had learned her lesson with Raiden. She would not use this program to give life to a hero character again.

Her next subject would not only be a villain, but a remorseless, unfeeling, unrelenting villain, one who possessed no concern for others, one who did not know the meaning of mercy, one who would not accept a surrender nor would surrender himself. One who would not give up until his prey was defeated. He would have to duel, but he would duel without emotion.

Only this type of duelist had any chance of defeating Hell Kaiser.

She hit the Run command. Slowly, an image of the creature appeared on the screen.

"Bring me Zane," she said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Nicholas and Olga sipped tea while seated on a mat on the floor. Their host wasn't as talkative as they'd have liked.

"So…" said Jade, finally speaking. "Are you two interested in classes here? We have much to offer. And very reasonable rates."

"Truthfully, Jade," said Nicholas, "it isn't your martial arts skills that interest us… It's your expertise in Duel Monsters."

Jade just looked at him.

"You used to be one of the greatest," he continued. "You were one of the finalists of the first Duelatopia, alongside Yumi's parents. You were…"

"I'm retired," she said. "I leave Duel Monsters and the heroics that come with it for the new generation.

"I've heard of you, Nicholas… You and your Six Samurai Deck… You're creating quite a stir in Kaibaland on weekends lately…"

"Yeah, and I know about your history too, Jade," said Nicholas. "Your own sensei was someone who was attempting to teach his students in the same way that they did in the Feudal Era, the same style of the real Samurai. In a way, you adapted the same traditions. The Code of Bushido. Concepts like honor and loyalty… Things that aren't thought of much today…

"And yet, as a duelist, you never used the Six Samurai, preferring to use a different class of Samurai-related cards… And I heard why you didn't…

"I heard a rumor that the Six Samurai hid a great secret. Your sensei introduced you to dueling, and he entrusted you with that secret. You didn't use the Six Samurai yourself because you didn't want to be tempted to take the secret for your own use."

Jade slowly sipped her tea.

"This secret you speak of," she said. "Let's say, for a moment, that it does exist… Perhaps a special card of some sort… Well… You certainly would expect me to protect it with all my power, would you not?"

"Sure," said Nicholas. "I realize that you can't just give it away… But I do know that great secrets tend to have ways of being earned.

"So…"

He stopped short.

She was looking at him.

She was looking at him directly in the eye.

He couldn't look away. He couldn't look away from those big, violet eyes.

What was she doing? Was it some sort of trick?

Jade finally closed her eyes, and nodded. She stood up and put her cup down.

"Wait here," she said. "I have to get dressed."

She turned and left the room.

"Get dressed?" said Olga. "Nicholas, what if she's going to get her armor and sword?"

"We run away in terror," replied Nicholas. "But… I think we may want to stick around for now…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**THE ICE QUEEN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Spellcaster/Effect  
**Attribute: **Water  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,900  
**DEF:** 2,100

**Card Description:** Once per turn, you may pay 500 Life Points to take control of one WATER Monster on your opponent's side of the field until the End Phase of the current turn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ABSOLUTE ZERO BARRIER (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image:** A man in a robe confronting a dragon in an ice cavern.

**Card Description:** Each Monster on the field loses 500 Attack Points for each "Ice Counter" on it. Monsters with at least one "Ice Counter" cannot declare an attack.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**INSTANTANEOUS FREEZING (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** A man in a heavy cloak in an icy cavern, his cloak being buffeted by winds.

**Card Description:** Negate the activation of a Spell or Trap Card and set it facedown on the owner's side of the field. That Spell or Trap cannot be activated until your third End Phase after the activation of this card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**FRIGID ICE PILLARS (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A man on a tundra approaching a yeti who is hiding behind two ice pillars.

**Card Description:** Place two "Ice Pillar Counters" on a face-up Monster on the field. When that Monster is targeted by an attack, you can remove one "Ice Pillar Counter" to negate that attack.

_Note: "The Ice Queen", "Absolute Zero Barrier". "Instantaneous Freezing", and "Frigid Ice Pillars" were first used by Alexis at various times in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" Manga. Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ICE AGE PANIC (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A blizzard over a range of icy mountains, with a beam of light falling from the sky towards the center.

**Card Description:** You may only activate this card when you have no Monsters on your side of the field. Special Summon one EARTH Monster from your deck.

_Note: "Ice Age Panic" was first used by Noah in the original anime episode "Brothers in Arms (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next…**_

_**IS Jade going to get her armor and sword? If she is, then the next chapter is probably going to be incredibly short…**_

_**All kidding aside, next chapter, Jade decides to come out of retirement, and challenges Nicholas to a battle to test to see whether her secret should stay hidden or not. But if you're expecting Jade to use her old deck, you'll be disappointed. A completely different deck has been prepared for this purpose, and the creatures in it are not nearly as nice as the ones in her old deck. All cards have a story behind them, and the Six Samurai are no different… What are they hiding?**_

"_**Reenactment" is coming soon…**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Name that Card!**_

_**When Kagemaru unleashed the Sacred Beasts for the first time, his deck had only Monster that we saw aside from the three Sacred Beasts. Can you name it?**_


	46. Reenactment

_**What was the only Monster in Kagemaru's deck other than the Sacred Beasts that we knew about? If you said "The Creator", you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**My name is Jade Valentine, daughter of Mai Valentine. I was once a great duelist, like my mother aspired to be, and also a martial artist who tried to live up to the ways of tradition set forth by my ancestors. **_

_**These days, I spend most of my time teaching martial arts. I haven't dueled in a long time. I give encouragement to the students in my dojo who are also duelists, but no advice – they are here to learn something other than card games.**_

_**But… Long ago, my own sensei entrusted me with a great secret… A secret that I would only reveal to one who held the Six Samurai and possessed the power within him to use it.**_

_**Nicholas… I looked deep into his soul… I know a few tricks. The power inside him has not yet been awakened, but there is no mistaking, it is there.**_

_**I must come out of retirement. I've been preparing for this moment for most of my life.**_

_**Once again… It is time to duel.**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Reenactment**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

In one of the Twelve Dimensions, somewhat separate from Xanadu, Freed the Matchless General was sitting in the center of an army camp that had been erected quickly, where several Warriors were being debriefed by other Warriors. He was looking over two clipboards.

"Sir!" shouted a voice, that startled him.

"What?" he said, rather annoyed.

"Did you get the clipboard?" asked the Command Knight.

"Yes, I got the clipboard!" he snapped, "and it's the exact same clipboard as the first clipboard!

"Everyone here doesn't seem to realize how serious this campaign is. We're likely going to be facing Duel Spirits who are working for Shogarr, and we're not showing enough cooperation to take on an army working for Vashtuk!"

"Vashtuk?" asked the Command Knight. "The fallen celestial who was cursed with the form of a thieving goblin after he stole from the god of joy and laughter? His army is a joke… It can't…"

She paused.

"Are we… That bad?" she asked.

"Not yet, but we're getting close," replied Freed. "Well, as the great Carthaginian general Hannibal is attributed to saying, 'We will either find a way, or make one.'

"Give me that!"

He grabbed the bullhorn she was holding and stood up.

"All right folks, listen up!" he shouted through it. "Frankly, I've seen more organized behavior from a Piranha Army in a feeding frenzy! I was hoping for more Sergeant Yorks, and less Gomer Pyles!

"Now everyone, just calm down! Everyone will be assigned by abilities and strength once we gauge them.

"Now, we're going to form three lines, and then line up alphabetically…"

"Oh, for the love of…" shouted someone in the crowd.

"Sorry, Zombyra," said Freed, "but if we don't do this with some semblance of order, we'll be no better than the forces of Chaos that we're fighting. And we don't want that…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"That door isn't locked, is it?" asked Nicholas.

"No…" said Olga, trying the knob. "So why don't we run while we have the chance? We'll go down to Domino Mall, look at weirdoes and have a milkshake…"

"What are you scared of?" asked Nicholas.

"What am I scared of?" repeated Olga. "Think about, Nicholas! This woman can break through cinderblock with her forehead!"

"Any sensei would advise against actually doing that," said Jade's voice, this time sounding a little ominous. "You could break your nose."

Then the lights in the room went out.

"Nicholas…" said Olga.

She went for the door again. And this time, it _was_ locked.

"We're trapped…" she squeaked.

Then, several candles placed in alcoves around the room lit.

Nicholas jumped when he saw Jade standing just ten paces in front of him.

She wasn't wearing her armor, but she had changed her wardrobe dramatically. She had changed out of her green kimono, and put on a black one with a red sash. Her hair was now tied in a long ponytail that hung behind her, and most shocking, her face was covered with odd designs, drawn on by what looked like charcoal.

A standard-issue Duel Disk was on her left arm.

"Jade, you're scaring me," said Nicholas.

"That's the idea, young warrior," said Jade. "It's time you learned a few things about the cards you hold, before we decide whether my secrets shall stay hidden or not."

"You want me to duel you, right?" asked Nicholas.

Jade nodded.

"But you won't be seeing Yamoto or Sashia or any of my other signature cards," she continued. "They are not appropriate for such a battle.

"Listen carefully as I tell the whole story… The story of how the cards in your deck came to be…

"On one of his frequent trips to Japan, Pegasus bought an old journal at an auction. If the dates in this journal were accurate, it was written by a powerful lord who lived around the 12th Century AD, the time when Samurai were first becoming molded into the system that they are recognized as.

"This lord detailed six knights who had pledged allegiance to him, who also happened to be brothers. These six were the most skilled, bravest, and most loyal members of his army. Pegasus would later take the descriptions of these knights and design the Six Samurai.

"But the journal also says that before they ever entered the service of this lord, these six brothers studied the arts of warfare under a mysterious sensei. The writer of the journal only refers to him as The True Master. Apparently, after teaching his students all he could, The True Master retired, and retreated to the wilderness to become a philosopher.

"Now, when they were alive, the Six Samurai and their lord had enemies. Their deadliest were a tribe of vicious Yōkai."

"Yōkai?" asked Nicholas.

"Yōkai," continued Jade. "Spirits. Goblins, demons, all manner of supernatural beings ranging from the mischievous Kitsune to the wild Tengu to the ravenous Oni. They represented the dark side of nature.

"The Six Samurai and the Yōkai tribe met in a battle that was fierce and bloody. It seemed the Samurai could not win, because their enemies regenerated themselves after they fell, coming back from the dead stronger than before.

"Finally, help came from an unexpected source. The True Master appeared on a hill above the battlefield. No-one knew where he had come from, but he had come. Apparently, he was not interested in doing anything but watching; however, the appearance of their sensei gave the brothers their second wind. One of the Six – the journal doesn't say which one – confronted the Yōkai general head-to-head, and after a long struggle, struck clean with his sword and split the beast straight down the middle, slaying it.

"The demon army fled, and the Six Samurai were victorious. They looked for their mentor, but he had left as mysteriously as he had come.

"Do you want The True Master to come again, Nicholas? Then you must face me in a duel where that great battle will be reenacted. The deck I have now contains the spirits of the Six Samurai's bloodthirsty enemies, the dreaded Yōkai army. If the Samurai are victorious again, you will be proven worthy."

"An army of evil spirits?" gasped Olga. "Jade… Are you sure?"

"All my life, I have conditioned myself for this very duel, Olga," said Jade. "Thus, when I duel using this deck, I will control these demons, and they will not control me."

"So…" muttered Nicholas. "What will this be? Some sort of Shadow Game?"

"Not quite," replied Jade. "Shadow Games draw power from the dark realm that we mortals call the Shadow Realm.

"This duel will hopefully draw power from two different sources. As far as I'm concerned, I will draw power from the unholy energy of the Yōkai.

"You will draw it from a different source, if you are truly able to. The ancestral power that is drawn from the souls of the six brothers should prove to be more than a match for the source I am channeling…

"IF… If, that is, you are truly worthy of facing my deck with it. Otherwise, the creatures you summon will be no more than holograms, and you will be overcome by the nightmares that I will summon."

Nicholas took some deep breaths. He looked hard at his deck.

He closed his eyes.

"I accept…" he said.

"Then let the battle begin…" said Jade.

**(Jade: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Nicholas: 8,000)**

"The first move is yours," said Jade.

"Be careful, Nicholas!" shouted Olga, as Nicholas made his first draw.

"Okay, here goes…" said Nicholas. "I'll summon Marauding Captain…"

He played the card, and in a flourish, the battle-worn warrior appeared, holding his twin swords. (1,200/400)

"Now I'll use his effect, to Special Summon Shien's Footsoldier in Defense Mode."

He played another card, and the small, simian Warrior appeared, sitting cross-legged with his spear in his lap. (700/300)

"I'll play a facedown, and end by playing the Continuous Spell, The Six Samurai United."

A facedown card appeared, and the Continuous Spell appeared next to it.

"Not bad," said Jade. "You managed to do much in your first turn…

"But still… You are still afraid, young warrior. Your voice was thick with fear with every card you played."

"Is that a bad thing?" asked Nicholas, nervously.

"It depends on how you show it," replied Jade. "One warrior I read about thought he was a coward because he was always afraid. Until one wise man told him that simply because he ran from danger, it didn't make him a coward. Certainly, he was confusing courage with wisdom."

"Uhm…" muttered Olga. "Isn't that… Isn't that what the Wizard of Oz told the Cowardly Lion?"

"Was the Wizard not a wise man?" asked Jade. "Still, the point is, the Lion's problem was that he was expressing his fear in the wrong way. True courage is when you're afraid, but you act anyway."

She drew a card.

"I play the Spell Card, Foolish Burial. Now, I can bury any Monster from my deck in my Graveyard."

She quickly took a card from her deck, and discarded it.

"And it will wait there until I need it. Next, a Continuous Spell Card. The powerful Card of Safe Return."

She played another Spell Card.

"Now, every time I Special Summon a Monster from my Graveyard, I get to make one draw.

"Next, I summon Gozuki."

"Who?" asked Nicholas.

A dark flame appeared on Jade's side of the field, and a bestial creature stepped out of it. It looked like a huge, muscular, humanoid bull, holding a giant, wooden hammer. It snarled in a voice that was clearly bestial. (1,700/800)

"Now I use Gozuki's effect," said Jade, taking her deck. "Once per round, I get to take one Zombie from my deck, and send it to the Graveyard."

She discarded a card.

"Why do you keep sending your Monsters to the Graveyard?" gasped Nicholas.

"Didn't you hear that part of my story?" asked Jade. "The Yōkai cannot be killed under most circumstances. If you try, they come back from the grave, and become even more powerful.

"In game terms, that means their true strength is only awakened after they've been summoned from the Graveyard. I will demonstrate.

"The Monster I just discarded is called a Mezuki. And by removing it from play, I can raise another Zombie from my Graveyard. And I'll raise the one I discarded with Foolish Burial. My Crow Tengu!"

The ground in front of her cracked, and a humanoid form burst out. It was a big, black bird with humanoid features, and arms as well as wings. It let out a loud squawk. (1,400/1,200)

"I get to draw one card," she said, as Card of Safe Return glowed. "And when Crow Tengu is Special Summoned from the Graveyard, it destroys one Monster."

She drew a card, and Crow Tengu's eyes glowed with feral light. Shien's Footsoldier burst into pixels.

"Crud," said Nicholas.

"Crow Tengu," ordered Jade, "attack Marauding Captain. Doom wind."

Crow Tengu spread its wings and took to the air. It beat its wings, releasing a fierce gale. Marauding Captain shielded himself, and then shattered.

"Gozuki…" she continued. "Attack Nicholas directly! Soul hammer!"

Steam blew from the bestial Zombie's nostrils. It lifted its hammer and charged at Nicholas.

"Activate… Draining Shield!" shouted Nicholas.

His facedown card shot up, and a sphere of energy surrounded him. Gozuki's weapon slammed into it.

_Hey…_ thought Nicholas, as he felt the tingle. _Maybe there is something to this ancestral power… I never felt more energized when I used Draining Shield before…_

_Could the actual Six Samurai be here?_

_Well… I won't know until I draw one…_

**(J: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 9,500)**

"It's your move," said Jade.

Nicholas drew a card and looked at it.

He placed it on his Disk, and a set Monster appeared.

"That'll do," he said.

"You seem more confident," said Jade, drawing.

"I activate the effect of Gozuki again."

She took a card from her deck, and discarded it.

_If she keeps pitching Monsters into her Graveyard,_ thought Olga, _she's gonna run out of them twice as fast!_

"Next," said Jade, "I'll summon a second Mezuki."

She played the card, and Nicholas was a little glad she had chosen to summon it. Now he got to see what it looked like. It was an ogre that combined the features of man and horse, wearing a ragged pair of shorts, and holding an axe. It growled, and its eyes narrowed. (1,700/800)

"Attack his Monster!" she shouted.

Mezuki snorted, and charged the facedown Monster, swinging its weapon.

Command Knight appeared on the card. She lifted up her shield and knocked the axe aside. (1,200/1,900) –) (1,600/1,900)

"Sorry, Jade," said Nicholas. "She's a little too strong for him."

"So I see," said Jade. "I set one card facedown, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared behind her three Zombies.

**(J: 7,800) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 9,500)**

"All right!" exclaimed Nicholas. "Draw!"

He drew a card. He looked at it.

It was Zanji.

_Time to find out… _he thought.

"I summon… Six Samurai Zanji!" he shouted.

He played the card, and a burst of light shot up from the space in front of him.

The armored Samurai appeared holding his naginata. He turned slightly to Nicholas.

The slight smile on Zanji's face was all the proof that Nicholas needed. Zanji turned to face the three demons. (1,800/1,300)

"With Command Knight on the field, he gains a little boost."

Zanji glowed, and rose to an Attack Score of 2,200.

"And I'll move her to Attack Mode too…"

Command Knight stood up, and drew her sword.

"And, since I summoned a Samurai, my United card gains one Bushido Counter.

"Now, I'll play Double Summon. This lets me make a second Normal Summon."

He played the card, and took another card from his hand.

"And I'll summon Spirit of the Six Samurai."

With a low moan, the haunted suit of armor appeared next to Zanji. (500/500)

"Since it counts as a Samurai, my card gains another Counter. And since it now has two Counters, I can send it to the Graveyard to draw two cards."

The United card vanished, and Nicholas drew twice.

"Next, I'll Equip the Spirit to Zanji!"

Spirit of the Six Samurai broke apart, and the armor bonded to Zanji, forming a fancier, more elaborate suit of armor. A much more powerful-looking naginata appeared in his hands. (2,700/1,800)

"All right!" shouted Nicholas. "Time to take out some demon trash! Zanji, attack her Gozuki! Rising sun strike!"

Zanji flew at the bestial Yōkai and made a slash with his weapon. It howled and shattered.

"Command Knight, turn that Tengu into a feather duster!"

Command Knight slashed at the winged Zombie with her sword. Crow Tengu made a loud screech and then exploded into black feathers.

**(J: 6,600) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 9,500)**

Jade smirked.

"Huh?" said Olga. "She's losing, and she's happy?"

"How soon you forget the nature of the Yōkai's powers, young warrior?" said Jade. "Attack them… Kill them if you think you can… Because they'll only come back, gaining strength from the grave itself…

"My move…"

She drew a card.

"I move Mezuki to Defense Mode, and then set a Monster."

Mezuki knelt, and held its axe in front of it. Then a facedown Monster appeared.

"…and my turn is complete."

Nicholas drew a card.

"I summon Six Samurai Nisashi!" he exclaimed.

A blast of wind tore through the hall, causing the candle flames to flicker. Nisashi appeared, holding his glowing katana blades. (1,400/700) –) (1,800/700)

"And since I have at least one Samurai on the field, I can Special Summon Grandmaster of the Six Samurai!"

In a burst of energy, the elderly, eyepatched sensei appeared, holding his longsword. (2,100/800) –) (2,600/800)

"Gee, Jade…" said Nicholas. "All your ominous talk and scary Monsters aside, this isn't very hard… I kinda expected more from you…"

Jade narrowed her eyes.

"Zanji… Attack her Mezuki!"

Zanji speared the Zombie with his weapon, and it burst into shards.

"I get to draw one card, due to my Spirit."

He made a draw.

"Now Nisashi attacks. And since I have another Samurai on the field, he can do so twice! Go! Strike of the Driving Gale!"

Nisashi rushed at the facedown card. A small, cute-looking fox with a flame on the tip of its tail appeared on the card, right before one slash cut it down.

"Now attack…"

"I activate my Trap Card," interrupted Jade, as her facedown card lifted.

"Huh?" said Nicholas. "A Trap? What is it?"

A gaggle of howling ghosts flew out the Trap Card, whose image depicted two specters flying out of a cave.

"Behold…" said Jade. "Haunted Shrine of Wretched Ghosts! Since I have no Monsters on the field, this lets me Special Summon a Zombie from my Graveyard."

Crow Tengu appeared again, forming a fighting stance. (1,400/1,200)

"I get to draw one card due to Card of Safe Return," she said, drawing a card. "And you remember what Crow Tengu can do when it's summoned from the Graveyard, right? I think I'll destroy Command Knight."

Crow Tengu's eyes glowed, and Command Knight screamed. She shattered into pixels. Nicholas's three other Warriors lost 400 Attack Points.

"I still can destroy it!" replied Nicholas. "Grandmaster, destroy Crow Tengu!"

The Grandmaster lifted his longsword, and made a fierce swipe. The goblin screeched again, and shattered into shards.

"And by the way, Nisashi's two attacks do NOT have to come in succession! Attack directly!"

Nisashi made a slash at Jade with his katana, and she grunted and staggered backwards.

"Hurts…" she muttered. "But I've felt worse…"

**(J: 4,500) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 9,500)**

"I end my turn," said Nicholas.

"That means the effect of my Fox Fire activates," replied Jade. "Since it was destroyed, it comes back to the field during the End Phase."

The small fox with the burning tail reappeared. (300/200)

"And Card of Safe Return activates."

She made one draw.

"Now, I'll make my normal draw."

She drew again.

"I remove my second Mezuki from play, to raise Shutendouji from my Graveyard."

Once again, the ground burst open, and a new Yōkai crawled out. This one was just as bestial as the others, with wolf-like features and a thick mane of hair. It had no weapon, but instead carried an odd jug that seemed to be made from a gourd, which had odd runes carved on it. It snarled, and saliva dripped from its fangs. (1,500/800)

"Since I summoned it from the Graveyard, its Attack Score becomes 2,000."

Shutendouji glowed with dark energy. (2,000/800)

"And I get to draw one more card due to Card of Safe Return."

She drew a card.

"Next, I Normal Summon Ittan-Momen."

She played the card, and a ghostly shape appeared next to Shutendouji. It looked like a collection of long rags, animated by some phantom force, surrounded by an aura of flames. (1,200/1,500)

"Then, since I have a Fire Monster on the field – I have two, actually – I get to Special Summon Goka, the Pyre of Malice."

She played the card, and a large, iron jar appeared on the field.

"A jar?" asked Olga.

Then flames spouted from the jar, and they solidified, turning into, for lack of better description, a ghost made of fire. It had a demonic face, and large claws made of flames. (2,200/1,900)

"Correction…" said Olga, nervously. "A jar with a Monster inside it…"

"Since I did that," continued Jade, "I have to destroy said Fire Monster…"

Ittan-Momen burst into embers.

"And, when Ittan-Momen is destroyed, one of your Monsters loses 500 Attack Points."

Zanji groaned as an aura of fire surrounded him, and his Attack Score fell to 1,800.

"But I'm not done," continued Jade. "Now, by sacrificing another Fire Monster, I can increase Goka's Attack Score by 500."

Fox Fire vanished, and Goka burned even more fiercely. (2,700/1,900)

"Goka, attack Zanji. Dark pyre."

Goka blazed with flames, and flew towards Zanji. He held up his arm, and the armor covering him shattered. His Attack Score fell to 1,300.

"Zanji survived," muttered Nicholas. "He used the Spirit as a shield."

"Maybe so," said Jade, "but are your other Samurai worth sacrificing to protect him from Shutendouji?"

The ogre breathed a gout of flames from its jowls at Zanji. Zanji groaned again, and shattered into golden triangles.

"I didn't think so," said Jade.

She placed a card in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"My move is complete," she said, "which means Goka's Attack Score returns to 2,200."

**(J: 4,500) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 7,900)**

Nicholas slowly drew. He looked at the two demons.

"You know, Jade," he muttered, "I have to say, after all these years, you haven't lost your touch…

"I summon… Six Samurai Yaichi!"

In a watery burst, the tall Samurai archer appeared, holding his bow forward. (1,300/800)

"Now he can destroy your facedown card!"

Yaichi's eyes narrowed. He drew back his bow, and fired an arrow, skewering the facedown card.

"Sorry, young warrior," said Jade, "but by destroying it, you activated it. Threatening Roar."

A loud below echoed over the room.

Nicholas paused. He looked at the last three cards in his hand.

"I set a facedown of my own," he said, "then move Nisashi to Defense Mode, and that will be all."

A facedown card appeared behind his three Warriors. Nisashi sheathed his two katana and knelt in a defensive position.

"I draw," said Jade.

She drew, and looked at the card.

"Due to Goka's other effect, I now get a Fireball Token in Defense Mode."

In a small burst of flame, a small fireball with two glowing eyes appeared next to Goka. (100/100)

"Next, I play Graceful Charity."

The Spell Card appeared, and she drew three cards. She looked them over, and then discarded two from her hand.

"Now, I play Tribute to the Doomed to destroy Nisashi."

She played the card, and discarded another one. A blast of energy hit Nisashi, and he screamed before shattering into pixels.

"Now," continued Jade, "I sacrifice my Fireball Token to increase Goka's Attack Score once again."

The Token vanished, and Goka rose to an Attack Score of 2,700 again.

"Goka, attack his Grandmaster."

Goka blazed with fire again, and flew at the Grandmaster.

"I activate… Shrink!" shouted Nicholas. "And it's gonna put out your Monster's fire!"

His facedown card flipped up, and Goka fell to an Attack Score of 1,600. Grandmaster slashed with his sword, and Goka howled before it shattered.

"Shutendouji, attack Yaichi," said Jade, as if nothing had happened.

The ogre breathed his dark flames, and Yaichi cringed before he shattered.

**(J: 4,500) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 7,200)**

"My turn isn't over," said Jade. "First, I Normal Summon Onmoraki."

She played the card, and a large bird appeared, that looked like a big crane with black feathers and a flame on its forehead. It squawked and flapped its wings. (1,200/1,000)

"Next, one of the Monsters I discarded when I played Graceful Charity is a powerful Yōkai called a Nine-Tailed Fox. If I summon it from my hand, it doesn't have any effects. But, if I sacrifice two Zombies on the field, I can summon it from the Graveyard, and it gains two powerful effects.

"So, I sacrifice Onmoraki and Shutendouji…"

The two Yōkai vanished.

"To bring Nine-Tailed Fox to the field."

The ground split open again, and another creature crawled out. It looked like a bigger, stronger version of Fox Fire, with (naturally) nine glowing tails. (2,200/2,000)

"I get to draw one card, due to Card of Safe Return…"

She made one draw, and looked at it.

"I believe I'll set it facedown…"

She placed it in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"And I'll end my turn."

_Jade's strategy seems clever on the surface,_ thought Olga. _She sends Monsters to the Graveyard and revives them to activate their powers, gaining an extra draw in the process due to Card of Safe Return…_

_But there is one weakness to this strategy… She's going through her deck twice as fast. Nicholas might be able to deck her out if this keeps up._

Nicholas drew a card.

_That's it,_ he thought.

"I summon Six Samurai Kamon!" he shouted.

In a burst of fire, the Samurai armed to the teeth with explosives appeared, a smile on his sooty face. (1,500/1,000)

"Now I use his effect," continued Nicholas, "to destroy your Card of Safe Return!"

Kamon grabbed one of his explosives, and prepared to light it.

"You make this too easy," said Jade, as her facedown card lifted. "Activate, Divine Wrath."

She discarded a card, a second Card of Safe Return, and lightning flashed. It struck Kamon, and he shattered.

Nicholas stood dumbfounded.

_Was her deck specifically built to counter the Samurai's abilities?_ he asked himself.

"I move Grandmaster to Defense Mode, set one card facedown and end my turn," he said.

Grandmaster knelt and crossed his arms, and a facedown card appeared behind him.

"Not the brightest idea," said Jade, drawing a card.

"I play Premature Burial, to raise Onmoraki from the Graveyard."

The card slipped out of her discard slot, and Onmoraki appeared again. (1,200/1,000)

"When Onmoraki is summoned from the Graveyard, I get to draw one card. And I also get to draw once due to Card of Safe Return."

She made two draws.

"Now, my Nine-Tailed Fox attacks your Grandmaster. And because of the special way in which I summoned it, when it attacks a Monster in Defense Mode, and its Attack Score is higher than the target's Defense Score, the difference is taken out of your Life Points."

"Oh no…" muttered Nicholas.

Nine-Tailed Fox breathed a scorching blast of heat. Grandmaster cringed, and was burned up.

"Now, Onmoraki attacks you directly," said Jade.

Onmoraki screeched and swooped down on Nicholas, and he screamed in pain as it dug its talons into his shoulders.

"That… that hurt!" he gasped.

Jade smirked slightly.

"I never said this would be easy, young warrior," she said. "My move is over."

**(J: 3,700) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 4,400)**

Nicholas nervously made a draw.

He played the card quickly, and the Pot of Greed appeared on his side of the field. He made two draws.

He looked at them.

"I activate Call of the Haunted!" he exclaimed, as his facedown card lifted. "I'll bring back my Grandmaster."

A wicker coffin rose to the surface on his side of the field. It opened, and Grandmaster stepped out. (2,100/800)

"Next, I summon Six Samurai Yariza."

In a blur of energy, the black-garbed, masked Samurai holding his spear appeared. (1,000/500)

"Now, a Spell Card," he continued. "It's called Union Attack. For this round only, only one of my Monsters can attack… But he gains Attack Points equal to the Attack Scores of my other Monsters."

He played the card, and Grandmaster rose to an Attack Score of 3,100.

"You forget," said Jade, with a smile, "battle damage to me is reduced to zero."

"At least I can destroy your Fox!" shouted Nicholas.

Grandmaster slashed with his longsword, and Nine-Tailed Fox exploded into a shower of embers.

"I activate its other effect," said Jade. "When it is defeated, I get two Fox Tokens in Defense Mode."

In two bursts of flame, two fiery foxes appeared on Jade's side of the field. (300/300 x2)

Nicholas looked at the last card in his hand.

"I end my turn," he said.

Jade drew a card.

"I will simply move Onmoraki to Defense Mode," she said, "and that will be all."

Onmoraki landed and shielded itself with its wings.

Nicholas drew.

_Hope this works,_ he thought, looking at it.

"I play my own Graceful Charity," he said.

He played the card, and drew three. He held the three cards up to the one that was already in his hand. The three new ones were Premature Burial, Six Samurai Irou, and Cunning of the Six Samurai.

_Perfect,_ he thought.

He discarded Irou and Cunning.

"I play Premature Burial to revive Six Samurai Irou," he said.

He fit the card in his Disk, and the blind, katana-wielding Samurai appeared. (1,700/1,200)

"Then, a Monster in Defense Mode."

He played the last card in his hand, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"All right, everyone!" he exclaimed. "Take out her Monsters!"

Yariza jabbed one of the foxes with his spear, and it burst into flaming sparks. Irou slashed at the other one with his katana, and it burst. Then Grandmaster made a swipe with his sword, cleaving Onmoraki in half.

"And that's my turn," said Nicholas, taking a deep breath.

**(J: 3,700) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 3,600)**

Jade closed her eyes. She drew a card.

"I set two cards," she said, as two facedown cards appeared.

"Then, I play Swords of Revealing Light."

She played the Spell Card, and the blizzard of swords shot forward, entrapping Nicholas and his Monsters. The concealed Monster on Nicholas's side revealed itself to be his Morphing Jar.

"Just as I thought," said Jade.

She discarded her hand, and they both drew five cards.

Jade looked at her new hand.

"I activate Shield Crush," she said, playing one of the cards.

A beam of light shot forward, and Morphing Jar was blown to dust.

"Now, I activate my two facedown cards."

The two cards she had just set lifted. They were two copies of the same card.

"Fiend's Sanctuary?" gasped Nicholas.

"That's right," said Jade. "Now I get two Metal Fiend Tokens."

Two objects that looked like stick men made out of metal beads appeared on her side of the field. (0/0 x2)

"Now, I sacrifice both of them…"

The room darkened even more as both of the tokens vanished. A low growl echoed through the room as a dark shadow rose on Jade's side of the field.

The shadow formed into a monstrous ogre, almost nine feet tall. It had red skin, clawed hands and feet, horns on its head, longer horns on its shoulders, pointed teeth, and was dressed only in a ragged breechcloth. It carried a weapon that looked like a big, metal baseball bat with small spikes on the business end. (2,800/2,100)

Nicholas stepped back in fright.

"That's him, isn't it?" he asked. "That's the Yōkai general!"

Jade nodded.

"And Akaoni has a powerful effect that I can use when it is Normal Summoned," she said, holding up the three cards in her hand. "For each card in my hand that I choose to discard, I can send one card on the field back to its owner's hand."

She quickly discarded all three of the cards. Grandmaster, Irou, and Yariza vanished, and their cards appeared in Nicholas's hand.

"Good lord…" he muttered.

"Akaoni," ordered Jade. "Attack him directly."

It was all Nicholas could do not to turn and run as the huge beast bore down on him. It struck him hard with the great club, and he hollered in pain as he was thrown backwards.

**(J: 3,700) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 800)**

Then Jade actually laughed.

"Having this duel was an excellent idea!" she laughed. "I don't even remember why I stopped dueling in the first place! It gets my blood pumping!"

_Oh, I was afraid of this,_ thought Olga. _Jade claimed she could control these cards, but very slowly, they're breaking free from her control. I don't think they like being controlled by anyone. Nicholas had better think of something fast, or they might turn the tables on her._

Nicholas got up.

"My move," he muttered.

He drew a card and looked at his hand, which, thanks to that last move, now consisted of nine cards.

_She made a powerful move,_ he thought, _but she had to toss her whole hand to do it. Still, I don't have anything that can take out that monstrosity._

He played a card, and a facedown Monster appeared. Then he fit two of his cards into his Disk, and two facedown cards appeared.

_I just have to pray that she doesn't manage to draw__ a Monster on her next turn._

"That's all I can do," he said.

"I draw one card," said Jade, drawing.

She looked at the card.

She glanced at Nicholas with a look that made his blood run cold.

She placed the card in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

_I have a feeling that that's __a Trap Card,_ he thought, _and likely a very powerful one…_

Akaoni charged at the facedown Monster. Yariza appeared on the card, and with one smash, he was blown to bits.

"Your move," said Jade.

Nicholas quickly drew a card.

His eyebrow rose.

_I got an idea,_ he thought. _All I need is one thing…_

He hit a button on his Disk.

"Before I move, Jade," he said, "I'm gonna take a look at your Graveyard…"

All the cards in Jade's Graveyard appeared in the air in front of him.

"Aha!" he said. "I had a feeling you might have had this in your deck… It certainly would have benefited you. And you discarded it at one point…"

The cards vanished.

"I play Double Spell! Now, for the cost of one Spell Card…"

He tossed one of his cards.

"…I can use that card… Card Destruction!"

The art for Double Spell changed to that for Card Destruction.

"I'll fold the rest of the cards in my hand, and draw an equal number."

He discarded his five cards, and then drew five times.

_What?_ thought Jade. _He just sent Grandmaster and Irou to the Graveyard on purpose?_

Nicholas looked at the five cards. Then he chose one, and placed it on his Disk. A set Monster appeared.

"And that's all," he said.

Jade chuckled, and drew a card.

"Time to end this," she said. "I'm going to show you the true power that the Yōkai are capable of… This might be overkill, but…"

Her facedown card lifted. It was a hideous picture that showed a mob of ghouls in a dark wood.

"The Trap Card, Night Parade of One-Hundred Demons!"

"I don't even know what it does," gasped Nicholas, "and I already know I'm not gonna like it…"

"Trust me, you won't," replied Jade. "This Trap lets me Special Summon from my Graveyard as many Zombies as I am able to. Sure, they'll all die when I end my turn, but this duel will be over before that happens."

An aura of flaming, unholy energy burned on Jade's side of the field, and a sound like the cries of a mob of tortured spirits echoed through the hall. Crow Tengu appeared first. (1,400/1,200), then Shutendouji (1,500/800) –) (2,000/800), then the Nine-Tailed Fox (2,200/2,000), and finally, Gozuki (1,700/800). The five demons' eyes glowed with evil light as they glared at Nicholas.

"I get to draw one card due to Card of Safe Return," said Jade, making a draw, "and you remember Crow Tengu's effect, right?"

Nicholas's facedown Monster shattered to pieces.

Jade pointed.

"Get him," she said.

The five Yōkai started to rush at Nicholas.

"Hold on, Jade!" he shouted. "I have a Trap of my own…"

One of his two facedown cards lifted.

"You see, you may be able to summon an army… But so can I! It's a Trap called Backs to the Wall!

"To activate this card, I have to pay all my Life Points but 100 of them. Then, I get to bring back as many Samurai as I can!"

In five flashes of light, five Samurai appeared. Zanji (1,800/1,300), Yaichi (1,300/800), Kamon (1,500/1,000), Nisashi (1,400/700), and the Grandmaster (2,100/800) appeared on Nicholas's side, all in Defense Mode.

**(J: 3,700) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 100)**

"You may have erected a shield," said Jade, "but my army will kill them all!"

The five demons started to charge again…

"Shield?" asked Nicholas. "Not on your life! They're gonna take your goons down!

"I have another Trap Card! And it's as powerful as it is hard to say…"

His other facedown card lifted.

"Go, _Fuh-Rin-Ka-Zan_!"

The Samurai quickly stood up.

"Wind! Forest! Fire! Mountain!" shouted Nicholas.

"Swift as Wind," replied Nisashi, holding aloft his blades.

"Silent as Forest," added Yaichi, drawing back his bow.

"Fierce as Fire," said Kamon, as flames appeared in his hand.

"Unmoving as Mountain," said the Grandmaster.

"Combine as one," said Zanji, as he started to glow with pure light.

The light became blinding, and the five demons howled. Then a great bolt of energy blasted towards the five Yōkai, and they screamed just before being reduced to ashes.

Jade looked in disbelief.

She chuckled.

"Not bad," she said. "But you haven't beaten me yet…"

She played one of her two cards.

"I play Monster Reborn."

In a flash of light, Akaoni appeared again on her side of the field in Attack Mode. (2,800/2,100)

The Card of Safe Return glowed, and she drew one card.

She placed it in her Disk, and it appeared facedown.

"My Monster is still stronger than any of yours," she said, "you're still trapped behind my Swords for one more turn, and you only have 100 Life Points left. What will you do?"

Nicholas looked at her.

_Good question…_ he thought.

He looked at his deck. He closed his eyes, and drew a card.

He looked at it.

"You seem to have forgot a few things, Jade," he said. "The special abilities of my Samurai.

"Yaichi, destroy her facedown card!"

Yaichi got up, and shot an arrow from his bow. Jade's Mirror Force lifted up and shattered.

"Kamon, wipe out the Swords!"

Kamon hurled one of his grenades, and the Swords of Revealing Light shattered into bits.

"Everyone else… Move into Attack Mode!"

Zanji, Nisashi, and the Grandmaster stood up.

"Finally," said Nicholas, "I play this… The A. Forces. This gives each of my Warriors 200 more Attack Points for each Warrior present."

He played the card, and all five of the Samurai glowed with energy. Grandmaster rose to 3,100 Attack Points, Zanji rose to 2,800, Nisashi to 2,400, Kamon to 2,500, and Yariza to 2,000.

Jade gasped.

"Grandmaster," ordered Nicholas, "destroy Akaoni!"

A scowl appeared on Grandmaster's face. He charged the huge ogre, and made a savage slash with his longsword. He cut right down the middle of the Yōkai general, slicing it in twain.

"Zanji… Nisashi… Attack directly and finish this duel."

Zanji and Nisashi rushed at Jade with their weapons, and she screamed as they cut into her. She collapsed on her back.

A sad moan echoed through the room as the spell of the wicked Yōkai was broken.

**(J: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 100)**

"You know…" muttered Jade, not getting up yet, "I think I just remembered _exactly_ why I stopped dueling…"

She looked up, and saw that Nicholas was offering his hand. He looked her in the face.

"You have succeeded," she said with a smile. "The brothers are victorious once again, and the demons have been sent fleeing back to the darkness where they belong…"

She slowly took a card out of her kimono.

"Thus, my secret can no longer be kept hidden… I bequeath to you the avatar… Of The True Master."

Nicholas was excited, but he knew well enough not to show it. He slowly took the card…

But he was somewhat surprised when he looked at it.

"Jade…" he said. "But… But… This card is blank!"

Jade sadly nodded.

"I gave you the card," said Jade, "now I also must tell you the rest of the story. There is a reason why The True Master left his students.

"You see, young warrior, The True Master believed all his life in a fledgling idea. It was a code… A code that stressed the importance of honor, and the superiority of Order. The concept that would one day be called Bushido.

"But eventually, he began to question this belief. He began to wonder if dishonorable creatures who served Chaos were not rewarded just as much as those who followed his ideals. There were proofs to this theory. No matter how many enemies he vanquished, more and more kept coming. He wondered if the cause he dedicated himself to had any meaning at all, and if anyone truly listened.

"Eventually, he became so cynical, he became depressed, and retired from the world of man. That is why he did nothing but watch in that great battle as his students fought.

"Young warrior, you have the card. Now, for The True Master to truly show himself, he must be convinced that his cause is worth fighting for. This card must witness a powerful battle between Order and Chaos, and Order must be victorious."

"So… I'd have to duel again?" asked Nicholas.

Jade shook her head.

"Seeing his students fight will not convince him," she replied. "He must see a triumph by beings who believe in his ideals, which are independent of him. Only then will he believe that the cause he stands for has meaning."

Nicholas paused.

He turned and looked at Olga. She slowly nodded.

"Thank you for your help, Jade," he said.

"Good luck, young warrior," she said.

Nicholas turned to Olga.

"Let's go," he said. "There's no telling when Daala will make her move."

"For all we know," said Olga, "she's already made it…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GOKA, THE PYRE OF MALICE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Zombie/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level:** 6  
**ATK:** 2,200  
**DEF:** 1,900

**Card Description:** If there is a FIRE Monster on your side of the field you can Special Summon this card from your hand. If this card is Special Summoned in this manner, destroy a FIRE Monster on your side of the field. Once per turn during your Standby Phase, you can Special Summon one ''Fireball Token'' (Pyro/Fire/Level One/ATK 100/DEF 100) to your side of the field in Defense Position. You can Tribute one FIRE Monster on you side of your field other than this one to increase the ATK of this card by 500 until the End Phase.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**AKAONI (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Zombie/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,800  
**DEF:** 2,100

**Card Description:** When this card is Normal Summoned, by sending any number of cards in your hand to the Graveyard, send the same number of cards on the field to their owners' hands.

_Note: "Goka, the Pyre of Malice" and "Akaoni" are Japanese cards that have not yet been released in the United States. Both were based on cards used by Bastion in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" Manga._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CROW TENGU (Monster Card) **

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Zombie/Effect  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,400  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description:** When this card is Special Summoned from the Graveyard, destroy one Monster on the field.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ITTAN-MOMEN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Zombie/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,200  
**DEF:** 1,500

**Card Description:** When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, decrease the ATK of one of your opponent's Monsters by 500.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SHUTENDOUJI (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Zombie/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,500  
**DEF:** 800

**Card Description:** When this card is Special Summoned from your Graveyard, its base ATK becomes 2,000.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ONMORAKI (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Zombie/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,200  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description:** When this card is Special Summoned from your Graveyard, draw one card from your deck.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**NINE-TAILED FOX (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Zombie/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level:** 6  
**ATK:** 2,200  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description:** When this card is in your Graveyard, you may Tribute two Zombie-Type Monsters that you control to Special Summon this card from your Graveyard. When this card is Special Summoned via this effect, it gains the following two effects:

- When this card battles a Defense Position Monster with a DEF lower than this card's ATK, inflict the difference as battle damage to your opponent's Life Points.

- When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon two "Fox Tokens" (Zombie/Fire/Level One/ATK 300/DEF 300) to your side of the field in Defense Position.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GOZUKI (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Zombie/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,700  
**DEF:** 800

**Card Description:** Once per turn that this card is face-up on your side of the field, you can send one Zombie-Type Monster from your deck to the Graveyard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HAUNTED SHRINE OF WRETCHED GHOSTS (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** Two ghostly spirits flying out of a cavern.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when you control no Monsters on the field. Special Summon one Zombie-Type Monster from your Graveyard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**NIGHT PARADE OF ONE-HUNDRED DEMONS (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A mob of ghoulish creatures in a dark wood.

**Card Description:** Special Summon as many Zombie-Type Monsters as possible from your Graveyard. At the End Phase of the turn, destroy all Monsters that were Special Summoned by this effect.

_Note: The proceeding eight cards were all used by Bastion at various times in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" Manga._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**You all knew it would happen. Back in Xanadu, Hiroki confronts Sam again, and she demands a rematch! The secret behind Hiroki's treachery is finally revealed, but even so, can Sam stand up to the three legendary Monsters in his deck? The outcome of this duel is one you will have to see to believe! "Ruinous Beast" is coming soon.**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Name that Card!**_

_**This special edition promo card that was printed in TCG format cannot be used legally, and was never meant to be a legal card. However, it was the model for "Ruin, Queen of Oblivion", and like that card, is a Level Eight, Light-Attribute Fairy. Can you name it?**_


	47. Ruinous Beast

_**What promo card that was never meant to be legally used was the model for Ruin? If you said "Queen of Fate – Eternia" you were successfully able to Name that Card!**_

_**I'm doing away with Name that Card to instead end each chapter with some colorful stories of important figures whom the Wind Dukes of Aaqa have opposed. In the struggle of Law versus Chaos, Yumi must always keep on her toes, for there is no telling whom Shogarr may recruit to his side.**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**He came out of nowhere. He was dressed like my uncle, and unbeknownst to me, he had stolen my uncle's cards; duplicated them, and made cheap forgeries. He challenged me to a duel, and I lost.**_

_**That was a day ago, and I consider myself very lucky. It is very likely that Daala would not have kept her word had she actually gotten the Key, and I'd be Shogarr's prisoner if Erik had not defeated Leichter.**_

_**Now, he's shown up again. I've challenged him to another duel…**_

_**But this time, there's a difference…**_

_**This time… I have a plan…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FORTY-SIX**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Ruinous Beast**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi's party was in trouble, and they knew it.

They had left the library after the short storm had apparently passed, and started to make their way towards their goal again, following Zane once more.

But half an hour later, the sky opened up, and fierce wind with snow started to come down mercilessly. The six duelists staggered against the blizzard, covering their mouths with their scarves and trudging through the thick accumulation.

"Hold up!" shouted Zane.

"What!" yelled Yumi.

"I'm no idiot!" yelled Zane. "This isn't a normal storm… Someone is causing it…"

He held his hand over his eyes, and could just make out a shadowy shape in front of and above them.

He lifted up a card.

"Seven Tools of the Bandit!" he shouted.

There was a loud snap, and the wind started to die down. The snow eased up, and then stopped all together.

Everyone looked up, and saw who it was. Hiroki was standing above them on an ice-covered rock, holding up the Trap Card, Driving Snow. It quickly shattered into particles of light.

Sam stepped forward.

"I figured it was you," she said. "How long have you been following us?"

Hiroki leapt down from the rock.

"Long enough," he replied. "I heard you had escaped, and I hate leaving things unfinished."

"Daala was never going to let me go at all, was she?" asked Sam.

"Guess we'll never know," said Hiroki with a shrug. "But she certainly won't _this_ time. Now are you gonna come quietly, or do I have to humiliate you again?"

"Oh, look at you!" sneered Sam, stepping up to him. "Mr. high and mighty! Hiroki, you think you're the king of the world, but I think differently. Know what your problem is? You have something powerful, and you're downright drunk with the power.

"You want to humiliate me again? Well, I'm certainly not going to 'go quietly', as you put it."

"Something powerful?" asked Hiroki. "It's more than just something powerful, sis. Have you forgotten that I hold the power of the Blue-Eyes White Dragons in my deck?"

"You do not!" snapped Sam. "Know how I know?"

She stared Hiroki in the face.

"When I was trapped in that soulgem, I was half-conscious, and I had a waking nightmare. The Spirits of the three real Blue-Eyes White Dragons came to me… And they were crying their eyes out, because three imposters pretending to be them had hurt their master's niece!

"It took a lot of gentle talking and reassuring just to calm them down, and I finally convinced them that I'd erase this stain. Fix this injustice."

"Sam…" said Yumi, in a cautious tone, "maybe you'd better not…"

"Why?" asked Sam, angrily. "Why, Yumi? So you can duel him? So the epic battle between Dark Magician and Blue-Eyes can happen again? You think that only a Mouto is capable of beating that deck, is that the reason? Well, that may have been true in the past, but I swear on Seto Kaiba's good name that I'm going to be the first duelist without Mouto blood to do it!"

She took her deck out of its holder, and loaded it into her Disk.

"And by the way, Hiroki…" she said, "I've changed a few cards in my own deck since we met last time…

"Know what one of the cards is? It's the card you gave me for my birthday!"

"Huh?" said Hiroki, somewhat surprised.

Hiroki heard Daala's voice in his head.

_Don't worry, Hiroki,_ she said. _I can see her plan clearly. She thinks that if you see that card, you'll suddenly snap out of it and come to your senses. I think it's a pathetic plan._

_In fact, I'll send you something to make her fall flat on her face._

Hiroki's deck glowed as a card was shuffled into it. He grinned.

"Thank you, milady," he whispered.

"Why not go for the gusto, sis?" asked Hiroki. "Let's use Deck Lords this time."

"Fine with me," said Sam.

In a flourish, Gors appeared behind her.

"And mine is the Lord of Dragons!" exclaimed Hiroki.

In another flourish, the caped, black-garbed Spellcaster with a helmet shaped like a dragon's claw appeared behind him.

"Let's hope this turns out better than it did last time," muttered Ren.

"Good luck, sis," chuckled Hiroki. "Frankly, I think you're gonna need it."

Both Disks activated.

"Game on!" they both shouted.

**(Sam: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Hiroki: 8,000)**

"I'll make the first move…" said Hiroki, drawing a card.

"I summon Sangan."

The three-eyed, spherical Fiend appeared. (1,000/600)

"That's all for now."

Sam slowly drew a card.

"I summon… My Mad Archfiend," she said.

She played the card, and in a burst of energy, a very savage looking Fiend appeared. It had thin, gangly limbs, attached to a torso that looked like a set of bestial mandibles with a skull inside them, and two more jawbones as shoulder pads. It had a hideous face below a mane of bright red hair. It snarled in rage. (1,800/0)

"Whoa," said Chelsea. "That guy _does_ look pretty mad."

"And it's about to take its anger out on your Sangan!" exclaimed Sam.

Mad Archfiend rushed at the critter, and with one swipe of its claw, tore it in half.

**(S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 7,200)**

"I use Sangan's effect," said Hiroki, taking his deck. "I get to..."

"I know how it works!" snapped Sam. "I took Dueling 101! You get to take a Monster with 1,500 Attack Points or less from your deck! So do it already!"

Hiroki took Kaibaman from his deck and looked at it.

"I'll end with one facedown card," said Sam.

A facedown card appeared behind Mad Archfiend.

Hiroki drew a card.

"So you have a new Monster," he said. "I have all I need right here.

"I use my Deck Lord ability! During my Standby Phase, if I don't have a Dragon on the field, I can pull one from my deck."

He took a card from his deck and held it up. It was Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

"Like this one!

"Now, I'll summon Kaibaman!"

He played the card, and the heroic version of Seto Kaiba appeared. (200/700)

"Trap Card, activate," said Sam, as her facedown card lifted.

"Huh?" said Hiroki.

"Thousand Buster," continued Sam. "I pay 1,000 Life Points… Then, all Monsters that are in Attack Mode with 1,000 Attack Points or less, and all Monsters in Defense Mode with 1,000 Defense Points or less, are destroyed."

"But that means…" gasped Hiroki.

"My Mad Archfiend is safe," replied Sam, "because it's in Attack Mode with 1,800 Attack Points. But your Monster won't be so lucky. I'm not letting you summon Blue-Eyes that easily."

Kaibaman exploded into shards.

Sam bowed her head, and a tear fell down her cheek.

"Uncle Seto, I'm sorry…" she muttered. "I… I didn't have a choice…"

She looked up.

"Thousand Buster also causes us both to lose 1,000 Life Points!"

Hiroki groaned as they were both surrounded by an aura of red energy.

**(S: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 6,200)**

"Fine," said Hiroki. "So you managed to form somewhat of a strategy this time…

"I have to end my turn."

"All right!" shouted Erik. "Sam has a free shot at him!"

Sam quickly drew a card.

"I activate Pot of Greed," she said.

She played the card, and the green jar appeared. She drew twice.

"Now I summon Gil Garth!" she shouted.

In a dark flame, Gil Garth appeared next to Mad Archfiend. (1,800/1,200)

"Mad Archfiend, attack him directly! Bone splash!"

Mad Archfiend snarled, and drooled at the mouth. It rushed at Hiroki, and raked at him with its claws. Hiroki took a step backwards.

"Gil Garth, your turn!"

Gil Garth gripped its scimitar with both hands, and rushed at Hiroki, slashing at him with the blade. Hiroki toppled over.

**(S: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 3,000)**

Two facedown cards appeared behind her two Fiends.

"I'll set these, and then it's your move."

"She's actually winning!" gasped Erik.

"Don't jinx it," said Chelsea.

Hiroki frowned as he drew.

"I play the Spell Card, Trade-In," he said. "Now, by tossing a Level Eight Monster from my hand, I get to draw twice."

He discarded the Blue-Eyes, and then made two draws.

"Now, I play Monster Reborn."

The holy ankh appeared in front of him.

"To summon… Oh, c'mon… You know who it is…"

The Blue-Eyes White Dragon loomed over the field. (3,000/2,500)

"Attack that ugly Mad Archfiend!" shouted Hiroki. "White Lightning!"

Blue-Eyes opened its jaws, and a sphere of energy appeared in them…

"I activate Mad Archfiend's effect!" shouted Sam. "When it's attacked while in Attack Mode, it gets to retreat into Defense Mode."

Mad Archfiend quickly knelt down, and crossed its arms over its chest. Blue-Eyes's bolt of energy blasted and struck it, blowing it to particles.

_Darn…_ thought Hiroki. _I really need to study up on the new stuff more…_

"It's your move," he said.

Sam drew a card.

"I'll just move Gil Garth to Defense Mode, and that will be all," she said.

Gil Garth knelt, and shielded itself.

Hiroki drew again.

"I'm gonna finish you off!" he shouted. "I play the Spell Card, Cost Down. So I toss one card…"

He discarded his Different Dimension Dragon.

"And the Levels of all Monsters in my hand are downgraded two places. So my second Blue-Eyes is transformed from Level Eight, to Level Six."

"You still need one sacrifice to summon it," added Ren, "and you have none. I mean, it would be really dumb to sacrifice the Blue-Eyes on the field for a second one."

"I don't think he'd play Cost Down unless he already had one," said Zane.

"That's right," replied Hiroki, "I play Fiend's Sanctuary!"

He played the card, and a Metal Fiend Token appeared on his side of the field. (0/0)

"Now, I'll sacrifice it…"

The Token vanished.

"And now I have two Blue-Eyes!"

A second Blue-Eyes appeared next to the first. It roared. (3,000/2,500)

"Now to clear away your Monster… I play Lightning Vortex!"

He played the card, and discarded another. Thunder flashed, and bolt fell from the blue, atomizing Gil Garth.

"NO!" screamed Erik. "It can't be happening again!"

"It is!" shouted Hiroki. "First Blue-Eyes, attack her directly!"

The first Blue-Eyes roared, and fired its lethal White Lightning towards Sam…

"Go, Draining Shield!" she shouted, as one of her facedown cards lifted.

Hiroki snarled with anger as a dome of force formed around Sam, and the blast was absorbed into it.

"What your Trap Card gave you, my other Blue-Eyes will take away!" he yelled. "Direct attack!"

The second Blue-Eyes breathed its mighty breath, and this time, it met no objection. Sam screamed as it hit her.

She fell on one knee. She held her stomach and took some deep, gasping breaths.

**(S: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 3,000)**

"I guess that time, it was no harm, no foul, huh sis?" asked Hiroki.

"Not quite," gasped Sam. "I wanted you to attack me… Because I have another Trap…"

Her second facedown card lifted.

"It's called Damage Condenser! Now, I toss one card…"

She discarded her Skull Knight #2. A huge electrical generator sparking with energy rose up behind her.

"…and I get to Special Summon any Monster from my deck I want, so long as its Attack Score isn't greater than the amount of damage I just took. I took 3,000 points of damage, so pretty much any Monster in my deck that doesn't have specific summoning requirements qualifies!"

A bonfire of dark flames appeared on the field, and Dark Ruler Ha Des appeared with an angry leer. (2,450/1,600)

Hiroki glared at Sam in anger.

He looked at the last card in his hand.

"I'll set this facedown," he said, "and end my turn…"

The card appeared facedown.

Sam quickly drew the top card off of her deck.

"I activate… Shadow Spell!" shouted Hiroki.

His facedown card lifted up, and chains sprouted from the ground, latching onto Ha Des's wrists and waist. His Attack Score fell to 1,750.

"So much for your Dark Ruler," he said.

"Don't count your chickens yet," said Sam. "This just means I get a chance to use my new Deck Lord power.

"You see, thanks to Nezbitt, I was able to swap Gors's powers for a Greater Power. It's called Wrath of Ha Des.

"Once per duel, when Ha Des is on the field, I can toss two cards from my hand…"

She discarded her Bistro Butcher and Premature Burial.

"And Ha Des can destroy every card on the field except himself."

"Hey!" shouted Hiroki. "Hold on! Wait a minute!"

Ha Des roared with rage, and tore free of the chains. He formed a huge fireball in his hands, and then slammed it to the ground…

The two Blue-Eyes roared as flames surrounded them, and they shattered into shards.

"Unbelievable…" said Zane.

"Fortunately for you," continued Sam, "I can't attack on the round where I do that. But I can still summon Winged Minion."

She played her last card, and the nasty, winged imp appeared. (700/700)

"Now, I sacrifice it, to boost Ha Des."

Winged Minion vanished, and Ha Des rose to (3,150/2,300)

"And my turn is over."

Hiroki seethed with anger.

He drew a card.

"I use my Deck Lord effect again," he said.

He pulled a card out of his deck.

He played the card, and the card he had drawn, and a facedown Monster and a facedown card appeared in front of him.

"That's all I can do…"

Sam drew a card and looked at it.

"I set a Monster in Defense Mode," she said, as a facedown Monster appeared.

"Then I attack with Ha Des! Stygian blast!"

Ha Des formed a ball of dark, crackling energy in his hands, and threw it. The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave appeared on the card, and was blown to pieces.

"Your move," said Sam.

Hiroki drew.

He looked at the card he had just drawn. Then he looked at Sam's facedown Monster, and then looked at the card he had drawn again.

_If that facedown Monster is what I think it is,_ he thought, _this setup is perfect…_

He fit the card into his Disk. It appeared facedown.

"I set this," he said. "Then I use my Deck Lord ability."

Lord of Dragons glowed with energy, and a card slipped out of his deck. He held up the third Blue-Eyes card.

"Now, I activate my Trap Card…"

The facedown card he had set last turn lifted up.

"Birthright. Now I get to bring a Normal Monster back from my Graveyard. Guess who it is…"

With a bellow, the Blue-Eyes appeared again. (3,000/2,500)

"Ha Des is still stronger!" shouted Sam.

"He isn't my target," replied Hiroki. "Blue-Eyes, attack her facedown Monster!"

Blue-Eyes blasted its White Lightning at the hidden Monster. Morphing Jar appeared on the card, and was blown to nothing.

"Just as I suspected," said Hiroki.

He discarded the Dragon, and then drew five cards. Sam also drew five cards.

"Wait…" said Chelsea. "Why would he search for his third Blue-Eyes… If he expected that card to be Morphing Jar? Why would he _want_ to discard it?"

"I have a pretty good idea…" said Zane.

"That's right," said Hiroki.

The card he had set lifted up.

"I activate Dragon's Mirror!" he shouted.

Lightning flashed, and wind started to tear through the tundra.

"I remove from play this Blue-Eyes on the field, and the two in my Graveyard…"

Lightning flashed again as the huge Dragon vanished.

"Come forth… _Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!_"

Sam stepped back in fear as the huge, winged, three-headed titan that she thought she would never see loomed over the field behind Hiroki. It was just as big as the F.G.D., and like that Dragon, seemed bigger than life. It roared with three voices, shaking the whole terrain, and its six eyes glowed with pure light. (4,500/3,800)

"Sam, you'd better have a plan for this too!" shouted Erik, trying hard to be heard over the noise.

"Don't count on it," said Hiroki. "Fortunately for her, my Battle Phase is over, so I'll set a card facedown, and anticipate my next turn."

A facedown card appeared in a flash of light.

Sam's hand shook as she drew a card.

She looked at it.

_Okay, here goes…_ she thought. _It all comes down to this…_

_Please… Don't let me be wrong…_

"You think I'm scared of that, Hiroki?" she asked, nervously. "So it's big… Big deal, I say. The bigger they are, the harder they fall, don't you know…

"Know what card I just drew? I just drew the card you gave me for my birthday. Isn't that a coincidence?

"But… I don't think I'll play it just now…

"Instead, I'll move Ha Des to Defense Mode, set someone else in Defense Mode, and end my turn."

Ha Des knelt and crossed his arms. Then a facedown Monster appeared next to him.

Hiroki glanced at his hand, and smiled inwardly.

He drew a card.

_Perfect!_ he thought. _I have the cards I need for the perfect combo!_

_Burial From a Different Dimension, and De-Fusion! The first one will return my three ordinary Blue-Eyes to my Graveyard, and the second will let me swap my Ultimate Dragon for all three of them… And I can activate De-Fusion in the middle of my Battle Phase. This will bring this duel to an explosive end…_

He took another card in his hand.

_But first… I'm going to use the card that Daala sent me to show Sam what I think of her feeble attempt…_

"All right, sis!" he shouted, playing a Spell Card. "Telling me that card was in your hand the stupidest thing you ever did! I play… D.D. Designator!"

"NO!" screamed Yumi.

"Now, I get to name any card I can think of," continued Hiroki, "and if it's in your hand, it's removed from play!

"I name… Spear Cretin!"

There was a dead silence for a minute.

Sam breathed a sigh of relief. Then she started to chuckle softly.

"What?" said Hiroki. "Mind letting me in on the joke?"

"That's exactly what I wanted you to do," she said with a another sigh of relief. "I wasn't wrong after all…"

She turned her hand of cards forward.

"As you can see, Hiroki, if that's truly who you are, Spear Cretin is not here. Nor is it anywhere in my deck."

Hiroki gasped.

"You lied!" he shouted.

"No," said Sam, with an angry look. "I told the God-honest truth. YOU are the liar, you imposter."

"Imposter?" asked Erik. "Sam… What…"

"I'll explain," started Sam. "Two months ago, when it was my eighteenth birthday, my mom made the mistake of letting her public relations man plan the festivities.

"Well, the jerk turned the event into a media circus, with more emphasis on PR for Kaibacorp than the celebrating of my birthday. Most of the folks on the guest list were members of Domino's trendy crowd who I didn't even know, and they didn't come for any purpose except trying to influence my mother on behalf of their own companies. One idiot called me Shania and made a very inappropriate pass at me. Well, the next week, mom was looking for a new PR man.

"Hiroki was invited, using an assumed name so as not to cause any scandals for mom. Once he got wind of the situation, he put the present he had brought for me away, then took a Spear Cretin out of his own deck that he had brought. A cheap card that any duelist could have gotten. He had tried hard to build a good deck, and was going to ask me for advice later. When the time for exchanging of gifts came, he passed it off as his gift to me.

"Now, I have no doubt that Daala probably had a spy at that party. She was likely studying me at the time, along with the rest of us. So she told you that Spear Cretin was Hiroki's present.

"But… Whatever spy she had sent couldn't have been watching hours later, when mom had finally gotten rid of all the guests, and Hiroki gave me his real present.

"You see… I didn't put Hiroki's present in my deck to convince you that you that I cared. I put it in my deck because I simply knew, deep down, that you were never Hiroki to begin with. I put it there to expose you!

"And since you played D.D. Designator and guessed wrong, you lose a card from _your_ hand!"

A slash of energy made a swipe across the duelist's hand of cards. He gasped as the Burial From a Different Dimension card vanished.

"Not that one!" he screamed.

He dropped his cards and fell on his knees. He started writhing and groaning.

And then he vanished, leaving behind only the cards and the Duel Disk.

"Is it over?" asked Ren. "Does this mean that Sam wins?"

The Lord of Dragons' eyes glowed.

"No…" said Zane. "I have a feeling it may just be starting…"

The Spellcaster stepped forward. He picked up the cards, and then slipped the Duel Disk on his own arm.

"I had a feeling it was probably you," growled Sam. "I figured there were only two Duel Spirits in existence capable of using imitation Blue-Eyes, and I didn't think that Kaibaman would have betrayed me.

"I have to ask… Why?"

"Why do you think, Samantha?" asked Lord of Dragons. "I've hated you and your mother with a passion. I never forgave Siegfried either. His last act was to give his three Dragons to the family of Kaiba's hated rival!"

"My father was Siegfried's _friend_, pal," said Yumi, "as well as his closest ally! Sure, they were rivals, but they weren't nasty about it."

"You and your mother disgust me," said Lord of Dragons, pointing to Sam. "Neither of you have even _tried_ to contest that portion of the will, and gain freedom for those three Dragons. They're prisoners in that cold museum, while Kaiba's heir does nothing to help them!

"The heir of Seto Kaiba shouldn't be using a Fiend Deck. She should be using the cards that are associated with the Kaiba name. The only solution to this travesty now is to kill the family line before it can be embarrassed further."

"To think that my uncle always had room for you in his deck…" said Sam, shaking her head. "You think I'm a disgrace? Then prove it… Let's end this!"

"Gladly!" shouted the Lord of Dragons. "It's still my move!"

Lightning flashed.

**(Sam: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Lord of Dragons: 3,000)**

The Lord of Dragons took a card from his hand.

"I summon Luster Dragon!" he shouted.

In an explosion of energy, the beautiful, sapphire Dragon appeared. (1,900/1,600)

"Now, I activate my facedown card… Dragon's Rage!"

His facedown card lifted.

"This Continuous Trap gives all of my Dragons a trampling effect, giving you nowhere left to hide.

"Luster Dragon, attack her facedown Monster! Sapphire spark!"

Luster Dragon breathed a blast of blue energy at the facedown Monster. Opticlops appeared on the card, and exploded. Sam sweat a little.

"Blue-Eyes… Destroy her Dark Ruler with Neuron Blast!"

Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon roared, and a burning blast of pure energy shot at Dark Ruler Ha Des. He exploded, and Sam was thrown off her feet.

**(S: 3,600) - - - - - - - - - - (LoD: 3,000)**

"I may not have been able to finish her this round," he mumbled, "but maybe it was for the better. Seeing her sweat through another round might make it worth it. Daala will be so pleased, she'll…"

He stopped short.

"Hey, wait a minute…" he muttered. "Who needs Daala? I've got the best deck in Xanadu… Once I take down Sam, I'll take her down too… Then I'll crush Joan and the rebellion myself… No-one will stop me!"

"Uhm, hello?" said Sam. "Are you gonna end your turn sometime this decade?"

"Your move," he said.

Sam quickly drew a card.

She threw two cards into her Disk, and two cards appeared facedown.

"Your move," she said.

Lord of Dragons laughed as he drew a card.

"I sacrifice Luster Dragon," he said, "for the stronger Luster Dragon #2!"

Luster Dragon vanished, and the larger, emerald Dragon appeared. (2,400/1,400)

"Luster Dragon… Attack her directly!"

Luster Dragon breathed a stream of green flames. Sam cringed in pain as they hit her in the chest.

**(S: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (LoD: 3,000)**

"SAM!" screamed Erik. "NOOOO!"

"You're through!" shouted Lord of Dragons. "Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, finish her off!"

The great, three-headed beast roared. Flaming energy appeared in all three of its mouths.

"I activate… Call of the Haunted!" shouted Sam.

One of her facedown cards flipped up, and Mad Archfiend appeared in an explosion of soot and smoke. (1,800/0)

"As if that will save you!" laughed Lord of Dragons.

Three streams of energy blasted towards the Archfiend…

"I activate my other Trap!" screamed Sam. "And guess what, you imposter? This is Hiroki's _real_ present!

"Hate Buster!"

"Hate Buster?" gasped Zane, in surprise.

"You've heard of it?" asked Yumi.

"A player can activate it when one of his Fiends is attacked," said Zane. "Both the Fiend and the attacking Monster are destroyed…

"But… The controller of the attacking Monster is worse off, because he takes damage equal to his Monster's Attack Score!"

Mad Archfiend let out a savage roar. Flames surrounded it, and it started to burn like a bonfire. It leapt off of its feet, and flew at the colossal Dragon like a guided missile.

Lord of Dragons dropped his cards and let out a bloodcurdling scream. Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon bellowed from all three of its mouths, right before it erupted in an explosion that lit up the whole landscape.

**(S: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (LoD: 0)**

When everyone looked, the Spellcaster was down on one knee in a very large puddle of melted snow, and Sam was standing, albeit with her hair unkempt, and her face covered with soot.

"Whoa…" said Sam. "I hope I don't ever have to do _that_ again…"

Erik ran up to her, and grabbed her, giving her the biggest hug he could.

"Easy, baby, easy," said Sam.

And then they were surprised, as a chain dropped out of the sky, and latched onto Lord of Dragons' wrist. He was yanked up.

They all looked up, and saw that he was being towed. Daala was mounted on one of her Manticores of Darkness, and had snagged him.

"We need to chat, Lord of Dragons!" she snapped.

They were out of sight before any of them could do anything.

"That was great, baby," said Erik. "He had me fooled… But he never fooled you! Beautiful _and_ smart! What more can a guy ask for?"

Sam took the Hate Buster card out of her Disk and looked at it.

_Truthfully,_ she thought, _I wasn't a hundred percent sure. Maybe I should have been more sure. Still, I was still willing to bet a great deal on the likelihood that he was a fake… Hiroki is still my brother, after all is said and done. Maybe once I finally get home, I'll give him a call._

"That was great, Sam," said Yumi.

"Yumi…" said Sam. "He was a jerk, I know… I may have beaten him, but… Just for the sake of argument, do you think he might have had a point? Do you think I might be more loyal to the Kaiba name if somehow, I was able to use his deck?"

"You want my honest opinion?" asked Yumi.

"Lay it on me," replied Sam.

"I think," said Yumi, "that the only duelist who was ever able to properly use those three Dragons was Seto Kaiba himself. He was bonded to their spirits in a way that is difficult, if not impossible, to pass to someone else. If you believe the story, when he was Priest Seto in a former life, the spirit of the Blue-Eyes was bonded to him by his beloved. In other words, they were Kaiba's Monsters, and they wouldn't easily adjust to anyone else, even an heir.

"Sure, Siegfried used them, but I think they were loyal to him because he was fulfilling his uncle's mission, the mission to protect the Mandate of Heaven. In a sense, while Siegfried used them, they still belonged to Seto.

"So Sam… I do not think that your uncle would think any less of you for not using his cards. He was a duelist, after all… He understood that every duelist has to find his own calling."

Sam nodded.

She looked at the Hate Buster card again.

"Thank you, Hiroki," she whispered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Hiroshima was a smaller city than Domino, but still quite large. Having the dubious distinction of being the target of one of the atomic attacks during World War II had given it a few of its more popular attractions, such as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and the accompanying museum. The Hiroshima Peace Institute, established at the city's university, was one of the strongest voices in the world for the abolishment of nuclear weapons.

Duel Monsters was only a casual pastime here, not at all like its popularity in Domino. And for the real Hiroki Ishiyama, it was the farthest thing on his mind right now. Like any good second-year high-school student, he was hard at work in his room in his father's penthouse apartment, working on a trigonometry assignment.

At this moment, he paused. He started writing again, and his pencil broke.

He looked at the pencil.

"Sam?" he said, out loud.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala was reclining on her couch, casually petting her pet Catnipped Kitty, while Lord of Dragons nervously stood before her.

"Don't feel too bad, Lord of Dragons," said Daala. "Things didn't turn out too bad…"

She put down the cat and sat up.

"After all," she said, slipping her Duel Disk on her arm, "I'm certain that if you had won, you would have tried to seize power for yourself!"

"N-no!" gasped Lord of Dragons. "No! Honest milady… The thought never crossed my mind!"

"I see…" said Daala, calming down a little.

She reclined back on the couch again.

"Well, in that case, you're free to go."

Lord of Dragons' eyes lit up.

"Really?" he said with a smile.

Daala's Disk activated.

"IF you can reach the door!" she added.

Lord of Dragons heard a growl behind him. He slowly turned around.

He backed up, as the three fake Blue-Eyes White Dragons loomed over him.

Daala smiled. This was going to be amusing…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Near Kozaky's library, a lone figure ran across the tundra.

The cold didn't bother him at all, and he ran faster than any human could likely manage, at a tireless pace.

He was single-minded in his pursuit. Only one thing was on his mind.

He paused at the library and looked around. His quarry had passed this way. He could tell. He quickly resumed his chase.

He only had one goal. What he would do if he ever succeeded, he didn't know, nor had he even taken the time to consider it. The one who had sent him had put it plainly…

Find Zane Truesdale… Defeat him.

It was as simple as that…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MAD ARCHFIEND (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description:** When this card attacks a Defense Position Monster with an ATK higher than the attack target's DEF, inflict the difference in battle damage to your opponent's Life Points. When this card is the target of an attack while in Attack Position, switch it to face-up Defense Position.

_Note: This card was released in Japan in the "Crossroads of Chaos" set (English release date unknown). The name "Mad Archfiend" is an educated guess to a possible TCG name. (The original name is "Mad Demon".)_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lord of Dragons' Deck Lord:** "Dragon Summoner": Once per round, if you do not control a Dragon-Type Monster you can take one Dragon-Type Monster from your deck and add it to your hand: (Greater Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Sam's Deck Lord: "Messenger of Hades – Gors":** "Wrath of Dark Ruler": Once per duel, when you have a "Dark Ruler Ha Des" face-up on your side of the field, you can discard two cards from your hand to destroy all cards on the field except "Dark Ruler Ha Des". You cannot declare an attack on a round in which you use this effect. (Greater Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lords of Chaos**

**The Story of Vashtuk, the Laughing Demon**

Chapter thirty-seven of _The Demonicon_, a treatise written as a collective effort by sages among the Wind Dukes of Aaqa, is devoted to information on one entity of Chaos. The first part of the chapter details the following version of his origins, which is believed to be the most likely.

Most think that the Seven Deadly Sins of Man were creations of devils, and are thus tools of Law. That may or may be true, but these traits are often exhibited by chaotic forces as well, as shown by the tale of Vashtuk.

He was once a minor noble among the celestial hosts, and a high-ranking servant of the god of laughter, joy, and riches. He did his job well and without complaining for many centuries.

But as time passed, Vashtuk became too enamored of his lords many riches and trinkets – the fine jewelry and carved golden bric-a-brac that adorned the halls of the celestial palace. At last, he became obsessed with one belonging in particular: a golden, bejeweled drinking cup.

Vashtuk said to himself, "It is only the smallest of things, this little cup – he shall never miss it." And so he took it for his own.

But Vashtuk had not known that this cup was a gift to his lord from his lord's sister, the goddess of love and beauty. Indeed, it was a reflection of her fairness captured in the gold of the cup that had made him so obsessed.

One day, when the goddess came to visit her brother, they chose to have wine, and she asked why he did not drink from the cup she had given him. When it could not be found, she became angry, convinced that he had given it to a goddess who he had been wooing. She left in a fury… And the lord became enraged. It did not take him long to discover the true cause of its absence.

Vashtuk was brought before his lord, and the god of laughter said, "If you will steal trinkets and skulk about at the heels like some miserable goblin, then a miserable goblin you will be! By this mark, you will have me to remember my by. The greater your misery, the more forcefully you will laugh at the poverty of your existence. For laughter is my gift, and you shall have it until you choke!"

And so it was. And Vashtuk was cast into the Abyss.

He was turned into the likeness of a goblin, and since then, he has made due, possessing greater powers that are twisted versions of those he possessed as a celestial being. He draws goblins under his wing, often convincing them that he is one of them, sometimes even convincing them that he is a god of their kind. Still sick with greed, and possessing it at a more pronounced level, he encourages his followers to steal and con others out of their purses, so as to accumulate wealth. Possibly, he hopes to buy his way back into Heaven with his ill-gotten gains, not realizing that his thieving ways have become too ingrained for him ever to stop, and that he is now as much a force of Chaos as any other demon lord…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**The next duelist that the heroes encounter has a way with words – he just doesn't use them that much. Daala's video game assassin strikes, and he's not nearly as nice as Raiden was. Of course, his target is Zane, who isn't known for being nice either. What villain from the world of computer games could possibly be a match for Hell Kaiser? Giving the title of the next chapter here would likely give it away, so suffice to say, be here soon…**_


	48. Relentless

_Author's note:_

_Zane is the star of this chapter. Now, as of September 1__st__, one of his favorite cards, Cyber Dragon, is Limited in the actual game. There is a good reason for this: A Level Five Monster that can be Special Summoned so easily makes Synchro Summoning too easy. _

_However, in my fanfic world, as you know, Synchro Monsters are incredibly rare. Thus, I am keeping with anime rules in this case, and making Cyber Dragon an Unlimited card._

_Just thought I'd let everyone know that._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**As one of the AI programs in Joan's army, I have two separate sets of memories. Sometimes even I find it hard to tell them apart, as much as I try.**_

_**The first set is the memories belonging to the human who was used as the model for my programming. They were present when I first appeared in Xanadu. I remember all aspects of Zane Truesdale's life, up to a certain point.**_

_**The second set is the memories of my true experiences, those that actually happened to me since I was programmed.**_

_**In both sets of memories, I recall facing a lot of bizarre enemies, not all of them human. But this one… This one beats all. For one thing, he looks like he literally fell off the ugly tree and hit every ugly branch on the way down.**_

_**If what Yumi says about his origins is right, this creature cannot be reasoned with. Trying to would be a waste of time. In the video game where he came from, his purpose was to hunt down his targets and kill them. Joan's dictum is probably the only reason he has to duel me.**_

_**Besides…**_

_**I really don't feel like reasoning with him anyway. This freak just got on my bad side, and I like to think I can handle him just as well as any special forces police unit…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Relentless**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The creature poked his head over an icy hill, and saw the six duelists walking on a frozen plain below.

"Mmm…" he grunted.

Not knowing he was watching, Zane looked back and forth.

"Trouble, Zane?" asked Yumi.

"Something's about," muttered Zane. "I can't exactly put my finger on it… But I wouldn't drop my guard if I were you…"

Then they were startled by several loud squawkings. Five Sonic Ducks were rushing towards them

"Look out!" shouted Ren. "It's a box of quackers!"

"Very funny!" shouted Chelsea.

To their surprise, the Sonic Ducks just rushed right past them, paying them no heed.

Then they all took a step backwards, as they saw the much bigger Duel Spirit who was chasing them.

It was clearly a Dragon, standing twenty feet high. Its hide was covered with metal armor, all of which was covered with spikes, blades, and drills.

"The Armed Dragon!" shouted Zane.

"Figures," said Yumi, as everyone activated their Disks. "It sure doesn't look like a Wind Monster, but it is one…"

They watched the huge creature, expecting it to lunge. But strangely, it didn't. It glared at them for a few seconds.

Then, they all heard a telepathic voice in their heads. It was gruff, deep, and gravely, but commanding.

"_The behemoth comes,"_ it said, _"waiting to unleash its powers of destruction. Its arrival is heralded by three. Three must die before it can come. Any less, and it is too proud to appear. Any more, and the power of the hallowed ground forbids it from coming. But when it comes, it can consume the soul of one who has fallen to slay any foe or smash any barrier that would impede it. Beware, mortals, for this evil is not subtle in the least._

"_And by the way, look out behind you…"_

"Huh?" said Zane.

Armed Dragon turned and fled, as the six duelists spun around. They saw a figure on the tall hill – pointing a hand-held rocket launcher at them.

"That guy's pointing a bazooka at us!" shouted Chelsea.

Yumi quickly drew a card from her deck. She threw it into her Disk.

The figure pulled the trigger of the weapon, and the rocket fired. Yumi quickly hit the command button on her Disk, and the Draining Shield card flipped up.

The impact threw all six of them off of their feet, and blew the Shield to pieces, but the Trap had absorbed the brunt of it.

The assailant tossed the weapon aside and started to walk down the hill. Yumi and Zane were the first ones to get up, and also the first ones to see him plainly.

He was a hideous and intimidating sight. Standing seven feet tall, broad, and dressed in a black, leather trenchcoat, his skin looked diseased, hairless, rotted, and decayed. Nonetheless, despite this appearance of decomposition, he exuded an aura of strength.

"Good lord…" muttered Yumi. "Nemesis…"

"Huh?" said Chelsea, getting up. "Nemesis? What is this thing? A zombie?"

"More like a biologically-engineered life form, Chelsea," replied Yumi. "Daala has been playing with video games again."

"Err…" grunted the creature.

"Nemesis was the antagonist of _Resident Evil: Nemesis_," explained Yumi. "In the storyline, he was a super-soldier created by the Umbrella Corporation to hunt down the surviving heroes in the zombie-infested Raccoon City.

"As far as the game went, he was similar to a boss character, but unlike them, he didn't stay in one place. He relentlessly tracked the heroine everywhere she went, showing up at various times throughout the whole game. He had powers that most enemies didn't have, like the ability to follow the player from one area into another and pick up and use the same weapons that the player could use. And no matter how many times the heroine knocked him down, he was sure to get up again and continue chasing her, until she defeated him for good at the game's climax."

"Err…" growled Nemesis.

He pointed at Zane.

"Truesdale…" he grunted. "We duel…"

Zane closed his eyes and chuckled.

"Looks like Daala was going for fright value in her most recent attempt, huh?" he asked. "Fine, gruesome. If you're looking for a fight, I'll be happy to oblige. Since you had a game named after you, I guess you were doing something right."

Nemesis tore the left sleeve off of his trenchcoat. Then he lifted his left arm, and it started to mutate. A Duel Disk that appeared to be made out of his own flesh and bone grew out of his forearm.

"Gross…" said Sam.

"I've seen worse," said Zane. "Not _much_ worse, I'll admit, but I've seen worse…"

The assassin took a deck of cards out of his trenchcoat and loaded it into the Disk.

"Duel…" he said.

"Guys?" said Chelsea. "Maybe we should give them a little space, don't you think? Zane's duels tend to be kinda intense…"

"And they tend to be rather short, too," replied Ren. "I've heard he can draw all three Cyber Dragons and Power Bond in his opening hand."

**(Zane: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Nemesis: 8,000)**

"I'll make the first move," said Zane, drawing a card.

He looked over his six cards.

"Unfortunately, Ren, it seems I wasn't that lucky this time.

"I summon Cyber Valley in Attack Mode."

In a flash of light, a Machine appeared that looked like a man-sized, metal snake, with prongs on its sides. (0/0)

"Huh?" said Erik. "Zero attack points?"

"Next," said Zane, "I'll play my Double Summon Spell Card, in order to make a second Normal Summon."

The Spell Card appeared.

"So, I'll also summon Cyber Kirin."

A small, metal dog with spines on its back appeared. (300/800)

"I end my turn."

_If this guy is as dumb as he looks,_ thought Zane, _he's probably going to attack… And he'll be in for a surprise…_

Nemesis drew a card. He looked over his hand.

He played four of his cards, and a facedown Monster and three facedown cards appeared.

"Mmm," he said.

"I guess you're the strong, silent type," said Zane.

He drew a card.

_I also guess he isn't as dumb as I thought,_ said Zane, looking at his four cards.

"Cyber Valley has three different effects," he continued, "and I'm going to activate the second one.

"By removing it and one other Monster on the field from play, I get to draw two times."

Cyber Valley and Cyber Kirin vanished into ripples of light. Zane made two draws.

"Next, I play Different Dimension Capsule. This lets me take any card from my deck I desire, and seal it in the capsule."

He took a card from his deck, and a glowing, blue sarcophagus rose out of the ground. The card in his hand vanished, and the sarcophagus sank into the ground.

"Bet it's his Power Bond!" laughed Ren.

"Now, I summon Cyber Dragon!"

In an explosion of ice and water, the huge, serpentine Machine burst out of the ground. It roared, and glared at Nemesis with its optic sensors. (2,100/1,600)

"All right!" cheered Sam. "Get that ugly zombie good!"

"I'm just starting!" said Zane. "Since that was a Special Summon, I'll Normal Summon Proto-Cyber Dragon!"

The Monster that appeared looked similar to Cyber Valley; same metal, serpentine design, and about the same size. (1,100/600)

"Proto-Cyber Dragon, attack his Monster!"

The smaller Machine breathed a blast of energy at the facedown Monster.

"Activate… Power Gift…" said Nemesis.

One of his facedown cards lifted, revealing a Quickplay.

"Send Despair From the Dark to Graveyard," said Nemesis, discarding a card from his hand, "and Proto-Cyber Dragon gains Attack Points equal to Despair From the Dark's Attack Points."

Proto-Cyber Dragon shot up to an Attack Score of 3,900.

"Huh?" said Zane, as his eyes opened wide. "It _gains_ Attack Points? Why would you…"

"Activate… Draining Shield…" said Nemesis.

Another of his facedown cards lifted, and a dome of energy surrounded him. Proto-Cyber Dragon's blast was absorbed by the shield.

Zane frowned.

"Now second effect of Power Gift…" said Nemesis. "Proto-Cyber Dragon is destroyed."

Proto-Cyber Dragon exploded into pixels.

"I still have my real Cyber Dragon!" shouted Zane. "Attack! Strident blast!"

Cyber Dragon breathed a burst of burning energy at the facedown card. A Morphing Jar appeared on the card and was burned to ashes.

_Okay…_ thought Zane. _I guess this guy may be a little better than I gave him credit for._

Zane discarded his two cards, and Nemesis discarded the one he had. Each of them drew five cards.

"It's your move, ugly," he said.

**(Z: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 11,900)**

Nemesis drew a card.

_It's pointless trying to insult this guy,_ thought Zane. _He's a genetically engineered assassin, and such creatures are bred to ignore insults. _

_That may be a problem… Psychological warfare was one of Hell Kaiser's greatest advantages… But what does he do against an opponent who simply can't be intimidated?_

"Activate Mystical Space Typhoon…" said Nemesis, holding up a card.

The cyclone tore across the field. The Different Dimension Capsule rose out of the ground, and was blown to pieces.

"NO!" shouted Chelsea.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh…" chuckled Zane.

He looked at Nemesis.

"That's exactly what I wanted you to do, big guy."

"Err?" said Nemesis.

"Just finish your move," said Zane.

Nemesis placed a card in his Disk.

"Play Premature Burial…" he said.

"Oh no…" said Sam. "He's bringing back Despair From the Dark…"

However, the Monster that appeared on Nemesis's side of the field was not Despair From the Dark. It was actually a lowly Skull Servant. (300/200)

"Huh??" said everyone at once.

Nemesis's last facedown card activated.

"Activate The League of Uniform Nomenclature…" he said. "Special Summon two more Skull Servants…"

Two more of the skeletal Zombies appeared.

He held up a Spell Card.

"Play… Triangle Power… Increase the Attack Scores of all Level One Normal Monsters by 2,000."

"Ho boy…" said Erik.

A flaming energy triangle appeared around the three Skull Servants. They glowed with energy and rose to Attack Scores of 2,300.

"Attack…" commanded Nemesis.

The three skeletons charged. The first one clawed at the Cyber Dragon, and the Machine exploded. The other two raked their bony claws against Zane, and he staggered backwards.

He clutched his stomach and took a deep breath.

"This isn't good…" said Chelsea.

"At least Triangle Power has a side effect," said Sam. "Those Skull Servants will be destroyed when Nemesis ends his turn."

Nemesis held up a card.

"Play… Thunder Crash…" he said.

"Unless…" muttered Sam. "Unless he destroys them himself before that happens…"

The three Skull Servants burst into shards, and a beam of energy shot at Zane, striking him.

**(Z: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 11,100)**

Nemesis took a card from his hand, and set it on his Disk. A facedown Monster appeared.

_This is bad,_ thought Zane. _I made a mistake… I got cocky, and I underestimated him… I really shouldn't have done that…_

_Nemesis was never programmed to be a fighter… He was programmed to be a killer, plain and simple. And he may look like a zombie with a worm-eaten brain, but he's actually quite clever. _

_If I want to win this duel, I have to stop taking him for granted, and start dueling like I mean it…_

_I just hope it isn't too late…_

"It it's my move…" he said.

He drew a card.

"The card that was in my Capsule was this one…"

A card appeared in his hand.

"Card From a Different Dimension. Since it was removed from play, it goes to my hand this round, and we both draw twice."

Nemesis frowned. They both made two draws.

"Now, I play Monster Reborn!" shouted Zane.

He played the card, and the glowing ankh appeared in front of him.

"I'm summoning a powerful Monster that I discarded when Morphing Jar was flipped. The mighty Chthonian Emperor Dragon!"

With a fierce roar, a powerful Dragon appeared on Zane's side of the field. From the look of it, it may have been a distant relative of the more infamous Chaos Emperor Dragon, but it was much smaller, and had no legs, only large wings on its bulky, serpentine body. (2,400/1,500)

"Since Chthonian Emperor Dragon is a Gemini Monster," continued Zane, "I have to summon it twice to use its effect. So, I use my Normal Summon for this turn to second summon it."

Chthonian Emperor Dragon glowed with energy.

"And what's this effect, you may ask? It's the ability to attack twice in one round!

"Attack his Monster! Raging hellfire!"

The Dragon spit a burning stream of flames at the facedown card. A gaunt creature with insectoid features and holding a sword appeared on the card, and was burned to ashes.

"You destroy Goblin Zombie…" said Nemesis. "Effect activates… I take Zombie with 1,200 Defense Points or less from deck…"

He took a card from his deck.

"Fine," said Zane. "But my Dragon still gets to attack twice.

"Attack him directly!"

Chthonian Emperor Dragon breathed an even more intense blast of flames. There was an explosion at impact where it hit the assassin.

When the smoke cleared, Nemesis was simply glaring at Zane.

**(Z: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 8,700)**

Zane took two cards from his hand.

"I'll set two facedowns, and end my turn," he said.

The two reversed cards appeared.

Nemesis grunted as he drew a card.

"Play Foolish Burial…" he said, as a Spell Card appeared. "Send King of the Skull Servants to Graveyard…"

A card slipped out of his deck, and he discarded it.

"Then summon… Second King of the Skull Servants."

In a dark, shadowy aura, a new Zombie appeared. It looked similar to Skull Servant, only taller, with a definite aura of menace.

"King of the Skull Servants gains 1,000 Attack Points for each Skull Servant…" continued Nemesis, "and additional King in Graveyard. Have three Skull Servants… And one King…"

(4,000/0)

"Good lord…" said Ren.

"Attack Chthonian Emperor Dragon…" ordered Nemesis.

King of the Skull Servants lifted its claw, and a burning skull appeared in it. It hurled it at the Dragon. Zane cringed as the Dragon exploded.

**(Z: 700) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 8,700)**

Nemesis placed a card in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared. He nodded.

"Zane is in big trouble, guys!" shouted Erik.

"I disagree," said Sam. "He has only 700 Life Points left, while his opponent has more than what he started with. He has no Monsters on his field, while his opponent has one with 4,000 Attack Points.

"The trouble he's in passed 'big' a long time ago. It's become overwhelming."

"Don't sell Zane short, people," said Yumi. "I heard he turned around a much more hopeless situation than this."

Zane looked at her.

_She's talking about Zane's duel with Mad Dog,_ she thought. _The turning point where he first became Hell Kaiser…_

_True, he reversed an overwhelming situation, but he did so by giving in to anger. Becoming cold and merciless. Something he regretted later. _

_I'm a copy of the real Zane, so I must become Hell Kaiser by default… But I must remain calm! Giving in to anger in Xanadu could lead to defeat, and that is NOT an option…_

"I draw!" he shouted, drawing a card.

He looked at it, and added it to his hand.

"I summon Proto-Cyber Dragon!"

A second Proto-Cyber Dragon appeared. (1,100/600)

"Now I activate a Trap Card…"

One of his facedown cards lifted.

"Alchemy Cycle. When this card is activated, the Attack Scores of all my Monsters fall all the way to zero."

Proto-Cyber Dragon fell to (0/600)

"Err?" said Nemesis.

"Confused?" said Zane, with a smile. "Well, because I lowered its Attack Score to under 500, I can now combine it with this…"

A Spell Card appeared.

"Machine Duplication! This lets me Special Summon two more Machines with the same name. And since Proto-Cyber Dragon is assumed to be a Cyber Dragon when it's on the field, I can use this to summon two real Cyber Dragons!"

Two of the huge robotic serpents appeared. (2,100/1,600 x2)

"Now, I play Polymerization!"

He played the card, and the Proto-Cyber Dragon and two real Cyber Dragons melted into a spinning vortex of energy…

"Forming the Cyber End Dragon!"

The goliath of Cyber Dragons loomed over the field. Its three heads roared as it glared at the skeletal Zombie in front of it. (4,000/2,800)

"What good will that do?" asked Erik. "Their Attack Scores are equal!"

Zane's other facedown card lifted.

"I activate Rare Metalmorph!" he shouted. "Now, my Dragon gains 500 Attack Points, and the ability to, just once, avoid the effect of one Spell Card.

"Attack his King of the Skull Servants! Super Strident Blaze!"

Cyber End Dragon breathed bright, burning fire from its three mouths, and King of the Skull Servants exploded in a fiery blast.

"Activate King's effect…" said Nemesis. "Remove King in Graveyard from play… Special Summon King that was destroyed back to field…"

King of the Skull Servants appeared again in an aura of black flames. (3,000/0)

"I set two cards facedown," said Zane, "and end my turn."

Two facedown cards appeared.

**(Z: 700) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 8,200)**

"Well," said Sam, "it's a start…"

Nemesis drew a card.

"Play Card of Demise…" he said.

He played the card, and the dangerous-looking guillotine appeared behind him. He drew four cards.

"Summon third King of the Skull Servants…"

He played a card, and another King appeared. (3,000/0)

"Then, play Monster Gate… Sacrifice one Monster, then pick up cards from deck until a Monster card is reached. Then summon it."

One of the two Kings vanished, and the other one rose to an Attack Score of 4,000.

Nemesis picked up one card, then two. Then he discarded them, and played the third. Zombie Master appeared on the field. (1,800/0)

"Play second Foolish Burial," he said. "Discard The Lady in Wight from deck."

He discarded a card.

"The Lady in Wight has the name 'Skull Servant' when in Graveyard."

The King on the field grew to an Attack Score of 5,000.

"Attack Cyber End Dragon…" he ordered.

"Not so fast!" shouted Zane.

One of his two facedown cards lifted.

"I activate The Transmigration Prophesy!" he shouted. "Now I can take any two cards in either Graveyard, and send them back to their owner's deck. So, I think I'll send King of the Skull Servants and The Lady in Wight back to yours.

"Of course, that weakens the one you have on the field, and it's too late to call off your attack…"

King of the Skull Servants fell to an Attack Score of 3,000. It threw its flaming skull, but Cyber End Dragon breathed a fiery blast of its own, and the King was destroyed.

"Ergh…" muttered Nemesis.

He gestured, and his facedown card lifted.

"Activate… Graceful Revival…" he said. "Bring King back to the field…"

King of the Skull Servants appeared again. (3,000/0)

He held up a Spell Card.

"Play Twister… Pay 500 Life Points to destroy Rare Metalmorph…"

A cyclone tore across the field. The Rare Metalmorph card shattered.

He held up another Spell Card.

"Play Ekibyo Drakmord… Equip to Cyber End Dragon… With Ekibyo Drakmord Equipped, Cyber End Dragon cannot attack, and will be destroyed after two turns…"

Cyber End Dragon roared, as if in pain. Zane stepped back in shock.

"End turn…" said Nemesis.

**(Z: 700) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 6,200)**

Zane quickly drew a card.

"Cyber End Dragon isn't any good to me as it is," he said. "I can only sacrifice it…"

He played a Spell Card.

"I play Cyber Seller. Now, I can sacrifice my Dragon…"

Cyber End Dragon vanished into grains of light.

"Then I have a choice to make. I can either gain 300 Life Points for each Level it has, or draw one card for ever four Levels it has.

"I think I'll choose the cards."

He made two draws.

"Those cards had better be good ones," said Ren. "He's low enough on Life Points as it is."

"Now," said Zane. "I play Pot of Avarice."

He played the card, and Cyber End Dragon, all three Cyber Dragons, and one Proto-Cyber Dragon slipped out of his discard slot. He combined them with his deck, and reshuffled. Then he drew twice.

"Okay," he continued, as a Spell Card appeared. "I play Reasoning, and it works as follows, listen up.

"You give me one number. Then I pick up cards from my deck until I reach a Monster. If the Monster's Level is the number you chose, it goes to the Graveyard. Otherwise, I get to Special Summon it.

"Did you get all that?"

"Err…" growled Nemesis.

He held up his hands, showing five fingers.

"Five, huh?" asked Zane, reaching for his deck.

"That's bad, people," said Erik. "Cyber Dragon is Level Five."

"Nemesis is no dummy," replied Ren.

Zane picked up one card, and then a second.

He chuckled as he looked at the third.

"Proto-Cyber Dragon," he said, turning it forward. "That's Level Three."

He placed the card on his Disk, and Proto-Cyber Dragon appeared in Defense Mode. (1,100/600)

He discarded the other two cards.

"Everyone _always_ picks five when I play that card," he said, turning to Erik. "No-one ever realizes that three Monsters in a whole deck is a very small minority.

"I'll also play a facedown card."

A facedown card appeared next to the other one.

"Then, I'll play Double Spell. I'll toss this…"

He played the card, and discarded Card From a Different Dimension.

"…to duplicate Card of Demise."

The art for Double Spell changed to that of Card of Demise. He drew four cards. He looked them over.

"I'll set two more cards facedown, and end my turn."

Two more facedown cards appeared.

"What's Zane up to?" asked Erik.

"You got me," said Sam, with a shrug.

Nemesis made a draw.

"Play Pot of Greed," he said.

He made two draws, and looked at the two cards.

"Attack Proto-Cyber Dragon…" he said.

King of the Skull Servants threw his burning skull at the Machine.

"I activate Attack Deflector Unit!" shouted Zane, as one of his Trap Cards lifted. "Now, I can sacrifice a Cyber Dragon, and once again, Proto-Cyber Dragon meets the requirements."

Proto-Cyber Dragon vanished.

"I summon Cyber Barrier Dragon!"

A new Machine appeared. It looked similar to Cyber Dragon, albeit with an emphasis on armor, and an energy-generating collar around its neck. (800/2,800)

"So long as it's in Attack Mode, it can deflect one attack per round."

King of the Skull Servants continued its attack, and a shield of energy formed around Cyber Barrier Dragon, forming a shield.

"ZANE!" screamed Chelsea. "You made a mistake! He has another Monster that can attack!"

"Zombie Master…" muttered Nemesis. "Attack Cyber Barrier Dragon…"

Zombie Master fired a volley of lightning bolts at Cyber Barrier Dragon, and the Machine erupted in sparks. Then it exploded.

"No…" said Ren.

"He lost…" cried Chelsea.

"Better take another look," said Zane.

Everyone looked. Zane had activated a Trap Card, and was holding a handful of cards.

"It's called Power Wall," he said. "Now, by sending these ten cards from my deck to the Graveyard, the damage to me is reduced to zero."

He discarded the ten cards.

Nemesis grunted, and placed both his cards in his Disk. Two facedown cards appeared.

"I take it that means it's my turn," said Zane.

He drew a card.

"Activate Trap Card," said Nemesis, as one of his facedown cards lifted. "Secret Barrel."

A large trapdoor appeared on the ground, opened, and a laser cannon lifted out of it.

"Secret Barrel inflicts 200 points of damage for each card on your side of the field and in your hand.

"Die…"

A glowing crosshairs appeared on Zane's chest…

"I activate Fusion Guard!" shouted Zane, as one of his facedown cards lifted. "Now, I just have to discard one card from my Fusion Deck, and your little toy is rendered powerless."

He held up six cards without looking at them. Yumi glanced over and saw what they were: Cyber Twin Dragon, Cyber End Dragon, Chimeratech Overdragon, Chimeratech Fortress Dragon, and two copies of Cyberdark Dragon. He held his hand over them, and chose Chimeratech Fortress Dragon, and then discarded it. The laser fired, but fell short of striking Zane.

Zane looked at the card he had just drawn.

"All right, Nemesis," he said. "I must say I've had handsomer opponents, for sure, and more talkative ones, but you were a valid challenge. That's why I'm hedging the outcome of this duel on one shot in the dark!"

A Spell Card appeared.

"I play Soul Release! Now I can remove from play up to five cards in either Graveyard. I could render your King powerless if I wanted to… But if I took that option, I really don't know what I would do next. So, I'm going to use that effect on my own Graveyard."

Three cards slipped out of his discard slot.

"Next, my facedown card is a little thing about reminiscing…"

His last Trap Card lifted up.

"I activate Return From the Different Dimension! Now, by paying half my Life Points, all the Monsters I've removed from play come back.

"So let's welcome Cyber Valley, Cyber Kirin, Cyberdark Horn, Cyberdark Edge, and Cyberdark Keel!"

A glowing portal tore open behind him, and five Monsters flew out and landed in front of him. Cyber Valley came first. (0/0) Cyber Kirin followed. (300/800) Then the three notorious Cyberdark Machines appeared. (800/800 x3)

**(Z: 350) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 6,200)**

"Now comes that shot in the dark I was talking about. I'll remove Cyber Valley and Cyber Kirin from play again, to draw two cards. And I'll hope for the best!"

The two Monsters vanished. Everyone held their breath as he made two draws.

"And I just got just what I needed! The signature card of the Truesdale family…"

The wind started to pick up. Lightning flashed.

"I play Power Bond!"

A Spell Card appeared on his side of the field. Lightning flashed again.

"This is it!" screamed Sam. "One way or another, this is the last turn of the duel!"

"I fuse Cyberdark Horn," shouted Zane, "Cyberdark Edge, and Cyberdark Keel to summon the Cyberdark Dragon!"

All three Machines swirled into a dark vortex, and the intimidating shape of Cyberdark Dragon loomed over the field. (1,000/1,000)

"And since I fused them using Power Bond, its Attack Score is doubled!"

(2,000/1,000)

"And its effect activates, allowing me to Equip it with a Dragon in my Graveyard, and add that Dragon's Attack Score to its Attack Score…"

Chthonian Emperor Dragon appeared in front of Cyberdark Dragon. Clamps grabbed hold of it, bonding the two Monsters together. (4,400/1,000)

"Finally, for every other Monster in my Graveyard, it gains 100 more Attack Points. And with a little help from Power Wall, there are ten Monsters remaining in my Graveyard."

(5,400/1,000)

"Err…" growled Nemesis.

"Cyberdark Dragon…" ordered Zane, "attack his Zombie Master!"

"Activate… Relieve Monster…" said Nemesis, as his last facedown card lifted. "I can return Zombie Master to my hand, and Special Summon a Level Four Monster."

Zombie Master vanished.

"Choose to Special Summon Zombie Master back in Defense Mode."

Zombie Master appeared again, crouching and shielding itself. (1,800/0)

"Oh, no!" shouted Erik. "Now his Life Points will be untouched!"

"Wrong…" said Zane. "He made an error… He forgot that since Zombie Master left the field and was summoned back to it, a replay was triggered. And he has another Monster that's in Attack Mode…"

Everyone looked at King of the Skull Servants.

"Oh, it's no good!" shouted Sam. "Nemesis will still have Life Points left!"

Zane threw another card into his Disk.

"I activate Limiter Removal!" he shouted.

Cyberdark Dragon burned with green flames. Its Attack Score rose to 10,800.

"No he won't!" exclaimed Erik.

"Uh, guys…" said Yumi. "You all might want to hit the deck…"

"Attack his King of the Skull Servants!" ordered Zane. "Ultimate Darkness Burst!"

It seemed that the whole sky turned dark as night, as Cyberdark Dragon blasted its dark, burning beam at the Zombie, and an explosion ripped through the Frozen Wastes, causing the whole Realm to shake. The explosion could be seen from Leichter's castle in the Burning Peaks where Atticus was trying to establish order; he saw the explosion, and hoped that it was a score for his side.

Fortunately, it was.

**(Z: 350) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 0)**

When Yumi and company dared to look, nothing was left of Nemesis or his Monsters except a burning crater, and the snow around them for hundreds of feet had been melted into water.

Chelsea walked up to Zane.

"Gee, Zane," she said, "I'm glad I'll never have to duel you… You're crazy."

Zane sighed, and started shuffling his deck.

"Let's keep going," he said. "I just realized something…

"Anyone even consider just what the Armed Dragon told us?"

"I don't know Zane," said Yumi. "He wasn't the first.

"So far, Horus, Nephthys, The Creator, and Armed Dragon have all shown up with ominous warnings. Something is making powerful Duel Spirits very uneasy.

"And frankly, we don't like it…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala walked down the corridors of her prison, carrying a bundle under her shoulder.

She walked to a secure area where she had been recently – Brron's cell.

"Open the door," she said to Shadow Tamers guarding it.

The Warriors punched in a code, and the metal door swung open. Daala switched on the light, and Brron was still there, confined to the containment capsule and restrained by a straightjacket, and chuckling to himself.

He perked up some more when he saw Daala come in.

"Find it yet, your highness?" he said, sarcastically.

"Actually, yes," said Daala.

Brron frowned.

"So then," he said. "I guess you came to kill me… Well, fine… Not like I don't despise my life anyway…"

"Not yet, Brron," said Daala, opening up the bundle. "You're still of some use to me alive…"

The bundle glowed with golden light, and a gold torque appeared around Brron's neck.

"Why, thank you," chuckled Brron, "but don't you think it clashes with the straightjacket?"

"Quiet!" said Daala. "This is a device that will let us manipulate the chaos of an Anarchist Disk. By using the energy of a living Duel Spirit, such as you, we can control its decision, and still get the powerful deck that it usually creates.

"And you won't feel any pain at all. In another few minutes, you'll be fast asleep."

Brron chuckled.

"Well, Daala," he said. "If this necklace can put me to sleep, I welcome it, but I doubt that it can.

"You see, when I'm asleep is the only time I can be lucid. As you might believe, when I was king of Dark World, I used drugs, magic, and anything else I could think of to induce sleep, in order to stave off the madness. After a while, such things simply stopped working.

"In fact…"

Then he let out a low groan…

He slumped over, and fell asleep. He started snoring loudly.

"Sweet dreams," said Daala, as she walked away.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**POWER GIFT (Spell Card)**

**Image:** A Rocket Warrior blazing with energy confronting two goblins, as a pair of hands in the foreground works a Geiger counter.

**Card Description:** Discard one Monster Card in your hand to the Graveyard, and target one face-up opposing Monster. Increase the targeted Monster's ATK by an amount equal to the ATK of the discarded Monster. When the targeted Monster engages in battle, it is destroyed at the end of the damage step.

_Note: "Power Gift" was first used by Mr. T in a fourth season episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**POWER WALL (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A man in royal armor standing in a castle courtyard, holding his hand aloft, as a titanic dragon looms overhead.

**Card Description:** Activate this card when you would take battle damage. Discard any number of cards from the top of your deck. For each card discarded in this manner, reduce the amount of damage you take by 100.

_Note: "Power Wall" was first used by Zane in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "The Darkness Within". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CYBER SELLER (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A man outside a used car lot, which includes a Cyber Dragon among the cars.

**Card Description:** Offer as a Tribute one Machine-Type Monster on your side of the field with the word "Cyber" in its name. Then choose one the following effects:

- Gain Life Points equal to the Level of the Tributed Monsters x 300.

- For every multiple of four in the Level of the Tributed Monster, draw one card.

_Note: "Cyber Seller" first appeared in "Legend of the Sorcerer Kings"_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lords of Chaos**

**The Peculiarity of Raum, Harbinger of the Apocalypse**

The following information is written in the journals of Straumus, field commander of the armies of the Wind Dukes of Aaqa.

The demon lord known as Raum is clearly a peculiar case. According to the story, as he himself tells it, he was born a powerful demon prince, on the same power level as Orcus and Demogorgon, far in the future, an instant before an apocalypse that ended the universe. Since then, he's aged in reverse – as time passes, Raum becomes more knowledgeable about a future that only he has experienced. His great wisdom, unusual for demons, has made him a paragon of prophesy. Soothsayers and fortunetellers turn to Raum for information about the future, which he's willing to share – for a price.

For a demon, Raum does not look formidable. He appears as a withered old man, deteriorating and crippled, who hides his fragile form in dirty, grey robes. He becomes more decrepit each year. Raum does not know why he is aging, but he expects to fade from existence entirely soon, perhaps even within the next century, and the suspicion that he has not yet fulfilled the "purpose" of his creation now drives almost all of his decisions. After millennia of contemplation, he has come to the conclusion that he was created by a powerful entity of Law to prevent the apocalypse from happening. However, his chosen means of doing so clearly identifies him as a being of Chaos.

Raum hopes to use his knowledge of the future to trigger an apocalypse in the present – a suicidal bid to prevent himself from ever being created in the first place. The universe would be destroyed earlier than it would have been, but at least he would have prevented the later annihilation. Further, by erasing himself from creation, he would be absolved from the responsibility of being involved. He is already heavy with the guilt of being involved in the apocalypse at all, and views absolution as the only cause worth fighting for now.

Exactly how Raum intends to carry out his goals is uncertain. As far as demon lords go, Raum's actual power is not very potent. His Abyssal realm, known as Damanscus, has deteriorated as much as he has. No demonic armies guard its boarders, and Raum has exerted no energies fortifying its defenses. The reason that no other demon lord has conquered it yet is because it has no strategic value at all, and all of its resources were mined and exhausted years ago.

The Wind Dukes are smarter. They watch Raum carefully, well-aware of his plan to bring about the end times. They would have taken him out long ago, if not for the possibility that some greater power of Law did indeed create him as part of some grand plan. Their researchers comb every copy of every text written by the entities of Order for any mention of Raum's name. If they should find concrete proof that Raum's claim is untrue, the Harbinger of the Apocalypse might not survive much longer.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**The goal is in sight, but the heroes are pestered by the Goblin of Greed. And after a case of theft is made known, Chelsea is forced to duel him… And is forced to do so without Penelope. What is the motive behind this Fiend? The title of the chapter may give you a clue. "The Root of All Evil" is coming up next.**_


	49. The Root of All Evil

_**Some say that the Dimensions are founded on the principles of beliefs. Philosophies shape the worlds, and ideas define existence. In my immortal life, I've seen many.**_

_**Once sect that I remember well was a now-defunct group called the Merkants. They were a group of very rich mortals whose philosophy was, quite simply, that acquisition of material wealth was the key to knowing the secrets of existence. They believed that the power of money could accomplish nearly anything. Now, some folks felt sorry for them for being so materialistic, and told them that there were some things that money just couldn't buy. But all Merkants had heard that one, and they'd laugh, and say that if money couldn't buy it, it wasn't worth having.**_

_**The Merkants were not foolish misers. They wisely invested their wealth and used it to fund projects which they believed would uncover secrets of the universe. Most of these secrets involved gaining more wealth. Some Merkants became quite powerful, owning controlling shares of inter-planar trade companies that spanned several dimensions. One rumor states that one of them actually bought divine power and ascended to a godlike form, although very few actually believe it.**_

_**So why did this sect die out? Well, quite simply, the members couldn't cooperate. Unlike most groups, the Merkants were their own worst enemies, seeing each other as competitors. Two Merkants in one town was a war waiting to happen. And the winner of any conflict between two of them was whoever was willing to spend more to solve the problem. **_

_**Eventually, they invested a great amount of resources to obtain one of the greatest sources of wealth in the universe – Tiamat's horde. But their failure to cooperate, and their squabbling over who should get the greater shares of the prize kept them from succeeding, and for their audacity to try, they all became targets of armies of angry dragons, a situation they truly could not buy their way out of. They were annihilated.**_

_**The fact of the matter is, someone who has large amounts of money must handle it carefully, or it leads to greed. It can be like an addictive drug, causing a person to want more, and never be satisfied. And as much as the Merkants denied it, there are some things in life that you can't put a price on.**_

_**One of my recruits is facing a Fiend who embodies the dark side of wealth, and I can only hope that she won't be taken to the cleaners…**_

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**CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT**

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**The Root of All Evil**

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"Zane?" said Yumi. "I have a question…"

"Shoot," said Zane.

"I noticed that you had Chimeratech Overdragon in your Fusion Deck," she said.

"So?" asked Zane.

"Well…" continued Yumi. "Doresain said that its Spirit is dangerous and hard to control. That only someone who had the power of the Core could control it."

Zane smirked.

"I do have the power of the Core," he replied.

"HUH?" gasped everyone.

"Remember that guy who took Syrus's deck?" asked Zane. "The one who I defeated to get it back? He had many powers derived from exposure to the Core. Well, I took them from him after I beat him.

"Joan was nervous after I did, but once she found how powerful I had become, she programmed a copy of the Chimeratech.

"She's debating whether or not to program a copy of F.G.D., which was also in Hell Kaiser's deck. She's reluctant to do so. Its Spirit is incredibly evil, and might be too hard for anyone working for her to control.

"And I have a question for you, Yumi… How do you intend to beat Daala?"

"Well, it's gonna be tough," replied Yumi. "We have to find something called The Testament, and we don't even know what that is…"

"The Testament you say?" said a creepy voice.

Everyone turned around, and saw a hunched-over figure, his head hidden in a dark hood attached to a long cloak.

"I know of a Testament," said the figure. "I can lead you to it, if you want it badly enough…"

"What? What?" asked Yumi, eagerly. "We'll do anything!"

"Hold on!" sneered Zane.

He walked up to the figure.

"This is a little too convenient. I smell a rat…

"Or more appropriately…"

He tore the cloak off.

"…a Goblin!"

The figure straightened up and stepped backwards. It was indeed the Goblin of Greed.

"You know this guy?" asked Chelsea.

"He's a scoundrel," said Zane. "A con artist who works for evil creatures of the Lower Planes as a merchant, doing any sleazy act necessary to get the goods they require."

"You make it sound so… common," said the Goblin.

"What do you want?" asked Chelsea.

"I want nothing," replied the Goblin. "I already have what I came to get."

He held up a card. Chelsea gasped. It was Penelope.

"You should watch your things better," said the Goblin.

"Thief!" screamed Chelsea.

"Easy, easy," said the Goblin, "she's okay…"

The card in his hand vanished, and a large, glass capsule appeared behind him. To Chelsea's horror, Penelope was trapped inside it, and she certainly didn't look very happy.

"We'll just keep her there for now."

"Let her go!" shouted Chelsea.

"Be careful, Chelsea!" warned Zane. "That's one of Daala's restraining devices for Duel Spirits. A Spirit that's confined to one is more or less at its jailer's mercy. It can be used not only to hold the Spirit, but to inflict cruel forms of torture."

Chelsea glared at the Fiend angrily.

"What do you want, Goblin?" she fumed.

"Now, now," he replied. "I'm fair… You can have The Lady of the Night back, if you can win her back.

"We're gonna duel, Chelsea. If you win, she goes back to you safe and sound. But if you lose, she comes with me."

"To where?" shouted Chelsea.

"I have a buyer," started the Goblin. "You see…"

"Money?" screamed Chelsea. "You're doing this just for money?"

The Goblin chuckled. He took a wine flask from his belt and opened the top.

"Not just money, Chels," he replied. "A whole bloomin' _lot_ of money!"

He took a swig from the flask.

"My buyer is a collector who likes unique and exotic things. Do you know how many Zombie Duel Spirits in all of existence are of the Light Attribute? There are two confirmed specimens, and two that may only be rumors. Spirit of the Pharaoh and Penelope are the two confirmed ones. Rumors exist of two other unique Light Zombies named Paladin of the Cursed Dragon and Malevolent Mech – Goku En, but these rumors have yet to be confirmed.

"Well, I have no chance to get near Spirit of the Pharaoh. He's a powerful noble in the Dimension where Zombies are the most powerful. He commands a whole army. But if I had Penelope to offer, my buyer would pay through the nose…

"And frankly, I need all the cash I can get. Pretty soon, the terms of that wager I made with Marauding Captain are going to expire, and he's gonna come after me if I refuse to pay up."

"Just how much did the two of you wager in that bet?" asked Ren.

"Suffice to say, a lot," replied the Goblin, tossing the flask away. "Know what the worst part is? Every card with his picture on it portrays him as some heroic soldier, while most cards with my picture on it portrays me as a buffoon. This whole wager has been a big embarrassment."

"Why even bother to duel me?" asked Chelsea. "Why not just take her and run?"

"You wound me," said the Goblin. "I always give folks a fair chance…"

He grinned a little. That was a lie. Once he cemented his hold on Penelope, he wanted Chelsea's allies to bargain to get her back. There were so many rare cards and powerful Spirits among these duelists, and so much profit to be made…

Chelsea nervously looked at Penelope, who was looking back at her.

She quickly took a card from her side deck, and shuffled it into to her deck.

"I won't let you down," she said, looking at Penelope again.

"Okay, Goblin, I'll duel you."

The Goblin gestured, and a standard-issue Duel Disk appeared on his arm.

"Be careful, Chelsea!" warned Ren. "Never trust a thief, I always say."

"Shall we get started?" asked the Goblin.

**(Chelsea: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Goblin of Greed: 8,000)**

"Let's hurry," said the Goblin, drawing his first card. "Time is money, I always say.

"I play a Monster in Defense Mode, and then set two cards."

A concealed Monster and two facedown cards appeared on his side.

"And then I'll turn it over to you."

Chelsea drew. She looked at her six cards.

_Seems a pretty standard start,_ she thought. _Playing defensively…_

_Well, I'm going on offense!_

"I play… Call of the Mummy!" she shouted, playing a Spell Card. "Then, I'll use it to summon Vampire Lady."

Vampire Lady appeared, striking a pose. (1,550/1,550)

"Next, I'll Normal Summon Zombie Master."

In a burst of energy, Zombie Master appeared. (1,800/0)

"Then, I'll Equip Vampire Lady with Axe of Despair."

The large, heavy axe appeared in Vampire Lady's hands. (2,550/1,550)

"Vampire Lady, chop his Monster!"

Vampire Lady flew at the facedown Monster, hefting the axe. Giant Rat appeared on the card, and was cleaved in half.

"I activate its effect," said the Goblin. "I think I'll summon a second Giant Rat."

Another Giant Rat appeared in Attack Mode. (1,400/1,450)

"Zombie Master, take it out!" yelled Chelsea.

"Chelsea!" shouted Yumi.

Before Chelsea could reconsider, Zombie Master fired its bolts of lightning, and Giant Rat was eradicated.

"I use that one's effect too," said the Goblin, "to summon Avatar of the Pot."

In a flash of light, a tall, green-skinned genie with a head that looked like the Pot of Greed appeared. He let out a throaty laugh. (1,200/1,300)

Chelsea sighed.

"I end my turn," she said.

**(C: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (GG: 7,600)**

The Goblin drew a card.

"First," he said, "I move the Avatar to Defense Mode."

Avatar of the Pot sat in the lotus position and crossed his arms.

"Then I use his effect. By sending my favorite Spell Card to the Graveyard…"

He held up the card, which was Pot of Greed, and then discarded it.

"…I get to draw three cards instead of two."

He made three draws.

"Next, I play Card Destruction."

"Huh?" said Chelsea.

She shrugged. She discarded her two cards, and then drew two more. The Goblin discarded his five cards and drew five more.

"And, since you just drew cards outside your Draw Phase, I can activate this…"

One of his facedown cards lifted, showing the image of two merchants around piles of money.

"It's called Appropriate. Now, whenever you pick up extra cards, I get to pick up two myself."

"Appropriate?" said Sam. "Oh no… There's only one reason anyone has that card in his deck…"

"I also activate this," continued the Goblin.

His other facedown card lifted, showing the image of Marie the Fallen One with a card between her claws.

"Disgraceful Charity. Now, we get back all the cards we just had to toss."

The two cards Chelsea had discarded slipped out of her discard slot slipped back out, as did the five cards her opponent discarded.

"Continuing," said the Goblin, "I play this… Convulsion of Nature!"

A Continuous Spell Card appeared, and lightning stuck, and an earthquake rocked the tundra. Lava erupted from the ground.

"Convulsion of Nature requires both players to flip their decks upside-down," he explained, "so the bottom is facing the top."

Chelsea did so, wondering just what the purpose was.

"Next," said the Goblin, as another Continuous Spell Card appeared, "I play Archfiend's Oath."

In another flash of lightning, an ominous stone tablet with strange writing carved on it rose up behind him. The writing glowed sickly green.

"I'm not the kind of merchant who'd ever deal with the Archfiends," he continued. "They're nasty, unreliable creatures who tend to double-cross anyone who deals with them. Not good for business.

"But their Oath is quite useful. According to its terms, I'm allowed to pay 500 Life Points each round to try to guess what the top card on my deck is. If I'm right, I add it to my hand. If I'm wrong, it goes to the Graveyard."

"Hold on…" said Erik. "With Convulsion of Nature… He can see what his top card is… He can't possibly miss!"

The Goblin chuckled.

"This was drafted by the Archfiends, Erik," he replied. "Don't you expect it to have a few loopholes?

"Anyway, I pay 500 Life Points, and I guess that my top card is Double Summon."

He took the top card from his deck.

"What do you know?" he said, turning it forward. "I was right.

"I'll set one Monster in Defense Mode, and then play Monster Reborn to summon Giant Rat in Defense Mode."

A facedown Monster appeared. Then the holy ankh appeared, and Giant Rat appeared crouching in Defense Mode.

"Finally, since I now have seven cards in my hand, I'll play one more Spell Card."

A third Continuous Spell Card appeared.

"Infinite Cards. With this card in play, each player may ignore the six-card limit, and hold as many cards as they desire in their hands.

"And now, my turn is complete."

**(C: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (GG: 7,100)**

"Finally," said Chelsea, drawing a card.

_His strategy clearly requires him to draw lots and lots of cards,_ she thought. _But I have no idea just what specifically it is…_

She played a card.

"I summon The Kick Man," she said.

In a burst of shadow, The Kick Man appeared. (1,300/300)

"Time to strut your stuff," she said. "Attack the facedown Monster!"

Kick Man leapt up, and aimed a kick at the facedown card. Dark Mimic LV1 appeared on the card, and was crushed.

"Now I get to draw one card," said the Goblin, drawing.

"Zombie Master, destroy the Avatar!" shouted Chelsea.

Zombie Master blasted his bolts of lightning, and the genie was blown into shards of rock.

"Vampire Lady, stomp that Rat!"

Vampire Lady made another chop, and Giant Rat exploded.

The Goblin of Greed grinned, and took a card from his deck.

"I summon Muka Muka!" he shouted.

In a burst of energy, a large Monster that looked like a rocky centipede with pipes on its head – from which steam was emitting – appeared on the field. (600/300)

"Huh?" said Ren. "Muka Muka? What's that?"

"Not sure…" replied Zane. "I think it's a pretty old card…"

"It's a Rock Monster that's powerful if used right," said the Goblin. "It gains 300 Attack Points for each card in my hand. As you can see, I have seven right now. Do the math."

Muka Muka glowed, and more steam poured out of its vents. (2,700/300)

Chelsea looked at the big bug.

"I… end my turn…" she said.

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Joan walked into her library, holding a large tome. It was exactly the size of the book she had brought to Meltiel, but much newer. He had quickly made this translated version.

She didn't waste time. She opened the tome, and started to read at the section he had bookmarked.

_In the fifth year of the reign of Malys the Feathered, in the Dimension of Arcanium, where Spellcasters claim dominance, a cabal of powerful Wild Mages successfully created the Wildwind, a powerful generator for Wild Magic, the chaotic sorcery that most Spellcasters feared._

_Drawing power from the Wildwind, the Wild Mages became stronger, and their numbers grew, attracting more recruits to their controversial school of magic. Soon, Wild Magic Zones spread across the land, and Spellcasters of all schools of magic were finding their spells causing Wild Surges._

_Worry started to spread. Some feared that the Wildwind would transform into a Wildfire, a far more deadly generator of Wild Magic._

_This worry was shared by none other than the Uncaring; Boccob, the Archmage of the Deities. The balance of the magical flow had tipped too far to the side of Chaos in Arcanium, and he needed to act._

_Assuming avatar form, he arrived in the dimension, disguised as an old scholar. He came with an assistant, a powerful Spellcaster who rarely spoke. The avatar did not reveal himself, but said he was a representative of a group called the Arcane Lords._

_Presenting himself to the ruling class, the avatar gave advice towards a solution that would tame the Wildwind. Using this advice, the more lawful mages were able to contain the Wildwind in a stable container, decreasing its power and preventing a Wildfire from forming. This upset the cabal of Wild Mages, especially when a law was passed forbidding tapering with the Wildwind further. After one rebellious mage was executed for attempting to destroy the container, the cabal dwindled in size, and the expanse of Wild Magic quickly ended._

_Boccob left for his celestial home soon after, but his assistant remained behind. Speaking for the first time, the creature called itself the Testament of the Arcane Lords, and started preaching to anyone who would hear about the power of the Archmage of the Deities. It gained followers quickly, and soon a church dedicated to Boccob was founded._

_Once the influence of the church was strong, the Testament revealed to the congregation that its master was the embodiment of Boccob himself. Then it too left, leaving the church to prosper. _

_It is said that if the magical flow ever becomes unbalanced again, the Duel Spirit who called itself the Testament of the Arcane Lords will come again on Boccob's behalf, to correct that unbalance. Whether it would support Good, Evil, Law, or Chaos would depend on the nature of the unbalance._

Joan looked up from the book.

"Somehow…" she muttered, "that leaves me with even more questions…"

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"I draw one card," said the Goblin.

He drew, and Muka Muka rose to (3,000/300)

"Now, I pay 500 Life Points to use the effect of Archfiend's Oath. I believe that my top card is Pot of Avarice."

He picked up the top card of his deck.

"What do you know? I was right again!"

Muka Muka rose to (3,300/300)

"All right, my Muka Muka… Chew up her Vampire Lady!"

Muka Muka scurried towards Vampire Lady, and she screamed as it gripped her in its mandibles. She shattered into shards, and Chelsea groaned in pain.

**(C: 7,250) - - - - - - - - - - (GG: 6,600)**

"That's enough for one turn," he said.

_This is ridiculous,_ thought Chelsea. _If this keeps up, it's just gonna get stronger each round…_

She drew a card.

"I'll just move both my Monsters to Defense Mode, and that will be all," she said.

Zombie Master and The Kick Man knelt and shielded themselves.

"My move," said the Goblin, drawing a card.

Muka Muka rose to (3,600/300)

"Once again, I pay 500 Life Points to use the effect of Archfiend's Oath. And I believe that my top card will be Disgraceful Charity."

He took the top card from his deck and turned it around. Sure enough, it was Disgraceful Charity. Muka Muka rose to (3,900/300).

"You could at least try to put up somewhat of a defense, Chels. This is like reading the financial section. Productive, but boring."

Muka Muka rushed at Zombie Master and crushed it with its mandibles. The Zombie shattered.

"It's your move."

Chelsea drew a card.

_Hmm, Pot of Greed…_ she thought.

She looked at the other cards in her hand, which were Zombie Werewolf, Emergency Provisions, Monster Reborn, Rush Recklessly, and Book of Life.

_Hey… I just got a diabolical idea!_

"I play Monster Reborn!" she shouted. "And I'm going to raise a Monster from your Graveyard, Goblin!"

"Huh?" said the Goblin, as his discard slot started to glow.

The ankh appeared, and Avatar of the Pot appeared on Chelsea's side of the field in Defense Mode. (1,200/1,300)

"Now that he's on my side of the field," continued Chelsea, "I can use his effect, and discard my own Pot of Greed to draw three cards."

She discarded the Spell Card, and then drew three times.

"You forget," chuckled the Goblin, "due to my Appropriate, when you do that, I get to draw twice. Share the wealth, I always say."

The Trap Card glowed, and he drew twice.

"My hand now consists of thirteen cards. Some say that thirteen is unlucky, but I think that's a crock. After all, take a look at the American one-dollar bill. On the back, the pyramid has thirteen steps. The eagle clutches thirteen arrows in one claw, and a branch with thirteen leaves and thirteen berries in the other."

"That represents the thirteen original colonies, stupid!" shouted Erik. "It has nothing to do with money!"

"Ah, well," said the Goblin. "My Monster doesn't think it's unlucky either."

Muka Muka rose to (4,500/300).

_Good lord…_ thought Chelsea. _It's just as strong as Kaiba's Ultimate Dragon now…_

_Mustn't panic…_

"I play Book of Life," she said. "I'll Special Summon Zombie Master in Defense Mode, and remove one Giant Rat from play."

Zombie Master appeared again, crouching and shielding itself. (1,800/0)

"Next," she said, "I sacrifice The Kick Man to summon Ryu Kokki."

The Kick Man vanished, and the huge, lumbering ogre made of bone appeared on the field. (2,400/2,000)

"But he won't be staying. I'll play Mystik Wok to sacrifice him and boost my Life Points."

The Spell Card appeared, and Ryu Kokki vanished into grains of light.

"Next," she continued, "I'll discard one Monster to use Zombie Master's effect."

She discarded Zombie Werewolf. Zombie Master glowed, and The Kick Man appeared next to him in Attack Mode. In a flash of light, the Axe of Despair appeared in his hands. (1,300/300) –) (2,300/300)

"I set one card facedown, and end my turn."

A reversed card appeared.

**(C: 9,650) - - - - - - - - - - (GG: 6,600)**

The Goblin chuckled. He drew a card, and Muka Muka rose to (4,800/300).

"I use the effect of Archfiend's Oath again!" he laughed. "And I guess that the card on the top of my deck is Ipiria!"

_Ipiria?_ thought Chelsea. _What is THAT?_

The Goblin held the card forward. It was indeed a Monster called Ipiria.

"I think I'll summon it while I'm at it."

A small Monster appeared, hovering in midair. It was a small, white lizard with a fur collar. (500/500)

"By summoning it, I get to draw one card."

He made one draw.

"Muka Muka, attack her Kick Man!" he shouted.

Muka Muka rushed at The Kick Man.

"Activate… Widespread Ruin!" shouted Chelsea.

Her Trap Card lifted, and Muka Muka exploded into a burst of pebbles.

"All right!" cheered Ren. "She finally stomped that ugly bug!"

The Goblin of Greed's eyes narrowed.

"Okay…" he said, with a hint of bile in his voice. "It's clear that I won't be able to conduct this deal as smoothly as I normally do… It's time to start acting like a true merchant…

"Ruthless!"

He took a card from his hand.

"You see, the up side to this sort of deck is, you always have just the cards you need on hand.

"I play Double Summon. Now I get to make a second Normal Summon for this turn."

The Spell Card appeared.

"Now I sacrifice Ipiria…"

The lizard vanished into grains of light.

"…to summon _Enraged_ Muka Muka!"

The Monster that appeared looked similar to the first Muka Muka, but much bigger, shaped more like a boulder and much more fiendish in appearance. Smoke poured from the numerous vents all over its body. (1,200/600)

"This evolved version gains 400 more Attack Points for each card in my hand," continued the Goblin. "And since I now have thirteen again…"

(6,400/600)

Chelsea gulped.

"I set one card facedown, and end my turn," said the Goblin.

A facedown card appeared in the last slot in his Spell Zone. Enraged Muka Muka fell to (6,000/600)

**(C: 9,650) - - - - - - - - - - (GG: 6,100)**

Chelsea's hand shook as she drew a card.

_I've gotta do something…_ she thought. _I can't lose Penelope…_

_This will help him too… But I have no choice…_

"I move The Kick Man into Defense Mode," she said. "Then I throw two cards facedown, and play Mirage of Nightmare."

Kick Man knelt and shielded himself. Then the two facedown cards and the Mirage card appeared.

"I end my turn…"

"And as you do that," replied the Goblin, "my Trap Card activates… Zero Gravity."

His facedown card lifted.

"Now, all Monsters on the field switch modes."

Chelsea gasped. Avatar of the Pot, Zombie Master, and The Kick Man moved into Attack Mode, while Enraged Muka Muka curled up in Defense Mode."

"My move," said the Goblin, drawing a card.

"I get to draw four cards thanks to Mirage!" shouted Chelsea.

She quickly made four draws.

"And I get to draw two, thanks to Appropriate," said the Goblin.

He made two draws. Enraged Muka Muka grew to (7,200/600)

Chelsea's eyes opened wide when she saw one of the cards she had drawn.

"Emergency Provisions!" she shouted.

The facedown Quickplay shot up, and the Mirage card vanished into grains of light.

"I use the effect of Archfiend's Oath again," continued the Goblin. "I believe my top card is Nobleman of Crossout."

He held up the card, which was indeed Nobleman of Crossout. Enraged Muka Muka grew to (7,600/600)

Then he turned the card on his Disk, and it moved back into Attack Mode.

"Attack her Kick Man!" he ordered.

Enraged Muka Muka rushed at the Zombie with a noise that sounded like an avalanche. Chelsea screamed as he was crushed under the huge, living boulder.

**(C: 4,350) - - - - - - - - - - (GG: 5,600)**

"I activate… Axe of Despair's effect…" gasped Chelsea. "By sacrificing one Monster… I get to put it on the top of my deck…"

Zombie Master vanished, and Axe of Despair slipped out of her discard slot. She placed it on the top of her deck.

"I was hoping you'd do that!" he laughed. "Why did you think I attacked your strongest Monster! Now I practically took out _two_ of your Monsters instead of one, and on your next turn, you'll practically have a dead draw! There's no way that Equip Spell could possibly make a difference!"

He laughed so hard he started to cough. Then he calmed down a little.

"And it's your move…" he chuckled.

Chelsea drew. She added the card to her hand.

"I move Avatar of the Pot to Defense Mode again," she said, as the Avatar sat down and crossed his arms. "Then I set a facedown."

A facedown card appeared.

"That's all."

The Goblin drew a card.

"I'll use the effect of my Oath again," he said. "I guess that the card is Limit Reverse."

He turned the card around. Enraged Muka Muka rose to (8,400/600)

"Eight-thousand, four-hundred?" shouted Ren. "How can Chelsea beat it?"

_I know exactly how,_ thought Chelsea.

Enraged Muka Muka rolled towards Avatar of the Pot, and crushed him.

"I end my turn," laughed the Goblin.

**(C: 4,350) - - - - - - - - - - (GG: 5,100)**

"You won't be laughing for long!" shouted Chelsea. "I'm chaining _this _to the start of your End Phase! Go, Dust Tornado!"

One of her facedown cards flipped up, and the tornado ripped across the field. The Infinite Cards was blown to pieces.

"Now that it's gone," said Chelsea, "you aren't allowed to hold more than the six card limit. Since this is your End Phase, you can't play a second copy, and you must discard all the cards in your hand until you only have six."

The Goblin's eyes bugged out.

"But… But…" he said.

"NOW do you see why I recovered my Axe of Despair?" asked Chelsea.

"But... But..." repeated the Goblin.

"No buts!" ordered Chelsea. "Dump 'em!"

The Goblin growled. He looked at his enormous hand, and chose six cards. Then he discarded the other thirteen. Enraged Muka Muka plummeted to (3,600/600)

"So you weakened my Monster," growled the Goblin. "It's Attack Score is still stronger than anything you've got, even _with _that Axe!"

"We'll see," said Chelsea, drawing a card. "Don't forget, you only have seven cards left in your deck."

"Actually, I have twelve," he replied. "My deck started with forty-five. I'm not dumb, y'know."

"Would have fooled me," said Chelsea. "I play Premature Burial! I'll revive Ryu Kokki!"

In a burst of dark energy, the Bone Dragon Ogre reappeared. (2,400/2,000)

"Now, I'll Equip _him_ with the Axe of Despair!"

The ugly axe appeared in Ryu Kokki's hands. (3,400/2,000)

"Then, I activate my facedown card… Rush Recklessly!"

Her facedown card lifted, and Ryu Kokki shot up to 4,100 Attack Points. It made a great chop at Enraged Muka Muka, and the huge centipede exploded into a burst of flames and smoke.

**(C: 3,550) - - - - - - - - - - (GG: 4,600)**

Chelsea looked up at Penelope.

"It won't be long now," she whispered.

"All right!" cheered Ren. "Stomp one more bug!"

The Goblin frowned as he drew a card.

"I'll use the effect of Archfiend's Oath, and this will be the last time," he said. "I guess that the card will be Drawler."

"Drawler?" asked Chelsea. "What is THAT?"

The Goblin picked up the card and held it up. It was a Monster called Drawler.

"It's a very powerful Monster that's going to win the duel for me," he said, taking a card from his hand. "But before I use it, I'll play Pot of Avarice."

He played the card, and five cards slipped out of his discard slot. He combined them with the ten cards left in his deck, and reshuffled. Then he drew two.

"Now, I play Giant Trunade!"

He played another card, and a wind tore across the field. The terrible calamity stopped and the huge tablet disappeared, as Appropriate, Convulsion of Nature, and Archfiend's Oath vanished, returning to his hand. The Axe of Despair vanished and reappeared in Chelsea's hand.

"Now…" said the Goblin, with a big chuckle, "I summon Drawler!"

Chelsea stepped back as an enormous creature appeared on the Goblin's side of the field. It looked like a huge, stone statue with a grim face that was mounted on rollers. (?/?)

"Why aren't that thing's scores determined?" she shouted.

"Because, in order to get points," replied the Goblin, "when I summon Drawler, I have to take any number of cards from my hand, and send them back to my deck. Then I multiply by 500.

"And I think I'll send all ten of my cards back to my deck!"

He took every card in his hand and combined them with his deck, and reshuffled. Drawler glowed with energy. (5,000/5,000)

"Erk!" gasped Chelsea.

"Drawler, flatten her Ryu Kokki!" shouted the Goblin.

With a rumbling noise, Drawler rolled forward, rolling right over Ryu Kokki, and squashing it as flat as a pancake. The remains shattered.

"Ergh…" groaned Chelsea.

**(C: 950) - - - - - - - - - - (GG: 4,100)**

"By the way," said the Goblin, "Drawler has another effect. When it destroys a Monster that's in Attack Mode, that Monster doesn't go to the Graveyard, it goes to the bottom of your deck! So unless you manage to shuffle it, you likely won't be using Ryu Kokki again.

"I end my turn."

Chelsea hung her head.

She looked at her hand.

She had a way to get rid of this thing, but it would be incredibly risky, especially with her Life Points so low… She needed more Monsters than the one she had…

She drew.

Her eyes opened when she saw the card. How did this guy get in her deck?

_Oh, that's right…_ she thought. _This is the card I switched from my side deck when I knew I couldn't use Penelope…_

She looked at the card. It just might be a lifesaver now.

"I use the effect of Call of the Mummy to Special Summon Goblin Zombie in Defense Mode!" she shouted.

In a burst of shadowy energy, the gaunt Zombie with the bony, insectoid exoskeleton appeared. It knelt and held its sword in its lap. (1,100/1,050)

_He may have managed to summon a Monster with 5,000 Attack Points,_ she thought, _but it cost him his whole hand. This just might work._

"I end my turn."

The Goblin drew a card.

He frowned.

"Disappointed, Goblin?" asked Chelsea.

"Well, it's not exactly the right time for this guy," he said, "but at least it's something. I summon a second Muka Muka."

He played the card, and a second of the rocky centipedes appeared. (600/300)

Chelsea chuckled.

"No cards in your hand," she said. "It gets no bonus."

"Well, that's how it is in business," muttered the Goblin, "sometimes you get the bear, and sometimes the bear gets you.

"Drawler, attack her Goblin Zombie!"

Drawler rolled forward, rolling over Goblin Zombie and crushing it flat.

"You activated its effect!" shouted Chelsea. "Now I get to search for a Zombie from my deck with up to 1,200 Defense Points."

She took Vampire's Curse from her deck and looked at it.

"Whatever," said the Goblin.

Muka Muka scurried forward, and chomped on Chelsea's leg.

"You can't keep defending forever," said the Goblin. "One more round, and I'm ending this. It's your move."

**(C: 350) - - - - - - - - - - (GG: 4,100)**

"My draw!" shouted Chelsea.

She drew a card.

"My field has no Monsters again," she said. "So I'll use Call of the Mummy to Special Summon Vampire Lord."

Vampire Lord appeared in a burst of shadow. (2,000/1,500)

"Now, I'll remove him from play to summon Vampire Genesis!"

Vampire Lord faded into a ripple of light, and the enormous vampire deity appeared. (3,000/2,100)

"Attack his Muka Muka!" she shouted.

Vampire Genesis burst into his crimson shroud, and flew at Muka Muka. The centipede exploded. The Goblin cringed.

"Now, I play Infernalvania!" continued Chelsea.

She placed a card in her Field Slot, and lightning flashed. The icy tundra was transformed into a broken wasteland, and the spooky vampire's castle rose on a hill behind her.

"What's going on?" shouted the Goblin.

"I'm going to take down your big statue," said Chelsea. "But first…"

Her facedown card lifted.

"I activate Interdimensional Matter Transporter!"

The strange machine appeared, and Vampire Genesis vanished in a beam of light.

"Now, I use the effect of Infernalvania," continued Chelsea, "and toss Vampire's Curse to destroy all Monsters on the field!"

She discarded the card, and lighting flashed. A bolt struck Drawler, and the huge statue was blown into shards of rock.

The Goblin of Greed gulped.

"I end my turn," said Chelsea.

Vampire Genesis reappeared.

**(C: 350) - - - - - - - - - - (GG: 1,700)**

The Goblin nervously drew a card.

He set it on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"That all?" asked Chelsea, drawing a card.

"I summon my second Vampire Lady."

She played the card, and the sultry vampiress appeared. (1,550/1,550)

"And then… Axe of Despair!"

She played the card, and the axe appeared in Vampire Lady's hands. (2,550/1,550)

"Vampire Lady, attack his Monster!" she shouted.

Vampire Lady leapt at the facedown card, and Avatar of the Pot appeared crouched on it. With one chop, he shattered.

"Genesis, finish this!"

The Goblin of Greed screamed as the immense vampire flew into him, and he tumbled over.

**(C: 350) - - - - - - - - - - (GG: 0)**

Infernalvania and the two vampires vanished.

"That's that," said Chelsea, wiping her hands. "Now let Penelope go."

The Goblin gasped for breath and pulled himself up. He backed up towards the capsule.

"You folks must have mistaken me for someone who intended to keep his word," he scowled. "Sorry, but she's worth too much. I'm getting out of here, just as soon as…"

And then black motes of energy started to surround him.

"What's happening?" he shouted. "What's going on?"

The motes covered him, and then seemingly consumed him, and he vanished.

"Thank goodness," gasped Chelsea, running up to the capsule. "Zane, can you open this thing?"

"I think I can," he replied. "I'll need about fifteen minutes to crack the digital code."

"Wonder what happened to him?" asked Erik.

"Don't know," said Sam, "don't care… That's one Fiend who isn't welcome in my deck. It takes a lot to give even them a bad name, but…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala was standing with Skull Knight in a reception area of her prison. She watched as two Battle Ox dragged the Goblin of Greed in.

"Daala!" he shouted. "What's going on!"

"What's going on, Goblin?" replied Daala. "I believe that you have a few things that are my property, that's what's going on!"

The Goblin let out a nervous chuckle.

"I don't know what you're talking about…" he muttered, tugging his collar.

"Both of you," ordered Daala, pointing to the Battle Ox, "search him."

The Beast-Warriors dropped their prisoner, and then pulled on rubber gloves.

"Hey, wait a minute…" gasped the Goblin.

Daala turned around, turning a deaf ear to the screams of pain that followed as the two Beast-Warriors did their search.

Eventually, the screams stopped, and one of the Battle Ox walked up to her.

"He was hiding these," he said, handing Daala six cards. "In the folds of his fat, no less… I wouldn't have bought them from him…"

Daala looked at the cards, which were the six Orichalcos Monsters that Zane had taken from Kozaky.

"Yugoloths and demons really don't care how clean things are," she muttered. "They never bathe, and their fortresses are crawling with vermin. Their armor and weapons are worn, battered, filthy, smelly, and often diseased. They don't care… They're immune to diseases anyway. Such creatures only care how powerful an item is."

She looked at the Goblin.

"You picked these out of Zane's pouch when he grabbed the cloak off of you," she growled at him. "And you were going to keep them so you could sell them to some Lower Planar lord…"

"N-no, your excellence!" gasped the Goblin. "I was going to give them back to you!"

"Yeah, right," replied Daala. "You can't buy your way out of this one, Goblin…"

She turned to the two Battle Ox.

"Have this thief locked up in a dark cell," she said. "One with a lot of rats."

The Goblin screamed as he was dragged away. Daala looked at the cards again, and then put them in a pouch at her side.

"Sending Nemesis after Zane was a bust," she muttered, "but at least we got back the goods, thanks to some unintentional help."

Then she took another card out of her pouch.

"Skull Knight…" she said. "Exactly when are the terms of that wager he made with Marauding Captain up?"

"In one year," replied Skull Knight.

"A pity…" said Daala, looking at the card.

It was a Trap called Pollinosis, and it depicted the Goblin of Greed on its art.

"If he hadn't been such a scoundrel, I would have told him that with the recent release of this card, he and the Captain are now tied… But he can learn from someone else now, if I ever choose to let him loose…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DRAWLER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Rock/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** ?  
**DEF:** ?

**Card Description:** When this card is Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned, or Special Summoned, take any number of cards from your hand and shuffle them into your deck. The base ATK and DEF of this card becomes 500 for each card shuffled into your deck in this manner. Monsters in Attack Position that this card destroys as a result of battle are sent to the bottom of the owner's deck.

_Note: "Drawler" was first used by Damien in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Nature of the Draw". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**IPIRIA (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Reptile/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 500  
**DEF:** 500

**Card Description:** When this card is Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned, or Special Summoned, draw one card from your deck.

_Note: "Ipiria" was first used by Gansley in the original anime episode "Isolated in Cyberspace (Part One)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lords of Chaos**

**The Law in a Lawless Land; The Judges of Woe**

Most believe that the chaotic Abyss, by its very nature, has no laws. That is true for the most part. However, they do have a justice system of sorts, which calls itself the Court of Woe.

The Judges of Woe are a cabal of thirteen nalfeshnee, which are demons that look like huge crosses between bears, apes, and boars, in humanoid form. The Judges have no obvious powers that make them better than any _other_ nalfeshnee, but they have more influence, wealth, resources, and command of more minions than most.

The Judges of Woe have taken upon themselves to define the law in a place that usually has none. In truth, their authority only holds over any creature in the Abyss who they are able to force it upon, and their jurisdiction only covers creatures weaker than they are (which is still a great deal, as they are very powerful). The Court is at best a mockery of any proper justice system. The Judges make up any laws they require as it suits them, and judge any resident of the Abyss whom they feel has broken them. Such defendants are more often than not tried _in absentia_, and those that carry out their sentences are often hard to distinguish from any other demonic gang looking for a fight. To anyone with any knowledge of the law, this body is contradictory at best, changing on the whims of the nalfeshnee.

Most demons (other than the Judges' servants) would dismiss the cabal as a group of lunatics, if not for one vital trick that they have learned. Somehow, the Judges of Woe have learned how to enter pacts with mortals, something that normally only the lawful devils can do. Agents of the Court of Woe can approach mortals with the same offers that devils are notorious for offering, exchanging power for souls or other terrible prices.

Like in the contracts written up by devils, the Court of Woe exploits every loophole and fine print possible. But there is a big difference. Their contracts are not agreements. They are curses that are inflicted upon the mortal who agrees upon them. While a devil's contract often manipulates its meaning, contracts written by the Court often contain boldfaced lies that the Court includes to get what they want. If the Court decides to go back on their word in a contract, they often do so. In the Abyss, there are no appeals.

Few intelligent mortals are foolish enough to initiate such contracts. However, in the past, demons have made deals with powerful mortals, only to be tricked, and then imprisoned or enslaved when they are no longer needed. Demons that need insurance when dealing with mortals whom they know are more powerful than they are often request help from the Court of Woe to make certain that such things don't happen. Evil mortals who need help from demons that they can't get anywhere else soon learn that agreeing to these contracts is the only way to get what they want. Of course, the Court of Woe will not do this for free, and anyone seeking legal help in the Abyss must be cautious… More than one demon hoped to avoid enslavement by a mortal, only to face that fate by the Judges of Woe…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**The Realm Lord's castle is in sight at last! Meanwhile, in the real world, Daala's invasion begins, and Olga is threatened by the first scout. In a bid to awaken the card that Jade gave to Nicholas, she takes the creature on, but her opponent is no lightweight. "Beachhead" is coming up next.**_


	50. Beachhead

_It's my birthday… But the present is for you. A new chapter, a day early. Enjoy, while I go get some cake._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Daala's invasion has started. Her unholy army has begun to cross the threshold from Xanadu into the world of humans.**_

_**Like most invasion forces, it has begun small. She has sent scouts on reconnaissance missions to scope out the situation, which will no doubt prepare for the arrival of the larger squads.**_

_**The overall successes of campaigns like this depend largely on the success of the starting points. I'm standing before one of the scouts, and if I can defeat him, then maybe an early victory on our side will mean an advantage down the road.**_

_**At least… I hope so… And I hope that this duel can do what Nicholas wants it to do… He worked hard to get that card…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FORTY-NINE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Beachhead**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The Realm Lord's fortress stood on an icy plateau, and was not easily accessible.

The medieval-style castle could be accessed, if you used the expected way, by a winding, narrow pathway going around the plateau, where one false step would send you tumbling to your doom to the rocks below. And once you got to the top, you'd be a clear target for the sentries guarding the main gate, the only apparent way in.

Yumi's party was not going to play that game. She told Chelsea to use her Interdimensional Matter Transporter to send them right to the top, where they were now hidden behind a group of boulders, able to broadside the two sentries.

They were very modern-looking Duel Spirits. They looked like robotic Warriors, with solar panels on their backs, glowing optic sensors, and laser rifles mounted on their arms.

"What are they?" whispered Ren.

"Search Strikers," whispered Zane. "Wind-Attribute Warriors, although I fail to see what a cybernetic soldier has to do with Wind."

"Only two of them," whispered Sam. "We can take them."

"It only takes one to raise an alarm," replied Zane. "We need to use a little strategy…"

"Strategy, huh?" said Erik. "I got an idea."

Five minutes later, one of the Search Strikers turned his head.

"You hear something?" he said to the other one.

"Eh, it's your imagination," said the second.

Then Spell Striker floated over the ridge and winked at them. It flew to the side.

"You got a good imagination," he continued.

The two Warriors pointed their guns at the small Warrior and followed him as he ducked behind a large boulder…

…and then they were shocked as a Vampire Lady, Dark Blade, Magician's Valkyria, and Opticlops leapt out from behind the rock and tackled them. The four Monsters wrestled them to the ground and tore the guns away from them.

Vampire Lady grinned, and handed a ring of keys to Chelsea.

"Not bad," said Chelsea, as Zane started tying their hands together. "Zane, if we find the Elemental Heroes first, we may gain an advantage when we find the boss."

"Don't worry, I know where they are," said Zane. "I've been here before."

"Huh?" said Yumi.

"I wanted to free them," replied Zane, "but they begged me to flee, telling me that the Lord knew I was coming, and had designed a deck specifically to combat mine. An Anti-Machine Deck.

"In my downloaded memories, I knew that it was facing such a deck that drove the real Zane over the edge. Much as I hated to do it, I couldn't risk staying, and left them behind."

"Don't worry," said Yumi, lifting her Disk. "I've upgraded my own deck a bit, and I'm prepared for the worst…"

As they walked into the castle, a Mokey Mokey floated up the pathway. It looked at them with a curious expression, and followed them inside.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It was five minutes to five PM, in Domino Square. The same place where, years ago, the first duel of Battle City, Yugi Mouto versus the Rare Hunter, took place.

"Why are we here, Nicholas?" asked Olga.

"I have a feeling," said Nicholas. "I once heard that portals often open at places of historic importance. And in terms of dueling, this square was the sight of several important duels in the history of the game…"

The clock struck five.

Then a shimmering light appeared in front of them. It started to grow into a glowing, blue opening…

"Speak of the devil," said Nicholas. "Be careful, Olga. There's no telling who – or what – will come out of there…"

Emerging from the portal was a frightening creature. The Duel Spirit was clearly a Fiend – all the standard fiendish features were there, claws, horns, and wings that looked like flames. He had mauve skin with odd tattoos, and elaborate gauntlets and leg armor. A very large sword was strapped to his back.

"Well, well," he said, lifting a Duel Disk. "I just get here, and already a couple of duelists to practice on!"

"Guardian Baou?" gasped Nicholas. "Olga, watch out!"

"Olga, eh?" replied Baou. "One minute…"

He tapped his Disk, and a holographic screen came up in front of him.

"Hmm…" he said, looking at the data. "Are you the Olga from Liverpool, or the Olga from Prague?"

"Why should I tell you, Mr. Buttinsky?" snapped Olga.

"Okay…" said Baou, looking at the screen. "Since your accent is clearly British and not Slavic, I'm going with Liverpool…"

"Oops," said Olga, covering her mouth.

"My, my…" chuckled Baou. "Plays a Fairy Deck, I see… Well, I may even enjoy this more than usual."

"How come?" asked Olga.

Baou glared at her as the screen vanished.

"Well, let me think," he muttered, "I'm a Fiend… You use Fairies… Do the math!"

He crossed his arms.

"Fairies were half the reason I left the other Guardians… Elma was stuck up, and downright bossy…"

"Why should I duel you?" asked Olga. "What if I tell you to get lost?"

"Would you rather I find some wayward children as victims?" asked Baou. "Once Daala's invasion begins in earnest, the duelists have to be taken out. They're the only ones who can see us, so they're our biggest threat. Refuse to duel us, and we'll take it out on some poor souls who can't."

"Olga!" whispered Nicholas. "Not to put undo pressure on you, but…"

He took the blank card out of his side deck.

"If you can beat this guy, this may be the battle of Order against Chaos that will awaken The True Master.

"You beat that jerk with Diabolos. You can beat this guy."

Olga turned to Baou.

"All right, horn-head," she said. "I'm sending you back where you came from."

"Good luck!" laughed the Fiend.

"Game on!" they shouted.

**(Olga: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Baou: 8,000)**

"I'll start this show," chuckled Baou, drawing his first card.

He grinned as he looked at his opening hand.

"I throw down a facedown card," he said, "and then summon Anchor Knight. All hands on deck!"

A reversed card appeared, and then an intimidating creature materialized. It looked like a man made of steel, with a spherical torso, anchors for arms, and a ship's steering wheel on its back. (1,500/600)

"I've seen worse than that," remarked Olga.

"Oh, really?" asked Baou.

He discarded three cards from his had – a Terraforming, a Little Chimera, and an Ultimate Baseball Kid.

"Well, for each card that I just discarded," he continued, "my Knight gets to go postal, and clobber you for 600 points of damage.

"Go! Anchors away!"

Anchor Knight swung its right arm, and the anchor shot forward, attached to a chain. The left one followed, and it made three swings at Olga. She screamed as the heavy anchors plowed into her three times.

She fell to her knees.

**(O: 6,200) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 8,000)**

"That's just a sample," chuckled Baou. "It's your move."

Olga slowly got up. She growled and drew a card.

"I summon Sunlight Unicorn!" she shouted.

A sunbeam fell from the sky, and a beautiful unicorn descended, landing on the ground. It was pure white, with a sapphire-blue mane and beard. (1,800/1,000)

"How cute," said Baou. "When do the Keebler Elves show up?"

"Yeah, yeah," growled Olga. "Popular media has mutilated the unicorn's image, making them into cutesy, sappy, girly creatures. If you read the original folklore, you'd see that they could be as ferocious as tigers, especially when defending the unspoiled forests.

"And Sunlight Unicorn has a powerful effect. Once per round, I get to check the top card on my deck. If it's a Spell Card, I get to add it to my hand. Anything else, and it goes to the bottom of my deck."

She took the top card of her deck.

"Well, what do you know?"

She turned it forward. It was The Shallow Grave.

"All right!" she shouted. "Show Anchor Knight just how cute you can be!"

Sunlight Unicorn lowered its head, and charged at Anchor Knight, using its horn like a lance. It speared the Warrior, and Anchor Knight exploded into a burst of flames and scrap metal.

**(O: 6,200) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 7,700)**

"Good effort!" laughed Baou. "Pointless, but good…"

He discarded the UFO Turtle in his hand. An anchor burst out of the ground, and entangled around Sunlight Unicorn's legs, causing it to trip. Anchor Knight pulled itself out of the ground. (1,500/600)

"But I destroyed it!" gasped Olga.

"But by discarding a card," replied Baou, "I can activate its other effect, and bring it back in Defense Mode."

"Ooh…" muttered Olga. "I end my turn."

Baou drew a card.

"I move it back to Attack Mode," he said, as Anchor Knight stood up. "And then play the Field Spell, Molten Destruction."

There was an explosion, and a volcano erupted behind him. Like the name suggested, the Field Spell caused destruction. The streets overflowed with burning, molten lava.

"Since my Knight happens to be a Fire Monster," said Baou, "this Field Spell gives him a boost."

(2,000/200)

"A Fire Monster?" asked Olga. "A Fire Monster who fights with anchors? That doesn't make sense!"

"Well, uhm, uh…" muttered Baou. "Uhm… Okay… It doesn't make sense to me either. But I go with what works. Anchor Knight, attack! Buster anchor!"

Anchor Knight threw its anchor forward, and Sunlight Unicorn screamed before it was blown away.

"Next, my facedown card activates," continued Baou, as his Trap Card lifted. "Violent Salvage. With Anchor Knight on the field, I get back the top three cards from my Graveyard."

UFO Turtle, Little Chimera, and Ultimate Baseball Kid slipped out of his discard slot, and he took them.

"The catch is, I'm not allowed to use them."

"Then what…" stared Olga.

Then it sunk in.

Baou quickly discarded them again, and Anchor Knight glowed. Olga screamed as the anchor hit her in the chest again.

**(O: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 7,700)**

"Olga!" screamed Nicholas.

"I'm fine…" muttered Olga.

She got up. She drew a card.

_First thing's first,_ she thought, looking at it.

"I play Mystical Space Typhoon!" she shouted. "Let's put out this fire!"

A tornado tore through the field, and the lava cooled, and then turned to dust. Anchor Knight fell to (1,500/600)

"Next," said Olga, "I summon Hysteric Fairy."

She played a new card, and the fussy-looking, bespectacled Fairy appeared, holding its tome. (1,800/500)

"Attack Anchor Knight!" shouted Olga.

Hysteric Fairy adjusted its glasses, and shot a beam of light at the Anchor Knight. The Fire Warrior exploded again.

"Crud…" muttered Baou. "I have no cards to discard…"

"That's the idea," said Olga. "I'll throw a card facedown, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared.

**(O: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 7,400)**

Baou grumbled, and made a draw.

He set the card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"I end my turn," he said.

"Not before I activate this," said Olga, as her facedown card lifted. "Scapegoat!"

Four puffy, multicolored sheep appeared next to Hysteric Fairy.

"My draw," said Olga, drawing a card.

_Fire Monsters aren't known for their high Defense Scores,_ she thought. _This might work._

"I use Hysteric Fairy's effect," she said. "By sacrificing two Monsters, I gain 1,000 Life Points. So, I'll sacrifice all four Sheep Tokens to use that effect twice."

The four Scapegoats vanished, and Olga glowed with energy.

"Next, I summon Absorbing Kid from the Sky."

In a burst of light, the pudgy, winged kid appeared. (1,300/1,000)

"Now my Kid attacks your Monster! Go, absorption force!"

Absorbing Kid inhaled deeply. Masked Dragon appeared on the facedown card. It turned to fire, and the Kid swallowed it.

"Thanks to Absorbing Kid's effect, I gain 300 Life Points for each Level your Dragon had. I believe it was Level Three."

"And thanks to Masked Dragon's effect," said Baou, "I get to summon another weak Dragon. And no-one ever uses a Masked Dragon without packing two extras."

A second Masked Dragon appeared in Defense Mode. (1,400/1,100)

Hysteric Fairy blasted a beam from its eyeglasses, and the second Masked Dragon exploded.

Baou gestured, and a third Masked Dragon appeared. (1,400/1,100)

"I end my turn," said Olga.

**(O: 7,100) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 7,400)**

Baou growled and drew a card.

Then he grinned.

"Time for a recharge," he said. "I play Coins from Heaven!"

He played the card, and a light flashed overhead. He drew six cards, and Olga drew two.

"Now…" chuckled Baou, "let's use them, shall we?

"I play a second Molten Destruction!"

In another explosion, burning lava covered the streets again. Masked Dragon rose to (1,900/700)

"Next, I sacrifice Masked Dragon…"

The Dragon vanished in a plume of smoke.

"…to summon an old favorite of mine… Twinheaded Beast!"

The creature that appeared looked like a huge, fiery centaur, with two bestial heads, each with a flaming mane. It held fire in the palms of both of its hands. (1,700/1,900) –) (2,200/1,500)

"Good lord…" muttered Nicholas.

"And guess what?" continued Baou. "This charming creature gets to attack twice.

"Attack her Kid!"

Twinheaded Beast threw a fireball at Absorbing Kid from the Sky. The Fairy exploded, and Olga cringed in pain.

"AND her Hysteric Fairy!" shouted Baou.

The Beast threw a second fireball, and Hysteric Fairy burst.

**(O: 5,800) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 7,400)**

Baou chuckled.

"That's enough for one turn," he said. "But next round, he's coming after you."

Olga drew.

She looked at the powerful Monster.

_Baou is awfully clever,_ she thought, _but… Maybe he can be tricked._

"I play Monster Reborn," she said.

She played the card, and the holy ankh appeared. Sunlight Unicorn appeared again, sitting on its hindquarters in Defense Mode. (1,800/1,000)

"Then, The Shallow Grave," she continued, playing another Spell Card. "Now, we must each summon a Monster from our Graveyards in facedown Defense Mode."

Two facedown Monsters appeared, one on each side of the field.

"Now, I use Sunlight Unicorn's effect."

She looked at the top card on her deck.

"Aw… crap…" she said.

"Let me guess," chuckled Baou. "You're playing a Fat Fairy Deck, and that card was one of the fattest."

Olga didn't reply as she placed it on the bottom of her deck. "Fat Fairy" was a term in game slang for a Level Seven or Eight Fairy that could be Normal Summoned. Most Fairy duelists used Gellenduo to summon them.

The card she had just put on the bottom of her deck was Splendid Venus, which fit the profile, but frankly, she hated that term.

"I end my turn," she growled.

Baou laughed as he drew a card.

"You don't fool me, Olga," he said. "I was paying attention… That facedown Monster can only be Hysteric Fairy or Absorbing Kid, and both of them have weak Defense Scores.

"I flip my Anchor Knight to Attack Mode."

His facedown Monster flipped up, and Anchor Knight appeared again. (1,500/600) –) (2,000/200)

"Now, I summon Molten Zombie."

In a burst of flames, and hulking, lumbering brute that appeared to be made of lava appeared. (1,600/400) –) (2,100/0)

"Molten Zombie, Anchor Knight, destroy her Monsters!"

Anchor Knight threw its anchor at the facedown Monster. Hysteric Fairy appeared on the card, and shattered.

Molten Zombie belched a cloud of flaming gas at Sunlight Unicorn, and the equine Fairy was burned up.

"Twinheaded Beast…"

"Hold it right there!" shouted Olga. "You fell right into my trap! When I have two or more Monsters on the field, and all of them are destroyed in the same Battle Phase, I get to summon _this_ from my hand!

"Tualatin!"

She threw a card on her Disk, and a huge creature appeared in an explosion of light. It looked like a cross between an angelic knight and a jet plane, with pure silver armor. (2,800/2,500)

"How's THAT for a Fat Fairy?"

"Eh, nothing I can't handle," replied Baou, frowning.

"Oh?" said Olga. "Tualatin has a powerful effect. When it's summoned like this, I get to name one Attribute. Then, every Monster on the field that matches the named Attribute is wiped out."

"HUH?" gasped Baou.

"Think I'll name…" muttered Olga. "Fire."

Tualatin glowed with radiant energy. Baou cringed, as Anchor Knight, Molten Zombie, and Twinheaded Beast burst into explosions of embers.

"You also are not allowed to Normal Summon or Special Summon any Fire Monsters until Tualatin is no longer on the field," continued Olga.

Baou growled. He looked at the cards in his hand.

"Yes!" shouted Nicholas.

He held up the blank card.

"Did you see that? Did you?"

The card made no verbal response. But it was glowing dimly in the weak light.

Baou placed two cards in his Disk.

"I set two cards facedown, and end my turn!" he shouted, as two facedown cards appeared.

"You're all sizzle," said Olga.

She drew a card.

"…and no steak!

"I play the Sanctuary in the Sky. Time for a change of locales."

She fit the card into her Field Slot, and the molten wasteland faded away. It was soon replaced by the cloudy paradise in the sky, with the ancient stone temple looming behind Olga.

"Even if you manage to summon something," she said, "I'm not hurt at all from any battle involving Fairies here.

"But I can still hurt you.

"Tualatin, attack him directly! Triangle Force!"

Tualatin put its hands together, and formed a blazing energy triangle. It gestured, and the projectile blasted at Baou, knocking him over.

**(O: 5,800) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 4,600)**

"I set a Monster in Defense Mode, and end my turn," said Olga.

A facedown Monster appeared next to Tualatin.

"My draw…" growled Baou.

He laughed out loud when he saw what the card was.

"I play Brain Control!" he laughed. "I'll pay 800 Life Points to take your Tualatin!"

The fiendish brain appeared over the field. Waves of mental energy poured from it, and Tualatin was pulled over to Baou's side.

"You're gonna sacrifice my Tualatin!" screamed Olga.

"Yes, but not in the way you think," replied Baou. "But first thing's first… Attack her Monster!"

Tualatin fired its Triangle Force at the facedown Monster, and Radiant Jeral appeared on the card. It shattered into green triangles.

"Next, my facedown cards activate," said Baou. "First, DNA Transplant."

His first facedown card lifted.

"Now, I name one Attribute, and all Monsters on the field become that Attribute. I name Fire.

"Next…"

His second facedown card lifted.

"Spiritual Fire Art – Kurenai. Now, I sacrifice one Fire Monster, and my opponent takes damage equal to that Monster's Attack Score.

"And since I changed Tualatin to Fire…"

Olga gasped. Tualatin turned into a huge ball of fire, and it shot at her. She screamed as it plowed into her, knocking her over.

**(O: 3,000) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 3,800)**

"Burn, baby, burn," chuckled Baou, taking a Spell Card. "Next, I play Blasting Vein. I'll destroy my DNA Transplant card, and draw two cards."

Fiery cracks appeared in the Trap Card, and it burst into a shower of embers. He made two draws.

"Now that Tualatin is gone, I'll summon Tenkabito Shien."

There was a galloping of hooves, and a Samurai warrior strode onto the field on a coal-black horse. He was dressed in the rich clothing of nobility, had a neatly-trimmed topknot and goatee, and carried a large nodachi. His eyes burned like embers. (1,500/1,000)

_Aw, man…_ thought Nicholas. _How can I convince The True Master if Baou uses THAT card? It's like a Samurai turning traitor!_

"Finally, I'll Equip him with the fiery Salamandra."

He played the Equip Spell, and Shien's sword blazed with fire. (2,200/1,000)

"And that's all!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In Xanadu, Daala nervously watched the clock.

Nine o'clock would be here before she knew it, but before that happened, one last incredibly important plan would have to be overseen.

She dialed her cell phone.

"Is Brron still asleep?" she said into it.

"Still sleeping like a very, very ugly baby," replied the Shadow Tamer on the other end.

"Good," replied Daala. "If he so much as starts having night terrors, let me know."

She hung up.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I'm not gonna let you win, Baou…" grumbled Olga, making a draw.

She looked at the Spell Card, and then played it.

"I play Akashic Record. Now, I get to draw two cards. However, if either of them has been used already, I lose both of them."

She made two draws, and looked at them.

"Fortunately," she said, turning them forward, "both are new."

She set a card on her Disk.

"I'll set a Monster, and that will be all."

Baou made a draw.

_Hmm…_ he thought. _This might come in handy…_

He set two cards in his Disk, and two facedown cards appeared.

"Shien, attack her Monster!" he commanded.

Tenkabito Shien galloped forward and made a slash with his blade. The twin Fairies of Gellenduo appeared on the card, and held fast. (1,700/0)

"Sorry to ruin your plans," said Olga, "but Gellenduo can't be destroyed in battle."

"In that case," said Baou, "my turn is over."

Olga drew a card.

She felt a warm light emitting from the card as she looked at it. Ever since Yumi and the others had gone to Xanadu, this card seemed to have more power than it had before.

"Gellenduo has another effect," she said. "When it's sacrificed to summon a Light-Attribute Fairy, it can count as two sacrifices.

"So I sacrifice it…"

Gellenduo vanished.

"To summon Guardian Angel Joan!"

A beam of light fell from the clouds, and in a flourish of shimmering motes, Guardian Angel Joan descended. (2,800/2,000)

"Ho boy…" muttered Baou.

"Attack Tenkabito Shien!" shouted Olga. "Divine Flame Strike!"

Joan cast a mighty divine smite from her palms, and Tenkabito Shien was blasted out of existence.

"And when Joan crushes an enemy, I gain Life Points equal to his Attack Score!"

"Don't celebrate too soon," said Baou.

Then Olga noticed that he had activated his Trap Card.

"Dark Healer?" asked Olga. "What does that do?"

"I added it to my deck when I knew I would be dueling a Fairy duelist," explained Baou. "It's a Continuous Trap whose effect will activate each time you increase your Life Points. The amount you get each time will be cut in half.

"Where does the other half go, you may ask? It's for my benefit… But it is transformed into the ability to draw one card."

He quickly made a draw.

Olga frowned. She looked at the other cards in her hand.

"I end my turn!" she shouted.

**(O: 4,100) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 3,800)**

Baou drew another card.

"I play my Pot of Avarice."

He played the card, and took Ultimate Baseball Kid, Tenkabito Shien, Anchor Knight, Molten Zombie, and Twinheaded Beast from his discard slot. He shuffled them into his deck, and drew twice.

"Time to get serious," he said, "I play the Spell Card, Arms Hole."

The Spell Card appeared on his side of the field.

"Now, by sending the top card from my deck to the Graveyard…"

He took a card off his deck and discarded it.

"I get an Equip Spell back…"

A card slipped out of his discard slot.

"Like my Salamandra. Of course, in exchange for that, I can't Normal Summon this turn. But I can play Monster Reborn to summon UFO Turtle in Defense Mode."

He played the card, and the fiery, mechanical turtle appeared. (1,400/1,200)

"Next, I activate my facedown card. The Transmigration Prophesy."

His facedown card lifted. Monster Reborn and Molten Destruction slipped out of his discard slot. He combined them with his deck, and reshuffled.

"Next, I play Golden Sarcophagus."

The Spell Card appeared, and the golden chest rose out of the ground.

He took a card out of his deck and looked at it.

Monster Reborn. In just two rounds, he'd be able to use it again.

It lowered into the chest, and the chest closed. Then it sank into the ground.

"And I end my turn."

_He's up to something,_ thought Olga, drawing a card, _and I don't like it…_

"I set two facedown cards," she said, as two reversed cards appeared.

"Then I attack with Joan!"

Joan cast her searing light, and UFO Turtle was reduced to slag.

Baou chuckled.

"Now you gain 700 Life Points," he said, "and I get to draw one card."

He made a draw.

"And I also get to summon another weak Fire Monster. Like another UFO Turtle."

A second of the fiery Attribute searchers appeared. (1,400/1,200)

Olga sighed.

"My turn is over," she said.

**(O: 4,800) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 3,800)**

Baou grinned as he drew a card.

"I Equip Salamandra to UFO Turtle," he said.

He played the card, and UFO Turtle rose to (2,100/1,200)

"And now…" he said, playing a card, "I sacrifice it, along with every other card in my hand…"

He discarded his hand, and UFO Turtle erupted into a huge bonfire.

"…to summon the Infernal Incinerator!"

The creature that appeared was hideous. It looked like a cross between a giant, six-legged lizard, and some bestial demon. Its hide was scaly and red, and it was covered with spikes and spines. (2,800/1,800)

"It isn't just a pretty face," continued Baou, "it gains 200 Attack Points for each Monster on your side of the field."

(3,000/1,800)

"Attack Joan! Demon Hell burner!"

With a roar that sounded like a blast furnace rupturing, the Fiend blasted a wave of flame at Joan, engulfing her in it and reducing her to ashes.

"HA, HA, HA, HA!" laughed Baou. "Oh, I'm going to get a medal for this!"

Olga sadly watched as Joan fell into the Graveyard.

She hung her head.

"What do I do?" she whispered.

"_Don't give up, Olga!"_ urged a voice.

Olga lifted her head.

She looked at her Disk, and saw that her discard slot was glowing.

"J… Joan?" she whispered. "Is that you?"

"_It's another 'me',"_ said the voice. _"I'm using this card to try to talk to you, because I think you need it._

"_And you can't just throw down your cards and give up yet. You don't know what's at stake!_

"_Baou is only the beachhead. He's just a scout for the greater army. If you lose here, he'll have a positive report to bring back to his commander. They'll have much more confidence when the real invasion starts. That's bad. Very bad._

"_On the other hand, if he's beaten, they'll come with more caution. You might have a better chance._

"_Baou may have a powerful Monster, but you have a stronger one. If you keep going, I have faith that you will use it to overcome him."_

The glow stopped.

Olga looked at Baou.

"It's my move!" she shouted.

_At least I hope so…_ she thought, looking at the two cards in her hand. _I have one Monster, one Spell Card…_

…_and two facedown cards… But I can't do much except stall with any of them…_

She drew a card.

"I play my own Pot of Avarice!" she shouted, playing it.

Sunlight Unicorn, Hysteric Fairy, Absorbing Kid from the Sky, Tualatin, and Radiant Jeral slipped out of her Disk, and she added them to her deck and shuffled. She drew twice.

She was shocked when she saw what one of them was.

"Father…" she whispered.

It was _the_ card…

The card her father had given her…

The rarest card in her deck… The card he had pulled so many strings to get for her when she had become interested in dueling…

It was the card that held her father's soul.

She looked at Baou as she added it to her hand. Her eyes narrowed.

"I remove two Light Monsters in my Graveyard from play," she said, "to summon Soul of Purity and Light!"

Two cards slipped out of her discard slot, and a winged, feminine form made of silvery mist appeared in front of her. (2,000/1,800)

"Then, I play Celestial Transformation. Now, I can Special Summon a Fairy, so long as I cut its Attack Score in half."

Dunames Dark Witch appeared on the field. (1,800/1,050) –) (900/1,050)

"Don't forget," said Baou, "my Infernal Incinerator gains more Attack Points."

Infernal Incinerator grew to an Attack Score of 3,200.

"Oh, really?" replied Olga. "Well, I sacrifice both my Monsters…"

Dunames Dark Witch and Soul of Purity and Light vanished.

"To summon Neo-Parshath the Sky Paladin!"

The clouds parted, and a majestic form flew down. It was a giant, winged centaur, covered with gold armor, his wings attached to a gold frame. He held a long sword in one hand, and a golden shield in the other. (2,300/2,000)

"Now, my facedown card," continued Olga, as one of her Trap Cards lifted. "Aegis of Gaia! Now, I gain 3,000 Life Points!"

"Have you forgotten my Dark Healer?" asked Baou. "That gain is cut in half, and I get to draw a card."

He made one draw.

**(O: 6,300) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 3,800)**

_Perfect!_ he thought, looking at it. _My Heavy Storm. Now I can tear down this accursed Field Spell._

Then he looked at Neo-Parshath.

"HUH?" he gasped.

(4,700/2,000)

"How'd he get so strong??" he shouted.

"That's his effect," replied Olga. "When the Sanctuary is in play, and I'm ahead on Life Points, he gains Attack Points equal to the difference.

"Neo-Parshath, destroy his Infernal Incinerator!"

Neo-Parshath flew at the demon, and made a great slash with his sword. The fiery demon howled, and then exploded. Baou braced himself from the flaming debris.

**(O: 6,300) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 2,100)**

"I'm still standing!" laughed Baou.

_I'll get Monster Reborn from my Sarcophagus next turn,_ he thought. _And with Heavy Storm, I'll blow away both the Field Spell and Aegis of Gaia, and that oversized Fairy will be reduced to its base Attack Score!_

"I activate my other Trap!" shouted Olga.

"Huh?" said Baou.

Olga's last Trap Card lifted.

"Miraculous Descent!" she exclaimed. "Now, I get to bring back one Fairy that's been removed from play!"

Guardian Angel Joan appeared in another blinding light. (2,800/2,000)

"Oh… no…" said Baou.

"Attack him directly!" ordered Olga. "Divine flame strike!"

Joan flew at the Guardian, and blasted her holy flames. The Fiend screamed, and was propelled backwards.

**(O: 6,300) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 0)**

Guardian Baou chuckled as he lay on his back.

"Not bad…" he laughed. "Not bad… Guess I won't be getting a medal after all…

"But you can be sure that you'll be on our army's hit list when the main force comes! They'll be going after the strong ones first!

"You won this battle… The war has only started…"

Then he burst into globules of light.

"Olga, look!" shouted Nicholas.

He ran up to her, holding the card.

"You did it, Olga!" he gasped. "It's changing!"

Slowly, a picture formed on the card, then Level stars, then statistics, then effect text.

Nicholas started to read the writing on the card. He wasn't the easiest Monster to summon if you wanted to make full use of his effect, but if you pulled it off, he was incredibly powerful.

Olga nodded.

"Let's do it, bro," she said. "Let's hunt us some Duel Spirits…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

With Zane leading the way, Yumi and company wandered down a large, torch-lit hall of the castle.

The whole place was strange. It seemed to have a mechanical theme of sorts, not unlike the Infernal Clock. But they had not had to deal with any guards.

Zane walked up to a large set of double doors.

"Here," he said. "Unless they've been moved, the Elemental Heroes are in here."

He took the keys, and unlocked the door. He carefully pushed the door open.

Inside the room was a vast computer room, with a giant mainframe on every wall. And the four Elemental Heroes – Avian, Burstinatrix, Clayman, and Sparkman – were indeed inside. They were prisoners, held in capsules not unlike the one that the Goblin used to hold Penelope.

All four of them took notice when the duelists entered. They rushed up to them.

"Who are you?" asked Burstinatrix, nervously.

"Let's just say, Joan sent us," said Chelsea, looking at the controls for the capsules.

"Bad news people," said Zane. "These digital locks are far more complex than the ones on the Goblin's capsule. It could take an hour before I cracked all four."

"He'd find you before then," sobbed Burstinatrix. "He's a madman…

"Ever since we were captured, he's forced us to serve in his deck. Daala sends him to the Twelve Dimensions when he needs a duelist to handle someone she can't negotiate with."

"That's monstrous!" exclaimed Yumi. "Someone working for Daala is using an Elemental Hero Deck?"

"Who is this guy anyway?" asked Erik.

"That would be me," said a voice at the other end of the room.

"No…" sobbed Burstinatrix. "He's already here…"

Everyone looked…

It was someone they had seen before, Ren particularly. He could never forget him, as his father had seen him as well. It was a man dressed in a black outfit that resembled armor. Over his head was an egg-shaped helmet with one slot for an eye, the left one. The right side of the helmet was bronze, while the other half was black.

"The Phantom Duelist?!" shouted Ren. "You're running this place?"

"Mmm, yes," said the figure, "but I don't use that name any more, Ren. I'm quite tired of it. It was a rather cheesy pseudonym…

"You know, I have a more proper name… I never told it to you or your father… I might as well reveal it, since it makes no difference now…

"Colonel Slade Wilson, aka Deathstroke the Terminator.

"Realm Lord of the Frozen Wastes, a new title I recently added.

"And believe me… Things are going to be very different from here on in…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SUNLIGHT UNICORN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fairy/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description:** Once per turn, you can look at the top card of your deck. If it is a Spell Card, add it to your hand. If not, place it at the bottom of your deck.

_Note: "Sunlight Unicorn" was first used by Ruka in an episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D". Possibly, this card will be released as a real card in "Crimson Crisis"._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**AKASHIC RECORD (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A dinosaur skull lying with a few bones.

**Card Description:** Draw two cards from your deck. If a copy of either card has been used previously in the duel, remove both from play.

_Note: "Akashic Record" was first used by Jesse (possessed by Yubel) in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "The Ultimate Face-Off (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ANCHOR KNIGHT (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,500  
**DEF:** 600

**Card Description:** Discard one card from your hand to inflict 600 points of direct damage to your opponent. This effect may be used three times per turn, during your turn. If this card is destroyed as a result of battle and sent to the Graveyard, you may discard one card from your hand to Special Summon it in face-up Defense Position.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**VIOLENT SALVAGE (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** Anchor Knight amid the waves of the ocean, plunging its fist into the waves.

**Card Description:** You may only activate this card when an "Anchor Knight" is face-up on your side of the field. Take the top three cards on your Graveyard and add them to your hand. These cards cannot be set, summoned, or activated.

_Note: "Anchor Knight" and "Violent Salvage" were first used by The Masked Knight of Anger in the multi-part "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Triple Play". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK HEALER (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image:** Nurse Reficule the Fallen One lurking behind a visibly nervous Hysteric Fairy.

**Card Description:** The effect of this card activates whenever your opponent activates an effect that increases his/her Life Points. Reduce the amount of Life Points gained by your opponent by half. Then, draw one card from your deck.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lords of Chaos**

**The myth of Zargon the Returner**

The following story was until recently completely unknown, until an ancient tome was recovered from a destroyed caravan led by a harvester devil bringing important documents to a lord of Hell. Whoever destroyed the caravan is not known, but whoever did so killed the harvester devil and his servants and took anything they perceived as valuable, which apparently did not include the books and documents. The book was a tome of confidential files headed for an infernal safe house. Apparently, this Lord of Chaos is one that the devils wanted to keep secret.

Everyone knows the story… Of how Lucifer and his army were polluted by the evil energies of the demonic forces, turned against Heaven, and were cast into Hell. Not many know, however, that Hell existed before this event. And Hell was not unpopulated at the time.

Before Lucifer's fall, the place that would be called Hell was known as Baator, and it was the home of foul creatures who can simply be called ancient baatorians. Their ruler was a vile creature called Zargon. He was a true monster, a tentacled, one-eyed, horned thing, and his kingdom was a disgusting place overrun by rivers of slime.

When Lucifer and his rebellious host fell, they set about claiming the territory for their own, and were no strangers to fighting creatures like this. They destroyed most of the ancient baatorians, and enslaved others. A very small number survived, and fled to deeper parts of Baator. It is said they went into hibernation – only foolish devils go looking for them today, for it is said that they may have grown stronger in their eons-long sleep.

Zargon himself survived, and fled to the Abyss, arriving in a layer whose lord had recently been assassinated in a coup. He quickly used his own powers to overthrow the ones who had done so, and took over himself, turning the layer into a fetid swamp of slime and filth. He decided that if he could not rule Baator, he'd ally himself with the creatures who opposed the new rulers of it.

Zargon is neither demon nor devil, but over the millennia, he has grown in power, and become a mad force of Chaos. He has become a true Elder Evil, and seeks the same goals as any of them: destruction of all he comes across. He has made very few allies over the centuries; only demons who are able to survive the most dangerous layers of the Abyss are able to approach him. His minions include not only such demons, but other disgusting creatures, beings of ooze and muck who hail from a more primordial time.

Zargon is not as powerful as others who dream of the goals he has set. But he still clings to them, planning for a time when he will reveal himself to mortals, and flood the world with his vile slime. Still, some who know of Zargon wonder if there may be more to him than simply a destructive force. A being who predates Lucifer's fall may well know secrets of the origin of the universe, and with such secrets may come unimaginable power…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**The Realm Lord stands revealed! But how did Slade go from duelist assassin to minion of Daala? Since when does Slade work for anyone but himself anyway? Next chapter, he explains everything, and then challenges Yumi to an all-out battle, which may be her toughest fight yet. It's all coming up in "The Dark Half", coming soon.**_


	51. The Dark Half

Author's note:

_Author's note:_

_This is another chapter where I use Japanese names for a certain group of cards. Mostly for dramatic effect than for anything else._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**The story behind the man who we're facing now goes back to my father's time.**_

_**In the first Duelatopia, he faced Ren's father, using a Mask Deck. He beat him good, humiliating the young Clive Marris.**_

_**Fast-forward nineteen years. Ren met him when we attended Duelatopia, and he hadn't seemed to have aged a day. Ren was only too happy to duel him again to avenge his father, and faced a new deck, a Demon Matador Deck. Ren beat him this time, and that was the last we saw of him until now.**_

_**I had assumed that this man, The Phantom Duelist, was nothing more than some duelist assassin with a flair for the dramatics. But now he has shown up working for Daala, as Lord of the Frozen Wastes. He's even told us his real name.**_

_**There's more to him than we once believed. Looking him in the eye, the only eye I can see due to his helmet, I see a dark soul… One that hides many secrets…**_

_**I have a feeling that he's held back his true strength up to now. And now, with his true name revealed, his true power will come forward…**_

_**I'm in for the fight of my life…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FIFTY**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Dark Half**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The four Elemental Heroes slunk back in fear as the masked man held up a small remote and pushed a button on it.

Then, the four Duel Spirits turned into grains of light and vanished.

"HEY!" shouted Yumi. "Where did they go?"

"Take it easy," replied the masked man. "They're okay… I don't want to kill them just yet…"

He held up four Duel Monsters cards – the four Monster Cards depicting the four Heroes.

"Let them go, Deathstroke, or Slade, or whoever you are!" demanded Yumi. "Or so help me, I'll…"

"Patience, Yumi," he replied. "It's a trait I had to learn long ago…"

"So, Deathstroke, huh?" asked Ren. "Not exactly the most subtle name… And the Terminator? Arnold Schwarzenegger would want a word with you if he wasn't dead."

The man's eye narrowed.

"I used that name long before that silly movie was ever released," he said, "so if anyone ever owed anyone royalties, he owed them to me.

"But you can just call me Slade. Now that all pretenses are done away with, there's no need for formalities any more. I suppose you have questions…"

"Who… are… you?" snarled Yumi. "We thought you were just some duelist for hire, but clearly there's something more…"

Slade looked at her.

"Yes…" he said. "A lot more…"

He crossed his arms.

"I'm much older than you might believe, you know…" he said. "I was out and about long before your father ever met me, Ren. Long ago, when I was in the U.S. military, I volunteered for a top-secret super-soldier program.

"I underwent experimental testing, that altered my chemical, biological, and even genetic structure. It made me stronger, faster, and almost impossible to harm. One scientist said I had also gained the ability to use ninety percent of my brain capacity, this being a time when it was thought that most humans only used ten percent of it. But whatever the case, I had become smarter, becoming a combat and tactical genius like none other.

"Most folks didn't see another benefit I had acquired. I only had to sleep two hours out of every twenty-four. And I only had to eat one meal a day. The reason was, my metabolism had greatly slowed, and my body was making much greater use of my energy intake. And as I didn't find out until much later, this included the side effect of aging much slower than the average man, greatly increasing my organ longevity. Even as I passed the age where most men retire, my eyesight and hearing never faded, my blood pressure remained perfect, and my muscles didn't deteriorate. I was nearly immortal.

"After I was ousted from the military for defying orders, I became a mercenary and assassin. I became one of the best. You know how it goes… The old good-guy-bad-guy thing…

"But eventually, I learned something the hard way. Immortality is a gift that humans were never meant to have.

"The world changed, and I didn't. My old enemies retired, and I found myself fighting their protégés. My allies retired or went to jail, and I was forced to make deals with new ones. I wondered if this would happen when a third generation appeared. I got sick of it. I threw down my weapons, and quit for good, hoping to find some sort of reason to exist.

"Becoming a duelist for hire helped, but not as much as I'd hoped. It was like a watered-down version of what I had used to be. I almost envied your grandfathers, Yumi, who dueled in real Shadow Games. I figured that such dangerous contests might at least make a duel more meaningful.

"You think I'm crazy, don't you? You think no-one in their right mind would _want_ to duel in a Shadow Game. Well, trust me, I'm sure that a Shadow Game is no different than many of the other dangerous situations that I've been in.

"I was at the point of despair. I kept working as a duelist assassin, accepting jobs from idiots like Rasputin just to make an income so I could eat… Not that I had to eat that much… I had used every deck strategy under the sun… Monarchs, Dragons, Archfiends, Ancient Gears… I got bored with them all…

"And then… I met Daala…

"Daala showed me a whole world behind the veil, one where she can change the world into something wonderful, something that will give me the reason to exist that I was looking for.

"I came fully out of retirement. I'm done working for dark powers now…"

He glared at the small group.

"I'm ready to become one again…

"I've created my most powerful deck. I've already defeated and enslaved the Elemental Heroes, and if you want to save them…"

He produced a deck, and shuffled the four cards into it.

"It's your move, my friend."

"I'll take you on!" shouted Ren.

"Oh, that's very flattering, Ren," replied Slade, "but I'm through dueling sidekicks. This time, I insist on dueling the Queen of Games herself. After all, there's no glory in winning unless you triumph over the best."

He produced a Disk from his back (which, oddly, was standard-issue) and slipped it on his left arm.

"Fine…" said Yumi. "And if I win, you let those four go?"

"I suppose," said Slade. "But beware…

"With them in my deck, I've taken down some of the most powerful duelists in the Twelve Dimensions. Lorelei the Symphonic Arsenal and Mazera DeVille are but two powerful Duel Spirits who refused to deal with Daala. They regretted it once they faced this deck."

"I'm not afraid of you," said Yumi, lying.

"You might be once you see my Deck Lord," replied Slade. "He's someone that your grandfather might remember from the first time he encountered Marik, the time he faced Bandit Keith when Keith was Marik's mind slave…"

A bonfire of black flames appeared behind him, and a hideous Fiend appeared in it. It looked like sort of a bulky, humanoid crocodile, covered with a bony exoskeleton and horns all over, with huge claws. It wore a purple cape with a high collar.

"Zera the Mant?" exclaimed Erik.

"What the heck does a Ritual Fiend have to do with Elemental Heroes?" asked Chelsea.

"Uhm…" said Zane. "I believe… Not a thing…"

"And there are far better Ritual Monsters than _that_," added Sam.

"True, he's only a fan card nowadays," replied Slade, "but he fits my needs, with a Deck Lord ability I can use to my advantage."

Yumi gestured, and Dark Magician Girl appeared behind her.

"Let's stop stalling!" she shouted.

"Game on!"

**(Slade: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Yumi: 8,000)**

"Mokey Mokey," said a voice beside Ren.

Ren looked down, and the little Fairy was floating beside him.

"Quiet down, little guy!" he whispered. "If he sees you, he might decide to make s'mores…"

Yumi quickly drew her first card.

_Perfect!_ she thought. _I drew Mirror Force in my opening hand! And I have Old Vindictive Magician too. This will help me get an early lead…_

"I set a Monster, and a facedown card," she said.

A hidden Monster and a reversed card appeared.

"Your move…"

Slade's one good eye narrowed. He drew a card.

"I use my Deck Lord Power," he said, as Zera the Mant started to glow with dark energy.

"Already?" said Ren.

"It's an Extraordinary Power called Dark Alchemist," continued Slade. "I get to take a specific Spell Card from my deck."

A Spell Card slipped out of his deck, and he took it.

"Also, when I choose to use it, it cannot be countered or negated.

"I choose to use it NOW. I play Dark Fusion."

"Dark Fusion?" gasped Ren.

"I don't like the sound of _that_…" said Chelsea.

They didn't like the _look_ of it either. The card's art depicted a very nervous-looking Avian and Burstinatrix, as a fiendish, shadowy form loomed over them.

"It's a special type of Fusion card," explained Slade. "It can only be used to summon Fiend-Type Fusion Monsters.

"That makes no sense!" shouted Chelsea. "The Hero Fusions aren't Fiends!"

"How little you know…" said Slade. "I use it to fuse Elemental Heroes Avian and Burstinatrix…"

The two Heroes appeared in front of them. Then, both of them gasped as they erupted in flames.

"What are you doing to them?!" shouted Yumi.

"You'll see…" said Slade.

The two pillars of flame merged into one pillar, forming a humanoid shape.

"I summon…" announced Slade, "Evil Hero Inferno Wing."

Yumi stepped back as the creature appeared. It was clearly feminine, dressed in red shorts, a halter top, and a long cape. She had large, black, feathered wings, talons on her feet, and large claws. She had spiky hair, and punk glasses underneath it.

She made an evil smile at Yumi. (2,100/1,200)

"Mokey Mokey!" shouted the Fairy.

"An _Evil_ Hero?" gasped Ren.

"So Dark Fusion turns two superheroes into a super-villain?" asked Chelsea.

"Sure seems that way," replied Sam.

"Your Inferno Wing is nothing more than a cheap copy of Flame Wingman!" shouted Yumi.

"Not at all," replied Slade. "She's far more powerful than that loser. But anyway, since she was summoned using Dark Fusion, normally, she'd be immune to all targeting effects on the round she was summoned."

_At least my Mirror Force will still work,_ thought Yumi. _It doesn't target._

"But, my Deck Lord has another power," continued Slade. "It's called Invincible Evil. It makes a Monster immune to ALL card effects on the round it's summoned with Dark Fusion."

"Say WHAT?" shouted Yumi.

"Inferno Wing," ordered Slade. "Attack her Monster with infernal burst!"

Inferno Wing grinned, and put her hands together, forming a ball of white-hot flames. She threw it at the facedown card. Old Vindictive Magician briefly appeared before being burnt to a crisp.

Then Yumi clutched her chest and screamed.

"You already see one advantage Inferno Wing has over Flame Wingman," said Slade. "She inflicts trampling damage. And one other thing…"

Yumi looked up to see Inferno Wing standing over her. The Evil Hero grinned, and pointed her claw.

Yumi screamed as a blast of flames covered her. She fell to her knees.

"When Inferno Wing destroys one of your Monsters," continued Slade, "you lose Life Points equal to that Monster's Attack or Defense Score, whichever is greater. So you lose 600 more Life Points."

Two facedown cards appeared behind Inferno Wing.

"I'll end with two facedown cards, and then you can make your move. That is, if you can find the strength to stand."

**(S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Y: 5,900)**

Yumi struggled to her feet.

"Sorry, Slade," she said, "but you won't keep me down that easily…"

She drew a card.

"I play The Shallow Grave," she said, playing a card. "Now, we both must Special Summon a Monster from our Graveyards in facedown Defense Mode."

A facedown Monster appeared on both sides of the field.

"Are you really that anxious to lose 2,100 more Life Points?" asked Slade.

"Not a chance!" replied Yumi. "I'm sacrificing my Monster…"

The facedown Monster vanished.

"…to summon Chaos Command Magician!"

In a burst of energy, the powerful Chaos mage appeared, holding aloft his scepter. (2,400/1,900)

"All right!" shouted Chelsea.

"Attack!" ordered Yumi. "Chaos Magic! Send Inferno Wing back to Hell!"

Lightning flashed, and Chaos Command Magician fired a burning blast of multicolored light. Inferno Wing screamed, and then burst in an explosion of fire and smoke.

"He got her good!" cheered Ren.

"And I'm willing to bet that Evil Heroes are just as much NOMIs as Elemental Hero Fusions," added Zane. "We won't be seeing her again."

"But you will be seeing someone new, thanks to my Trap Card," said Slade.

One of his facedown cards lifted.

"Activate, Hero Signal."

A spotlight with an odd signal in it shot out of the card and hit the ceiling.

"Since my Monster was destroyed, I get to Special Summon an Elemental Hero from my deck, up to Level Four."

Clayman appeared, crouching in Defense Mode. (800/2,000)

Yumi looked at the rest of her hand.

"I'll play one more card, and that will be all," she said.

A second facedown card appeared.

**(S: 7,700) - - - - - - - - - - (Y: 5,900)**

Slade drew a card.

"I'll simply set a card of my own, and that will be all," he said.

Another facedown card appeared on his side.

Yumi drew another card.

"I summon Magician's Valkyria!" she exclaimed.

In a flash of light, Valkyria appeared.

"I hate to do this, Clayman," she shouted, "but you'll thank me later! Chaos Command Magician, attack!"

Chaos Command Magician pointed his scepter.

"Activate, Negate Attack," said Slade.

His facedown card lifted, and the Spellcaster's bolt was deflected by an invisible shield.

"In that case," said Yumi, "I end my turn…"

Slade made a draw.

"I play… Pot of Greed," he said.

The evil jug appeared with a laugh, and he made two draws.

"I'll use one of these right away," he continued. "Mystical Space Typhoon."

He played the card, and the cyclone sped towards Yumi's first facedown card. Her Mirror Force lifted up and shattered.

"Next," said Slade, "I play Reinforcement of the Army. Now I can add Sparkman to my hand."

A card appeared in his hand.

"Now, I use my Dark Alchemist ability again…"

A second Dark Fusion appeared in his hand, and he quickly played it. Sparkman appeared on the field, and he and Clayman were consumed in flames, just as Avian and Burstinatrix had been…

"I summon Evil Hero Lightning Golem," said Slade.

The flames formed into one again, and then into a hulking shape. He looked similar to Thunder Giant, but with more emphasis on metal in the armor, and a more pronounced lightning theme. His eyes glowed with electrical energy. (2,400/1,500)

"So this is Thunder Giant's evil twin?" asked Yumi.

"Yes," replied Slade. "But unlike that weakling, Lighting Golem can destroy _any_ Monster once per round, and I don't have to discard a thing.

"Since I know that effect won't work on Chaos Command Magician… Lightning Golem, take out Valkyria."

Magician's Valkyria stepped back in fear as Lightning Golem reached for her, his hand crackling with electricity…

"Not so fast!" shouted Yumi.

A dome of energy formed around Valkyria, and Lightning Golem was pushed backwards.

"Huh?" said Slade.

"I used my own Deck Lord power," said Yumi. "You see, Slade, ever since Dark Magician Girl absorbed King Dragun's power, she's become infused with the power of the Core, and she's been able to manifest the more benign powers of Chaos. This is basically our way of giving the finger to Shogarr."

Dark Magician Girl giggled.

"It's called a Chaos Shield," continued Yumi. "If I pay 500 Life Points, then for one time only, any Spellcaster has the same ability as Chaos Command Magician."

Slade looked at Yumi.

"I still have Lightning Golem's normal attack!" he said.

"No you don't," replied Yumi, as her facedown card lifted. "Activate, Threatening Roar!"

A roar echoed over the field.

"Threatening Roar doesn't affect your Monsters at all," said Yumi, "so it can keep your Golem from attacking."

Then I end my turn," said Slade.

**(S: 7,700) - - - - - - - - - - (Y: 5,400)**

"This doesn't make sense!" shouted Chelsea. "Since when are the villains stronger than the heroes?"

"Actually, Chels," said Ren, "in popular media, nine times out of ten, that's the case. The villains usually _are_ more powerful than the heroes. I mean think about it… If the heroes were more powerful, they'd defeat the villains too easily, and it would make a pretty dull story."

Yumi drew a card.

She set it in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared. Then Valkyria knelt and shielded herself in Defense Mode."

"There," she said.

Slade made a draw.

"My Golem's effect may be ineffective due to your Deck Lord power," said Slade, "but I can keep forcing you to pay to use it. Lightning Golem, destroy Valkyria."

Lightning Golem reached for Valkyria again.

"I pay 500 Life Points again!" shouted Yumi.

Lightning Golem was pushed backwards again.

He turned to Slade and frowned.

"Fine then," he said. "Attack! Hell lightning!"

Lightning Golem fired a burst of burning lightning at Valkyria. Yumi's voice couldn't be heard as her facedown card flipped up, and Draining Shield covered her.

"Well…" said Slade. "Seems you are not one to be taken lightly… I have to end my turn…"

**(S: 7,700) - - - - - - - - - - (Y: 7,300)**

Yumi drew a card.

She played it, and the Pot of Greed appeared on her own side of the field. She made two draws.

_His deck is strong,_ she thought, _but it does have a weakness… If I took away the Elemental Heroes, there'd be no more Evil Heroes._

_Let's see how far Slade is willing to go to protect them…_

"I move Valkyria to Attack Mode," she said.

Valkyria stood up.

"Valkyria, attack his facedown Monster! Magic illusion!"

Valkyria fired her burning blast. Burstinatrix appeared on the facedown card, and was blown to pixels.

"Now, I play Magical Dimension," continued Yumi, as the Quickplay Spell appeared. "I sacrifice Valkyria…"

Valkyria vanished.

"…and Special Summon Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer!"

In a burst of dark energy, Kycoo appeared, chanting his dark spell. (1,800/700)

"Now, I use the second effect of Magical Dimension to destroy Lightning Golem!"

Lightning Golem groaned, and then exploded in a burst of sparks.

"Chaos Command Magician, attack Slade directly!"

The mage cast his Chaos Magic. Slade shielded himself with his arm, and strained under it.

"Kycoo, spell of banishment!"

Kycoo called lightning to his hands, and threw it at Slade. The masked man staggered backwards.

**(S: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (Y: 7,300)**

"Now I activate Kycoo's effect!" exclaimed Yumi. "I get to remove two Monsters in your Graveyard from play. And I choose to take away Burstinatrix and Clayman!"

"Oh no you won't!" shouted Slade.

His facedown card lifted.

"I activate Hero's Rule 2!" he exclaimed. "This Trap Card foils any attempt to manipulate a Graveyard, and destroys the card that tries to do so!"

Kycoo screamed, and then exploded into pixels.

"Did you really think I'd let you disarm me so easily, Yumi?" asked Slade.

Yumi chuckled.

"Actually," she said, "no. No, I didn't."

"Huh?" asked Slade.

"You called Flame Wingman and Thunder Giant losers and weaklings," she said. "But I think you're more afraid of these Heroes than you lead on."

"WHAT?" exclaimed Slade, sounding angry for the first time. "I'm not afraid of them! I'm not afraid of _anything_!"

"You were proud of your victories over Lorelei the Symphonic Arsenal and Mazera DeVille…" said Yumi. "You owe those victories to the Evil Heroes… But you owe _them_ to the Elemental Heroes!

"I wonder… I just wonder… What would happen if those four managed to somehow escape? Where would you be, Slade? You'd be nowhere, that's where. Your deck is nothing without them.

"That's how it goes… Villains just can't survive without heroes…"

"I'm perfectly capable of dueling without them!" said Slade, sounding a little irked. "And it's still your move!"

Yumi looked at the two cards in her hand.

She took one of them, and set it in her Disk. A facedown card appeared.

"I'm done," she said.

Slade drew a card.

"I play my O-Oversoul," he said, as a Spell Card appeared. "Now, I can bring Burstinatrix back from the Graveyard."

Burstinatrix appeared, hovering over Slade's side of the field. (1,200/800)

"Maybe you were right," said Slade, as he took another card from his hand. "Maybe I have to show them more respect… After all, they had some very powerful weapons when they came trying to take this castle… Weapons that I confiscated for my own use.

"Like this one, the Spell Card, Burst Impact. When Burstinatrix is on the field, it lets her destroy every Monster except herself."

"HUH?" said Yumi.

Burstinatrix held out her hand, and a fireball formed in it. It grew… And grew, and grew, and grew, until it was bigger than she was.

Then she threw it, and Chaos Command Magician screamed before shattering into pixels.

"Also, you lose 300 Life Points for each Monster that was destroyed," continued Slade.

"So I noticed," muttered Yumi.

"Odd…" said Slade. "And now she's forced to attack the one who would be her savior… Such irony…

"Burstinatrix, attack her directly. Burstfire attack."

Burstinatrix flew over the field, with fire in her hands.

"I activate my own hero card!" shouted Yumi, as her facedown card lifted. "A Hero Emerges! Now, you have to choose a card in my hand! If it's a Monster, I get to Special Summon it!"

"All right!" laughed Erik. "Yumi has only one card in her hand!"

"Slade will have no choice but to pick that one," replied Zane.

Magician's Valkyria appeared on the field. (1,600/1,800) Burstinatrix backed off and landed.

"The attack is called off," said Slade. "I end my turn."

**(S: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (Y: 7,000)**

Yumi drew a card.

_Just what I needed,_ she thought.

"Valkyria, attack Burstinatrix!" she shouted.

Valkyria cast her magic illusion. Burstinatrix didn't move or react in the slightest, even when it hit her. She burst into shards.

Yumi placed the card she had drawn on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"It's your move," she said.

**(S: 3,100) - - - - - - - - - - (Y: 7,000)**

Slade drew a card, and looked at the three cards in his hand.

_Man, this guy has a serious game face,_ thought Yumi.

"I'm almost glad you did that, Yumi," said Slade. "Because now, since I have no Monsters on my side of the field, I can Special Summon Evil Hero Hell Brat."

He played a card, and a cackling laughter echoed over the field. A Fiend appeared that looked humanoid and reptilian, with claws, a long tail, and two sets of fan-shaped wings, one set on his back, and one set growing out of his cowl. He had a nasty grin. (300/600)

"Since that was a Special Summon," continued Slade, "I can sacrifice him, to summon an Evil Hero who is totally independent of the Elemental Heroes…"

Hell Brat vanished.

"I summon Evil Hero Malicious Edge."

A new Fiend appeared. If Hero Monsters were based on existing comic book characters, this one seemed to have been taken from the same mold as Wolverine, but looked far more sinister, wearing black, leather, studded armor that was covered with spikes, with flared shoulder-guards. (2,600/1,800)

"Wait a second!" shouted Sam. "That guy's Level Seven!"

"True," said Slade, "but he can be summoned with one sacrifice if my opponent controls at least one Monster. And unlike the previous two, he isn't a Fusion of two Elemental Heroes, so he doesn't have their morals submerged inside him to hold him back in the slightest.

"And he has another effect as well. Like Inferno Wing. He inflicts trampling damage.

"Attack her facedown Monster. Needle burst."

Malicious Edge leapt up, and pointed, shooting a shower of spikes at the facedown card. Morphing Jar appeared, and was blown to dust.

"ERGH!" shouted Yumi, holding her chest.

(S: 3,100) - - - - - - - - - - (Y: 5,000)

She slowly drew five cards. Slade discarded the one card in his hand, and made five draws. He looked them over.

"I end my turn," he said. "And since I did, another effect of Hell Brat activates, and I get to draw another card."

He made a sixth draw.

Yumi slowly made a draw.

She looked at Skilled Dark Magician in her hand.

_Setting him in Defense Mode would be worse than putting him in Attack Mode,_ she thought.

"I summon Skilled Dark Magician," she said.

In a flourish, the black-robed sorcerer appeared. (1,900/1,700)

"Then I move Valkyria to Defense Mode."

Valkyria knelt, and shielded herself.

"And I end my turn."

Slade drew a card.

"I play The Warrior Returning Alive," he said. "Now Sparkman returns to my hand."

A card slipped out of his discard slot.

"Now… I think I'll summon him."

In a flash of light, Sparkman appeared. (1,600/1,400)

"Next, I Equip him with Spark Blaster."

Sparkman held out his hand, and a large, space-age pistol appeared in it.

"Spark Blaster is a special weapon that only Sparkman can use. I think he may have invented it. Anyway, I can use it a total of three times, and each time, I can change the battle position of a Monster.

"So here's once."

Sparkman fired a blast of electricity from the Blaster, and Valkyria gasped. She stood up into Attack Mode.

"Twice…" said Slade.

Sparkman fired again, and Skilled Dark Magician cringed. He knelt in Defense Mode.

"Next," said Slade, taking a card from his hand, "I play Premature Burial, to bring back the Monster I discarded when Morphing Jar was flipped. Evil Hero Hell Gainer."

He played the card, and a new Fiend appeared. This one had a bony, rocky, armored carapace, a tail, and was covered with horns. (1,600/0)

Then, he vanished in a ripple of light.

"Where'd he go?" asked Ren.

"Hell Gainer possesses the ability to travel two rounds into the future," said Slade. "And when he does that, another Fiend on the field gains the ability to attack twice per round."

"Oh no…"said Chelsea.

Malicious Edge leapt up, and fired his needle burst at Valkyria. She screamed and shattered. Yumi sweat and held her chest. Then he fired another burst at Skilled Dark Magician, and he shattered as well. Yumi held her chest again.

"Sparkman, attack Yumi directly," ordered Slade. "Static shockwave."

Yumi screamed as Sparkman fired a blast of electricity, striking Yumi.

**(S: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (Y: 1,500)**

"Now that that's done," continued Slade, "I'm going to use the last charge of Spark Blaster… On Sparkman himself, to move him into Defense Mode."

Sparkman fired again, and the sparks surrounded him. He knelt and shielded himself. The Spark Blaster shattered into shards.

"I set one card facedown," continued Slade, "and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared.

Yumi sweat heavily as she drew a card.

_Okay…_ she thought. _Exactly when did I lose control here?!_

"I throw down three facedown cards!" she shouted, as three cards appeared in front of her in flashes of light.

"Then, I play Monster Reborn! I'll bring Valkyria back."

Valkyria appeared again, crouching in Defense Mode. (1,600/1,800)

"I end my turn."

"You never learn, do you?" asked Slade, drawing a card.

"Malicious Edge, destroy her again."

The Evil Hero leapt into the air again.

"I activate… Call of the Haunted!" shouted Yumi.

One of her facedown cards flipped up, and a coffin appeared on her side of the field. It opened, and Yumi's other Valkyria stepped out. (1,600/1,800)

"Yumi's Valkyria lock!" exclaimed Erik.

"She just might have a chance!" replied Sam.

"Wonderful," said Slade, as Malicious Edge landed. "I'll end my turn there."

Yumi drew a card.

She quickly set it, and another facedown card appeared.

She nodded.

_She didn't attack Sparkman,_ thought Slade. _What is she up to?_

He drew a card, and looked at it. It was his second Malicious Edge.

_Well, it's her problem. Hell Gainer will be back momentarily. I can sacrifice Sparkman to summon this, and then use Hell Gainer's effect again. Then I'll have two Malicious Edges that can attack twice._

"It's my second Standby Phase since Hell Gainer made its jaunt," said Slade, "so now it returns."

Hell Gainer appeared in a shimmering light. (1,600/0)

"Now…" he continued taking a card from his hand.

"That was just what I was waiting for, Slade," said Yumi, as one of her facedown cards lifted.

"Common Sacrifice?" said Slade, looking at it.

"That's right," said Yumi, "since you have three Monsters, I can sacrifice your two weaker ones."

Slade stepped backwards in shock, as Hell Gainer and Sparkman vanished into grains of light.

"And I get to summon a Level Seven or higher Monster," continued Yumi. "So let's all hear it for Cosmo Queen!"

In an explosion of energy, the Queen of the Galaxy appeared. She frowned at Slade. (2,900/2,450)

Slade's eye narrowed.

"My turn isn't done, Yumi," he said. "I play a facedown card, and a facedown Monster."

A concealed Monster and a facedown card appeared.

"Then, I play Coins from Heaven."

A bright light flashed on the ceiling, and gold coins fell. Slade quickly drew four cards, and Yumi drew five.

"I set a second facedown card, then move Malicious Edge to Defense Mode, and end my turn."

Another facedown card appeared, and Malicious Edge knelt and shielded itself with its claws.

Yumi quickly drew a card. The Valkyria in Defense Mode quickly moved to Attack Mode.

"Cosmo Queen, turn Malicious Edge into cosmic dust!"

Cosmo Queen blasted her cosmic nova, and the Evil Hero exploded into particles.

"Valkyria, attack the facedown Monster!"

The first Valkyria cast her magic illusion, and a second Hell Brat appeared on the card. It was blown to pieces.

"Second Valkyria, attack Slade directly!"

The second Valkyria aimed her staff at Slade.

"I don't think so," replied Slade. "Activate… Sakuretsu Armor."

One of his facedown cards lifted, and a plane of shimmering force appeared around him. Valkyria screamed and shattered into pixels.

"What?" said Ren. "HUH? He could have destroyed Cosmo Queen… But he decided to use that on Valkyria?"

"Maybe…" said Zane. "Maybe he _wanted_ Malicious Edge to be destroyed. I'm taking a wild stab here, but maybe, just maybe, there's an Evil Hero version of Miracle Fusion…"

"Mokey Mokey," said the Fairy.

"It's no use trying to talk to me," said Ren. "I can't understand a word you're saying…"

Slade slyly looked at Zane and then at Ren. He noticed the Mokey Mokey, but if he even cared, he didn't show it.

"I set a Monster in Defense Mode," said Yumi, "and my turn is over."

A facedown Monster appeared.

Slade drew a card.

"Perfect," he said. "I use my Dark Alchemist power to get my third Dark Fusion."

Zera the Mant glowed, and the Spell Card appeared in his hand.

"Next, I play Dark Factory of Mass Production. This lets me add Burstinatrix and Clayman to my hand."

Two cards slipped out of his discard slot.

"Just how many ways does he have to recover those Heroes?" asked Erik.

"I'd say… a lot," replied Sam.

"Now, I play Dark Fusion again," continued Slade.

Clayman and Burstinatrix appeared on the field, and erupted in fire again.

"I summon… Evil Hero Hell Sniper."

Another Evil Hero formed out of the two, this one a bulky Fiend in red armor, with a large laser cannon on his right hand. He knelt in Defense Mode. (2,000/2,500)

"So long as he's in Defense Mode," continued Slade, "he can do _this_ every round."

Hell Sniper blasted flames from his cannon, striking Yumi. Yumi screamed and fell to her knees.

**(S: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (Y: 500)**

"At least that was your last Dark Fusion…" groaned Yumi.

"Yes and no," replied Slade.

One of his two facedown cards lifted.

"I activate the Trap Card, Hidden Book of Spell. Now I get to take two Spell Cards from my Graveyard, and add them to my deck."

Two Dark Fusions slipped out of his discard slot. He placed them on his deck.

"Then I reshuffle," he said, as he shuffled. "So I can indeed use Dark Fusion again, if that becomes necessary.

"I set one more card facedown, and it's your move…"

Another facedown card appeared.

Yumi drew a card.

_Let's hope his facedown card isn't something that will stop my attack,_ she thought.

"Cosmo Queen, attack!" she shouted.

"I activate De-Fusion!" shouted Slade.

Hell Sniper vanished into two orbs of light, and the orbs formed into Clayman (800/2,000) and Burstinatrix (1,200/800) in Defense Mode.

"Seems I'm safe from a direct attack this turn," said Slade.

Yumi frowned. Cosmo Queen fired her blast, and Clayman shattered into pixels. Then Valkyria cast her spell, and Burstinatrix shattered.

"For someone who's trying to save them," said Slade, "you have a funny way of showing it."

"Save it, Slade," said Yumi. "They're Duel Monsters, they know it comes with the job description. But I know that by attacking, I'm hurting you."

"Indeed…" said Slade, as he drew a card.

He looked at Yumi with an evil look.

"And I'm ending this now, Yumi…" he said. "I just drew Foolish Burial."

He played the card, and then took his deck, spreading the cards out.

"Now, which Monster should I cast into the grave?"

He chose a card.

"Ah… Granmarg the Rock Monarch!"

He quickly discarded it.

"What's the point?" asked Ren.

"Because as your friend surmised," replied Slade, "Evil Heroes do indeed have their own version of Miracle Fusion… And I'm going to use it to summon one of the mightiest of the Evil Heroes.

"This Evil Hero is a Fusion of any Fiend and any Rock. And its Attack Score is equal to the combined Attack Scores of the Monsters I fuse to summon it…

"And to summon it… I play Dark Calling!"

An evil-looking Spell Card appeared on his side of the field. Granmarg and Malicious Edge appeared behind him.

"By removing Granmarg and Malicious Edge in my Graveyard from play, I can Fusion Summon Evil Hero Dark Gaia!"

The two Monsters burst into flame, and combined into a vortex of energy. There was a roar, and a sound like a volcano erupting. A Fiend that was fifteen feet high rose next to Slade, a creature made of rock and lava, with wings, horns, and claws. (5,000/0)

"MOKEY MOKEY!" screamed the Fairy.

It got up, and sped out of the room as fast as it could.

"Five-thousand Attack Points?" shouted Sam.

"And by the way," continued Slade. "Any Monster summoned with Dark Calling is assumed to have been summoned with Dark Fusion. So your facedown cards really don't worry me right now…

"And Dark Gaia has a special effect of its own… When it attacks, all your Monsters in Defense Mode switch to Attack Mode, and their Flip-Effects are negated.

"Dark Gaia… End this! Attack Magician's Valkyria with Malevolent Catastrophe!"

"NO!" screamed Chelsea.

Dark Gaia raised its hand, and a burning, flaming ball of fire appeared in it. Yumi's facedown Apprentice Magician flipped into Attack Mode quickly. (400/800)

Yumi backed up… The Evil Hero hurled the ball like a burning meteor. Yumi's friends could barely make out a Trap Card being activated just as the impact hit, causing an explosion that shook the whole room…

**(S: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (Y: 0)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In Daala's throne room, she was watching, and she laughed with glee.

"Finally!" she laughed, as she started to type on her computer. "Finally one of my men does something right…

"Well, best get this done with… Not gonna make the same mistake I did with Sam… Yumi isn't getting away now that I have the chance…"

She typed in the command.

"Huh?" she said. "Error message?"

She typed in some other commands.

"Huh?" she said. "Joan's dictum is still protecting Yumi? But how?"

She looked back at the screen. A look of puzzlement appeared on her face.

Due to all her equipment readings, the duel was still in progress. No winner had been recorded yet.

"Okay, that's the why…" she muttered. "But that doesn't explain the how… I clearly saw her Life Points fall to zero… Darn smoke… I can't even see the playing field…

"Better check the record of the duel."

She typed in some commands. The play-by-play of the turn appeared.

"Slade Fusion Summoned Dark Gaia… Da-da-da-da-da… Slade attacked Valkyria with Dark Gaia… Da-da-da-da-da… Apprentice Magician switched to Attack Mode… Yumi took 3,400 points of damage… Yumi activated…"

Then a look of shock appeared on Daala's face.

Then she laughed. She threw herself on her couch and laughed hysterically. She laughed so hard, she nearly rolled onto the floor.

"Ho boy…" she chuckled. "Man, I didn't see THAT coming!

"You are a stubborn one, Yumi…

"You just don't know when to quit."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Slade wasn't finding the situation funny at all. He was arguing with his Deck Lord.

"What do you mean you can't?" he said to Zera, angrily.

Zera the Mant shrugged and shook his head.

"I won the duel, so you're supposed to absorb her Deck Lord!" he said, getting frustrated. "So do it already!"

"Better take another look, Slade," said Yumi's voice through the smoke. "It ain't over till it's over, and it ain't over yet."

"Your Life Points are zero, Yumi," said Slade, as the smoke started to clear. "That pretty much means it's over…

"Wait a second… Where did your Dark Magician come from?"

It was true. Dark Magician was standing there. (2,500/2,100)

"Uhm, I'm confused…" said Ren.

"What else is new?" asked Sam.

"Why is Yumi still here?" asked Erik.

"Because," said Yumi, "I knew this duel would likely be my toughest to date. So I included in my deck the rarest Trap Card my family possessed. I've been saving this for a special occasion.

"As soon as your attack hit, I activated it. A powerful Trap called Relay Soul. This card literally saved my grandfather's life in his duel against Dartz. It let me Special Summon a Monster to the field from my hand – such as Dark Magician – the instant my Life Points hit zero.

"Now, my Life Points may be gone, but I can continue this duel, so long as he remains on the field."

**(S: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (Y: X)**

Slade's eye narrowed.

"And they say the bad guys don't play fair…" he growled.

"What goes around comes around," scowled Yumi.

She sighed.

"He summons a Monster with five-thousand Attack Points that's immune to card effects, and he's complaining about how fair my cards are…"

Slade looked at the three cards in his hand.

"It's still my move!" he shouted. "I activate Reckless Greed!"

His last facedown card lifted.

"I have to skip my next two Draw Phases, but I get to draw two cards now."

He made two draws.

"And I'm still ending this now! I play Offerings to the Doomed!"

He played the card, and a beam of energy shot at Dark Magician.

"I knew you'd do that," said Yumi, "so I set another Trap for protection…"

Her last facedown card lifted.

"Mystical Refpanel!"

A beautiful feminine form with feathered wings flew out the Trap Card, holding a spherical mirror. She held it up, and the beam was caught in the mirror.

"Now I can redirect the effect of your Spell Card from my Monster to yours."

The fairy aimed the mirror, and the beam shot out of it, towards Dark Gaia.

"I can't catch a break here…" muttered Slade.

Dark Gaia frowned, and held out its hand. It simply caught the beam, and it was deflected.

"You may have saved your Dark Magician," growled Slade, "but you forgot… On the round my Monster is summoned, it is immune to _all_ card effects, including my own.

"I have to end my turn Yumi, but next turn, my Dark Gaia will still be here, and it will still have 5,000 Attack Points."

Yumi drew a card.

"Let's face it," said Slade, "the more you struggle, the more I can…"

"Swords of Revealing Light!" shouted Yumi.

Slade stepped back in shock as the glimmering Swords crashed down around him.

"Swords of Revealing Light?!" he gasped. "You… you drew Swords of Revealing Light?! That was the luckiest draw I have ever…"

"You gotta hand it to Yumi…" said Sam with a sigh. "She can pull a solution out of her ass at the bleakest times."

"I set another Monster, and end my turn," said Yumi, as a facedown Monster appeared. "Don't forget, you can't draw this turn due to Reckless Greed."

Slade looked at the four cards in his hand, which were Dark Triad, Magical Mallet, Chthonian Polymer, and Evil Hero Malicious Edge. He didn't meet the conditions to use Dark Triad right now, and if he used Magical Mallet, he'd have to get rid of it or Malicious Edge, or both. Only a fool would use it to only swap one card.

_Damn,_ he thought. _Damn, damn, damn._

_Oh well… Those Swords won't last forever…_

"In that case, I pass for this turn," he said.

Yumi closed her eyes, and drew a card. She opened them and looked at it.

"I flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode!" she shouted. "Magician of Faith!"

In a flash of light, Magician of Faith appeared. (300/400)

"I'll use Magician of Faith's effect to recover Monster Reborn, and then play it," she said.

The Spell Card appeared in her hand. She quickly played it, and the glowing ankh appeared. Chaos Command Magician appeared again. (2,400/1,900)

"Next," said Yumi, "I sacrifice Magician of Faith and Apprentice Magician…"

The two female mages vanished.

"For Dark Magician of Chaos!"

In a burst of darkness, the even stronger Chaos mage appeared. (2,800/2,600)

"Now I get a Spell Card back again," continued Yumi. "I choose Monster Reborn again.

"Now, I play it again!"

The ankh appeared again, and Valkyria appeared once again. (1,600/1,800)

"An army of Spellcasters!" shouted Ren.

"Pathetic!" growled Slade. "None of them can hold a candle to Dark Gaia!"

"Oh, really?" said Yumi, taking another Spell Card. "We'll see about that…

"I play another of my grandfather's favorites… The Spell Card, Necromancy!"

The ground in front of Slade began to rumble, and he backed up. Then Avian burst out the ground, and knelt in Defense Mode. (1,000/1,000)

"Avian?" he gasped.

Then Burstinatrix leapt up, and also knelt in Defense Mode. (1,200/800)

"Burstinatrix?" he shouted.

Then Clayman followed. (800/2,000) Finally, Sparkman came last. (1,600/1,200)

"What is going on?" demanded Slade.

"Simple," said Yumi. "Necromancy summons four Monsters from your Graveyard to your side of the field in Defense Mode. And now, the Elemental Heroes are going to help me take down that abomination!"

"And just how are they going to do that?" said Slade, with a scowl.

"I'll show you!" shouted Yumi. "Valkyria, attack Avian with magic illusion!"

Valkyria fired her spell, and Avian shattered.

"Chaos Command Magician, attack Burstinatrix with chaos magic!"

Chaos Command Magician fired his multicolored light, and Burstinatrix exploded.

"Dark Magician of Chaos, attack Clayman! Scepter strike!"

Dark Magician of Chaos slammed his scepter to the ground, and the shockwave tore towards Clayman, blowing him into pixels.

"Dark Magician… Dark… Magic… Attack!"

Dark Magician cast his dark spell, and Sparkman burst into triangles.

"Is there a point to this?" asked Slade, with a hint of annoyance in his voice. "This looks more like target practice than any real strategy."

"I have to agree with Slade," said Chelsea. "What the Hell is Yumi doing?"

"Wait…" said Zane. "Take a look at Dark Gaia."

Everyone looked at the huge Evil Hero. It was groaning, and holding a burning wound in its chest. (2,600/0)

"WHAT?" shouted Slade.

"When a Monster that was summoned by Necromancy is destroyed," explained Yumi, "another Monster loses 600 Attack Points. I destroyed four such Monsters, so Dark Gaia loses 2,400 Attack Points.

"Cosmo Queen… Destroy Dark Gaia with cosmic nova."

Cosmo Queen put her hands together, and formed her dark matter. She hurled it, and Dark Gaia groaned as it hit it. Cracks appeared over its rocky hide, and then, it exploded into a burst of smoke and soot.

**(S: 2,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Y: X)**

Everyone on Yumi's side cheered.

"Dark Gaia is vanquished," said Yumi. "With that Slade, I end my turn. Remember, you still can't draw due to Reckless Greed, and you're still a prisoner of my Swords for two rounds.

"Care to give up?"

"Never!" shouted Slade.

He held a Spell Card forward.

"I play Dark Triad! Now, I take three Evil Heroes that are Level Five or higher, and return them to my deck."

Inferno Wing, Lightning Golem, and Dark Gaia slipped out of his discard slot.

"Then, I reshuffle, and draw twice."

He shuffled his deck, and made two draws. He looked at the two cards, which were Monster Reincarnation and Evil Blast.

"Next, I play Magical Mallet. I'll reshuffle three of the cards in my hand."

He took Chthonian Polymer, Monster Reincarnation and Evil Blast, and shuffled them into his deck, then made three draws.

_Time to go for broke,_ he thought, looking at the new hand. _I've never had to summon my strongest Monster before, but there's a first time for everything._

"I use Dark Alchemist one last time," he said.

Another Dark Fusion appeared in his hand.

"Next," he said, holding up a Spell Card, "I play Twister. I'll pay 500 Life Points to destroy your Swords."

A raging windstorm erupted in the center of the room, and the Swords were blown away.

"Next," he said, "I'll pay half of my remaining Life Points to summon my Deck Lord. Zera the Mant, move to the field."

Zera the Mant nodded, and lumbered in front of Slade. (2,800/2,300)

**(S: 750) - - - - - - - - - - (Y: X)**

"Is he crazy?" asked Erik. "Cosmo Queen will make a purse out of that guy!"

"Not quite," said Slade. "My Deck Lord will have the advantage once I make a slight adjustment to him…"

The Dark Fusion card appeared on the field.

"To summon the mightiest Evil Hero, I have to fuse Malicious Edge and another Fiend who must be at least Level Six.

"So I fuse together Zera and Malicious Edge in my hand…"

Malicious Edge appeared on the field, and both erupted into flames…

"…to summon Evil Hero Malicious Devil!"

A frightening figure stepped out of the fire. Clearly, there was nothing in this Fiend's appearance at all to even suggest a hero, or even an anti-hero. He was thin, almost gaunt, and dressed in studded black leather, covered with spikes. His cowl had a plume made of blades, and he wore bladed claws on his wrists, and bladed shoulder pads. He had huge, dark wings that reached a twenty-foot span. (3,500/2,100)

"Ho boy, Yumi's doomed…" moaned Ren.

"Not yet, she isn't," replied Zane. "Yumi has Valkyria on the field, so Malicious Devil can't attack any Spellcaster but her."

"Then that's what I'll do!" said Slade. "Attack Magician's Valkyria with Soul Rend!"

Valkyria screamed as Malicious Devil slashed at her with his wicked claw, nearly tearing her in half. She shattered into shards.

"By the way, Yumi," said Slade, "Malicious Devil has a powerful effect. During your turn, any attacks you make must be directed towards him, and should you enter your Battle Phase at all, all your Monsters must attack."

"I can still skip my Battle Phase, Slade!" shouted Yumi.

Slade placed a card in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"We'll see about that," he said. "And by the way, for added protection, I'm giving him an Equip Spell."

He played his last card.

"It's called Zombie Lineage. Now, if you try to destroy him with a card effect, the Equip Spell is destroyed instead.

"And it's your move…"

Yumi drew a card.

_Double Spell…_ she thought. _Hmm…_

"Trap activate," said Slade.

"Huh?" said Yumi.

"It's called Battle Mania," said Slade. "This forces all your Monsters to attack this round. I'm afraid that skipping your Battle Phase is no longer an option."

Yumi grit her teeth, and looked at the cards in her hand.

"Search your deck from now until Judgment Day…" said Slade. "No Monster in it can defeat my Devil."

Yumi looked at him. She grinned.

"Maybe not, Slade!" she laughed. "But… There's a Monster in _your_ deck that certainly can!"

"HUH?" gasped Slade.

"I use another of my Deck Lord abilities!" shouted Yumi. "Remember what I said before? Power of the Core. Giving the finger to Shogarr!

"It's called Chaos Life, and once per duel, it lets me Special Summon a Monster from either Graveyard without paying a dime. So long as its Attribute is either Light or Dark."

"Wait…" said Slade. "What the heck do you plan to…"

In a flash of light, Sparkman appeared next to her Spellcasters. (1,600/1,200)

"WHAT?" shouted Slade. "Why did you summon him to your side of the field?"

"I'll show you!" said Yumi. "I play Double Spell! I toss one Spell Card…"

She discarded Hand Control.

"And I can use your Spark Blaster!"

Sparkman held up his hand, and the Blaster appeared in it.

"This can't be!" shouted Slade.

"It is!" laughed Yumi. "Sparkman, move Malicious Devil from Attack Mode, where he's strong, to Defense Mode, where he's not so strong!"

Sparkman fired the weapon. Malicious Devil groaned, and knelt, covering himself with his wings and shielding himself with his claws.

"You wanted an attack?" asked Yumi. "Here's an attack… Dark Magician… Dark Magic Attack!"

Dark Magician fired a beam of dark magic from his scepter, and Slade was thrown backwards as Malicious Devil exploded in a flaming blast.

Slade slowly crawled to his knees… His cards spilled on the ground.

"Beaten…" he gasped.

He slowly started to glow with red energy. Then he vanished into a burst of smoke.

Yumi ran up to the Disk and the dropped cards.

In four bursts of energy, the four Elemental Heroes appeared. They looked at their hands.

"She… She won…" gasped Burstinatrix.

"We're free!" laughed Sparkman.

Zane slowly bent over the rest of the discarded cards. He picked up the Evil Hero Monsters.

Then they burst into flames. Zane dropped them, as the Evil Heroes were quickly reduced to ash.

In the meantime, the four Heroes were crying, and hugging Yumi.

"Easy, people, easy…" said Yumi. "Don't crush me…"

"Good going, Yumi!" laughed Chelsea, slapping Yumi on the back. "I can't believe how you stood up to him! Man, I would have been scared out of my skin, but not you! You were as cool as a cucumber!"

Yumi's hand trembled a little. She looked at the Relay Soul card.

One simple Trap had saved her from Shogarr's grasp. She wasn't as cool as Chelsea thought. She had been more scared than she had been in a very, very long time. She had been petrified.

Had the Pharaoh been as scared when he had fought Dartz, and was forced to use this very card? She had no way of knowing…

Relay Soul was an incredibly powerful Trap Card…

And she hoped beyond hope, that she would _never_ be in a situation where she would have to use it again.

And another thing had saved her skin… The huge ego that Slade had, which all villains seemed to have. He wanted to show the power of his best Monster, so he had attacked Valkyria. If he hadn't done that, she wouldn't have had any free space in her Monster Zone, and wouldn't have been able to summon Sparkman.

Slade likely never realized how big a mistake on his part it was, but if he hadn't made it, he would have won.

Yumi shivered. Then she placed the Relay Soul card in her Side Deck.

She turned to Zane.

"Zane, can you get the Fab Four organized and set up shop here?" she asked.

"Not what I'm used to," said Zane, "but I can try…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The sun was setting as the five friends exited the castle.

"Six Realms down…" sighed Sam. "That's all of them… At long last… Now we can take the fight to Daala."

"That's what you think," said someone in front of them.

They all looked up.

"DAALA!" they shouted.

It was indeed Daala, leaning casually against an ice wall.

"What do you want, Daala?" asked Yumi. "You're in big trouble, in case you didn't know it."

"Joan is in bigger trouble," said Daala. "Remember the four Apocalyptic Monsters?"

"Yeah," said Ren. "Joan has them."

"Wrong," said Daala. "They have Joan.

"You remember dueling Ruin, Ren? She mentioned Demise, right?"

"What?" said Yumi. "Where's Demise?"

"After I had failed to breech the walls of Joan's temple for the hundredth time," explained Daala, "I got an idea. I made a deal with Ruin and Demise. The deal was as follows: I'd free their spirits and restore their bodies, and in return, they'd help me take down Joan.

"Now, both of them claim that they can see the Apocalypse in their dreams; I'm not sure if they're right or not, or whether they're just crazy. If I had to guess, I'd say they were crazy. But I used their descriptions to design those four cards.

"Then, since Demise was the stronger of the two, he used a powerful procedure that split his physical body into four parts, becoming four separate Duel Spirits, bonding one to each card. He would then wait until the four cards were brought together in one place, at which point he would begin the process of assuming his true form again, a process that would take about a day on his own. In the meantime, Ruin would serve as my executioner, and would deal the killing blow once Demise brought her in."

She looked at her watch.

"As you likely already guessed, it was my plan all along for you to confiscate those cards… With them in enemy hands, they'd all be in one place inside Joan's temple. Demise, King of Armageddon will be pulling himself together shortly…"

"Joan has those cards in foolproof containment capsules!" shouted Erik. "He'll never escape!"

"I know all about those capsules," said Daala. "I use them myself, frequently. I know that they have to be set to the prisoner's exact Type, Attribute, and Level, or else they're worthless as prisons.

"Well, I have to be running along… Ta-ta…"

She ran down the pathway.

"Let's get her!" shouted Ren.

"WAIT," said Yumi.

She paused.

"Joan has those containment capsules set to hold the Apocalyptic Monsters… Each one is Fiend-Type, Dark-Attribute, and Level Ten…"

She paused.

Then the realization hit.

"Demise is Fiend-Type, Dark-Attribute, and Level _Eight_! Once he assumes his true form, he'll break out in a second!"

"That was Daala's plan all along…" muttered Sam, pulling out her cell phone.

She quickly started to dial.

"What are you doing?" gasped Chelsea.

"I'm calling Joan to warn her!" replied Sam. "What do you think I'm doing?

"Damn! The line's dead! Daala thought of everything!"

"Okay…" said Erik. "Somehow… We have to cross the whole tundra very, very, very fast. And since Joan won't know to use her own Interdimensional Matter Transporter, we can't get there with ours."

"Well…" said Yumi, "this is the Realm of Wind, right?"

Her eyes started to glow…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Five minutes later, Simorgh, Bird of Divinity soared across the sky of the Frozen Wastes, followed by three Rocs from the Valley of Haze. Yumi and Sam were perched on Simorgh's back, while Ren, Chelsea, and Erik were riding the other three Winged Beasts. All five of the humans were holding on for dear life.

"Not so high!" screamed Ren. "Not so high!"

"Don't look down!" screamed Chelsea. "Whatever you do, don't look down!"

"Hang on, Joan!" shouted Yumi, "We're coming!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**COMMON SACRIFICE (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** Sasuke Samurai, Freed the Brave Wanderer, and Marauding Captain, standing in an ominous shrine.

**Card Description:** You can only activate this card during your or your opponent's Main Phase, when your opponent controls three or more face-up Monsters. Tribute the two Monsters your opponent controls with the lowest ATK. Then, Special Summon a Level Seven or higher Monster from your hand.

_Note: "Common Sacrifice" was first used by Jaden in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "The Power Within (Part One)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MYSTICAL REFPANEL (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A fairy holding a spherical mirror with a hooded face inside it.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when your opponent uses a Spell Card whose effect targets your side of the field. Switch the target of that Spell Card to a target on your opponent's side of the field.

_Note: "Mystical Refpanel" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States. (Its name in Japan is "Fairy Mirror"; "Mystical Refpanel" is the name that was used in the anime.)_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**NECROMANCY (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A shadowy sorcerer casting a spell in a graveyard crawling with zombies. (This was the card that the art for "Zombie Master" was based on.)

**Card Description:** Select up to four Monsters at random from your opponent's Graveyard and Special Summon them to your opponent's side of the field in face-up Defense Position. When a Monster Special Summoned by this card is destroyed, decrease the ATK of a Monster on the field by 600.

_Note: "Necromancy" was first used by Yugi in the original anime episode "Clash in the Coliseum (Part Three)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**RELAY SOUL (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A hand handing a smoking, glowing orb to another hand.

**Card Description:** This card can be activated when your Life Points reach zero and you have at least one Monster in your hand. The duel is not ended at this time. Special Summon one Monster from your hand, disregarding any summoning requirements. You may continue the duel until this Monster is removed from the field, at which point you lose.

_Note: "Relay Soul" was first used by the Pharaoh in the original anime episode "A Duel With Dartz (Part Three)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BURST IMPACT (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** Elemental Hero Burstinatrix in the middle of a fiery explosion.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when you have an "Elemental Hero Burstinatrix" face-up on your side of the field. Destroy all Monsters on the field except for "Elemental Hero Burstinatrix". The owner(s) of the destroyed Monsters take direct damage equal to 300 for each of his/her Monsters that was destroyed by this effect.

_Note: "Burst Impact" was first used by Jaden in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Amnael's Endgame (Part One)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ZOMBIE LINEAGE (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image:** A lady vampire in a white gown holding her hand out to a handsome young man.

**Card Description:** Equip only to a Monster you control. The Equipped Monster gains 500 Attack Points during your Battle Phase only. If the Equipped Monster would be destroyed by a card effect, you can send this card to the Graveyard to negate the destruction.

_Note: "Zombie Lineage" was first used by Skull Knight in "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "What Lies Beneath (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK TRIAD (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** The shadowy forms of Inferno Wing, Lightning Golem, and Malicious Edge standing in a dark fog.

**Card Description:** Select three "Evil Hero" Monsters in your Graveyard that are Level Five or higher and return them to your deck. Then reshuffle your deck, and draw two cards. If, when you play this card, you have no cards on the field and this is the only card in your hand, draw one additional card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Yumi's Deck Lord: "Dark Magician Girl":** "Soul Circle": Once per duel, you may draw one card for each Monster in your Graveyard. You cannot draw more cards with this ability than the hand size limit allows. (Greater Power) "Chaos Shield": If a face-up Spellcaster-Type Monster is targeted by a Monster Effect, you may pay 500 Life Points to negate the effect. (Greater Power) "Chaos Life": Once per duel, during your turn, you may Special Summon one LIGHT or DARK Monster from either Graveyard. If the Special Summoned Monster is destroyed, it is removed from play. (Greater Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Slade's Deck Lord: "Zera the Mant":** "Dark Alchemist": Once per turn, during your turn, you may take one "Dark Fusion" from your deck and add it to your hand. When you choose to activate the card searched for by this effect, it cannot be countered or negated. (Extraordinary Power) "Invincible Evil": A Fusion Monster summoned via "Dark Fusion" cannot be affected by any card effects during the turn it is Fusion Summoned (as opposed to only targeting effects). (Intermediate Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lords of Chaos**

**The Agony of Kyuss, The Worm that Walks**

The following story can be found in the libraries of any practitioner of magic. Kyuss's name is legendary in arcane lore, and his story serves as a warning to those who would seek power that they cannot control.

Scholars of forbidden lore claim that Kyuss lived in an ancient era, long before the oldest kingdoms of the modern day. Exactly where his home nation existed is debatable, as no land is eager to claim him as its own. It was a time of great evil, when humanity dabbled in blasphemous practices and worshipped dark gods. Kyuss was either a mortal necromancer of considerable ability or an evil god's high priest.

The most common theory says that Kyuss was so wicked that his own decadent society exiled him, casting him out for performing forbidden experiments and spreading ominous prophesies. Rather than languishing as an outcast, he became a prophet, and drew to himself followers who clamored to hear his grim words. He spoke of an impending time that he referred to as The Age of Worms, a prophecy that may have seemed like that of the typical doomsayer, if it hadn't come from one with such raw power over the dark forces. They saw him as the gods' servant, if not a god in his own right, and believed if they curried his favor, he would shelter them from the horrific age that he promised would come.

Kyuss eventually discovered the ruins of a civilization that was more ancient still. The structures that remained bore many strange writings, depictions of human sacrifice, and six-armed tyrants ruling over all. Kyuss claimed this site for his own, and commanded his followers to rebuild the city from the wreckage.

Although he ruled as god and king, his disturbing visions and his own discontentment urged him to seek greater power, to find some way to transcend the mortal flesh and become a true god. His path was clear when his followers discovered ancient metal plates, which held terrible secrets, but also confirmed every terrible word he had spoken. Or so he believed.

Through these inscriptions, he discovered the incantations that would let him acquire true divinity, but at a terrible price – the lives of his entire congregation. But no price was too high for this prophet. One bloody night, he instructed his priests to round up every last follower and slaughter them all. And when they were finished, Kyuss murdered the murderers. With his hands stained with the blood of thousands and their screams still ringing in his ears, he turned to a great obelisk that his servants had pulled from the earth and intoned the words to begin the transformation. When he was finished, he stepped into the stone, fusing with the vile rock…

But then, his plans fell apart. He gained his divinity, but lost it in the same instant. He was now neither mortal nor god… He was something far worse…

Kyuss had apparently been double-crossed by a dark force whose might he never comprehended. His visions of The Age of Worms were nothing but lies, and his prophesies were false. The dark entity had granted him great power, but had imprisoned him, limiting his ability to use it. Why? Clearly, as evil as Kyuss was, there were far greater forces of evil influencing the world.

Since then, Kyuss has beat against the bonds holding him, wanting nothing more than release. He was driven mad from his imprisonment long ago, although some would say he was never sane to begin with.

In the rare times he experiences lucidity, Kyuss, or the Worm that Walks, as he is now called, can extend his influence beyond his prison. He does have great power that he retained from that vile ritual, even if he didn't achieve godhood. Vile undead creatures and monstrous vermin have been blamed on him over millennia. Necromancers often contact him through dark rituals, attempting to make deals in exchange for power. Their side of the bargain is always aid in discovering a means to locate Kyuss's prison and free him from it.

It is not known what Kyuss would do if he ever broke free. Considering his power and the atrocities he committed even before he gained it, it likely would not be benign…

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**Yumi and party make it to the temple, only to find that they have come too late to stop Demise's attack. Now, Guardian Angel Joan must take a more active role in leadership, and face the powerful demon, with everything on the line. It's Light versus Darkness, Order versus Chaos, Good versus Evil. It's three conflicts in one, and opposites do NOT attract! "Contradiction" is coming up next.**_


	52. Contradictions

_**The Merkants are not the only sect I remember in my long, ageless life. Another one that comes to mind is a now-disbanded cult that once arose in the Dimensions called the Opposition.**_

_**The Opposition's creed was quite straightforward. They would support no idea except their own, and oppose every idea, philosophy, creed, and system except their own idea.**_

_**This group showed no favorites. If they were active on Earth today, they would rally against the NRA one day, only to speak out against PETA the next. Any group foolish enough to help them oppose the group they were currently opposing, thinking they had found allies for their cause, would quickly find the Opposition taking blows against them as well. **_

_**Why did the Opposition do such a thing? It was not because they were anarchists who wanted to tear down the establishment. Not at all. They wanted to **_**help**_** the establishment.**_

_**You see, the Opposition believed that adversity made people stronger. Want to make a cause noticed? Let the people who believe in it fight for it. By opposing a belief, it is strengthened, they said. Thus, the Opposition believed that what they were doing was for everyone's good.**_

_**The Opposition lasted a great deal longer than most folks thought it would, but it still didn't last. It made a lot of enemies, as you might imagine, and eventually, it made one who was too powerful. It seemed that their presumption wasn't quite right. Too much opposition to a belief, and it will be crushed. Which is just what happened to theirs.**_

_**The foe I am facing may well be my ultimate opposition. As a lord of the Higher Plane, I represent Good, Law, and Light. This creature opposes all three concepts.**_

_**It's time I stopped being a spectator… And I can… I've faced opposition this strong before… It's how I became strong myself.**_

_**Duel…**_

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**CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE**

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**Contradiction**

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Guardian Angel Joan paced back and forth in the common room of the temple. Her brow furrowed with worry, despite the fact that she knew Yumi had defeated Slade, the Frozen Wastes were secure, and the Elemental Heroes were free.

One thing she was worried about were the cards Slade had used. She had absolutely no idea where they had come from. As far as anyone knew, the Evil Hero cards had vanished into the darkness from whence they had come when Jaden's dark side could no longer dominate him.

But she would figure that out later. More importantly, Daala had cut all the communication systems in Xanadu, and that was never good news.

Every time this happened, it meant one of her most powerful duelists was a target of either Daala herself or a member of her mysterious inner circle. And each time that happened, Joan's side lost a powerful member. She sadly remembered the defeats of Alexis, Syrus, Tyranno… And so many others… Each time, it started with the communications going dead, preventing her from sending help.

Then she heard a crash. The lights started to dim.

She turned her head.

_The silent alarm!_

She had never heard it before, but she had trained every day for the day when it would go off… An enemy had breached the walls of the temple.

She walked towards the source of the alarm, and as she did, her left arm glowed, and a silvery Duel Disk appeared on it. She knew this would happen eventually… As much as she had worked to fortify the temple, she knew that it would only be a matter of time before Daala found a flaw.

She cautiously peeked her head around a corner. The vault. Its door was torn open.

She looked inside, but didn't go in.

"No!" she gasped.

The four capsules had shattered, and the four cards depicting the Apocalyptic Monsters were charred ashes.

A shiver ran down her spine. Four enemies? She didn't know if she even had a chance.

She closed her eyes and concentrated…

_Not four…_ she thought. _Just one… It's…_

Her eyes opened wide.

"By Shinato's name!" she exclaimed.

Fear crept into her bones as she made her way back to the main room, carefully looking over her shoulder at every five feet. He wasn't going to ambush her…

She walked into the room.

"I'm not playing hide and seek!" she shouted. "Show yourself, Demise!"

A fiendish laughter echoed through the hall.

"As you wish…" said a deep voice.

Joan flinched a little, as the tall, hulking form appeared out of the shadows. It was a seven-foot-tall demon in black armor, his face a fiendish-looking skull with downward-curving horns. He gripped a huge battle-axe in both hands.

"Like the Trojan Horse," said Joan, with a frown. "You were too careful… You didn't disguise yourself as _one_ Duel Spirit and let yourself be identified, but as four separate ones. Four Duel Spirits of higher Levels than yourself, so that your true form could break out of any restraint that I secured them in."

"It wasn't the first time I divided myself into more than one entity," said Demise. "When the Supreme King started to subjugate Dark World, I saw an opportunity.

"Yes, he was a ruthless tyrant after my own heart, but I was still planning to overthrow him. So to conceal myself, I split myself in two, taking the form of Skilled Dark Magician and Skilled White Magician. In those forms, I swore allegiance to his cause.

"All went well until that meddling Aster Phoenix pushed me to my limits, and forced me to assume my true form. I got sloppy, and was beaten by his Bloo-D. Fortunately, Ruin had stayed hidden in the shadows, and was able to find where I was. Few prisons can hold us for long, especially when one of us is free. The two of us were planning our next scheme within a week."

"And you were beaten at that one by Cosmo Queen," said Joan, closing her eyes. "And now you took the form of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. I cannot imagine a less fitting disguise…"

"Huh?" asked Demise. "I'd say they were _quite_ fitting for one who wants to bring about ultimate doom!"

"Didn't you even take time to sit down and read Revelations?" asked Joan. "The Horsemen are supposed to be servants of the Almighty, sent to bring about the end times so that He can pass final Judgment upon humanity. They were divine messengers, not demons. Maybe servants of a wrathful God, but still servants of God, whom a beast like you had no right to imitate."

Demise chuckled.

"That's all well and good, Joan," he said. "But it hardly matters now… I've left those four bodies behind, and I'm my own handsome self again. All my true powers are restored, and I can duel with my own hands. Once I defeat you, your little insurrection will be at an end…"

Then both of them heard shouts.

"Joan, we're here!" screamed Yumi's voice.

The five teenagers rushed into the main room, quite out of breath.

"Oh, we're too late!" gasped Ren.

"No, you're just in time!" exclaimed Demise, lifting his axe. "I was actually hoping you'd come… My darling Ruin is suffering in the wild jungles of Carceri because of what you did, and even I don't know how to help her find a way out! Do you know what Carceri is like? Hot, humid, with mosquitoes the size of rats. And you don't want to know how big the rats are!"

"Fortunately, the snakes keep them in check," replied Joan. "The Great Prison is a deserving fate for such a sadist."

"But business before pleasure, I always say…" snarled Demise.

He slammed his axe to the ground, and a circle of dark flames surrounded him and Joan.

"That will provide us with a decent-sized arena," he growled. "You can't get out, and your allies can't get in. Once I defeat you, your own dictum will no longer be able to protect you, and once Daala deals with you, it will no longer protect any member of the rebellion."

His axe turned to dark energy, forming an Anarchist Disk on his left arm.

"You have to defeat me first," replied Joan.

"Not a problem!" replied Demise. "I have a feeling that you've stayed hidden in this temple for so long, your actual dueling skills have slipped!"

"We'll see, won't we?" said Joan.

"Joan, we're still here!" shouted Chelsea. "Even if all we can do is give you support, we're still here!"

Both Disks activated. No catch phrase was shouted… They simply drew five cards and stared at each other…

**(Joan: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Demise: 8,000)**

"Prepare to lose," said the King of Armageddon, making his first draw.

He looked at his opening hand.

_It seems that necklace Daala put on Brron is doing the job perfectly,_ he thought. _I got just the deck I wanted…_

"I'll start by playing a powerful, yet unpredictable Spell Card," he said. "It's called Dangerous Machine Type-6."

He fit the card into his Disk, and with a rumble and a burst of sparks, a huge machine rose behind him. It looked like an electrical generator, with the numbers one through six on its face.

"What the heck?" asked Erik. "Is he playing a Gamble Deck?"

"I don't think so," said Yumi. "I doubt he'd hedge a duel this important on luck."

"Next," continued Demise, "I'll summon Zure, Knight of Dark World."

In a burst of shadowy energy, a Fiend that they had last seen in Gansley's hands appeared. It was a tall, ugly demon, with shark-like teeth, grey skin, and upward-curving horns on the side of his head. His body was decorated with bones, and he wore a blue fur cape. He held a longsword. (1,800/1,500)

"NO!" shouted Sam.

_Poor Sam…_ thought Yumi. _Ever since her bad experience with her own Dark World Deck, these Fiends have rubbed her the wrong way._

"And that will do for now," said Demise.

Joan drew a card.

"I summon…" she said. "Jain, Lightsworn Paladin!"

A flash of light appeared on Joan's side of the field, and a beautiful form stepped out of it, a knight who was the polar opposite of the one on Demise's side of the field. It was a female Warrior, clad in decorated, glowing plate armor and a flowing red cape, holding a radiant shield and a sword of pure light. (1,800/1,200)

"A Lightsworn?" asked Ren.

Demise chuckled again.

"Who's that, Joan of Arc?" he asked. "Some sort of reference to your name? Our Monsters have equal Attack Points, in case you didn't notice. If she attacks, they'll both die."

"Actually," said Joan, "my Monster has an advantage over yours. When she battles an enemy, she gains 300 Attack Points.

"Show him, Jain! Attack Zure with crusader's blade!"

Jain let out a battlecry and charged at Zure. Her Attack Score rose to 2,100 as she slashed at the Fiend in the chest. Zure groaned and dropped his sword, and then shattered into shards.

**(J: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 7,700)**

"Fine, you win round one," muttered Demise. "But Zure was just a decoy to lure you out, and I'm far from finished."

"And my turn isn't finished," said Joan. "I set one card facedown, and then play the Field Spell, Realm of Light."

A facedown card appeared, and then she placed a card in her Field Slot.

The common room of the temple faded away, and changed to an outdoor city scene. Huge, soaring cathedrals of ancient design surrounded the duelists and the spectators, with incredibly beautiful architecture. However, for a place called Realm of Light, it wasn't illuminated at all. It was night, and the city was dark.

"Some Realm of Light," chuckled Demise. "They'd better have a word with their electrician."

"I end my turn," said Joan. "And that means another of Jain's effects activates, causing me to send two cards from the top of my deck to the Graveyard."

She took two cards from her deck, looked at them, and discarded them.

"HUH?" gasped Sam. "What kind of stupid effect is _that_? Your own Monster causes you to lose cards?"

"She's not the only one who does," replied Joan. "But this does have benefits. For example, every time cards go from my deck to the Graveyard, one of the thousand lamps in the Realm of Light is lit…"

A lamp in the city lit.

"And for each lamp that is lit, all Monsters with the word 'Lightsworn' in their names gain 100 Attack Points."

Jain rose to (1,900/1,200).

"Then it's my move," said Demise.

He drew a card.

"My Dangerous Machine now picks a number…"

Dangerous Machine Type-6 sparked and whirred. The numbers glowed, until finally, only the four remained lit.

"Four," said Joan, with a grin. "That means I get a free draw."

She drew a card.

"You'll need it," replied Demise. "As for me, I play Pot of Greed."

He played the card, and drew twice.

"Next, I play the powerful Card of Safe Return," he said, as a Spell Card appeared. "This lets me draw once whenever a Monster is Special Summoned from my Graveyard."

"And with Dark World Decks," said Sam, "that happens an _awful_ lot of the time."

"Now, I play the Spell Card, Dark World Lighting!" shouted Demise. "Now, I can wipe out one facedown card."

Lightning flashed, and a bolt fell from the sky, blowing Joan's Draining Shield to pieces.

"Now I have to discard one card from my hand," continued Demise, discarding a card. "But that benefits me, because I just discarded Sillva, Warlord of Dark World. By doing so, he's summoned to the field."

In a burst of shadow, a new Fiend appeared. It was an atypical demon, with horns, wings, and claws, dressed in silver armor and carrying a sword. (2,300/1,400)

"I get to draw once, due to Card of Safe Return," he said, drawing a card.

"Now, I Normal Summon Beiige, Vanguard of Dark World."

Another Fiend appeared, this one with a skull-like face and ropy skin, dressed in bone armor. He held a spear. (1,600/1,300)

"So, Joan…" asked Demise. "Have you been exercising while hiding in this temple, or have you let yourself go soft? Let's find out.

"Sillva, attack Jain! Dark silver stream!"

Sillva slashed his sword down, and Jain let out a cry before shattering into shards of light.

"Attack her directly, my Beiige!"

The Vanguard lunged at Joan.

"JOAN!" screamed everyone.

Joan made almost no reaction at all as the Fiend stabbed her in the chest with its weapon.

**(J: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 7,700)**

Ren laughed nervously.

"Joan's not soft!" he laughed. "She's hard as steel!"

"So she is…" growled Demise. "But her ability to take it and her ability to beat me are two different things."

Two facedown cards appeared in front of him.

"I'll end with these…"

Joan drew a card.

"I summon Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress," she said.

She played a card, and another radiant being appeared in front of her. It was a woman dressed in a flowing white gown with gold trim, a gold tiara, and holding a gold scepter. (1,700/200) –) (1,800/200)

"I end my turn," said Joan. "And since Lyla is on the field, I send three cards from my deck to my Graveyard…"

She took three cards from her deck and discarded them. Another lamp lit in the city, and Lyla's Attack Score rose to 1,900.

"This is insane!" shouted Chelsea. "Joan's Monsters are forcing her to mill her own deck!"

"I'm even more confused as to why she didn't attack Beiige with Lyla," said Erik. "Is she afraid of those facedown cards?"

Demise drew a card.

The Dangerous Machine started again, and the lights flashed. They stopped on the three.

"That means I get to draw a card now," he said, making a draw.

He looked at it, and added it to his hand.

"Now, I activate the Trap Card, Fine."

One of his facedown cards lifted up.

"This lets me discard two of my cards."

He chose two cards, and then discarded them.

"And THAT lets me activate THIS!"

His other Trap Card lifted.

"Forced Requisition?" gasped Yumi.

"What does that do?" asked Ren.

"That's bad…" said Yumi. "From this point on, every time he discards a card from his hand, Joan will have to discard one from hers."

"But I benefit more," continued Demise. "One of the two cards I discarded was Broww, Huntsman of Dark World. This lets me make another draw."

He drew a card.

"The other one was Gren, Tactician of Dark World. When discarded, he destroys one Spell or Trap Card.

"So say goodbye to your Realm of Light!"

An incredibly thin, almost gaunt Fiend appeared, wearing spectacles and holding a tome. It raised a hand, and fired a blast of darkness at the heart of the city. An explosion rocked the Realm of Light…

But, when the smoke cleared, the city still stood.

"Impossible…" gasped Demise.

"The Realm of Light has a sturdier foundation than most Field Spells," said Joan. "If you try to destroy it, I can protect it by extinguishing two of its lamps."

Lyla fell to an Attack Score of 1,700.

Demise clenched his fists.

"You have no facedown cards!" he shouted. "So it's curtains for her! Sillva, destroy her!"

Sillva rushed at Lyla…

Then, Necro Gardna appeared between them. He punched Sillva in the face, and the Fiend was thrown backwards.

"HUH?" said everybody.

"Necro Gardna is an uneasy ally of the Lightsworns," said Joan, as the Dark Warrior vanished. "The self-milling effect has several upsides."

"I set one Monster in Defense Mode and end my turn!" shouted Demise.

A facedown Monster appeared.

"Then I draw," said Joan, drawing a card.

"Your Forced Requisition is a powerful card for your deck, Demise," she said. "How little you knew that my means of eradicating it was staring you in the face even as you activated it."

"Huh?" asked Demise.

"By switching Lyla from Attack to Defense Mode," continued Joan, "I can destroy your Trap Card."

Lyla knelt and shielded herself, and glowed with an aura of light. The Forced Requisition card was blasted to pieces.

"Maybe so…" growled Demise. "But to do that, you had to move her to Defense Mode, where she's weak."

"She's not staying around," replied Joan. "I sacrifice her…"

Lyla vanished.

"To summon one of the more powerful Lightsworn… Celestia, Lightsworn Angel!"

This time, the burst of light that appeared on Joan's side of the field was far more intense. A beautiful form flew out of the Realm of Light. She was clearly an angel, dressed in plate armor similar to Jain's, with glorious, feathered wings, and long, blue hair tied in a long ponytail. She held a glowing two-handed sword. (2,300/200)

"Now, I activate Celestia's effect," said Joan. "When she's summoned by sacrificing another Lightsworn, I can send four cards from my deck to the Graveyard, and she can destroy two cards on the field."

She discarded four cards, and Celestia started to glow with even more intense light. Sillva and Beiige cringed in pain, and then shattered into pixels.

"My Realm gains another lamp," continued Joan.

Celestia grew to an Attack Score of 2,400.

"And also, one of the cards I just discarded was Wulf, Lightsworn Beast. When he goes directly from my deck to the Graveyard, he's summoned to the field."

In another flash of light, a radiant Beast-Warrior appeared. He had a wolf-like head and shining, white fur. He was dressed in a pure white breastplate, shorts, and a breechcloth, all with gold trim, and carried an ornate halberd. (2,100/300) –) (2,200/300)

"Wulf, destroy his facedown Monster."

Wulf snarled, and made a chop with his weapon. A reptilian, simian Fiend with red skin appeared on the card, and shattered.

"You destroyed Scarr, Scout of Dark World," said Demise. "Now I get to add any Dark World Monster that's Level Four or less to my hand."

He took a card from his deck and looked at it.

"But will it protect you from Celestia?" asked Joan.

The Angel flew at Demise and made a slash with her sword across the Fiend's armor. Demise let out a shout and took a step backwards.

**(J: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 5,300)**

"Joan's not doing half bad," said Erik.

"But if this self-milling keeps up," replied Sam, "she might deck herself out."

"Don't worry, children," said Joan. "My deck had forty-five cards to start with. It makes up for that problem."

"Who are these Lightsworn, anyway?" asked Ren. "Some army of defenders for the Higher Plane?"

"No," chuckled Joan, taking a card from her hand. "The Lightsworn are indeed an army of the Higher Plane, but they specialize in _offensive_ tactics. They've stormed Pandemonium more times than you can count, and most evil races fear their coming.

"To end my turn, I'll play Pot of Avarice."

She played the Spell Card, and five cards slipped out of her discard slot. She shuffled them into her deck, and drew twice.

"Makes sense that she would have that," said Erik.

"My move," said Demise, drawing a card.

The Dangerous Machine whirred again, and electricity flashed. It landed on the four.

"That means I get to draw again," said Joan, drawing.

"Fine!" shouted Demise. "At this rate, I _will_ deck you out!

"I summon the avatar of the Spirit whom we have to thank for providing me with this deck… Brron, Mad King of Dark World!"

In a burst of shadowy flames, Brron appeared. However, he was fast asleep, and still restrained by his straitjacket.

"WAKE UP!" shouted Demise.

Brron shook his head, and came to.

"Eh?" he said. "Demise? I was having the best dream… Heh, and you were in it too!"

"Spare me the details, Brron," said Demise. "You're still asleep. But I've transported your dream self here. And you're going to help me finish off Joan."

Brron looked at Joan and her two Lightsworn.

"Eh, I have no idea what's going on…" said the Mad King. "But if you say so…"

He flexed his muscles, and ripped out of the straitjacket. (1,800/400)

"Next," continued Demise, as a Spell Card appeared on the field, "I'll activate Shrink, to cut your Angel down to size."

Celestia glowed with a dark aura, and her Attack Score fell to 1,250.

"Attack!" shouted Demise. "Lunatic lunge!"

The Mad King let out an insane laugh, and threw himself at Celestia. With one swipe of his claw, she exploded into globules of light. Joan cringed a little.

"Now I activate Brron's effect," continued Demise. "When he dishes out damage, I get to toss one of my cards…"

He discarded one of his remaining two cards.

"And since the card I discarded was Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World, he's summoned to the field."

In another burst of shadow, another demon appeared. He looked similar to Sillva, except that his armor was – naturally – gold, and he held a battle axe. (2,300/1,400)

"I get to draw once due to Card of Safe Return," said Demise, drawing a card, "and my Battle Phase continues. Goldd, attack Wulf with dark gold rush!"

The Wu-Lord slammed his axe down, and a blast of gold energy blasted towards the Beast-Warrior. Wulf howled, and then shattered.

**(J: 5,350) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 5,300)**

"The scores are almost even," chuckled Demise. "I'll set this facedown, and take a break."

He played his last card, and a facedown card appeared.

"Come on, Joan!" shouted Ren. "Show this ugly freak!"

"Who's ugly?" said Brron, turning to him.

"Not you, I meant Demise," replied Ren. "But yeah, you're pretty ugly too."

Joan drew a card.

"I play Solar Recharge!" she exclaimed, as a Spell Card appeared.

A bright light flashed above her head.

"First, I discard one Lightsworn Monster from my hand…"

She discarded Ehren, Lightsworn Monk.

"Then I get to draw twice…"

She made two draws.

"And then, I send the next two cards on my deck to the Graveyard…"

She discarded two more cards from her deck.

"Another lamp in my Realm is lit…

"Then, I summon Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner."

In another flash of light, a new Lightsworn appeared. It was a young woman with short, blond hair and richly tanned skin, dressed in a white halter top and skirt combination, with a tiara on her head. (1,000/1,000) –) (1,200/1,000)

"Not the strongest I've seen," chuckled Demise.

"Not bad considering that she's Level Three," replied Joan, "and considering her powerful effect. I discard one card…"

She discarded her copy of Exchange of the Spirits.

"…and I get to Special Summon a Lightsworn from my Graveyard, up to Level Four. I choose to summon Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior."

A new Lightsworn appeared, and this one was definitely a male. He was a muscular Warrior, whose armor resembled a cross between that of a celestial knight and a barbarian, if such a thing were possible. His black hair was long and wild. He carried a decorated pole-axe. (1,850/1,300) –) (2,050/1,300)

"Garoth, wipe that smile off that ugly creature's face!" shouted Joan. "Attack Brron!"

"Hey, wait a minute…" said Brron.

The Warrior made a slash with his axe, and the Mad King exploded.

"Looks like he's going to be having nightmares," scowled Joan. "I set one card…"

A facedown card appeared.

"Then I end my turn, and due to Lumina, I have to send three cards from my deck to the Graveyard…"

She discarded three cards.

"This activates Garoth's effect. Whenever I discard cards due a Lightsworn's effect, his effect requires me to discard two additional cards. Once I've done that, for each of them that are Lightsworns, I get to draw one card."

She took two cards off her deck and looked at them.

"However, neither of them are Lightsworns…"

She discarded them.

"Since I discarded cards due to Lightsworns' effects twice, my Realm gains two more lamps, and my two warriors gain more power.

Garoth grew to an Attack Score of 2,250, while Lumina grew to 1,400.

**(J: 5,350) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 5,050)**

"Is anyone keeping track?" asked Chelsea. "How many cards does Joan have left in her deck?"

"Well, if she did indeed start with forty-five cards…" said Yumi. "I believe… Nineteen. She's going through her deck fast, but she can still manage it. I think she has yet to summon her ace."

"How do we know her ace isn't in her Graveyard?" asked Erik. "She might have discarded it."

"She likely has Monster Reincarnation," replied Sam. "In fact, I'd wager she has three copies of it."

Demise drew a card. The Dangerous Machine started to whir again. It started to spark and shudder. Finally, it landed on the one.

"HA!" laughed Ren. "Now you have to discard a card in your hand!"

"Actually," said Demise, "doing so would be my pleasure."

"Huh?" said Ren.

"Because," replied Demise, "the only card in my hand is my second copy of Beiige."

He discarded it.

"And when he's discarded, he's summoned to the field."

Beiige appeared in a burst of shadow. (1,600/1,300)

"And best of all, I get one draw, due to Card of Safe Return."

He drew a card.

"That's why he played Dangerous Machine in the first place!" shouted Yumi. "Dangerous Machine Type-6 has six outcomes, but the only one that's truly debilitating to the user is the one result.

"But with a Dark World Deck, even the one result can become a benefit!"

"Now, I'll play my own Pot of Avarice," continued Demise, as he played the card.

He played the card, and Zure, Gren, Broww, Sillva, and his first Beiige slipped out of his discard slot. He reshuffled them into his deck, and drew twice.

"Now to clean up," he said. "Beiige, attack Lumina!"

Beiige charged, and speared the Lightsworn Summoner in the naval. She gave a cry and shattered.

"Goldd, destroy her Warrior!"

Goldd slammed his axe down, and the dark gold rush blasted towards Garoth. He exploded into triangles.

"It's your move…" he said, crossing his arms.

**(J: 5,100) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 5,050)**

Joan drew a card.

"It's time to show you just what this self-milling effect can accomplish," she said. "I activate my Trap Card…"

Her facedown card lifted.

"Glorious Illusion. This Trap lets me raise one Lightsworn from my Graveyard, so long as I send two cards to the Graveyard for each round that it remains on the field."

Jain appeared in a burst of light. (1,800/1,200) –) (2,200/1,200)

"But that won't be happening, because Jain won't be staying. I sacrifice her…"

Jain smiled broadly before she vanished into motes of light…

"…to summon Gragonith, Lightsworn Dragon!"

The Dragon that appeared was smaller than most Dragons, but also more beautiful than most. It was covered with a coat of pure, white fur, had white, feathered wings, and a mane of shining, golden hair. It was covered with the same gold trim as all the Lightsworns before it. (2,000/1,600)

"I've seen stronger Level Six Monsters," chuckled Demise.

"Fool," said Joan. "Gragonith can be one of the mightiest of the Lightsworns if used at the right time. For each Lightsworn with a different name now resting in my Graveyard, Gragonith gains 300 Attack Points. And due to the discarding effects of every Lightsworn that has come before him, nine different Lightsworn now reside there."

(4,700/1,600)

"It's a celestial Shadow Ghoul!" shouted Ren.

"Don't forget…" replied Joan. "He gains 400 more Attack Points from my Field Spell…"

(5,100/1,600)

"Fifty-one hundred…" gasped Demise.

"And by the way…" added Joan. "Defending is pointless against Gragonith, because he inflicts battle damage via attacking Monsters in Defense Mode."

"I think we've found her ace!" laughed Erik.

"Gragonith…" exclaimed Joan, "attack Beiige with radiant burning beam!"

The Lightsworn Dragon blasted a bolt of pure, burning light from its jaws, striking the Vanguard of Darkworld and eradicating him in an explosion that threw the King of Armageddon off his feet. Yumi and her friends cheered.

**(J: 5,100) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 1,650)**

"I end my turn," said Joan, "and due to Gragonith, I send three cards from my deck to my Graveyard…"

She discarded three cards.

"And my Field Spell gains another lamp, so Gragonith becomes even stronger…"

(5,200/1,600)

"And to think we were worried," laughed Chelsea. "Joan is kicking some serious A!"

Demise angrily drew a card.

The Dangerous Machine started to glow, spark, and shudder again. Then it landed on the six.

"Looks like your Machine is about to go boom," laughed Ren, as the Dangerous Machine started to sizzle and smoke.

"I activate Emergency Provisions!" shouted Demise, as his facedown card lifted. "I'll sacrifice it before that happens!"

The Dangerous Machine vanished into grains of light.

"I set two cards facedown and end my turn!" he said, as two facedown cards appeared. "Do your worst!"

**(J: 5,100) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 2,650)**

"Your wish is my command," said Joan, as she drew a card. "Sorry, Demise, but your Traps are about to become worthless…

"I play the Spell Card, Cold Wave!"

"Yeah!" shouted Ren. "Joan is gonna win!"

"No she isn't…" chuckled Demise. "I was hoping she'd do that…"

One of his facedown cards lifted.

"In response to your Cold Wave, I activate Dark Deal!"

"NO!" screamed Sam.

Everyone looked at her.

"What does that do?" asked Erik.

"Something bad…" gasped Sam.

"I'll tell you what it does…" chuckled Demise. "I give up 1,000 Life Points. Then, Joan's Cold Wave's effect is negated, and then changed, given a new effect. Now, its effect causes her to select a card from my hand at random, and discard it."

Joan's eyes narrowed.

"You only have _one_ card in your hand!" she growled.

"Well…" chuckled Demise. "Then I guess you're stuck with this one…"

He discarded the card, and a bonfire of pitch-black flames and choking smoke erupted on Demise's side of the field.

"It can't be…" gasped Sam.

"Oh, but it is…" laughed Demise. "The avatar of the true ruler of Dark World, the only aspect of the legendary Colorless left in existence…

"I summon Reign-Beaux, Overlord of Dark World!"

From out of the inferno, the diabolic Overlord appeared. He was seven feet tall, and muscular, with a skull-like face with ram's horns. Four colored gemstones were embedded in his chest, and vast, fiendish wings sprouted from his back. He held a long sasumata with a golden blade. (2,500/1,800)

"I get to draw once due to Card of Safe Return," said Demise, drawing a card, "and since he was summoned by your card's effect, his own effect activates. I can either destroy all your Monsters, or all your Spell and Trap Cards.

"I think I'll destroy… Your Monsters."

A wave of black fire shot towards Joan's side of the field, and Gragonith roared. The Dragon was blown to shards.

"No…" gasped Yumi.

"It's still my move, demon!" shouted Joan.

She played a card, and a defensive Monster appeared facedown.

"That will do," she said.

**(J: 5,100) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 1,650)**

Demise made a draw.

"Now let's have some fun…" he said. "I summon Broww, Huntsman of Dark World."

In another burst of energy, a new Fiend appeared. This one had the same bone armor and a fur cloak, and had two arms, one normal-sized and the other ogre-sized. He carried a box and arrow. (1,400/800)

"Goldd, destroy her last Monster."

Goldd slammed his axe down, and the gold rush blasted towards the facedown card. An old man in priestly vestments holding a leather-bound tome appeared kneeling on the card, and was blown to pieces.

"So much for Aurkus…" muttered Joan.

"Broww, attack her directly!" ordered Demise. "Black arrow!"

Broww aimed his bow and fired, striking Joan in the chest. Joan flinched a little and held the wound.

"Now, attack, my Reign-Beaux!" shouted Demise. "Wave of destruction!"

The Overlord twirled his sasumata and fired a burning bolt of black energy, hitting Joan dead center. For the first time, Joan screamed…

She fell to her knees…

**(J: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 1,650)**

"Why don't you just stay down?" asked Demise. "Your best Monster has been crushed, and mine is still standing strong."

"Don't listen to him, Joan!" shouted Ren.

"I don't intend to…" muttered Joan.

Sweat was falling down her face, but she slowly stood up.

"Anything else?" she asked.

"Oh, you are a plucky one…" chuckled Demise.

He placed a card in his Disk and a facedown card appeared.

"Now I'm done…"

Joan drew a card from her deck, which was now definitely starting to thin.

"I play a second Pot of Avarice," she said, playing the card.

"You're allowed to have two copies of that?" asked Erik.

"I think you're allowed to have _three_," replied Yumi. "No one is dumb enough to waste space in a deck with multiple copies… But with a deck like Joan's it makes perfect sense."

Five cards slipped out of Joan's Graveyard. She shuffled them into her deck, and then drew twice.

"All right, demon," she said. "I play the Spell Card, Charge of the Light Brigade!"

"Charge of the Light Brigade?" chuckled Demise. "If I remember human history correctly, that was the name of a British cavalry charge during the Crimean War… One that ended in disaster."

"And I suppose you're an expert on events that led to massacres, Demise?" asked Joan. "This Spell Card will lead me to something that its reckless namesake could never have achieved… Victory.

"It works as follows. First, I send three cards from my deck to the Graveyard."

She discarded three cards.

"Once I've done that, this Spell Card works just like Reinforcement of the Army for Lightsworns, letting me search for one that's Level Four or lower. My deck may have only thirteen cards left, but I'm relatively certain that the one I need is there!"

She looked at the remaining cards in her deck.

"And it is!" she said, taking a card. "I'll set it in Defense Mode!"

A facedown Monster appeared.

"I throw down a facedown card, and end my turn," she said, as a single facedown card appeared. "This duel is not over yet!"

"No, but it might as well be," chuckled Demise, drawing a card.

_Hmm, Nightmare Wheel…_ he thought, looking at it. _Could come in handy…_

One of his facedown cards lifted.

"I activate The Forces of Darkness," he said. "Now, I get back two Dark World Monsters from my Graveyard."

Two cards slipped out of his discard slot.

"Now I'll summon one. You remember Brron, don't you?"

In another burst of shadow, Brron appeared again.

"Ah, good to be back!" he cackled. (1,800/400)

"Now let's finish this," said Demise. "Goldd, destroy her Monster!"

Goldd slashed with his axe, and the blade of gold energy tore towards the card. A large wolf with pure white fur wearing shoulder guards and leg guards like the armor of the previous Lightsworns appeared on the card and shattered.

"That was Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter," said Joan. "And his Flip-Effect lets me destroy any one card on the field."

Ryko appeared again, in a spiritual form made of pure light. He pounced and tackled Reign-Beaux, knocking him over. The Overlord struggled, but one bite to the throat, and the demon shattered into triangles.

Demise stepped back in shock.

"Then," said Joan, "I have to discard three cards from my deck…"

She discarded three cards.

Demise looked at his facedown card.

_Curses…_ he thought. _My facedown card is Gateway to Dark World… But since I already summoned this turn, I can't use it!_

_Oh well… As if I really needed it…_

"Brron, attack her directly!"

Brron rushed at Joan, bearing his claws.

Joan's facedown card lifted up, and Negate Attack appeared. Brron was thrown backwards.

"Oh, I see…" muttered Demise. "You're hanging on to dear life, stalling and hoping for a miracle. Well trust me, it isn't going to happen!"

He looked at the Nightmare Wheel card. He fit it into his Disk, and it appeared facedown.

"Just move!"

Joan drew a card.

She looked at the Trap Card.

"I activate my Spell Card," said Demise, as one of his facedown cards lifted. "Gateway to Dark World! Now I can bring one Dark World Monster back from my Graveyard!"

Reign-Beaux appeared in another burst of black fire. (2,500/1,800)

"So tell me, Joan," he asked, "did you draw the miracle you were hoping for?"

"I'm a lord of the Higher Plane, Demise," replied Joan. "I make my own miracles."

She placed a card on her Disk.

"I summon the King of Rubble."

In a dark shadow, an ominous-looking Monster appeared. Seated on a throne made from a chipped-away boulder that was floating in the air, he had glowing red eyes below a crown that was made of scrap metal, and was dressed in a tattered, purple robe. (0/0)

"Huh?" asked Demise.

"I know, I know," said Joan. "You're thinking, zero attack points. But King of Rubble has a powerful effect if summoned at the right time.

"If I have at least thirty cards in my Graveyard, and right now I have thirty-two there, I can activate a Trap Card from my hand every round.

"The Trap Card I choose to activate is… Beckoning Light."

She threw the card in her Disk, and King of Rubble's eyes glowed. The Trap Card appeared on her side of the field.

"Now, I toss every card in my hand…"

She discarded her two cards.

"And for each card I discarded, I get to recover a Light Attribute Monster from my Graveyard. With most of my deck there, I have much to choose from."

Two cards slipped out of her discard slot.

_Fine,_ thought Demise. _Summon Gragonith again if you're somehow able to. I'm prepared for it this time._

"Yumi and her friends were wrong, by the way," said Joan, ominously. "Gragonith was never my ace card…"

"She has someone even stronger?" gasped Ren.

"How is she gonna summon it?" asked Erik. "She already made her summon for this turn…"

"And even if she could make another," said Chelsea, "she only has one Monster to sacrifice…"

The lights of the Realm of Light all went dark.

"What's going on?" asked Demise.

"I'm about to summon the mightiest resident of the Realm of Light…" said Joan. "The ancient guardian of this city who answers the call of the Lightsworn only in the most dire emergencies…

"He can only appear when at least four different Lightsworn are in my Graveyard, and I have more than enough… Appear before me…

"_Judgment Dragon!_"

A literal explosion of light erupted, and this time, it was blinding. The Dragon that appeared was no less beautiful than Gragonith, but he was far larger, and far more intimidating. He was covered with feathers that seemed to have been sculpted out of pure silver, with vast, feathered wings, and a face that reflected timeless wisdom. (3,000/2,600)

"I'm not afraid of that!" shouted Demise.

He was about to activate his facedown card…

"You will be once you hear about his effect," said Joan. "I pay 1,000 Life Points, and he destroys every card on the field except himself."

Demise stopped short.

"He does?" he shouted.

Judgment Dragon started to glow.

"Wait!" shouted Demise. "Stop!"

There was no stopping it. The glow continued to intensify, until it became overwhelming. King of Rubble was blown into shards of rock. Demise's Trap Card was burned to a cinder, and the buildings around them were turned to ash. The four Dark World Fiends screamed, and then they erupted in light from the inside out. Their armor and weapons fell to the ground, smoldering, and then disintegrated. Demise himself was thrown to the ground.

"Your Dragon is nothing but a thief, Joan!" screamed Demise, looking up. "He stole that move from me!"

"Well, Demise," said Joan, "to paraphrase one human actor, do you know what the difference is between Judgment Dragon and you? My Dragon makes it look good.

"I think I've proven that my skills have not slipped. And I must say, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. If the risk wasn't so great, I would gladly duel Daala's forces more often. Before I end this, I have a message for Daala, whom I know is watching.

"If she wants to challenge me, she can come to this temple, and I'll gladly let her in. But _only_ her, and _only_ if she first agrees to wager the Crown of Xanadu.

"Judgment Dragon… Attack directly! Ultimate divine light!"

Judgment Dragon breathed a blast of divine flames at the King of Armageddon, and he screamed in agony…

**(J: 200) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 0)**

The barrier holding Joan in shattered.

"Begone, demon…" she said, her eyes glowing in anger. "Go and join your beloved in the prison of Carceri…"

Demise screamed again, and then vanished in a burst of smoke and soot.

His cards fluttered to the ground like dead leaves, and then vanished.

"All right!" cheered Ren.

As Joan's allies ran up to her, they had no idea that two Duel Spirits had been watching the duel the whole time. Through dimensional magic, they were viewing it from the Astral Plane, unseen, and unheard.

One of them was Celestia, Lightsworn Angel, and the other was Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World.

"That's a shame," said Celestial. "I suppose it was inevitable, really…"

"Ah, what are you gonna do?" asked Goldd. "It's all Brron's fault. Folks have a low opinion of Dark World ever since he ruled the place. Personally, I don't even think Colorless exists."

"I hope he doesn't," sighed Celestia. "You folks are having enough trouble just keeping order in that place without the citizens believing in urban legends. Besides, even if Colorless does exist, he'll never come unless another copy of the Super Polymerization card is created."

"And we don't want that…" muttered Goldd.

"Indeed," said Celestia. "One attempt was quite enough. If I were you, I'd make a deal with Ha Des."

"We've considered it," sighed Goldd, "several times. Once we're desperate enough, we just might…"

He sighed.

"So… Wanna go for a drink?"

Celestia sighed herself.

"Fine, fine," she said, "but we're going to _my_ bar. That Lower Planar ale they serve at your place could burn a hole in my armor…"

Goldd laughed.

"As if the Elysium honey mead that they serve at your place is any less strong!" he replied.

They turned and vanished.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala was sitting at her dinner table. Skull Knight was sitting at the other end (he had been invited – usually Daala ate alone).

"So what's the move now, milady?" asked Skull Knight. "Will you actually challenge Joan?"

"I'm considering it," replied Daala. "It seems the only way to get rid of her at this point…"

Alexis walked up, and silently placed a tray with a bowl of soup in front of her.

"Thank you Alexis," said Daala.

"We have other things to do tonight first," said Daala, spooning it into her mouth, "and…"

She made a face.

"Alexis!" she said. "This is cold!"

"It's vichyssoise, milady," said Alexis, in a dull monotone.

"Huh?" asked Daala.

"It's supposed to be cold," replied Alexis, in the same monotone. (She had been brainwashed a long time ago.)

"Oh…" said Daala.

She tasted it again. She looked at her watch. It was almost eight o'clock.

"Skull Knight…" she said. "After dinner, you will escort me to a place where I have an appointment…

"I'm going back to the Core…"

Skull Knight gulped.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi and her friends were hugging Joan.

"Now, now, children, calm down," she said. "We have more to do, and bigger problems,"

"We've secured all six Realms," said Sam.

"Yes," said Joan, "but still I worry. Daala's power to manipulate Chaos is great, as proven by Slade's cards. Industrial Illusions never created the Evil Heroes."

She sighed.

"When Jaden Yuki was dominated by his dark side, the Supreme King, his deck was corrupted, and formed the Evil Heroes, dark parodies of his Elemental Heroes. They vanished when Jaden's benign personality regained control.

"How Daala managed to recreate them, I have no idea."

She waved her hand, and a trapdoor opened in the floor.

"But we still have much to do… Behold, the portal!"

The tall, crystal spire she had been working on last night rose out of the floor. It glowed with light.

"At midnight," said Joan, "my patron will arrive from the Higher Plane, and it will draw power from all six Realms, and open a gateway that will enable my army and Freed's army to access the Core itself!"

"So what's the plan?" asked Yumi.

"While our rank and file troops deal with whatever army Daala has," said Joan, "you five, along with Sheena, Jesse, Mako, Aster, Atticus, and Zane will storm Daala's palace itself, liberate her prison, and deal with her inner circle."

"And I'll confront Daala herself," added Yumi.

"Hopefully," said Joan. "I just wish we had time to search for this Testament… But my research has failed to find its location…"

There was a ringing noise.

"A visitor?" she mused.

Yumi cautiously opened the door to the outside, and everyone looked out.

Vita was standing there, and three Mokey Mokeys were floating around her head.

"Vita?" asked Yumi.

"You want the Testament?" asked Vita. "Follow me…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**KING OF RUBBLE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Rock/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 1  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description:** Once per turn, if you have 30 or more cards in your Graveyard, you may activate a Trap Card from your hand.

_Note: "King of Rubble" was first used by Yusei in an episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lords of Chaos**

**The Quandary of Dagon, Sage of the Abyss**

Thanks to the Queen of Chaos, the obyrith race is truly a race in decline in the Abyss, dominated completely by the younger race of demons. However, some traces of their power still remain. Dagon is one of these traces.

An ancient demon, Dagon was a being with power over water, and considerable might. Resembling a giant cross between a sea serpent, mollusk, and shark, he could command every aspect of his ocean realm in the Abyss, causing fierce gales, storms, and even hurricanes on his whim. When the Queen rallied the obyrith lords against the Wind Dukes of Aaqa, he was one who refused her call, and he was so powerful, she decided not to raise her tentacles against him. When her armies were decimated in the sacred Vale, Dagon knew he had made a wise choice.

Today, due to his advanced age and flawless memory, Dagon is held as an oracle and seer among demons. They come to him with offerings in return for knowledge of the Abyss that only he can provide, knowledge that predates the current race. Dagon has built a mighty power base with these offerings, keeping himself secure from any attempts to strike against him by any forces of Law that threaten his kind.

Mortals too often contact Dagon, hungering for the vast knowledge of ancient times that he can tell. However, mortal conjurers must be cautious, and have wills of steel to make the attempt, because dealing with obyriths is never safe. More than one demonologist has been driven mad by trying to commune with Dagon.

There is another factor that makes Dagon invaluable to demons. Oftentimes, a demon is born, or otherwise created, that is recognized as exceptional. Usually, this happens with only a minimal amount of fanfare. However, sometimes, when an exceptional demon is born, Dagon will take notice, and send a command to the demon's parents – or whoever was responsible for its birth – to bring it to his domain. Few demons are foolish enough to refuse.

Once there, Dagon takes one look at the young demon, and speaks to it, stating a prophesy. These words supposedly foretell an important fact about the demon's future, and often speak of terrible situations for someone involved. No one has ever doubted Dagon's words, for his prophesies in these situations have always come to pass eventually. How they come to him is a mystery, but like most prophesies, they must be studied and interpreted right, or they may lead to disaster…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**If ever there was a good time to end a chapter, that was it.**_

_**Coming up next, we finally learn Vita's secret. Why is this fic called "Soul of Silicon"? Prepare to find out! And Yumi is challenged in part one of a two-part test to receive the divine aid that the Testament consists of. "The Soul" is coming soon.**_


	53. The Soul

_**My name is Vita. It is the name I chose for myself.**_

_**Who am I? I am Daala's greatest enemy. And yet, I don't want to destroy her. I want her save her. I want to hold her in the most loving embrace imaginable.**_

_**If it was you, and Daala had cast you out, but not before bonding an irremovable mask to your face, you would likely hate her. I don't hate her. I understand that she couldn't help herself when she did it, and I work towards correcting it. I work towards defeating her, so that I may remove it, and make the embrace possible.**_

_**I am a duelist with a mission. I stalk the Realms of Xanadu, keeping unseen by Daala. I challenge her artificially created minions when I know she isn't looking, and end their evil existence. I work against her at every turn.**_

_**My strikes against her herself are few, but observing Yumi, I think I can now take a more active role. I may have a chance to do the job that I've been meaning to do since Daala was created.**_

_**Who am I? I am a soul…**_

_**A soul of silicon… But a soul nonetheless…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Soul**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The full moon rose in the night sky over the Tzimisce Woods. All was mostly quiet in the forest. From the branch of a tree, An Owl of Luck hooted.

It looked down as Vita walked down the forest path, with her three Mokey Mokeys floating behind her. Yumi and her four friends followed, their Disks activated and ready to draw a card should Vita prove to be leading them into a trap.

Then Yumi decided she wasn't convinced.

"Vita, hold on!" she shouted. "I'm not taking another step until I know what the deal is!

"You've been playing this whole game with us since we got to Xanadu. You stay in the background, watching us and doing nothing, then deciding to help when it suddenly suits you.

"Who the heck are you?"

Vita sighed, and looked at them.

"Mokey Mokey," said one of the Fairies, nervously.

"No, it's all right," said Vita.

She turned to Yumi and the others.

"I'm Daala," she said.

"WHAT?" exclaimed the five duelists.

"Or rather," continued Vita, "I'm a part of her. Or a part of what was once her."

She sighed again, and sat down on a log.

"Perhaps once you hear my story, you'll feel pity for the girl who was once Daala, instead of the hatred I now see in your eyes…

"Sit down…"

Yumi and the others did, as Vita started to explain.

"When Xanadu was just a small, virtual world," she said, "and Daala was a young girl name Phyllis Ting, who still had a human body, she was curious. She wasn't evil. Curiosity is a virtue, after all.

"But too much curiosity can kill the proverbial cat…

"In virtual form, she started downloading files out of her curiosity, sent to her by someone who was helping her expand Xanadu's size and detail. With one of the files, she downloaded the first of the Devil's Fruit. Her eyes wide with wonder, she chose one, and since she could eat as a virtual being, sampled it.

"However, like the five of you did, she chose blindly, and chose a very powerful Fruit, one which not only bestowed great powers, but a vile curse. As soon as she swallowed it, she was literally split in two. Where she was once one being, she became two beings. The dominant side, possessing the influence of the Devil's Fruit, had all of Phyllis's vices, sins, and negative emotions. She was what would eventually become Daala, who would pledge allegiance to Shogarr and rule Xanadu as a tyrant.

"The other being, which represented all of her morals and decency, her good side, so to speak, became me.

"I would eventually choose the name Vita, because that was name of an imaginary friend that Phyllis once had when she was a little girl. Imaginary friends are symbols childhood, and thus symbols of innocence. As I was the symbol of the innocence that Phyllis once possessed, it seemed to fit.

"Anyway, I tried in vain to convince my other half to find a way to rejoin, knowing that existing as separate entities would cause a disaster. But the evil side liked her freedom away from me, and wouldn't cooperate. Daala knew she couldn't kill me, because so much of her essence was inside me. The death of one of us would likely kill or cripple the other.

"I challenged her to a duel to settle the matter, which was a mistake. When Phyllis's body split, Daala was the one holding the deck. I was forced to download a new one from the I2 database, and Daala wouldn't give me much time to finish. Since it was a rush job, the deck I created wasn't very good, and I was soundly beaten.

"Even though the duel was hardly fair, Daala decided to punish me for losing. Using her benefactor's aid, she used a powerful spell to bond this accursed mask to my face, ensuring that I would never be mistaken for her."

Vita paused, and touched the mask covering her face. She continued.

"Then she shoved me aside," she continued, "saying that I could remove the mask if I ever proved that I wasn't inferior. I could do nothing but flee…

"I knew her plans were big when she officially took the name Daala. She had named herself after a fictitious weapons designer who could build things capable of destroying whole planets… An inventor of doomsday machines who could do things normally reserved only for the gods. It didn't take me long to discover that she had allied herself with an Elder Evil.

"And I watched as Daala's power grew, along with her evil. I wandered the web as an exile, neglected and unwanted. Meanwhile, Daala destroyed her mortal body, and continued her plans, increasing the size of Xanadu exponentially. Eventually, when Xanadu was big enough for me to hide in unnoticed, I came back, and started to oppose her.

"I realized that I would have to oppose Daala in subtle ways. I'm a part of her, and I want to reunite. If that happens, maybe, just maybe, Phyllis Ting's original personality will return, and Daala's mad plans will end."

"But Vita…" said Chelsea. "What if you succeed, and it backfires? What if Daala remains evil and becomes even more powerful after becoming whole?"

"I've considered that," replied Vita, "but it's a risk I must take."

"And the Mokey Mokeys that have been following us all over Xanadu?" asked Sam.

"You might say that they're my eyes and ears," said Vita. "Only other exiles can communicate with these Fairies. I've made several allies over the past ten years.

"And we're going to meet another one right now."

She stood up, and waved her hand. The trees and shrubbery moved aside in front of them…

Standing in the center of the clearing that had appeared was an ancient, stone shrine. It was made of granite, and had simple design, with the symbol of Boccob carved on the stone door leading in.

Standing in front of shrine was someone they hadn't seen before. It was a young girl dressed in traditional clothing that suggested a Native American design. Her jacket and britches were leather, and jewelry set with turquoise and beads hung around her neck. She had chestnut hair and hazel eyes.

She smiled broadly.

"Welcome, duelists," she said. "You have journeyed far, and are nearing the end point. You have…"

"It's you!" shouted Ren.

"Huh?" said Erik. "You know her?"

"She's the one who was at Kaibaland with the Stone Statue of the Aztecs and Fairy Box combo!" shouted Ren. "She's Sahkyo!"

The girl chuckled.

"Guilty as charged," she said.

"I'm confused," said Yumi. "If you were a duelist at Kaibaland, how did you get to Xanadu?"

"I'm not truly human, Yumi," explained Sahkyo. "In terms you can understand, I am a nature spirit of sorts, one whom existed in the unspoiled American wilderness long before civilized man ever came."

"So why are you here?" asked Sam.

"Because," replied Sahkyo, "the equality of nature is tipped.

"My species preserves the equality of all things. Good and Evil, Law and Chaos. These things must all be kept at equal proportions.

"You ever hear the saying, if there was no darkness, how would we know light? It's true on several levels. In the universe, all metaphysical forces must be moderated, or the system wouldn't work.

"Even if the forces of Good dominated the universe, it wouldn't be for the best. If that happened, well, life would be kind of boring. Sure, people would be at peace and would want for nothing, but they'd have little incentive to seek adventure and excitement.

"Now, long ago, long before the white man came to America, a powerful force of Chaos and Evil threatened to cover the land, eclipsing Law and Good. But fortunately, powerful shamans used a ritual similar to the Shadow Games used in Egypt to call forth the spirits of the land to defeat the great evil."

"Native American Shadow Games?" asked Erik, in disbelief.

"The Egyptians were not the only ones who could do it," replied Sahkyo. "Shadow Games were common to all cultures. The Egyptians were the only ones who recorded them.

"Now, an ally of that great demon is allied with Daala. If it returns to the land of mortals, the whole world is at risk."

"Who is this evil?" asked Yumi. "Is it Shogarr?"

Sahkyo nodded.

"Our name for him is not easily translated," she said. "It simply means 'darkness' or 'wickedness' and many unpleasant things.

"I was told that someone residing in this shine would help, if a test was passed. I don't know who or what is in the shrine, only that it calls itself The Testament. I shall administer the test, young duelists, and if you pass, you may enter."

Yumi looked at her.

"Fine," she said, lifting her Disk. "I'll duel you…"

"Not so fast, young duelist…" said Sahkyo.

Sahkyo held up two separate decks.

"I have two different decks," she said. "One of these decks is the Deck of Order. It represents the Good side of Law.

"The other is the Deck of Freedom. It represents the Good side of Chaos.

"I also posses two other decks, the Deck of Tyranny and the Deck of Madness, which represent the Evil sides of Law and Chaos, respectively. However, they are not appropriate for this occasion."

"So, what do I do?" asked Yumi. "Duel you twice?"

"No," replied Sahkyo. "You choose one deck at random, and duel me. Then, if you are triumphant, you choose one of your allies. He or she will then duel me, and I'll use the deck you didn't face.

"Only if both of you are victorious, will the door to the shrine open."

Yumi looked at Ren, Chelsea, Sam, and Erik.

"Uhm…" she said. "I think I'll cross that bridge when I come to it…"

"Very well," said Sahkyo.

Yumi looked at the two decks.

"I choose… The one on the right."

Sahkyo smiled, and placed the one on the left inside a pouch on her belt.

"You have chosen the Deck of Order," she said.

A Duel Disk appeared on her arm. She quickly shuffled the deck, and placed it in the Disk.

"Vita," said Erik. "Do you know anything about these decks?"

"Sahkyo never told me about her strategy," replied Vita. "Yumi could be in for anything…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala walked down a long hall of her palace, with Skull Knight following her.

"Uhm, milady," muttered Skull Knight, "not to be rude, but do I really have to come? I mean, the air in that place kind of rubs me the wrong way…"

"Don't worry," replied Daala. "You won't be coming in. You only have to wait for me outside the entrance. I'm the only one who'll be going in.

"You might want to bring a book. I'm not sure how long you'll have to wait."

"What will you be doing in there?" asked Skull Knight.

Daala sighed.

"Finding my ultimate destiny…" she replied.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi and Sahkyo looked at each other.

Sahkyo's eyes narrowed.

"Let's do this…" she said.

**(Yumi: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Sahkyo: 8,000)**

"I'll start this off," said Sahkyo, drawing a card.

She looked at the powerful Monster on the card. She added it to her hand, and chose another one.

"I set a Monster, and that will be all for now…"

A facedown Monster appeared.

"Rather slow start," said Yumi, drawing a card.

"I summon Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer!"

Kycoo appeared in a burst of shadowy energy. (1,800/700)

"Attack!" shouted Yumi.

Kycoo chanted, and his cursed magic shot towards the facedown Monster. A Giant Rat appeared on the card, and was blown to pieces.

"Lovely!" shouted Chelsea. "More Rats!"

"And now I activate its effect," said Sahkyo, looking at the cards in her deck. "Which, as you know, lets me Special Summon an Earth Monster with a low Attack Score.

"I choose to summon Great Spirit."

In an aura of glowing, white energy, a Monster appeared in front of her. Yumi was puzzled. She had never seen this guy before.

He looked like, as his name suggested, a spirit, being misty and translucent, clothed in armor made of wooden rods, decorated with painted images. He also covered his face with a large spirit mask. (500/1,500)

"Your Tiki Spellcaster doesn't scare me," said Yumi.

Sahkyo chuckled, and put her hand on her hip.

"First of all, he's not a Tiki, he's a Native American nature spirit, like myself," she said. "Second, he's a Rock, not a Spellcaster.

"And I assure you, you'll be scared of what he can do soon enough. Are you done with your move?"

"Mmm!" replied Yumi.

Sahkyo drew a card.

"Then I play… Pot of Greed," she said.

The wicked jar appeared, and she made two draws.

"Next," she said, as the Field Slot on her Disk opened, "I play the Field Spell, Canyon…"

The grove and the shrine faded away, and giant, stone cliffs rose around them. Within seconds, the walls of the Grand Canyon had appeared around the two duelists.

"Welcome to Arizona," said Sahkyo, with a smile.

"Oh no!" shouted Ren. "I saw her use this card on TV!"

"What does it do?" asked Chelsea.

"If Yumi attacks a Rock Monster in Defense Mode," replied Ren, "and its Defense is too strong, the damage Yumi takes is doubled."

"Indeed," said Sahkyo. "Next, I activate one of Great Spirit's effects, to flip him into facedown Defense Mode."

Great Spirit vanished, and was replaced by a facedown Monster.

"Then, I set a new Monster."

Another set Monster appeared.

"Then, I play a Continuous Spell Card. It's called Shifting Shadows."

She played the card, and it appeared. The image on the card depicted shadowy shapes over a collection of statues.

"I can use this card's effect once per round by paying 300 Life Points," she said, as dark shadows started to cover the two facedown Monsters. "It lets me rearrange the positions of my facedown Monsters any way I desire. Thus, you now have no way of knowing which one is Great Spirit, and which one is the other one I just set.

"And I'm far from done. I play Premature Burial."

She played the card, and Giant Rat appeared again. (1,400/1,450)

"Giant Rat…" she said. "Attack Kycoo."

Giant Rat rushed at the Ghost Destroyer. Kycoo blasted his spell, and it was blown to pieces.

"Why'd she do that?" asked Erik.

"To use its effect," replied Sam.

"Indeed," said Sahkyo. "This time, I'm using its effect to summon Criosphinx."

In a flash of energy, another Monster appeared. It looked like a stone statue of a centaurian creature, its lower body like some great lion, its upper body like a muscular man with blue skin, with the head of a ram. (1,200/2,400)

"Finally," said Sahkyo, taking a card from her hand, "I'll sacrifice Criosphinx…"

Criosphinx vanished into grains of light.

"To Special Summon Exxod, Master of the Guard!"

With a rumble, an enormous statue rose out of the ground behind her. It looked like a stone statue of Exodia, just as big as the real thing, but carved out of granite. It was decorated with gold jewelry, and had a golden disk covered with runes on its back. It knelt and crossed its arms, clearly in Defense Mode. (0/4,000)

"_Four-thousand_ Defense Points?" shouted Erik. "How the heck is Yumi supposed to crack _that_?"

"You got me," said Sam.

"I end my turn," said Sahkyo.

**(Y: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 6,500)**

Yumi drew a card.

_She managed to do a lot in one turn,_ thought Yumi, looking at it. _She's clearly a powerful duelist…_

She played the card, and the Pot of Greed appeared on her side of the field. She drew two cards.

She looked at them.

_However… I'm no slouch myself…_

"Okay, Sahkyo…" she said. "Your Field Spell has to go… I'm getting rid of it by playing one of my own…"

Her Field Slot opened, and she placed a card in it.

"I play Secret Village of the Spellcasters!"

The stone cliffs of Canyon faded away, and then, a dense forest rose around them. Thatched huts shaped like acorns and mushrooms rose around them, and an old wishing well appeared to the side.

Sahkyo looked around and saw little fairies dancing around her head. She chuckled.

"You brought us to a village of gnomes, and brownies, and leprechauns?" she asked. "How is this supposed to help you?"

"I'll tell you how," said Yumi. "This Field Spell is very powerful if used right.

"You see, if the only Monsters I have on the field are Spellcasters, you can't use any Spell Cards."

"Huh?" said Sahkyo.

"However," continued Yumi. "If at any time, I have no Spellcasters on the field, then I can't use any Spell Cards."

"Sounds interesting," said Sahkyo.

"Now…" continued Yumi, "I play Polymerization! I fuse Dark Magician and Goddess with the Third Eye…"

The two Monsters appeared in front of her, and merged into a swirling vortex…

"…to summon Dark Paladin!"

In an explosion of energy, the armored, blade-wielding Spellcaster appeared, glowing with a dark aura. (2,900/2,400)

"YEAH!" shouted Ren.

"Kycoo," ordered Yumi, "attack the facedown Monster on the left!"

Kycoo cast his spell, and it struck the facedown card. When the smoke cleared, the Monster was crouching on the card. It appeared to be a door of some sort, with a face, arms, and legs, holding a spear. (800/1,800)

"That was my Golem Sentry," muttered Sahkyo. "So that battle was a draw."

"This one won't be," continued Yumi. "Dark Paladin, attack Golem Sentry! Fierce slashing wave!"

Dark Paladin made a slash with his weapon, and a blade of black magic shot towards Golem Sentry, smashing it into pebbles.

"I set one card facedown, and end my turn," said Yumi, as a facedown card appeared.

Sahkyo drew a card.

"First, I set two cards facedown," she said, as two facedown cards appeared. "Then, I set a new Monster."

A second facedown Monster appeared.

"Then, I move Exxod to Attack Mode."

Exxod slowly stood up.

"Why's she doing that?" shouted Ren. "It has zero Attack Points!"

"Not for long," replied Sahkyo. "I flip Great Spirit to Attack Mode as well."

Her other facedown Monster flipped up, and Great Spirit appeared. (500/1,500)

"This activates Exxod's effect. Whenever an Earth Monster is Flip-Summoned, you lose 1,000 Life Points."

Exxod's eyes glowed, and then a blast of pure light shot from them, striking Yumi. Yumi screamed and clutched her chest.

"I also activated Great Spirit's effect," continued Sahkyo. "When he's Flip-Summoned, I can switch the Attack and Defense Scores of an Earth Monster on the field for one round. And that benefit is going to Exxod."

Great Spirit started to chant in an ancient language, and Exxod glowed. It changed to (4,000/0)

"Good lord…" said Sam.

"Exxod…" ordered Sahkyo, "attack Dark Paladin with monolith smash."

The Master of the Guard raised its mighty hand…

"I activate a Trap!" shouted Yumi. "A Hero Emerges!"

Her facedown card lifted up. She held the two cards in her hand forward.

"Now, you choose one card, and if it's a Monster, I get to summon it."

"If I must choose," replied Sahkyo, "I choose the left."

Yumi grinned.

"Come forth, Cosmo Queen!" she shouted.

In a burst of energy, the mighty queen of the galaxy appeared. (2,900/2,450)

"Not bad," said Sahkyo. "But she won't save your Paladin…"

Exxod slammed his hand down, smashing Dark Paladin flat. Yumi was thrown off her feet.

**(Y: 5,900) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 6,500)**

"I activate Great Spirit's effect to return him to facedown position," said Sahkyo.

Great Spirit vanished, and reappeared as a facedown card.

"My turn is over, which means Exxod's scores go back to normal."

Exxod reverted back to (0/4,000).

Yumi drew a card.

It was Mystical Space Typhoon.

She looked at it. Then she looked at Sahkyo's two facedown cards.

_Exxod is in Attack Mode with zero Attack Points,_ she thought. _Clearly, one of those facedown cards is a Trap that will stop me from attacking it…_

_But which one?_

"I play Mystical Space Typhoon!" she shouted. "And I'll destroy…"

She paused.

"…THAT card!"

The cyclone tore across the field, and a Trap Card lifted up.

"By destroying my Desert Sunlight, you activated it," replied Sahkyo. "Exxod now moves to Defense Mode."

Exxod knelt and shielded himself again.

"That's not good…" muttered Ren.

"It could have been worse," said Vita. "Sahkyo clearly intended to trigger Desert Sunlight just as Yumi attacked it, which would have hurt Yumi. But now, she was forced to do so early."

"Kycoo, attack the facedown Monster on the right!" ordered Yumi.

"I activate my other Trap," said Sahkyo, calmly.

Her facedown card lifted, showing a picture of Freed the Matchless General sitting at a table looking at a map.

"A Feint Plan," she said. "Now, you cannot attack my facedown Monsters."

Yumi sighed. She set her last card on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared next to Kycoo.

Sahkyo drew a card.

"I flip both of my Monsters into Attack Mode," she said. "Great Spirit, and Medusa Worm."

Her two facedown Monsters flipped up. One was Great Spirit (500/1,500) and the other was a huge, rocky worm covered with spines. (500/600)

"This means Exxod's effect activates twice."

Two blasts flashed from Exxod's eyes and struck Yumi. She screamed again.

"Also, Medusa Worm's effect activates, destroying one Monster."

A ray of energy blasted from Medusa Worm, striking Cosmo Queen. She gasped, right before she turned to stone. Then she shattered.

"HEY!" shouted Yumi.

"Next," continued Sahkyo, "I sacrifice Great Spirit…"

Great Spirit vanished into grains of light.

"To summon Hieracosphinx."

A new statue appeared. This one had the body of a lion, with the head and the large wings of a great hawk. (2,400/1,200)

"With Hieracosphinx on the field, you aren't allowed to attack any of my facedown Monsters.

"Now, Hieracosphinx attacks Kycoo."

Hieracosphinx leapt into the air, and came down on Kycoo, crushing him.

"I activate Medusa Worm's effect, moving it into facedown position once again," she said, as Medusa Worm was replaced by a facedown card. "I end my turn.

"Don't forget, Yumi, since you now control no face-up Spellcasters, your own Field Spell works against you. You can't use any Spell Cards until you correct that."

"Don't remind me…" grumbled Yumi.

**(Y: 3,300) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 6,500)**

"This doesn't look good, people," said Chelsea.

"Tell me about it," said Sam. "Yumi can't attack Medusa Worm. That means Sahkyo can flip it every round, inflicting 1,000 points of damage to Yumi with Exxod's effect and destroying one Monster with Medusa Worm's effect. Not to mention the fact that Yumi still has a Monster with 2,400 Attack Points to deal with, and no cards left in her hand."

"Don't give up yet, people," said Vita. "Yumi has faced worse."

Yumi drew a card.

"I flip Morphing Jar into Attack Mode," she said.

Her facedown card flipped, and the laughing, one-eyed creature inside the jar appeared. (700/600)

"Uhm, Yumi…" said Sahkyo, "this may not be the best time to tell you this… But Exxod's effect activates when _any_ Earth Monster is flipped. Yours included."

"Huh?" said Yumi.

Then she screamed as she was hit by Exxod's blast again.

She slowly discarded the one card in her hand, and they both drew five cards.

Yumi looked over the five cards.

"I sacrifice Morphing Jar to summon Chaos Command Magician," she said.

Morphing Jar vanished, and the chaos mage appeared, brandishing his staff. (2,400/1,900)

"Not bad," said Sahkyo.

"I'm not done," continued Yumi. "I play Monster Reborn!"

She played the card, and the ankh appeared on her side of the field. In a flash of light, Dark Magician of Chaos appeared beside Chaos Command Magician. (2,800/2,600)

"When was he in her Graveyard?" asked Ren.

"The card she discarded when she flipped Morphing Jar," said Vita. "Brilliant."

"I get a Spell Card back now," said Yumi.

Pot of Greed slipped out of her discard slot, and she took it.

"Now, I'll use it."

She played the card, and the evil jar appeared again. She made two draws.

"Next, I play Premature Burial. Dark Magician, welcome back."

In another burst of energy, Dark Magician appeared, striking a pose. (2,500/2,100)

"All right!" shouted Yumi. "Dark Magician of Chaos, destroy Hieracosphinx! Scepter strike!"

Dark Magician of Chaos twirled his scepter, and slammed it to the ground. The shockwave blew Hieracosphinx into pebbles that scattered over the whole Secret Village.

"Now for your Medusa Worm," continued Yumi. "Dark Magician… Dark Magic Attack!"

Dark Magician cast his dark spell, and Medusa Worm was blown into dust.

Sahkyo chuckled.

"Again, not bad," she said. "But I still have Exxod."

"I end my turn," said Yumi.

**(Y: 1,500) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 6,500)**

Sahkyo drew a card.

"I set a Monster in Defense Mode, and one card facedown," she said, as a defensive Monster and a reversed card appeared. "It's your move."

Yumi drew again.

"Hmm…" she said.

"What hmm?" asked Sahkyo.

"First, I summon Magician's Valkyria," she said.

In a flourish, Valkyria appeared. (1,600/1,800)

Then Yumi played another card, and a Spell Card appeared on her side of the field.

"Now I play Hand Control," she said. "Now, I get to name any Spell Card I can think of, and if that Spell Card is your hand, it's automatically activated."

Sahkyo raised an eyebrow.

"I name…" said Yumi. "Shield and Sword."

Sahkyo's eyes opened wide.

Shield and Sword appeared on her side of the field, glowing with energy.

"How did you know I had that card?" she asked.

"Call it an educated guess," replied Yumi. "Almost all of your Monsters are high on defense, I figured you'd have something to make them high on offense.

"And since it was played, the Attack and Defense Scores of all Monsters on the field switch."

Exxod changed to (4,000/0). Valkyria changed to (1,800/1,600), Chaos Command Magician to (1,900/2,400), Dark Magician to (2,100/2,500) and Dark Magician of Chaos to (2,600/2,800).

"Valkyria, attack Exxod!" shouted Yumi. "Magic Illusion!"

Valkyria cast her spell, striking the Master of the Guard, and the huge statue shuddered. Cracks appeared all over the great monolith. Then, it exploded into rocky shards.

"Dark Magician, attack the last Monster!"

Dark Magician cast his powerful spell at the facedown Monster, and Stone Statue of the Aztecs appeared on the card. It was blown to rubble.

"Now, Chaos Command Magician attacks you directly! Chaos magic!"

Chaos Command Magician fired his blast of multicolored energy, and Sahkyo sweat and strained as it hit her.

"I'm not done with you," continued Yumi.

Dark Magician of Chaos blasted his even more powerful spell. Sahkyo screamed and was thrown backwards. Yumi's friends cheered.

**(Y: 1,500) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 2,000)**

Sahkyo slowly got up.

Her facedown card lifted.

"I activate The Transmigration Prophesy," she muttered. "Now, I get to take two cards from either Graveyard, and send them back to the owners' decks."

Exxod and Pot of Greed slipped out of her discard slot, and she shuffled them back into her own deck.

Yumi looked at the four cards left in her hand. She set one in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"It's your move," she said.

Sahkyo drew a card.

"Time to truly go on the offensive," she said. "I'm removing five Rock Monsters in my Graveyard from play…"

Images of Great Spirit, Golem Sentry, Criosphinx, Medusa Worm, and Stone Statue of the Aztecs appeared behind her and vanished into grains of light.

"…to summon the Megarock Dragon!"

In an explosion of dirt and dust, a huge Monster rose next to Sahkyo. It looked like a giant Dragon carved out of unhewn stone, with no facial features and spikes all over.

"Megarock Dragon's Attack and Defense Scores are each 700 for each Monster I removed from play to summon it."

(3,500/3,500)

"If this attack hits," screamed Chelsea, "Yumi loses!"

"Attack Magician's Valkyria," ordered Sahkyo.

Megarock Dragon roared, and a volley of razor-sharp stone shards flew towards Valkyria…

"Activate… Draining Shield!" shouted Yumi.

Her facedown card shot up, and the energy dome surrounded her and her Monsters. Energy flowed into her.

Sahkyo grinned, and closed her eyes.

"I set a Monster," she said, "and also a facedown card."

A defensive Monster appeared, and a facedown card materialized.

"I end my turn…"

**(Y: 5,000) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 2,000)**

Yumi drew a card.

_Hmm…_ she thought.

"Trap activate," said Sahkyo. "Dust Tornado."

Her facedown card lifted, and a fierce tornado tore through the Secret Village of the Spellcasters. Quickly, the Village was reduced to dust, and the trees faded away, returning them to the forest shrine.

"So much for that edge," said Erik.

"I'll just move my Monsters to Defense Mode, and end my turn," muttered Yumi.

Valkyria, Dark Magician, Dark Magician of Chaos, and Chaos Command Magician all knelt and held their scepters in their laps.

Sahkyo drew a card.

"Megarock Dragon," she said, "let's try this again."

Again, the sharp shards flew towards Magician's Valkyria. She screamed, and then burst into pixels.

"It's your move…"

Yumi nervously drew a card.

She grinned.

"First, I summon Gemini Elf!" she exclaimed.

In a burst of energy, the two elf sisters appeared. (1,900/900)

"Then, I play Magical Dimension! I sacrifice them, to summon Dark Magician Girl!"

Gemini Elf vanished, and in a flurry of hearts and flowers, Dark Magician Girl appeared. (2,000/1,700)

"All right!" shouted Ren. "Yumi's ace card!"

"Now, I use the second effect of Magical Dimension. Say goodbye to your Dragon!"

Dark Magician Girl pointed her staff, and Megarock Dragon exploded into shards of rock.

"I'm not done," continued Yumi. "I sacrifice Dark Magician and Chaos Command Magician…"

The two Spellcasters vanished. Dark Magician Girl's Attack Score rose to 2,300.

"To summon Sorcerer of Dark Magic!"

A burning bonfire of dark flames erupted in the center of the field. The most powerful Dark Spellcaster that Yumi possessed rose out of the flames, brandishing his ornate staff. (3,200/2,800)

"Okay…" said Sahkyo. "So you managed to summon someone who's rather powerful…"

Honestly, this was a Spellcaster that Sahkyo was completely unfamiliar with, but she wasn't going to come right out and say it. But she was counting on her Monster to repel his attack.

Yumi gestured, and Dark Magician of Chaos moved to Attack Mode.

"Dark Magician Girl, lets finish this!" shouted Yumi. "Attack her Monster! Dark burning attack!"

Dark Magician Girl nodded, and fired her dark blast at the facedown Monster.

Then she screamed, and was thrown backwards.

A large, stone statue was crouched on the card, with bulky limbs, holding a long staff. (100/4,200)

"Forty-two hundred Defense Points?" gasped Yumi. "But… You set it with no sacrifice…"

"Lost Guardian's Defense Score is equal to 700 times the number of Rock Monsters that have been removed from play," replied Sahkyo. "I removed five myself to summon that Dragon, and you removed Hieracosphinx from play when you attacked with Dark Magician of Chaos."

**(Y: 3,100) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 2,000)**

"It's my move," she said, drawing a card.

"I set one card facedown, and a Monster in Defense Mode."

A facedown card appeared, and then a defensive Monster appeared.

"Then, I move Lost Guardian to Attack Mode…"

Lost Guardian stood up, and held its staff in front of it.

"Then," continued Sahkyo, "I play my second Shield and Sword."

She played the card, and all the Monsters on the field glowed. Dark Magician Girl changed to (2,000/2,000), Dark Magician of Chaos changed to (2,600/2,800), Sorcerer of Dark Magic changed to (2,800/3,200), while Lost Guardian changed to (4,200/100)

"Attack Dark Magician Girl!" ordered Sahkyo.

"No…" gasped Yumi.

Lost Guardian swung its staff, and Dark Magician Girl screamed as it hit her, sending her flying backwards like a baseball hit by a bat. Yumi was knocked over as she shattered.

**(Y: 900) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 2,000)**

"And with that," said Sahkyo, "I end my turn."

Yumi snarled as she got up. The Attack and Defense Scores all turned back to normal.

"It's my move…" she said, drawing a card. "And you're about to lose…"

"Sorcerer of Dark Magic… Destroy Lost Guardian! Celestial Blast!"

The Sorcerer aimed his staff.

"I activate Desert Sunlight!" shouted Sahkyo, as her facedown card lifted.

Then she was startled, as Sorcerer of Dark Magic lifted his hand, and the Trap Card shattered.

Sorcerer of Dark Magic fired a burning blast of magic from his staff, and Lost Guardian was blown to rocky shards. Sahkyo was thrown off her feet and landed on her rump.

She panted for breath.

"He… he can negate Traps?" she gasped.

Yumi grinned, and nodded.

"Guess you found that out the hard way," she said.

**(Y: 900) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 0)**

The remaining Monsters vanished, and Sahkyo slowly got up.

"I guess even spirits of the untamed wild need to study up more," she said with a chuckle. "It was a glorious duel…"

"So," said Yumi, "can we go into the shrine now?"

Sahkyo looked at her.

"How soon we forget…" she said.

She took the remains of her deck from her Disk, and shuffled it with the cards in her Graveyard.

Then she took her other deck – the Deck of Freedom – gave it a shuffle, and placed it in her Disk.

"You've proven yourself a worthy duelist, Queen of Games," she said. "Now you must prove the worth of the company you keep.

"Choose, and choose wisely… Whichever of your companions duels now may hold your future in your hands…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

According to Daala's watch, it was eight-forty-five.

It was okay… She'd be there with time to spare.

She and Skull Knight were walking down a dark, cavernous hallway, below her prison, below her vaults, below any place where any member of her army except the most privileged members went.

Eventually, they came to a place in the hallway that was spanned by an archway. It was made of carved stone, and depictions of demons were carved into it, their faces fixed into screams. In the middle of the archway was a swirling portal of darkness.

A sign in front of the portal said, "No humans beyond this point."

Skull Knight nervously looked at a dark alcove to the side.

"Uhm…" he muttered. "Is _she_ still there?"

"Yes," said Daala. "And she's watching our every move. But don't worry, she won't hurt us. We still have a deal."

"I don't care…" growled Skull Knight. "She gives me the creeps. I still say it's dangerous to have someone like that around."

"What are we gonna do?" asked Daala. "I couldn't make her leave even if I wanted her to.

"Now come on… We can't be late…"

Skull Knight continued to look at the alcove as they walked past the sign.

He jumped as two glowing eyes peered out of the alcove and looked at him.

He ran through the portal, and Daala shrugged as she entered it.

A low chuckle echoed through the hall as the two of them disappeared into it.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lords of Chaos**

**The Overwhelming Force of Gogoth, The Great Beast**

The common mortal assumes that most powerful beings of Chaos are mindless, destructive forces. Like most stereotypes, it is true with some of them, but not all. As previously documented, many forces of Chaos are actually quite clever. Ironically, this type of chaotic entity is easier to defeat. When facing a force of Chaos that truly _is_ a mindless, destructive force, there's little one can do except run the other way. Gogoth is an example of one of these beings.

Representing savagery in its purest, most primal form, Gogoth is a titan by any terrestrial standard, standing over a mile high. It resembles a corpulent humanoid with the head of a four-tusked boar, and limbs that end in claws. Maggots the size of buses bore through its great bulk, and it reeks of foul digestive juices and rotting meat. It has a huge maw that it uses to devour anything that fits within (which is to say, nearly anything). Some scholars believe that the Biblical monster called Behemoth may have been based on ancient writings about this demon, but this is merely a conjecture.

Gogoth rules (mostly by default) an Abyssal realm called Duldan, which is populated by giant, demonic versions of common animals, who seek both souls and other animals to devour. Not much edible plant life grows in Duldan, as such species were eaten to extinction millennia ago. All food in Duldan must be hunted – and given the hunger of the realm's ruler, even the fiercest of hunters might become a meal at a moment's notice. Fortunately, Gogoth spends most of its time sleeping, stirring forth to feed only a few times a month. The ground shakes violently when it approaches, giving smarter residents time to flee.

Gogoth is a demon lord who was more powerful in less civilized times. Mortal hunters with few scruples or not much understandings of the planar structure sometimes made offerings to it as the patron of wild animals, and bloodthirsty barbarian tribes often worshipped it as the source of nature's fury. Today, however, man is more civilized, and mortal followers for this bestial demon are few. Not that Gogoth cares much. It is in no danger of dying out so long as it can hunt for its next meal.

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**You may remember a while back, I had a poll to determine who would help Yumi when Vita revealed her secret. Well, next chapter, I'll reveal the winner! And that winner will face Sahkyo and her Deck of Freedom, in order to gain access to the shrine that holds the Testament within. Meanwhile, Daala continues her way to the Core, where her final test awaits. So many things are heating up. "Freedom For All" is coming next.**_


	54. Freedom For All

_Author's note: In the following we chapter, we assume that the history of Duel Monsters uses the version presented in the anime, not the manga. Thus, the Monsters that Sahkyo uses are unfamiliar to the main characters. If we were using the manga version, then they'd likely be much more recognizable. You'll see what I mean soon._

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_**I never asked Ren, Chelsea, Sam, or Erik to come to Xanadu with me. Daala only required that I come, and only "invited" them as an afterthought. I was more than prepared to go alone. After all, my own death was never my greatest fear in all the troubles I've been in. The thought of one of them dying, or going to a far worse fate, all because of some lunatic's attempt to get at me, was what really scared me.**_

_**But Ren and Chelsea were bound by loyalty to come with me, and insisted. Sam said she wasn't going to let me hog all the glory. Erik said he'd go wherever Sam went.**_

_**Since then, I've realized that I couldn't possibly have gone as far as I have alone. My friends have stood with me this whole time, and have helped me thought this nightmare world where Chaos rules. Time and again, they have made a difference.**_

_**Now, I must make a choice…**_

_**One of them must help me in this trial before I can gain the Testament.**_

_**What do I do? How can I choose?**_

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**CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE**

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**Freedom For All**

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**0 0 0 0 0**

"The choice must be entirely yours," said Sahkyo. "Your friends cannot influence you on this matter."

Yumi looked at Ren, Chelsea, Sam, and Erik. They smiled nervously as they looked back at her.

_Look at them,_ thought Yumi. _They'd all probably volunteer in an instant if I gave them that choice…_

_But the choice is clear… This duel has to be won…_

"Ren, Chelsea," she said. "Don't hate me for this… But Sam is the better duelist. I have to go with her."

Sam smiled.

"Looks like you aren't so dumb after all," she said.

She shuffled her deck.

"Move aside, sister, and let the Consort of Ha Des take care of this."

"Don't get cocky, Sam," warned Vita. "Much is riding on this duel."

Sam looked at Sahkyo.

"Okay," she said. "Deck of Freedom, huh? Well, by all means, let's see it…"

Both Disks activated.

"Time to see if Yumi made the right choice," said Sahkyo.

"Game on!"

**(Sam: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Sahkyo: 8,000)**

Sahkyo made her first draw, and added the card to her hand.

"To begin," she said, "I'll set a Monster in Defense Mode, and also a reversed card."

Two facedown cards appeared, perpendicular to each other.

"And that will be all."

"My move," said Sam.

She made her first draw.

"I summon The Bistro Butcher!" she shouted.

With a fiendish cackle, the diabolic chef appeared. (1,800/1,000)

"Attack her Monster!" she shouted.

The Butcher ran forward, swinging his cleaver…

…only to have it glace off solid wood. The Monster that appeared on the card crouching in Defense Mode was a ten-foot-tall giant who appeared to be half-human and half-tree, dressed only in a fur loincloth. (1,000/2,000)

"You attacked Elemental Hero Woodsman," said Sahkyo. "And attacking him is like attacking solid oak."

"What?" asked Sam. "There's no Elemental Hero named… Woodsman!"

"Do you doubt your own eyes?" asked Sahkyo. "Is your turn over?"

Sam looked at her hand.

"Yes…" she said, slowly.

**(S: 7,800) - - - - - - - - - - (Sk: 8,000)**

Sahkyo drew a card, and then quickly played one.

"I summon Elemental Hero Knospe in Attack Mode," she said.

She played the card, and another strange creature appeared. It looked like a humanoid plant, four feet tall, with buds for arms, a head, and a torso, and stems for legs. It had bright blue eyes, and leaves on its back, providing the illusion of a cape. (600/1,000)

"And what's he going to do?" asked Sam.

"First of all, Knospe is a she," replied Sahkyo. "And she may be physically weak, but she has some powerful abilities."

"Knospe, attack. Pollen powder."

Knospe pointed her arm bud, and a spray of pollen shot at Sam. Sam started to choke and cough.

"As you can see," said Sahkyo, "Knospe can attack directly, so long as another Elemental Hero is on the field. And when she does that, she gains 100 Attack Points, although she loses 100 Defense Points."

Knospe changed to (700/900).

"Also," continued Sahkyo, "you cannot attack Knospe so long as I have at least one other Elemental Hero on the field, and as you can see, Woodsman is standing strong."

Everyone except Vita gave Sahkyo a strange look. She simply smiled.

"I end my turn," she said.

**(S: 7,200) - - - - - - - - - - (Sk: 8,000)**

"Hold on, Sahkyo!" shouted Sam. "I want answers!"

"Yeah!" added Chelsea. "Who are these guys? You say these are Elemental Heroes, but Jaden never used them in his whole career."

Sahkyo chuckled.

"These are Heroes of a different variety," she said. "They are connected to Jaden's Heroes in a way that defines their origins.

"Don't you know that superheroes are never born heroes? Heroes are always made. Every story has a beginning, and every hero has an origin.

"Jaden's Elemental Heroes, whom we like to call the Urban Heroes, were once ordinary people. There were intellectuals who studied the building blocks of creation… The primal materials that made up the universe.

"In other words, the elements.

"But as much as they knew, they needed to know more. Their hunger for knowledge was insatiable. Their quest for such took them deep into to the unspoiled wilderness, where they first met a group of powerful nature spirits…

"The original Elemental Heroes. The Nature Heroes.

"These spirits were interested in the humans' work, and they decided to take them on as apprentices. For a while, they existed as teachers and students. And when those humans went back to civilization, they had changed. They had become the Urban Heroes. The ones that Jaden was so familiar with."

"I take it that Wildheart was once a part of the old group," asked Ren.

"You're learning," said Sahkyo with a laugh. "Wildheart was indeed once one of the Nature Heroes, but he left to join the new group to keep an eye on them, and make sure that they would never stray from dogma of the original group.

"Eventually, the Urban Heroes did make the Nature Heroes proud. With some help from the Neo-Spacians, they helped preserve the natural world from the evil pollution of the Light of Ruin.

"So now you know… I believe it is still your turn, Sam."

Sam drew a card.

"All right," she said. "I play, Graceful Charity."

The card appeared, and then glowed. She made three draws.

She looked over her hand, and then discarded Skull Knight #2 and Archfiend Soldier.

"Now, I summon Opticlops."

She played another card, and glowed with red energy as the muscular, one-eyed ogre appeared. (1,800/1,700)

"I set a card facedown, and end my turn," she said.

A facedown card appeared.

Sahkyo drew a card.

"I use Woodsman's effect," she said, taking her deck out of the holder. "During my Standby Phase, I can take one Polymerization card from either my deck or Graveyard."

"Wait a minute!" shouted Erik. "You mean these guys can form fusions too?"

"Who do you think taught the Urban Heroes how to do it?" asked Sahkyo with a grin.

She added the Spell Card to her hand.

"But, I don't think I'll use it just yet. Instead, I'll summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat."

In a burst of flame, a fiery heroine in a flashy, red costume, with long red hair appeared. (1,300/1,000)

"This is crazy," muttered Ren. "Burstinatrix is supposed to be the only female Hero. It even says so on her card."

"I wouldn't be surprised if everything we knew about the Elemental Heroes was proven wrong in this duel," replied Yumi.

"Knospe," said Sahkyo, "attack Sam directly again."

Sam cringed as Knospe's pollen power sprayed onto her again. Knospe changed to (800/800)

"Now I move to my End Phase," continued Sahkyo. "And Lady Heat's effect activates, costing you 200 Life Points for each Elemental Hero I have."

A fireball formed in Lady Heat's hand, and she hurled it at Sam. Sam hollered as it burned at her skin.

**(S: 5,900) - - - - - - - - - - (Sk: 8,000)**

"It's your move…" said Sakyo.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At the deepest part of Xanadu that anyone had yet gone, Daala and Skull Knight arrived at a giant set of black, stone doors. Guarding the doors was an intimidating statue carved into them: a six-armed woman with the lower body of a snake, the same demon that had challenged Curran. This was a supposedly a depiction of a marilith, a powerful type of demon known for leading Blood War armies.

Only Daala and a privileged few knew that the statue was a real marilith who served Shogarr. She had agreed to be turned into a statue to serve as a guardian of this sacred place, and would assume her true demonic form to deal with anyone who tried to enter without Daala's permission.

Daala sighed, and turned to Skull Knight.

"Mulner," she said, "do you know the purpose of these flames?"

She pointed to the halo of dark fire around her head.

"I was always too polite to ask, milady," he replied.

"These flames are the Crown of Xanadu," said Daala. "Whoever wears them is the rightful ruler of Xanadu. I wear them now.

"But when I come out of this place, there is a good chance I won't be the one wearing them.

"In fact, there is a very good chance that I won't be coming out at all.

"Thus, this may be my last order to you: Whoever comes out wearing this Crown, if it is not me, serve him as well as you did me. The continued welfare of Xanadu depends on it."

She turned to the stone doors, and they slowly opened. She walked inside.

Skull Knight was dumbfounded. He walked to an alcove in the wall, and sat down.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Okay,_ thought Sam. _Have to take out Knospe quickly, and take out Lady Heat too… Both of them are big problems…_

She drew.

She grinned.

"I activate Call of the Haunted!" she exclaimed.

Her facedown card lifted, and a tombstone appeared on her side of the field. Skull Knight #2 crawled out of the ground. (1,000/1,200)

"Now, I sacrifice Skull Knight, to summon Gaap, the Divine Soldier!"

Skull Knight vanished, and the insectoid Fiend with the two huge claws on his shoulders appeared. (2,200/2,000)

"When he's on the field," continued Sam, "all Monsters move to Attack Mode."

Woodsman stood up, and formed a fighting stance.

"All right!" shouted Erik.

"And I use Skull Knight's effect, to summon another one!" continued Sam.

A second Skull Knight #2 appeared. (1,000/1,200)

"Gaap, attack her Woodsman! Terror claw!"

Gaap lunged at Woodsman, claw first…

"Activate… Hero Barrier!" shouted Sahkyo.

Her facedown card flipped up, and Gaap bounced off an invisible shield.

"This Trap negates one attack, so long as I have at least one Elemental Hero on the field."

"Yeah?" said Sam. "Well I have three more attacks!

"Opticlops, you get him!"

Opticlops charged at Woodsman horn-first, and the Hero burst into splinters of wood.

"Butcher, take out Lady Heat!"

The Bistro Butcher slashed with his cleaver. Lady Heat screamed, and burst into an explosion of flame.

"I get to draw two cards now," said Sahkyo, making two draws.

"Skull Knight, attack Knospe!" ordered Sam.

Skull Knight slashed with his sword, and the diminutive Hero shattered.

Sahkyo cringed.

**(S: 5,900) - - - - - - - - - - (Sk: 6,500)**

"Whoa, Sam's kicking ass!" laughed Ren.

"That's what attracted me to her," chuckled Erik.

Sahkyo took some deep breaths.

"My move…" she said.

She drew a card.

"I play the Spell Card, Oil Drilling."

She played the card, and the background behind her changed to a scene like an old-fashioned movie scene, showing a group of oil drilling derricks in black and white.

"It was once known as black gold and Texas tea," she said. "Oil was once one of the great treasures of the Earth, due to its usefulness as fuel.

"And this card lets me recover a Fire-Attribute Monster from my Graveyard."

The cinema scene faded away, as Lady Heat slipped out of her Graveyard.

"Now," she continued, "I play Polymerization, to fuse together Lady Heat, and Elemental Hero The Heat."

Lady Heat appeared on the field, and then a male Hero dressed in a masculine version of her costume appeared next to her. They both turned into pillars of flame, and combined.

"I summon Elemental Hero Inferno."

In a burst of flames, a Hero garbed completely in fire engine-red armor appeared, with shoulder guards, a helmet, and designs all over that suggested fire. An aura of flames surrounded him. (2,300/1,600)

"As Jaden himself knew," said Sahkyo, "in this sort of deck, summoning a powerful Monster is rather easy.

"Inferno, attack Gaap with magma storm."

Inferno put his hands together, and formed a large ball of flame. Then he threw a stream of fire forward, and the Divine Soldier was burned to a crisp.

"Ergh…" muttered Sam.

"I set a card facedown," continued Sahkyo, "and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared behind Inferno.

**(S: 5,800) - - - - - - - - - - (Sk: 6,500)**

Sam drew, and looked at the card.

"I move my Monsters to Defense Mode," she said.

The Bistro Butcher, Opticlops, and Skull Knight knelt and held their weapons in their laps (except Opticlops, who didn't have one).

"Then I set a Monster and a facedown card."

A facedown card and a facedown Monster appeared.

Sakyo drew a card. She nodded, and then added it to her hand.

"Attack her…" she started.

"Go, Shadow Spell!" shouted Sam, as her facedown card lifted.

A mass of chains shot out of the ground, latching onto Inferno's wrists. His Attack Score fell to 1,600.

"That stopped him," laughed Sam.

Then she stopped laughing as Sahkyo's facedown card lifted.

"I activate De-Fusion," said Sahkyo.

The chains shattered, and Inferno turned to a ball of fire. It split into two balls, and formed into Lady Heat (1,300/1,000) and The Heat (1,600/1,200), both in Attack Mode.

"The Heat has a powerful effect of his own," said Sahkyo. "He gains 200 Attack Points for every Elemental Hero on my side of the field."

The Heat burned with fire, and his Attack Score increased to 2,000.

"Lady Heat, attack The Bistro Butcher with cinder shower."

Lady Heat threw a volley of fireballs, and the Butcher groaned before he shattered.

"Heat, attack Skull Knight with savage wildfire."

The Heat threw a single ball of flame, and Skull Knight exploded.

"I end my turn," said Sahkyo, "which means that Lady Heat's effect activates…"

Sam screamed again as Lady Heat hit her with another fireball.

(S: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (Sk: 6,500)

Sam drew a card, and looked at it.

_This will cost me a Monster too,_ she thought, _but it's the only way I can get rid of those two pyromaniacs…_

"I flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode," she said. "Gil Garth!"

Her facedown card flipped up, and the metal, scimitar-wielding Fiend appeared. (1,800/1,200)

"Go! Attack Lady Heat!"

Gil Garth made a swipe at Lady Heat, and she exploded into a shower of flames.

The Heat's Attack Score fell to 1,800.

"Opticlops, attack The Heat!"

"Huh?" said Sahkyo.

Opticlops charged at The Heat. They collided, and there was a huge explosion. Both duelists reeled.

When the dust cleared, both Monsters had been obliterated.

Sam placed a card on her Disk.

"I'll set this in Defense Mode, and then play Silent Doom."

A facedown Monster appeared. Then the Spell Card appeared, and Opticlops reappeared, kneeling and shielding itself in Defense Mode. (1,800/1,700)

"Then you can go."

**(S: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (Sk: 6,000)**

"Sam's not doing half bad," said Ren, nervously.

"No…" muttered Chelsea, "but Sahkyo is still ahead…"

Sahkyo drew a card.

"I summon Lord Poison," she said.

She played the card, and a rather disgusting Monster appeared. It looked like a vaguely humanoid creature made out of algae, with spikes protruding from its body. (1,500/1,000)

"Lord Poison…" muttered Erik. "That sounds familiar…"

"Marik used it in the four-way duel in Battle City," replied Yumi. "But it was destroyed before he could use whatever effect it had."

"That thing may be ugly," said Sam, "but it's no match for Gil Garth."

"I agree," said Sahkyo. "Lord Poison, attack Gil Garth."

Lord Poison flew at Gil Garth.

"HUH?" shouted Sam. "Fight it off, Gil Garth!"

Gil Garth swung his sword, and Lord Poison exploded.

"Why the heck did you do that?" asked Sam.

"Because," replied Sahkyo, "when Lord Poison is destroyed in battle, I get to Special Summon a Plant-Type Monster from my Graveyard. Except for Lord Poison itself…"

In a burst of energy, Elemental Hero Knospe appeared where Lord Poison had been. (600/1,000)

_No wonder Marik never used its effect,_ thought Yumi. _His Graveyard didn't have any Plants in it at the time. _

_Since he had Mirror Force to protect it, I'll wager he was planning to use it as a sacrifice on his next turn…_

"You have no other Elemental Heroes on the field!" laughed Sam. "Next turn, it's curtains for her!"

"Not quite," replied Sahkyo. "You know how a lot of superheroes have dual identities? Alter egos? That is the case with Knospe. She's just a disguise used by the true heroine."

A Spell Card appeared on the field.

"I play Rose Bud. This lets Knospe assume her true form…"

Knospe vanished…

A much taller, far more human-like figure appeared where she had been. It was a young, elf-like maiden, with violet skin and platinum blonde hair, wearing a low-cut dress with trim that was shaped like leaves.

"Meet the spirit of the forest," said Sahkyo. "Elemental Hero Poison Rose."

The Elemental Hero knelt down and crouched in Defense Mode. (1,900/2,000)

"Oh-kay…" muttered Sam. "That's… Interesting…"

"It's your move…" said Sahkyo.

**(S: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (Sk: 5,700)**

Sam drew a card. It was a Spell Card that she had recently switched from her side deck.

She did a quick check of the field. No, she couldn't summon Gaap using this. And she didn't have any other way to defeat Poison Rose.

And she had a feeling that she wasn't going to like her effect much…

She turned the card on her Disk, and Gil Garth moved to Defense Mode.

"That's all," she said.

Sahkyo made a draw.

"I move Poison Rose to Attack Mode," she said, as Poison Rose stood up.

"Then I Equip her with Fairy Meteor Crush."

She played the card, and Poison Rose clenched her fists, she glowed with energy.

"Uh oh…" said Sam.

"Attack Gil Garth," ordered Sahkyo.

Poison Rose's arms turned to thorny vines, and they shot at the Fiend. Quickly, they constricted him, and crushed him into pixels. Sam started to sweat.

"And whenever Poison Rose deals damage," continued Sahkyo, "she gains 200 Attack Points, and loses 200 Defense Points."

Poison Rose's scores turned to (2,100/1,800).

**(S: 4,700) - - - - - - - - - - (Sk: 5,700)**

"My move!" shouted Sam.

She drew a card.

Her eyebrow lifted as she looked at the Monster on the card.

_Okay, I can summon this guy…_ she thought. _But…_

She looked at her facedown Monster.

_I think I'll wait to see if she takes the bait…_

"Pass," she said. "Your move…"

Sahkyo smiled, and drew a card.

"I summon Elemental Hero Voltic," she said.

In a burst of sparks, a new Hero appeared. It was probable that this one had some connection to Sparkman. The costume had the same electric theme, in shades of purple, and electricity coursed all over him. (1,000/1,500)

"Poison Rose, attack Opticlops," ordered Sahkyo.

Rose's vines shot at Opticlops, and crushed him. Sam cringed again.

"And once again," said Sahkyo, "Rose's scores change."

Rose changed to (2,300/1,600).

"Now, Voltic, destroy her last Monster. Shining surge flash."

Voltic blasted a bolt of lightning at the facedown Monster…

The Monster that appeared on the card looked like an old oil lamp, perched on four spidery legs. (900/1,400)

"HA!" laughed Sam. "You attacked my Ancient Lamp! Now, I can redirect Voltic's attack to your other Monster!"

Voltic paused, as he saw Poison Rose's reflection in Ancient Lamp's shiny surface. A look of confusion came over his face.

Then he turned, and fired his lightning at Poison Rose. She swatted it aside, and Voltic gasped before shattering into pixels. Sahkyo cringed.

**(S: 4,400) - - - - - - - - - - (Sk: 4,400)**

"Very sneaky…" she muttered. "That's all I can do…"

Sam quickly drew a card.

"I play Premature Burial," she said, placing it in her Disk. "I'll give up 800 Life Points, to bring Archfiend Soldier to the field."

She glowed with red energy, and the infernal shocktrooper appeared. (1,900/1,500)

"When was that in her Graveyard?" asked Chelsea.

"I think it was when she played Graceful Charity," replied Yumi.

"I'm only half-done," continued Sam. "I use Ancient Lamp's effect to Special Summon this guy…"

Green smoke poured from Ancient Lamp's spout. It quickly congealed, forming into La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp. He gave a deep chuckle. (1,800/1,000)

"Now…" continued Sam. "I sacrifice La Jinn and Ancient Lamp…"

Both Monsters shattered into shards of light…

"…to summon Belial, Marquis of Darkness!"

In an inferno of black flames, the powerful form of Belial appeared on the field, holding his flaming claymore. (2,800/2,400)

Poison Rose took a step back nervously.

"Belial…" ordered Sam, "attack Poison Rose with flaming sword of Phlegethos!"

Belial's sword erupted in fire. He made a slash at the Elemental Hero, and she shrieked before exploding into pixels.

"Archfiend Soldier, attack Sahkyo directly!"

Archfiend Soldier charged, and slammed his sword into Sahkyo. She gasped, and toppled over.

**(S: 3,600) - - - - - - - - - - (Sk: 2,000)**

"This duel is almost over!" laughed Ren. "The only Elemental Heroes that can beat Belial are Shining Flare Wingman and Electrum!"

_I'm not too sure about that,_ thought Vita. _There's one other Hero that could do the job… The greatest of the Nature Heroes. In the real world, Sahkyo could never have him in her deck… But in Xanadu, anything is possible…_

"It's my move…" groaned Sahkyo, getting up.

She drew a card.

"I play… Fifth Hope," she said, as a Spell Card appeared on her side of the field. "This card lets me take five Elemental Heroes from my Graveyard, and shuffle them into my deck…"

Knospe, Poison Rose, The Heat, Voltic, and Lady Heat slipped out of her discard slot. She added them to her deck, and reshuffled.

"Then I get to draw twice."

She made two draws. She looked over her hand.

"Next, I play The Warrior Returning Alive. Now, I get Woodsman back."

The Spell Card appeared on her side of the field, and Woodsman slipped out of her discard slot.

"Then, I summon Elemental Hero Wildheart."

Finally, a Hero that everyone recognized appeared. It was the muscular, tattooed barbarian, dressed in a loincloth and carrying a sword. (1,500/1,600)

"Now, another Spell Card," she said. "Hero's Bond. Since I have one Elemental Hero on the field, I get to Special Summon two others from my hand that are Level Four or less. So, I'll summon Elemental Heroes Woodsman and Stratos."

The next Hero that appeared was one they had seen before. Woodsman appeared on the field, and crouched in Defense Mode. (1,000/2,000) The next one that appeared was dressed in a blue costume with a visored helmet, and metal wings with rotary blades in them, providing lift like some sort of hovercraft. (1,800/300)

"When Stratos is summoned, I get to enact one of two effects. I'm going to use his second effect, which lets me take any Monster from my deck with the word 'Hero' in it."

She took a card from her deck. She looked at Lady Heat.

"Finally, I set two facedown cards, and that will end my turn."

Two facedown cards appeared.

Sam drew a card quickly.

She looked at it. It was Dark Ruler Ha Des.

_I could summon this guy…_ she thought. _But those Trap Cards likely aren't bluffs… Maybe I'd better save him for later…_

"Belial, attack Wildheart!" she shouted.

Belial lifted his sword, and flew at the Hero.

"Activate… Draining Shield!" shouted Sahkyo.

One of her facedown cards lifted up, and Belial's sword slammed into an invisible shield. Energy flowed into Sahkyo.

"Fine," muttered Sam. "Archfiend Soldier, _you_ attack him!"

Archfiend Soldier slashed with his blade. Wildheart dropped his sword and collapsed before shattering into pixels.

"I activate… Hero Signal!" exclaimed Sahkyo.

Her other facedown card lifted, and the strange spotlight shot into the forest sky.

"I'll use its effect to summon Elemental Hero Ocean," continued Sahkyo.

In a burst of watery bubbles, an aquatic Hero appeared. He was muscular, with blue skin, and a fin on his bald head. He carried a large, two-bladed spear. (1,500/1,200)

Sam sighed.

"I'll set a Monster, and that will be all," she said.

A defensive Monster appeared.

**(S: 3,600) - - - - - - - - - - (Sk: 4,400)**

Sahkyo drew a card.

"I use Woodsman's effect," she said, "to recover Polymerization from my Graveyard…"

The Spell Card slipped out of her discard slot.

"Next, I use Ocean's effect, which lets me recover one Hero from my Graveyard."

She took Wildheart from her Graveyard as well.

"Next, I summon Lady Heat once again."

In a burst of fire, Lady Heat appeared. (1,300/1,000)

"Now, the Monster you are about to see is one that few have ever seen. This card is unique on Earth. It was designed as an award for a very big Pro League tournament…

"But thanks to the virtual miracle that is Xanadu, I've recreated it. I use Polymerization to fuse Woodsman and Ocean."

Woodsman and Ocean turned into blue and brown swirls, and combined.

"One Hero of the land, one Hero of the sea… Combined together to form the spirit of the living Earth itself!

"I call forth… _Elemental Hero Terra Firma_!"

The ground began to shake, and Lady Heat and Stratos stepped aside, as a large form rose out of the ground. At first, it looked like Sahkyo had summoned Neos himself, as impossible as that was. At second glace, however, the Hero that appeared, while of similar majestic style, was of a different design. He seemed to be sculpted entirely out of pure, white stone, and had a glowing ruby on his chest. (2,500/2,000)

"Uhm… Very interesting…" chuckled Sam. "But he still isn't a match for Belial. After all, Belial is not of this Earth.

"Unless… Unless he has a…"

"Special effect?" replied Sahkyo. "Yes he does, and it's a powerful one. If I sacrifice another Elemental Hero, he gains Attack Points equal to the sacrificed Hero's Attack Points."

"But that means…" said Ren.

"That means Belial is in big trouble!" shouted Chelsea.

"So…" said Sahkyo, "I'll sacrifice Stratos…"

Stratos vanished into grains of light, and Terra Firma glowed. His Attack Score rose to 4,300.

"Attack Belial!" ordered Sahkyo. "Tectonic smash!"

Terra Firma clenched his fist, and drove it into the ground. The shockwave tore into the Marques of Darkness, blowing him to pieces and throwing Sam to the floor.

"I set one card facedown, and end my turn," said Sahkyo, as a facedown card appeared, "which means Lady Heat's effect activates."

Sam groaned as the flames burned her again. Terra Firma fell down to his base Attack Score of 2,500.

**(S: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (Sk: 4,400)**

Sam slowly got up.

_Sam had better be careful,_ thought Vita. _She might try to attack Lady Heat, but it won't work. I have a pretty good idea what that facedown card is._

_It's a powerful Trap called Terra Firma Gravity. As soon as Sam declares an attack, all of her Monsters that are Level Four or lower will be forced to attack Terra Firma._

Sam quickly drew a card.

She played it, and Pot of Avarice appeared on her side of the field. Skull Knight, Gil Garth, Gaap, The Bistro Butcher, and Ancient Lamp slipped out of her discard slot, and she shuffled them into her deck. She drew twice.

"I flip my second Opticlops into Attack Mode," she said.

Her facedown Monster flipped up, and Opticlops appeared. (1,800/1,700)

"Next, I play Monster Reborn!"

She played another card, and the holy ankh appeared. La Jinn appeared with another deep laugh. (1,800/1,000)

"Next, I sacrifice La Jinn for Dark Ruler Ha Des!"

La Jinn vanished, and the mighty King of the Underworld appeared with a flash of lightning. (2,450/1,600)

_Well, so much for Lady Heat,_ thought Vita. _Ha Des is too high-Level to be affected by that Trap Card._

_Unfortunately, when Sam attacks, Archfiend Soldier and Opticlops _will_ be affected by it. That will bring her Life Points down to…_

_400… This could be bad…_

"Now, since Ha Des is on the field," continued Sam, "I can Special Summon Dark Queen Per Sephone!"

She threw the card on her Disk, and Per Sephone appeared, crouched and ready to strike. (2,200/1,200)

"Now, I use Per Sephone's effect," continued Sam. "I toss one card in my hand…"

She discarded her Kuriboh.

"And I get to Special Summon Gil Garth from my deck."

Gil Garth appeared in a burst of shadowy energy. (1,800/1,200)

_I stand corrected,_ thought Vita. _If she attacks, she'll lose the duel._

"Finally…" said Sam, taking the last card in her hand, "I play The Puppet Magic of Dark Ruler!"

"HUH?" gasped Vita.

"I remove Gil Garth and Opticlops on the field from play…" said Sam, as the two Fiends vanished into ripples of light. "Then, I add up their Levels, and Special Summon a Fiend from my Graveyard whose Level matches.

"Four plus four equals eight… So guess who's back?"

Belial appeared in a burst of black flames. (2,800/2,400)

_Well,_ thought Vita. _Just when I thought I had seen it all…_

"Belial, destroy Terra Firma!" shouted Sam.

The Marquis of Darkness made a savage slash with his blade. The huge Elemental Hero shuddered, and then exploded in a flaming, fiery burst.

"Now, Archfiend Soldier, finish Lady Heat for good!"

Archfiend Soldier made a swipe with his own sword, and Lady Heat fell backwards, and shattered for the third time.

"Per Sephone, attack directly!"

Per Sephone flew up and pounced. She grinned as she grabbed hold of Sahkyo…

Then Sahkyo screamed as the lady Fiend slashed with her claws across her stomach.

She clutched her stomach as Per Sephone backed off.

Sam paused, and waited for Sahkyo to look up…

Then she pointed, and the black fire from Ha Des's Stygian blast hit Sahkyo, causing her to topple over.

**(S: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (Sk: 0)**

"All right!" shouted Ren.

Erik ran up and hugged Sam.

"Nice job, baby!" he shouted, "that was one in a million!"

Sahkyo sighed and got up. She walked over to Yumi.

"You have passed the test…" she said.

She looked at Sam.

"The one you have chosen has passed the test…"

She turned and looked at the shrine behind her.

"I see no reason now why whoever is in there would not…"

Then the whole shrine glowed with eldritch energy. Slowly, the stone doors opened.

A voice came from the inside of the shrine. It was deep and commanding, and impossible to ignore.

"Would Yumi Mouto step inside?" said the voice. "And take care, for this ground is sacred."

Yumi looked at the others.

"Wish me luck, folks…" she said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Night had fallen on the streets of Domino.

A Harpie's Brother was a lot less confident now than he was a minute ago. He had Silpheed, Sonic Shooter, and Winged Rhynos on the field, and all of them were boosted by Rising Air Current.

However, his attempt to play Lightning Vortex was foiled by Olga's Dark Bribe, followed Voltanis the Adjudicator appearing and blowing all three of his Monsters to Kingdom Come.

"I'm not done with you!" shouted Olga. "Voltanis, finish him off with Divine Judgment!"

Harpie's Brother squawked as the divine light struck him, and his Life Points tumbled to zero.

He collapsed on his back, and vanished into grains of light.

"Olga!" shouted Nicholas, running up to her.

"Where have you been?" asked Olga, annoyed. "I had to deal with a whole flock of bird-brains while you were gone."

"I was eavesdropping on a police frequency radio," replied Nicholas. "Apparently, the invasion has started in earnest.

"The police are investigating several apparent abductions. From what witnesses say, several duelists are being attacked by other duelists… Dressed in Duel Monster costumes.

"And the report further says that attempts by police to pursue these assailants have all ended mysteriously. They simply vanish into shadow when chased, and no trace of them is seen again."

"It's like what Sheena said," muttered Olga. "They're only showing themselves to the ones they choose to… Duelists. And they're taking prisoner anyone who they defeat…

"Nicholas… How do we stop this? We can't fight an army!"

"Calm down, Olga, calm down… Let's see… How does one fight an army…

"Well, in history, one of the best ways to bring an army to a halt is to cut off the supply lines. An army without food and equipment is dead weight. Unfortunately, it isn't very easy to cut off supplies when they come from another dimension…

"But… One philosopher I read about in school once compared an army to a living organism. In such a metaphor, the brain of this organism is its commanding officer."

"What are you implying?" asked Olga.

"First," said Nicholas, "we have to identify who the general is who's leading this army of Duel Spirits. If we shake up the next Spirits we meet, we may find out. Then…"

He took a deep breath.

"…then I'll have to confront him, and defeat him. I cut off the head, and the body dies."

"But Nicholas…" said Olga. "Whoever the general of this army is… He's probably the best duelist they've got…"

Nicholas took another deep breath.

"I know…" he said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**OIL DRILLING (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** An oil refinery, with smoke coming out of its chimneys.

**Card Description:** Select one FIRE Monster from your Graveyard and add it to your hand.

_Note: "Oil Drilling" was first used by Jaden in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" Manga. Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lords of Chaos**

**A Tale of Triumph: Vepar, Master of Angry Waters**

It is not too often that the Wind Dukes can claim complete victory over one of their chaotic foes. The story of Vepar, however, proves that sometimes, Order can indeed triumph over Chaos decisively.

Vepar was once a very powerful demon who ruled an Abyssal realm called Kolopan. He held power over water and sea life, and he learned early on one vital axiom of the mortal world: to get anywhere worth going, one must cross water. In human lands, the mercantile trade is what makes nations powerful, and water travel dominated the trade routes. So, when demons became interested in humanity and he needed to decide on an area of influence, he devoted himself to gaining followers from an aspect of this profession that appealed to his chaotic and evil nature – the slave trade.

He became powerful in those times. Slavers who profited by kidnapping members of "savage" tribes and transporting them across the sea paid him homage, and for centuries, Vepar grew fat on offerings from those who desired favorable winds and stable weather. Members of those primitive races would curse his name for allowing foreigners to subjugate their people, but he thought even less of them than the slavers did. He thought it a grand irony that in many places, the law supported the practice that he represented. He was a force of Chaos who could laugh in the face of the forces of Law.

Vepar had no idea that humanity's view on the ideal he had chosen to represent would change.

Man became more civilized, and as the years passed, slavery began to be looked down upon. Slavers began to become less respected than they already were, which was really never much to begin with. Most demons rarely care if their followers are liked or not – it's common for religious groups and other do-gooders to oppose such cults. But demons do become alarmed when whole governments take up arms against their followers. As more and more nations outlawed the practice, there was little Vepar could do to stop the steady decline of his followers, and the very fast decline of offerings in his name.

The Wind Dukes of Aaqa, already disgusted by this practice, helped speed Vepar's downfall. They subtly aided all abolitionist efforts, and sabotaged any attempt to keep slavery alive. Each time the practice was abolished for good in an area, a wound was dealt directly to the weakening demon prince.

Finally, the Wind Dukes decided to strike, storming Kolopan itself. Vepar's army was but a shell of what it had once been, and was quickly decimated. Vepar was lucky to escape with his life, fleeing with most of his power gone.

Today, slavery is outlawed in almost every nation, and Vepar will never have the power he once had. There are no longer any mercantile vessels running a slave trade, so where the practice does exist, a demon with power over water is ill-fit to oversee it. He has since worked as a henchman for other demons with power over that element, such as Demogorgon; such positions are demeaning and degrading for one who once had such power, but he has little choice. He exists as a symbol of a fallen force of Chaos, proof that Order can be victorious if pushed in the right direction.

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**Yumi confronts the mysterious entity in the shrine that she and Sam worked so hard to gain access to. But that's just frosting on the double-layer chocolate cake that is next chapter, as Daala confronts her mysterious mentor, for the right to keep the Crown of Xanadu! It's not going to be easy… Who does one support in a duel like this? More is revealed, and more questions pop up, as a chapter I'm calling "Arise" comes next.**_


	55. Arise

_**When Xanadu was first established into what it is today, Shogarr granted me the title of its monarch – but he was wary of giving such a responsibility to one so young, who had only recently pledged allegiance to him.**_

_**I was queen, but I had to abide by certain conditions. I had to follow the tutelage of a much more experienced master of the dark arts, who would serve as my chief advisor, and who would be exempt from any edicts or laws I formed for the governing of Xanadu. **_

_**And eventually, I would have to prove that I was worthy of keeping the Crown, by defeating this mentor in a duel.**_

_**Shogarr was quite generous, a trait almost unheard of among demons. He'd allow me a total of six attempts. But if I failed all six, I'd lose my status as queen of Xanadu, and be demoted… All the way down to slave.**_

_**My first attempt was three years ago. I failed. I prepared for the second time, only to find that his deck had changed completely. I failed again, and the next three times. His deck changes with each attempt, and becomes harder each time.**_

_**I'm at the peak of my strength, but tonight is my final chance. If I lose, my future will be dark and bleak. **_

_**I'm still queen of Xanadu… It's time to see if I truly deserve to call myself by that title…**_

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**CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Arise**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Daala walked into the large, ominous arena, where just last night, she had been with Curran.

She was startled by something that had recently been added. A soulgem had been erected to the side, one which lacked an occupant. The strange part was, it was mounted on an odd tripod that she didn't know the purpose of.

"Llymic!" she shouted. "Llymic, where are you? I'm here, and I'm on time! Let's get this over with!"

A dark flame appeared in the center of the room.

A figure stepped out.

It was Chaos Sorcerer.

He pulled a pocket watch out of his robe, and looked at it.

"Five minutes early," he said. "Not bad…"

"Look, Llymic, you can drop the masquerade," said Daala. "The disguise doesn't fool me."

"Disguise?" asked Chaos Sorcerer. "You know as well as I do, kid, Chaos Sorcerer is my true form now."

"I don't care!" shouted Daala. "I want to talk to Llymic, not another Duel Spirit in a loud outfit. I get enough of them as it is."

"You _are_ a Duel Spirit in a 'loud outfit', in case you forgot," replied Chaos Sorcerer. "You've been one for a long time, even though you hide it from everyone."

"Don't remind me…" growled Daala. "That is one secret I'll keep hidden for as long as I'm queen, and unless you want to defy Shogarr's order, you'll keep it a secret too. Now, I want to see Llymic, not Chaos Sorcerer."

"As you wish…" said Chaos Sorcerer.

A dark shadow enveloped him. After a few seconds, he had changed from Chaos Sorcerer to an elderly, but still robust man, with white hair and rough skin the consistency of tanned leather. He was dressed in short, black robes that were held in place by a tight sash.

Daala took the Dark Exemplar out of her pouch.

"I found it," she said, holding it up. "Along with Dark Simorgh as a bonus. I hope you're happy."

"Then let's see it and the rest of the deck," said Llymic.

Daala took the deck out of the pouch, and handed it to him. Llymic shuffled the Dark Exemplar into it, and then placed it on an alcove.

"The Dread Council should do its job by the time we're done here," he said. "Its old body would be useless in this deck, but they will combine their magic to give it a new one that will work much better. Whether you'll be able to use the deck or not remains to be seen."

"Then can we just do this?" asked Daala, with a tone of impatience in her voice.

"No, no, no, take your time!" laughed Llymic. "We don't have to duel right away…"

He snapped his fingers, and a table and chairs appeared, on which was a pot of coffee and a plate of scones.

"Care for a little repast? After all, this may be the last time we get a chance to talk…"

Daala sighed.

"It's a little late for coffee…" she said, "but it hardly matters…"

She sat down.

"You might be interested in knowing that the Evil Hero cards you made for Slade were a big flop," she muttered.

"Ah, well…" sighed Llymic. "Perhaps it's for the better. Slade is a wild card… He would obviously have challenged you with them eventually."

"Not that he could have," replied Daala. "He didn't know that any prisoners he apprehended are ultimately under my jurisdiction. If he had tried to use that deck against me, I'd have taken the Elemental Heroes away from him at the last minute, and the deck would have been practically dead."

She looked at the soulgem.

"I suppose _that_ is for me, should I lose?" she asked.

Llymic nodded.

"Yes," he said, "but you won't be going to Shogarr. I've discovered a new way to use soulgems.

"I think I can draw more power from the Core than we are capable of doing so now, and in turn, increase the powers of anyone who draws energy from it. In effect, I can use a soulgem as an amplifier, and a Duel Spirit imprisoned inside as a battery, so long as it's powerful enough…"

"My ultimate fate is to become a battery…" muttered Daala, pouring the coffee.

"Ah, cheer up," said Llymic. "You haven't lost yet. Tell me…

"Are you still using the F.G.D.?"

"And what if I am?" asked Daala.

"Oh, nothing, nothing much…" muttered Llymic. "It's just that the card may be more dangerous than you previously believed.

"Ever wonder why the F.G.D. is never seen in any of the Twelve Dimensions?"

"I figure that a Duel Spirit so powerful isn't allowed to roam free," replied Daala. "I supposed some great hero, like maybe the Dragon Master Knight, defeated it a long time ago, and either killed it or locked it away somewhere."

"No, it wasn't like that at all," replied Llymic.

He sipped his coffee.

"F.G.D. isn't actually native to the Twelve Dimensions," he said ominously. "It's a Duel Spirit of a completely different type… One from another place…

"It's quite a story… Listen closely…

"Long ago, in the days of the Shadow Games, a cabal of foolish wizards violated the laws of the universe in their search for power, discovering spaces 'in-between' the dimensions that should never have been breached. Their arrogance angered the gods, who jealously coveted this knowledge. Those with such knowledge are often tempted to use it, and do things that man was just not meant to tamper with.

"And the gods' fears were not unfounded. They did use this knowledge to bring to the world something terrible. Because the gods saw them as enemies, they sought to protect themselves.

"The cabal sought a weapon with which to threaten the gods, one capable of killing deities. They bent their wills towards a quasi-reality best described as 'perpendicular' to the universe that humans and Duel Spirits call home. The dark enticement of the chance to slay gods called to the mortal world a sentient singularity of scarcely fathomable power and unrelenting destructiveness.

"It appeared to its summoners as a giant, five-headed dragon, because that was the closest analogy that the mortal mind can assign to this completely alien being. It had no real name, so it was called the F.G.D. by its summoners. The Five God Dragon.

"It sought to anxiously fulfill the terms of the contract it had agreed to, to exterminate the gods, but it was instead imprisoned, sealed away in a block of magical crystal formed by a spell that was researched specifically to hold it. The spell couldn't hold any other creature any more than a grass hut could. To hold a creature with might like this, they had to design a spell specifically for it.

"In their hubris, those who had summoned the F.G.D. called on the gods that were aligned against them, and revealed only a hint of their weapon's unbelievable power. They believed that such a display would force the gods to back down. Instead, the deities struck first. What would keep a single member of that insolent cabal from succumbing to madness and releasing the god-killing engine of death? Thus, before the cabal could consolidate their power, they were smote by the gods' mighty hands, and all traces of them were obliterated from the world.

"The gods who remember that fearful time sometimes speak to their few modern followers of their decision, and it strikes fear into them. They wiped out the foolish mages, but they could not undo what they had done. Thus, they were forced to hide away the doomsday weapon and its prison, and erase all records of the thing's existence. Nevertheless, the F.G.D. still lives, conscious and awake, immortal and… crushingly bored.

"Whenever a duelist uses the card that bears the image of the F.G.D., it is no mere Duel Monster. It is the avatar of this being, extending its influence, and gaining power from each Monster that its aspect strikes down. With each duel, the duel energy of both its user and the opponent is siphoned to it, and its prison weakens.

"Should the F.G.D. ever escape, it would have three goals.

"It first seeks revenge. It seeks vengeance for being betrayed by those ancient sorcerers who summoned it. It will try to locate any descendents of them or their people, and lay waste to them and their lands. Innocents will die for the crimes of their ancestors.

"Second, once it has sated its thirst for vengeance, it will attempt to carry out the terms of the contract that it agreed to so long ago. Although its summoners didn't respect their end of the bargain, the F.G.D. possesses a strange sense of honor. It will fulfill its end of the contract by murdering every divine being in existence. Clearly a monumental task, as even opposing one god is difficult, but that is its plan.

"Finally, once it has finished these goals, the F.G.D. will attempt to return to its home reality – if it can. If it is prevented from leaving, whether through a conscious act or because the portal it came through cannot be recreated, it will destroy the universe, one dimension at a time."

There was a long pause.

"So…" said Daala. "Where exactly did the gods stash it?"

Llymic chuckled.

"I don't know, kid, it's just a story!" he replied. "I wouldn't tell you even if I knew… Only fools and madmen go looking for things that scare the gods.

"But anyway… The moral of this story is, know what you're doing before using great powers."

Daala got up.

"Enough beating around the bush!" she shouted. "I just want to duel you, and get this done with!"

Llymic's eyes narrowed.

"Oh, yes, I see we are very serious…" he said, getting up. "Well, I'm serious too… I constructed a special deck specifically for this occasion… And the important cards in it are so powerful, they'll only last for this one duel. Once it's over, they'll be nothing but dust…

"I've taught you everything I can, kid… Consider this your final test…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi was dumbfounded.

The shrine was much bigger on the inside than it was on the outside. She was right now wandering down a hallway that seemed to be made entirely out of green crystal. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was Dorothy, entering the throne room of the Wizard of Oz for the first time.

"Come closer," said the commanding voice she had heard from the outside.

Yumi shivered. She cautiously walked towards a large archway, that led inside a large chamber.

She stood back in fright.

Standing in front of her was a huge creature that stood fifteen feet tall. Its whole body seemed to be made of pale green cloth parchment, put together in the shape of a feminine body. Behind the huge Duel Spirit was a ring of magical energy, covered with runes. The creature exuded an aura of pure power.

Yumi didn't know what to say. Fortunately, the Spirit spoke first, not moving its lips, but apparently speaking in a telepathic voice.

"Welcome, Queen of Games," it said. "I am the voice of Boccob, Archmage of the Deities, for words from his own mouth hold secrets that cannot be told. In these Dimensions, I was known as Testament of the Arcane Lords…"

Yumi stared at the huge Monster.

"Whoa…" she said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala and her mentor, the odd, elderly man who called himself Llymic looked at each other. Their two Disks activated.

"I'm warning you, kid," he said, "I don't intend to hold anything back."

"Neither do I," replied Daala.

"Game on!"

**(Daala: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Llymic: 8,000)**

"Age before beauty, I always say," said Llymic, drawing his first card.

He looked over his opening hand.

"I summon Archfiend Soldier."

In a burst of energy, the infernal infantryman appeared, holding his sword. (1,900/1,500)

"And I'll leave it at that…" he said.

_He's toying with me,_ thought Daala. _There's got to be more to his deck than some vanilla beatstick Fiend._

_Well, fine… I'll start slow too…_

"I'll set a Monster in Defense Mode," she said, as a facedown Monster appeared on her side of the field. "And I end MY turn."

"Well," chuckled Llymic, making a draw, "you aren't going to get anywhere if you do nothing but defend…

"I'll also set a Monster in Defense Mode…"

A facedown Monster appeared on his side of the field.

"Then I attack with Archfiend Soldier!"

Archfiend Soldier flew at the facedown card, and Sangan appeared on it. He made one slash, and it was cut in half.

"Thank you," said Daala.

She took a card out of her deck.

_You were a little too big for your britches, Lord of Dragons,_ she thought, looking at it, _but you can still serve me in this aspect._

"I end my turn," said Llymic, with a grin.

Daala made a draw.

She smiled.

"I play Polymerization!" she shouted. "I'll fuse together Lord of Dragons, and Divine Dragon Ragnarok…"

The two Monsters appeared on the field, and swirled into a dark blur…

In a burst of dark energy, King Dragun appeared on the field. (2,400/1,100)

"When King Dragun is on the field, I get to Special Summon a Dragon every round. So I'll summon Prime Material Dragon!"

In a flash of light, the large Dragon that looked like a plant sculpted into a Dragon's shape appeared next to King Dragun. (2,400/2,000)

"Next, I Normal Summon Mirage Dragon."

She played another card, and the wispy, transparent Dragon made of light appeared. (1,600/200)

"All right!" she laughed. "Mirage Dragon, attack his facedown Monster! Spectrum blast!"

Mirage Dragon fired a beam of multicolored light from its jaws. Morphing Jar appeared on the card, and cackled before being blown to pieces.

Daala chuckled. She couldn't have hoped for better. She had used every card in her hand but two in that last move.

She discarded them, and Llymic discarded the five cards in his hand. Both of them made five draws.

"I'm not done!" she shouted. "King Dragun, attack Archfiend Soldier with Twilight Burn!"

King Dragun blasted a bolt of flames from his scepter, and the Fiend exploded into a burst of ashes.

"Prime Material Dragon, attack Llymic directly!"

Prime Material Dragon breathed a blast of pure, burning light, hitting Llymic and exploding on impact. Llymic groaned.

And then he laughed.

"Bravo," he chuckled. "You managed to pull off a pretty decent combo… Clearly, I managed to teach you something…"

"I will beat you this time, old man," growled Daala. "Just wait…"

Llymic's eyes narrowed.

"That remains to be seen," he said. "Anything else?"

Daala looked at her hand.

"It's your move…" she said.

**(D: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 5,100)**

Llymic drew a card.

"I play Dual Gate," he said, as a Spell Card appeared. "Now, by removing this card and a second Dual Gate in my Graveyard from play, I get to draw twice."

The card vanished, and he made two draws. He looked at them.

"Next," he said, "I play a Spell Card called Triangle Force."

A Continuous Spell Card appeared on his side of the field. It bore the image of the three Magnet Warriors, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma, flying forward.

"When this Continuous Spell Card is played, I can activate two more from my deck."

Two more copies of Triangle Force appeared. Daala raised an eyebrow.

Llymic's face turned into a wicked grin.

"Now…" he said. "I sacrifice these three Spell Cards…"

The three Triangle Force cards turned to ice, and then shattered. The arena started to darken.

_Sacrificing three Spell Cards?_ thought Daala. _What is he…_

A titanic, dark form started to rise behind Llymic…

_No!_ thought Daala. _There's only one Monster that's summoned like this… But that's impossible… He couldn't have… He wouldn't…_

But as Daala watched, and the creature came into view, it was obvious that he could, he would, and he clearly did. It was a giant, winged demon, with a scaly golden hide and wings, gaunt and skeletal. Overall, it looked like a corrupted, evil version of the Winged Dragon of Ra. (4,000/4,000)

"You managed to duplicate Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder?" gasped Daala.

"And that's not all," said Llymic. "But it'll do for now.

"Hamon, attack King Dragun with Cerulean Skyfire!"

Lightning flashed, and a volley of pale, blue lightning bolts shot at King Dragun, blowing him to ashes. Daala cringed.

"And, due to Hamon's effect," continued Llymic. "Whenever it crushes a Monster, you lose 1,000 Life Points."

Daala screamed as she shocked by another blast of electricity.

"I'll set a new Monster in Defense Mode," said Llymic, as a facedown Monster appeared, "and then play the Field Spell, Fallen Paradise."

He placed a card in his Field slot, and the dark arena faded away. It was replaced by a blasted, burned wasteland, full of dead, twisted trees, under an overcast sky.

"It's your move," he said.

**(D: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 5,100)**

Daala sweat as she drew a card.

Mirage Dragon and Prime Material Dragon curled up in Defense Mode, and then a new Monster appeared in Defense Mode.

"That's all I can do…" she muttered.

"Then I draw," said Llymic, drawing a card, "and due to the effect of my Field Spell, I can draw two times during my Standby Phase, so long as I control at least one Sacred Beast."

He made an additional two draws.

He looked at the three new cards.

"I throw down a few facedown cards…" he said.

He fit four cards into his Disk, and four facedown cards appeared.

"Then I attack with Hamon!"

Hamon's Skyfire shot at Prime Material Dragon, and it was fried to a crisp. Daala cringed as she was shocked by lightning again.

"And once again, you lose 1,000 Life Points…"

Daala bowed her head, as smoke poured from her body.

**(D: 4,400) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 5,100)**

"My move…" she muttered.

She drew a card.

_Damn!_ she thought. _You can never get Heavy Storm when you need it._

She paused.

_What am I saying? Even I was able to destroy his facedown cards, what then? They wouldn't help me get rid of Hamon…_

"I can't do anything…" she muttered. "I pass…"

Llymic smiled evilly, and drew a card.

"I draw two more times due to Fallen Paradise," he said, making two more draws.

"Then I flip Dark Mimic LV1 into Attack Mode."

His facedown Monster flipped up, and the fiendish treasure chest appeared. (100/1,000)

He made another draw.

"Next, I activate Call of the Haunted. I'll bring back Archfiend Soldier."

One of his facedown cards lifted, and with a glow of shadowy energy, Archfiend Soldier appeared again. (1,900/1,500)

"Next, another Trap," he continued, as another facedown card lifted. "Metal Reflect Slime. This card is both a Trap and a Monster."

A morass of silvery slime appeared on his side of the field. It formed into a semi-humanoid, hulking shape, and crouched in Defense Mode. (0/3,000)

"Continuing," he said, as a third Trap Card lifted, "I activate DNA Surgery. Now, I can change every Monster on the field to any Type I desire. I choose Fiend Type."

The change that this card caused was minimal. Two of Llymic's Monsters were already Fiends, one was a formless mass of protoplasm, and as for Hamon, it was impossible for it to look even more like a Fiend. Daala's Mirage Dragon acquired glowing eyes and more pronounced claws, but that was about it.

"Now," said Llymic, taking another card from his hand, "since I changed my Slime's Type to Fiend, I can sacrifice it, along with Dark Mimic and Archfiend Soldier…"

_He's kidding!_ thought Daala.

The three Monsters erupted in dark flames, and then vanished. A second titanic form rose on Llymic's side of the field. It was huge and humanoid, with blue skin, fiendish wings, claws, and a muscular frame. It looked like a sinister version of Obelisk the Tormentor. (4,000/4,000)

_First he summons Hamon, then he summons Raviel too?_ thought Daala. _Could he possibly…_

"I'm not done…" said Llymic.

His last facedown card lifted.

"I activate The Eye of Truth. This lets me look at the cards in your hand."

The images of six cards appeared above Daala. They were Premature Burial, Tyrant Dragon, Graverobber, Van'Dalgyon the Dark Dragon Lord, Call of the Haunted, and Kuriboh.

"Graverobber?" laughed Llymic. "You actually use that outdated card?"

"I have my reasons," replied Daala. "And your Trap Card will grant me 1,000 Life Points per turn."

"No it won't, because I'm getting rid of it," replied Llymic. "I sacrifice my three Trap Cards…"

The Eye of Truth, Call of the Haunted, and DNA Surgery burst into fire…

"I summon Uria, Lord of Searing Flames!"

In an inferno, the last of the three demons appeared. I was a giant, red-scaled, serpentine creature with huge wings, resembling an evil version of Slifer the Sky Dragon.

"Well, well…" muttered Daala. "The gang's all here…"

"As you know doubt know," replied Llymic, "Uria's Attack Score is 1,000 for each Continuous Trap Card in my Graveyard. And I have four of them there – Metal Reflect Slime, The Eye of Truth, Call of the Haunted, and DNA Surgery."

(4,000/0)

"Peachy…" said Daala.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi was at a loss for words.

"So…" she said. "You serve the god of magic?"

The Testament nodded.

"The Uncaring is most often content with one goal," it said. "The accumulation of knowledge and its use towards the betterment of humanity.

"But he also knows that all things in the universe must remain in moderation.

"Good, Evil, Law, Chaos, Light, Darkness… Each one must never become too strong so that it becomes dominant. Long ago, when the Queen of Chaos threatened to flood the universe with her creed, he gave the Vaati the knowledge to craft the Rod of Seven Parts, the weapon that could defeat her.

"My lord tries to remain neutral in all matters, even though Chaos and Evil are the ones who most often try to overwhelm the other forces. Just as Shogarr is trying to do now."

"So…" muttered Yumi. "How can you help me?"

"By offering my services until Shogarr is defeated," said the Testament.

The Testament of the Arcane Lords started to glow with an eldritch light. Then it slowly started to vanish, disappearing into motes of energy.

A Duel Monsters card appeared in the air, and floated towards Yumi. She slowly reached out and took it.

It was a card that depicted the Testament itself. It was a Level Ten Light-Attribute Spellcaster with 3,000 Attack and Defense Points.

Yumi read the effect text.

"Wait a minute!" she said. "This effect is only good in a situation where the two-out-of-three match rules are used! That rule isn't used in Xanadu."

"Keep this card in your Side Deck then," said the voice of the Testament. "But keep it with you, for I can help you eventually.

"Here's a card that will be of more use immediately. Take it as well."

Another card appeared in front of Yumi. She slowly reached for it and took it.

"A Fusion Monster?" she asked.

"I believe you have the necessary cards to summon her," said the Testament. "She is a Spellcaster who reflects my master's philosophy in earnest.

"Now, the time has come to plan and prepare. At midnight, Joan's portal will be ready, and her patron will arrive…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Any questions?" asked Llymic.

"Only the freakin' obvious!" replied Daala. "How the HECK did you manage to duplicate the Sacred Beasts?! I can't even duplicate the Destiny Heroes!"

Llymic chuckled.

"Well, I'll gladly tell you," he said.

"Before we met, I was but an average practitioner of the dark arts. But when we discovered the means of creating Xanadu by combining magic with technology, that changed. It changed a great deal.

"Any expert on computers will tell you that computers are more efficient at doing things than humans. They can do things faster, and can do more tasks at once. I simply had to apply this fact to my ability to work magic.

"The first step was the hardest. I had to translate all my spellbooks onto a database. Since they were all handwritten, and in ancient languages, it took a great deal of time, a lot of typing, and a little patience. But it paid off.

"Once my spells, rituals, and incantations were all stored in a hard drive, all it took was the right series of programs, slightly modified with the use of the right hardware, and the benefits of the computer age were applied to the powers of eldritch wizardry! I could cast dozens of spells at once. Rituals that formerly took a day to complete now only took minutes. I became a true master of dark arts using technology."

"Lovely…" replied Daala. "A regular Technomage…"

"Eh?" asked Llymic.

"Oh, it's from an old TV show…" muttered Daala.

"Whatever," said Llymic. "Using this power, I drew upon the chaotic magic of the Abyss, combined it with virtual technology, and after several failed attempts, was indeed able to duplicate the Sacred Beasts.

"Sadly, as I said, even this had limits. These cards will only be good for one duel. Once this duel is over, they'll crumble into dust.

"But enough about that… Let's continue…

"Hamon, attack Mirage Dragon! Cerulean Skyfire!"

Hamon blasted its lightning bolts, and Mirage Dragon exploded.

Daala screamed as lightning struck her again.

**(D: 3,400) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 5,100)**

"Well?" he asked. "Aren't you going to anything to stop me?"

He paused.

"Fine… I guess this story won't have a happy ending…

"Uria, destroy her last Monster with Hyper Blaze!"

Uria shot a powerful blast of burning death at the facedown Monster. Masked Dragon appeared on the card, and was burned to a cinder.

"I use Masked Dragon's effect!" shouted Daala. "I summon a second Masked Dragon in Defense Mode!"

Another Masked Dragon appeared. (1,400/1,100)

"Well," said Llymic. "I guess you still have some fight in you. Raviel, attack with Shivering Scraper!"

The Lord of Phantasms lunged forward, and crushed Masked Dragon with its mighty claw.

"I use Masked Dragon's effect again," said Daala, "to summon Decoy Dragon."

In a small burst of fire, a cute, baby Dragon appeared, shielding itself in Defense Mode. (300/200)

"You're going to stand up to my titans with that pipsqueak?" asked Llymic.

"I am," replied Daala. "Let me explain how Decoy Dragon works.

"If you attack it, I can Special Summon a Level Seven or higher Dragon from my Graveyard, such as King Dragun, and switch your target to that Monster. And there's no limit the number of times per round that I can do it. So your Sacred Beasts will never get to me."

Llymic looked at her.

"I end my turn," he said.

Daala drew a card.

"I toss down two facedown cards, and end my turn," she said.

Two facedown cards appeared.

"I draw," said Llymic, drawing a card.

"Now I activate Uria's effect. Once per round, it can destroy one facedown card."

Uria spit a ball of flames. The facedown card to Daala's left exploded into fire.

"Call of the Haunted?" asked Llymic. "As if that would have helped.

"Now, I draw twice more due to Fallen Paradise…"

He made two draws.

_He could deck himself out if this keeps up,_ thought Daala.

"Your plan has a fatal flaw, by the way," said Llymic. "You may force me to attack the same Monster over and over again, but you obviously forget, each time Hamon attacks it, you lose 1,000 Life Points. You'll lose in four rounds unless you manage to do something.

"But seeing as you may well find a way to do something before then, I'm going to destroy your Decoy Dragon now. I play Fissure."

A Spell Card appeared.

"This destroys your Monster with the lowest Attack Score, and since you only have one Monster…"

"I don't think so," interrupted Daala. "Call of the Haunted was a decoy too. Now I can activate _this_!"

Her other facedown card flipped up.

"Dark Bribe," she said. "Now, you get to draw a card, but my Dragon is safe."

The Spell Card shattered. Llymic frowned, and made a draw.

"And that's not all," she continued. "Since I just activated a Counter Trap, I get to Special Summon this guy. Meet Van'Dalgyon the Dark Dragon Lord."

In a burst of darkness, a large Monster that appeared to be half Dragon and half Fiend appeared next to Decoy Dragon. He was humanoid, and had black, plate-like armor, draconic wings, and a demonic face. He knelt and shielded himself in Defense Mode. (2,800/2,500)

"Also," continued Daala, "Van'Dalgyon has three effects. Which one I get to use depends on what type of card I countered when I summoned him. Since Fissure is a Spell Card, you lose 1,500 Life Points."

Van'Dalgyon's eyes glowed with fiery light, and Llymic groaned in pain.

"It's still my move," he said, sounding annoyed. "Hamon, attack Decoy Dragon."

Hamon's lightning flashed, thundering towards the small Dragon. As Daala promised, King Dragun appeared in front of it, curled up in Defense Mode. The bolt struck him, and he was incinerated.

Daala groaned as she was shocked again.

"I'll set a card facedown," said Llymic, "and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared.

_Huh?_ thought Daala. _Why did he spare Van'Dalgyon?_

**(D: 2,400) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 3,600)**

She drew a card.

_I've almost got all I need to take these things down,_ she thought. _I just have to hang on, and hope I get what I need next round._

"I pass this turn," she said.

Llymic drew.

"I won't use the effect of Fallen Paradise this round," he said. "But I will activate this…"

His facedown card lifted.

"Gift of the Mystical Elf. Now I gain 300 Life Points for each Monster on the field. And I count five."

_So that's why,_ thought Daala.

"Now, onto business," continued Llymic. "Uria, destroy Van'Dalgyon!"

The Lord of Searing Flames blasted its Hyper Blaze, and the Dark Dragon Lord was incinerated.

"Hamon, attack Decoy Dragon!"

The Lord of Striking Thunder blasted its Cerulean Skyfire, and once again, King Dragun appeared to block the blast. He was blown to pieces, and Daala cringed as she was shocked again.

**(D: 1,400) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 5,100)**

"I end my turn. It's almost over, Daala."

Daala drew another card.

"Only for your three freaks, Llymic!" she said with a laugh.

She played a card.

"I play Premature Burial! I'll drop 800 points to summon a Monster from my Graveyard."

She glowed with red energy, and The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave appeared on her side of the field. (1,300/2,000)

"Now, I sacrifice both my Monsters…"

Decoy Dragon and The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave vanished into grains of light.

"…to summon Tyrant Dragon!"

In a mighty burst of flames, the huge Fire Dragon appeared. It roared. (2,900/2,500)

"I activate Raviel's effect," said Llymic. "When you Normal Summon a Monster, I get a Phantasm Token."

Raviel glowed with dark energy, and a Monster that looked like a miniature version of itself appeared in front of it, kneeling in Defense Mode. (1,000/1,000)

"Not gonna matter in a few minutes," said Daala, holding a Spell Card up. "I play Dragon's Gunfire. Now, since I have a Dragon on the field, I can destroy a Monster with 800 Defense Points or less.

"Guess what, Llymic? Uria may have an overwhelming Attack Score…"

"But its Defense Score is zero…" gasped Llymic, as his eyes opened wide.

A stream of fire blasted from Tyrant Dragon's jowls, and Uria howled in an unholy voice. It exploded into a blast of fiery embers.

"I still have two other Sacred Beasts!" replied Llymic.

"Not for long," said Daala. "I Equip Tyrant Dragon with Megamorph!"

She played the card, and Tyrant Dragon glowed with pure energy. (5,800/2,500)

Llymic gulped.

"Tyrant Dragon," ordered Daala, "destroy Hamon with imperial inferno!"

Tyrant Dragon blasted a stream of flames just as intense as Uria's, and Hamon screamed in agony. It exploded, sending a shower of sparks all over the Fallen Paradise.

"Boy, that was therapeutic," sighed Daala. "Now I use Tyrant Dragon's effect, which lets it attack a second Monster.

"Destroy Raviel!"

Tyrant Dragon breathed its inferno again, and the Lord of Phantasms screamed before exploding into a shower of blue rocks.

Llymic cringed.

**(D: 600) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 1,500)**

Then Llymic started to chuckle. The chuckle turned into a laugh.

"Well done, kid!" he laughed. "You wiped out all three of them in one turn! Heck, not even Jaden was able to do that!"

Daala looked at him.

"Make your move," she said with a sneer.

"Oh, I will," he said. "And now the true test begins…"

"Huh?" said Daala.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi walked out of the shrine, to find her friends waiting with Vita. Sahkyo, however, was gone.

"Where's our host?" she asked.

"We don't know," replied Sam, sounding somewhat annoyed. "We just turned our backs, and the next time we looked, she had disappeared."

"Maybe she turned into a wolf and ran into the forest," said Ren.

"You watch _way_ too many movies, Ren," replied Chelsea.

Vita sighed, and walked up to Yumi.

"Yumi, I must leave you as well for now," she said. "I guarantee that we will meet again before this is over. For when that happens, I have something that you might need to use."

She handed Yumi a card. Yumi looked at it.

"Offerings to the Doomed?" she asked.

"A magical card," replied Vita. "I've spent years working on it. It can actually kill a Duel Spirit. Or rather, it can kill one specific Duel Spirit.

"Me."

"WHAT?" exclaimed Yumi.

"I believe that if Daala saw her other self die," continued Vita, "the shock to her would be so great, that if it didn't kill her, she would be weakened enough that she could be subdued and captured easily. So, if I'm with you when you finally confront her…"

"We use this as a last resort measure…" muttered Yumi.

"Exactly," said Vita. "For now, I wish you the best of luck.

"You'd best get back to Joan. I fear that the energies of the Core have grown stronger as we have spent time here."

"Agreed," said Chelsea, nervously.

As Vita ran off, Erik looked out into the forest.

"Uh, Yumi?" he said. "Which way did we come in?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Llymic made one draw.

"I sacrifice my Token…" he said.

The Phantasm Token vanished.

"…to summon my Dark Summing Beast."

In a burst of dark fire, a new Fiend appeared. It was about ten feet tall, and rather stereotypical for a Fiend, with wings, horns, claws, and black scales. (0/0)

"Huh?" said Daala.

"Now, I activate its effect," continued Llymic. "By sacrificing it, I can Special Summon three specific Monsters from my Graveyard, disregarding their summoning conditions."

Dark Summoning Beast vanished.

"Give you one guess who they are…"

Balls of red, yellow, and blue flame flew around the arena. With three angry roars, Uria (4,000/0), Hamon (4,000/4,000), and Raviel (4,000/4,000) appeared again. Daala stepped back in shock.

"Of course," said Llymic, "they can't attack on the round that I summon them this way."

"Then I win!" shouted Daala. "My Tyrant Dragon still has 5,800 Attack Points, and one attack against any one of them, and this duel is over!"

"You're dead wrong," said Llymic.

Then all three of the Sacred Beasts erupted into black flames, and vanished into nothing. A fierce wind started to blow through the arena.

"I know," said Llymic. "You're thinking, is he crazy? Removing from play three of the most powerful Monsters in the game? Well, I simply did it to summon something even better…

"From the lowest layer of the Abyss, comes the embodiment of madness! Arise…

"_Armitael, Phantasm of Chaos!_"

The creature that appeared, all thirty feet tall of it, was hard to describe. Whoever or whatever had designed this thing had clearly not followed whatever rules had been set for the body structures of sentient beings. And perhaps, that was the whole point. One might say that it was a combination of all three Sacred Beasts, but that was applying a simple explanation to a Monster that was impossible to describe in any simple terms.

It bellowed a roar that conveyed both rage and insanity at the same time, which shook the whole arena, and shook Daala, filling her with panic. (0/0)

"Zero attack points?" she gasped.

"True," said Llymic. "But during my first Main Phase, they gain a little boost."

The giant Fiend glowed with intense energy. (10,000/0)

"Ten-thousand…" gasped Daala.

"Armitael…" ordered Llymic, "attack Tyrant Dragon with Transmigration Wave!"

The colossus put its hands together, and a giant black and lavender orb formed in them.

Daala was so terrified, she forgot at the moment that she had a card in her hand that could save her. Finally, at the last second, she snapped out of it. As the attack struck, blowing Tyrant Dragon to vapor, she threw it into her discard slot.

"Hmm…" said Llymic.

He looked to see Daala gasping for breath, surrounded by a swarm of Kuribohs.

Llymic burst out laughing.

"Not bad, kid!" he laughed. "You know that a little Kuriboh can absorb the damage from the mightiest attack. However, you can only have so many Kuribohs, while my Monster is Chaos incarnate!

"I'll set one card facedown, and that will end my turn."

A facedown card appeared, and Armitael's Attack Score fell down to zero.

_It's Attack Score is zero again,_ thought Daala. _Now's my chance…_

She drew a card. It was Monster Reborn.

_That's the ticket,_ she thought.

"I set one card facedown," she said, as a facedown card appeared. "Then, I play Monster Reborn!"

The holy ankh appeared on the field, and then Prime Material Dragon appeared in front of her. (2,400/2,000)

"That won't work, kid," said Llymic. "Armitael also can't be destroyed in battle."

"True," said Daala, "but you'll still take damage when I attack."

"Aw, crap…" muttered Llymic. "You're right…"

"Prime Material Dragon…" shouted Daala, "attack the Phantasm of Chaos!"

Armitael roared, as the Dragon blasted its beam of pure light at it…

"You triggered my Trap!" shouted Llymic, as his facedown card lifted. "Hallowed Life Barrier. Now, I just have to discard one card, and the damage to me is reduced to zero!"

He discarded a second Archfiend Soldier.

"In that case," said Daala, "I end my turn."

Llymic drew a card. It was his own Monster Reborn.

"I activate my own Trap!" exclaimed Daala.

Her facedown card lifted. A grinning, giggling gremlin with a pick in its hands and a shovel and a tombstone strapped to its back appeared in front of Daala.

"Wha?" said Llymic. "Your Graverobber card?"

"That's right!" laughed Daala. "And he's gonna snag a Spell Card from your Graveyard!"

A card appeared in the Graverobber's hands. It was Fissure.

"Now," said Daala, "I'm gonna use it, and take down triple-ugly up there!"

The ground erupted in an intense earthquake, and Armitael roared in agony. Burning sparks flew all over its immense hide. Then, it exploded into black shards.

"You may have destroyed Armitael," laughed Llymic, "but you lost the duel. You made a foolish mistake. Graverobber requires you to pay 2,000 Life Points if you actually use the Spell Card, and that's more than you have!"

"Think again," said Daala. "The 2,000 Life Points you lose isn't a payment. It's effect damage."

"So?" asked Llymic.

"Remember him?" asked Daala, pointing to Prime Material Dragon. "He has a powerful effect of his own. While he's on the field, all effect damage to me is negated, and I gain whatever Life Points I would have lost."

She started to glow with golden energy.

"_Now_ does it make sense why I have that outdated card? By combining it with Prime Material Dragon, I gain 2,000 Life Points instead of losing them."

**(D: 2,600) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 1,500)**

Llymic looked at her.

Then he smirked.

"I'll admit, that's very clever," he said. "But I won't give up…"

He played a Spell Card.

"This card worked for you. I play my own Monster Reborn. And since you robbed my Graveyard, I'll return the favor."

In a flash of light, Van'Dalgyon the Dark Dragon Lord appeared in front of him. (2,800/2,500)

"Then, I summon Slate Warrior."

He played the card, and the blocky, alien-looking Fiend appeared. (1,900/400)

"Van'Dalgyon, destroy her Prime Material Dragon with dark dragonfire!"

Van'Dalgyon formed an orb of black flames in his hands, and threw it forward, blowing the smaller Dragon to shards.

"Slate Warrior, attack directly!"

Slate Warrior shot a blast of green energy from its staff, and Daala groaned in pain.

**(D: 300) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 1,500)**

"Well, kid," said Llymic. "You have no cards on the field… None in your hand… And only 300 Life Points left. What will you do now?"

Daala hesitated as she looked at her deck.

_Everything I've taught you has come down to this moment!_ thought Llymic. _Now prove to me that you're worthy of that crown! Draw, and make me proud!_

Daala drew a card.

She chuckled.

"Heh, heh…" she said. "You know, old man… I guess sometimes, Yumi says some pretty smart things… One draw CAN change everything!

"I play Dragon's Mirror!"

In five flashes of light, Decoy Dragon, both Masked Dragons, The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave, and Mirage Dragon appeared in front of her, and then vanished into grains of light. With a roar that consisted of five mouths, the titanic form of F.G.D. rose behind her. (5,000/5,000)

"F.G.D.," commanded Daala, "attack Slate Warrior with Pentecost Holocaust!"

Five blasts of energy shot towards Slate Warrior, and Llymic was thrown off his feet by the impact.

**(D: 300) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 0)**

Daala fell to her knees, panting for breath, with sweat pouring down her face. She took some deep gasps.

She turned towards the alcove where the portal usually appeared.

"I've fulfilled my terms of the bargain, Shogarr!" she shouted. "I won the duel!"

Llymic chuckled.

"He can hear you," he said, "but I don't think he'll be coming to congratulate you in person.

"So let me do that… Arise… Queen of Xanadu…"

He held out his hand, and lifted her up. They shook.

"Now…" said Llymic, "let's see if the Council has done its job…"

He turned towards the alcove where he had placed the deck. He took it, and started to leaf through the cards.

"Excellent," he said.

The Dark Exemplar was now an actual Monster Card, with a picture and effect text.

Llymic handed the deck to Daala.

"I can't wait to use this against Yumi…" she said.

"Don't be so impulsive…" said Llymic.

He took another deck out of a pouch on his side. He leafed through it until he found a card. He held up a Monster Card.

"As you know, both the Dark Exemplar and the Light Exemplar must show their power to fuel the Great Helm…

"Think of how much power they would generate… If they fought side by side…"

"You mean…" said Daala. "A tag duel?"

"Exactly," said Llymic. "Me and you, against Yumi and… Well, whomever she desires. It's worth thinking about."

He looked at the soulgem and sighed.

"Guess we'll have to find someone else for this…" he muttered.

Daala looked at the soulgem. She made a sly smile.

"Llymic…" she said. "How long would it take you to make four more of these?"

"Uhm…" said Llymic. "Four more? A few hours, I guess. But we can't hold Yumi and her allies with these ones. Only Duel Spirits have the proper…"

He stopped short. Then he laughed out loud.

"Oh, I get it!" he laughed. "You are incredibly diabolical, kid!

"I'll get working on it right away…"

"Good," said Daala. "In the meantime, I'm going to test my new deck out… And I know just who I want my opponent to be…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Most people got confused about Skull Knights. A lot of folks assumed that they were Fiends. They wore bone armor, had horns on heads that had demonic faces, and carried swords and shields. To cause further confusion, they were Fusion Monsters whose Fusion Material Monsters were both Fiends, and another Monster called Skull Knight #2 actually _was_ a Fiend.

Skull Knights were actually Spellcasters, and as such, they had the magical abilities of any sorcerers. Some of them were capable of casting incantations that could rival the Dark Magician's capabilities at certain times. The Skull Knight who worked for Daala wasn't _that_ strong in terms of spellcasting ability, but one thing he was very good at was opening interdimensional portals. He was the one who had designed the permanent portal in Nexus that led to Earth, and most of his spells went into building it.

He was making a much less powerful one right now. The portal he was working on looked like a small orb of dark energy, hanging in the air. This one wasn't powerful enough for a living creature to go through, but it could be used to communicate and send inanimate objects. One might liken it to a dimensional fax machine.

He was surprised to see Daala walk out of the arena.

"Milady!" he gasped. "You're all right!"

"And I've never been better," said Daala.

She looked at the portal.

"Giving the General a jingle, eh?" she asked. "Good idea."

She gestured, and the portal fully opened. A dark figure appeared on the other side.

"We have good news to report, milady," he said, in a sinister voice. "We have taken over Kaibaland, and our troops are slowly but surely subjugating the city's duelist population."

"Good to hear General," said Daala. "Keep me updated…"

She took her Dragon Deck out of its pouch, and leafed through it.

"I'm going to retire my current deck… Here's a little gift to help you… It's a powerful card if you use it right, but I never managed to use it with much success. Maybe you can use it better."

She threw it though the portal.

"Thank you milady," said the General. "You can be sure I will use it wisely."

Daala gestured, and the portal closed.

She gestured again, and a screen covered with the faces of Duel Spirits appeared.

"Let's see…" she said. "For my next endeavor, I'm going to need someone to go ahead of me… Someone who's just right…

"Ah… He's perfect…"

The screen vanished.

"Let's go, Skull Knight."

They started back the way they had come, at a faster pace and Daala took out her cell phone as they did.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**FALLEN PARADISE (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image:** A dead, twisted tree on a blasted wasteland.

**Card Description:** A player may draw two cards during his/her Standby Phase if he/she controls at least one of the following Monsters: "Uria, Lord of Searing Flames", "Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder", and/or "Raviel, Lord of Phantasms".

_Note: "Fallen Paradise" was first used by Kagemaru in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Rise of the Sacred Beasts (Part One)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**TRIANGLE FORCE (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image:** The three Magnet Warriors flying forward, glowing with energy.

**Card Description:** When this card is activated, you may take two "Triangle Force" cards from your deck and activate them.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUAL GATE (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A man in a dense fog, between two dark portals.

**Card Description:** Remove this card and a second "Dual Gate" in your Graveyard from play. Draw two cards from your deck.

_Note: "Triangle Force" and "Dual Gate" were first used by Jesse (possessed by Yubel) in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "The Ultimate Face-Off (Part One)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK SUMMONING BEAST (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 5  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description:** Offer this card as a Tribute to Special Summon one each of the following three Monsters from your Graveyard, disregarding their summoning conditions: "Uria, Lord of Searing Flames", "Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder", and "Raviel, Lord of Phantasms". Monsters Special Summoned by this effect cannot attack on the round they are Special Summoned.

_Note: "Dark Summoning Beast" was first used by Marcel (possessed by Yubel) in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Unleash the Dragon! (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ARMITAEL, PHANTASM OF CHAOS (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Fusion/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 12  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description: **_Uria, Lord of Searing Flames plus Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder, plus Raviel, Lord of Phantasms_

This card can only be Special Summoned via Fusion Summon. This card is Fusion Summoned by removing the above three Fusion Material Monsters on your side of the field from play (you do not use Polymerization). This card cannot be destroyed in battle (damage calculation still applies). During your Main Phase 1, this card's ATK becomes 10,000 until your End Phase.

_Note: "__Armitael, Phantasm of Chaos" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States (note that its effect was different in the anime)._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lords of Chaos**

**The Chilling Story of Father Llymic, the Killer of Light**

A mote of insane thought given life, the Elder Evil that was called Father Llymic was not of this world. He was a force of Chaos that came not from the Abyss, but from some other, completely alien dimension when only madness reigns. In this dimension of insanity, things happen that defy reality.

Father Llymic was accidentally summoned by powerful druids in their experimentation with nature spirits. When using their powers to communicate with the spirits of the North Wind, something went terribly wrong, and an evil force was attracted to the world. A hulking demon of ice, he radiated terrible cold, that if left unchecked, had the potential to freeze all of creation. But he had a weakness that the druids quickly exploited – a crippling vulnerability to light. As soon as he was exposed to the sun, he was rendered helpless. With the help of some real nature spirits, the druids then cast a spell which made use of this vulnerability, and trapped him in a giant block of ice, which they stored in the coldest mountain range. So long as sunlight could shine on his prison, Father Llymic would never escape.

The Elder Evil was asleep, but his dreams took on a consciousness of their own, forming projections of his sleeping mind. This is how he got his name; those who came close to his tomb often saw a kindly-looking old man beckoning them to follow. Those who fell for this ruse were never the same again, because Llymic used this projection to brainwash anyone who came near, turning them into loyal followers. The more recruits he gathered, the more power he achieved towards his goal…

His goal was simple, if daunting – to extinguish the sun itself, so that the light would no longer confine him. Several centuries after he was imprisoned, his goal came close to fruition. His dominated minions were feeding him power, and the days were growing shorter and colder, weakening the power of the sun.

He may well have succeeded, but the world was saved by help from an unlikely source – Shogarr, the Dread Emperor. Shogarr knew that Father Llymic's plan would freeze the entire world and kill all life on it, leaving nothing for Shogarr himself to rule when his own plans became ready to enact, and that would not do.

Shogarr used a powerful spell to bypass the wards constructed by the druids who had imprisoned Llymic. The icy prison was unbreakable, but Shogarr found a way to transport Llymic out of it without breaking it. Using powerful planar travel methods, he sent Father Llymic from his prison to the Abyss, where the sun is not the life-giving force it is in the mortal realm, and could not harm one like Llymic. He was overjoyed to be free of his prison, and be in a place where light could not dominate him, until Shogarr himself appeared personally to confront him. A battle of evil versus evil ensued, and only Shogarr left alive.

No forces of Good or Law truly cared. The world quickly recovered, and an apocalyptic threat was ended. They felt that if the powers of Chaos and Evil wanted to spend time fighting each other, it was all the better for them. Surely, they concluded that an Elder Evil's true greatest enemy was another Elder Evil.

And how would a follower of Shogarr take Father Llymic's name?

That is another story…

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_**Coming up next: **_

_**The heroes may have wrested control of Xanadu's Realms from the Lords, but they find that Chaos still rules this land, for they soon become lost in the forest. And while trying to find their way back to Nexus, Sheena guards the temple, only to be challenged by one of Daala's minions. Sheena must duel again, but is there more than meets the eye to this challenge? "Diversion" is coming up next.**_


	56. Diversion

_**I came to Xanadu because I felt it was my duty. I had created the equipment that had allowed Daala to seize control of Xanadu, which allowed her to make her demands, and take five youngsters, one of them my daughter, hostage.**_

_**It was my duty, and since then, I've taken on several responsibilities that came with it.**_

_**A few days ago, I was one of the most powerful women in Japan. Now I'm a member of a rebel army, an outlaw in this tyrannical government. I've walked into a war that, like it or not, I'm a part of.**_

_**And yet, I have no regrets. Actually, sharing Yumi's adventures is quite invigorating.**_

_**I'm doing part of my new duty now, and this creature has challenged me. I'm pretty sure I can beat him. The only problem is, I'm suspicious as to why someone like this came to make a challenge.**_

_**Even worse, I have a feeling he knows I'm on to him…**_

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**CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Diversion**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Nicholas and Olga looked down the street.

"Keep your ears open," said Nicholas. "These creatures might attack by ambush…"

Then they heard strange music echoing through the night air.

"I recognize that melody…" muttered Olga. "It's from an old cartoon… _Merry-Go-Round Broke Down_."

Then they heard two sets of chuckling laughter from in front of them. Both of them stood their ground.

In two showers of motes, a Crass Clown and a Dream Clown appeared ten paces away from them.

"Well, lookee here!" chuckled the Crass Clown. "Looks like we found a two-for-one sale!"

"More like a baker's dozen!" laughed the Dream Clown.

"Really smart," said Nicholas. "You guys are something else… A man once said that everybody loves a clown, but let's face it… You guys aren't exactly Emmet Kelly."

The two clowns chuckled and lifted their Duel Disks.

"Yeah?" laughed the Crass Clown. "Well, you two have a choice. You can surrender, or you can fight!"

"We choose to fight!" shouted Olga. "We'll take you on, two-on-two!"

"You're on!" shouted both of the clowns at once.

The Life Point counters all set…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The irony was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. At least Sheena thought so.

She was the president of Kaibacorp, the world's largest gaming company. Just last year, she was fourth on Forbes' list of the world's richest female CEOs. She was close personal friends with the Prime Minister of Japan, and several members of U.S. Congress.

And now… She was on guard duty.

She didn't mind… She had volunteered, in fact. She figured that the whole situation she was in had turned her status topsy-turvy. At least this was better than some of the jobs she had worked before Siegfried had hired her.

She looked at her watch. It was ten-forty-five. As she stood outside the entrance to the temple, she suddenly got whiff of a bad odor coming from somewhere.

"Someone has a bad case of BO," she muttered, making a face.

She looked around. She looked to the right, and then to the left.

Then she caught sight of two glowing eyes.

The eyes belonged to a humanoid figure, about six feet tall, muscular, with black skin. He had diabolic horns, pronounced fangs, and a black beard. He was dressed only in a loincloth.

"An Ogre of the Black Shadow?" muttered Sheena.

"Hey, doll-face," said the Ogre, in a gruff voice. "Catch!"

As he said "catch", he threw a stone axe at her. Fortunately, she had already been prepared to dodge it. Being trained as a Centurion back in Duelatopia made it hard to hit her with such a primitive weapon.

The Ogre laughed, and started backtracking away from her.

"Get over here, wise guy!" said Sheena, now rather annoyed. "You can't hide from me! I could find someone with that stench in a snowstorm!"

She started to follow him, and then actually started to chase him.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"We're lost, aren't we?" asked Sam.

"Course we aren't," said Ren. "We came in this way…

"No, wait, it was this way…"

"I agree with Sam," said Chelsea, taking out her mobile. "We're lost, and I'm calling Joan to get help."

She dialed the phone.

"What?" she said. "Dead again?"

Yumi sighed.

"Daala is up to something," she said. "She's making full use of her control over Xanadu, not only to kill communications, but to alter the very terrain, making us take the wrong paths. We may go one way, and be going in the opposite direction that we think we're going in.

"This is truly Chaos at work…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sheena finally cornered the Ogre (she thought) in a large ruin.

"What's the big idea, pal?" she asked. "Did you actually think Joan was going to bother with a dirty thug like you?"

The Ogre laughed. He lifted a Duel Disk.

"So, then," he said, "Joan can't be bothered with some 'dirty thug' like me, but you can?"

"I'm taking every Spirit that makes threatening moves seriously," said Sheena. "I'm not about to let some grunt sneak up on me. And speaking of dirty, you really stink, you know that?"

"Hey, whaddaya expect?" chuckled the Monster. "I'm an Ogre of the Black Shadow. I could go take a bath and come out smellin' all rosy if I wanted to… But you ever see an ogre who smelled springtime fresh? If I did that, the other Beast-Warriors would think I was some sorta nutcase!"

"What do you want?" shouted Sheena.

"Well," said the Ogre. "I'm kinda what you would call a 'low man on the totem pole' of Daala's army. But I had a thought… If I took on someone as big as Sheena Arachne, and walloped her butt good, I'd go up a few notches."

"Daala's army is going to be fighting our army in a few hours," said Sheena. "This isn't exactly the time to be thinking about promotions."

The Ogre activated his Disk.

"Scared?" he asked.

Sheena activated hers.

"Oh, please…" she said. "I've seen moldy cottage cheese that was scarier than you.

"Game on!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sheena had no way of knowing that when the Ogre showed up, Daala herself was hiding nearby, concealing herself invisibly in a pocket dimension.

Once Sheena had chased the Ogre away and she was sure they were out of earshot, she phased back into view, and stood in front of the front door of the temple.

"Joan!" she shouted, boldly. "I've come, and I've come alone! I accept your challenge, and I wager the Crown of Xanadu!"

There was dead silence for a minute or two…

The front doors slowly opened. Daala grinned.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**(Sheena: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Ogre of the Black Shadow: 8,000)**

"I'll try ta make this as painless as possible…" chuckled the Ogre, making his first draw.

He looked over his hand.

"I set this, and then this."

Two facedown cards, a Monster and a Spell or Trap, appeared.

"An' I'm done…"

Sheena made her draw.

"Going defensive, huh?" she asked. "Well, I'm not! I summon Insect Knight!"

In a burst of light, the mantis warrior appeared, holding his sword. (1,900/1,500)

"Attack!"

Insect Knight flew forward with a drone of wings, flying towards the facedown Monster…

And then, it was thrown backwards in a blast of electricity.

Crouching on the card was an odd creature. It looked like a large horse with two heads, which was glossy black on one side of its body, and bright crimson on the other side. (700/2,000)

"You're gonna need somethin' tougher than that ta crack my Phantom Beast Thunder-Pegasus," said the Ogre.

_A Phantom Beast?_ thought Sheena.

"It's your move," she muttered.

**(S: 7,900) - - - - - - - - - - (O: 8,000)**

The Ogre made a draw, and then played a Continuous Spell Card.

"I play… Branch!" he said. "We'll get to that in a minute.

"Next, I'll get rid'a my Pegasus…"

Thunder-Pegasus vanished.

"…to summon this handsome guy… Berfomet!"

In an explosion of darkness, a hulking Fiend appeared. It had four arms with claws, vulture-like wings, a hairy, muscular torso, and ram-like horns on its head. (1,400/1,800)

"When he shows up," continued the Ogre, taking his deck, "I get to take Gazelle, the King of Mythical Beasts from my deck.

"Now, I play Polymerization!"

The Spell Card appeared. Gazelle appeared on the field, and both it and Berfomet swirled into two murky colors.

"Let's all have a hand for… Chimera, the Flying Mythical Beast!"

Nearly everyone had seen the Fusion Monster that appeared next. It was one of Yugi Mouto's signature Monsters. If you were one who had not paid much attention to his duels, it was best described as a two-headed, horned lion, with feathered wings and a snake in place of a tail. (2,100/1,800)

"Swat her Insect Knight!" shouted the Ogre. "Pummeling pounce!"

Chimera roared, and leapt, tackling Insect Knight. The Insect shattered. Sheena cringed.

**(S: 7,700) - - - - - - - - - - (O: 8,000)**

"Had enough?" asked the Ogre.

"Not by a long shot," replied Sheena, drawing a card.

"I summon Chainsaw Insect!"

With the roar of chainsaws, the large beetle with the serrated mandibles appeared. (2,400/0)

"Next," she said, as a Spell Card appeared, "I play Double Summon. And I'll use its effect to summon my Des Mosquito."

Another Insect appeared. This one was a humanoid mosquito, holding a long, metal spear. (500/500)

"That's weak!" laughed the Ogre.

"Not as weak as you think," replied Sheena.

Des Mosquito glowed, and two antennae appeared on its head.

"When Des Mosquito is Normal Summoned, it gets two antennae. Each one gives it 500 more Attack Points."

(1,500/500)

"What's more, if you try to destroy it with a card effect, it can survive by shedding one of those antennae.

"Chainsaw Insect, attack Chimera!"

Chainsaw Insect rushed at the Fusion Monster, and with a savage slash, Chimera was no more.

"I get to draw one card 'cause of your bug's effect," said the Ogre, making a draw. "And 'cause of _my_ Monster's effect, I get ta bring back one'a the Monsters I fused to summon it."

Berfomet appeared on the field, crouching in Defense Mode. (1,400/1,800)

"And, thanks to Branch!, I get Gazelle back too!"

Gazelle appeared, also in Defense Mode. (1,500/1,200)

"Des Mosquito!" shouted Sheena, "destroy Gazelle! Des stinger!"

Des Mosquito flew at the King of Mythical Beasts, and stabbed it with its spear. The Beast exploded into triangles.

"I end my turn," she growled.

**(S: 7,700) - - - - - - - - - - (O: 7,700)**

The Ogre drew a card.

He looked over his hand again. He had one of his most powerful Monsters right now, and he could have summoned it at this point if he wanted to.

But he didn't want to.

Most people thought that ogres, by nature, were dumb. And the sad fact was, it was true with most of them.

But despite his course language and his body odor, which was typical of ogres, it wasn't true with him. He was quite clever for an ogre. And he was more than capable of following the very specific orders that Daala had given him before he came here.

She had said:

"_If you can defeat Sheena, congratulations. If you can't, don't feel too bad. But winning or losing doesn't matter. What you must do is provide a distraction, and make the duel last for as long as you can. Drag it out for as long as possible._

"_Just don't play a Stall Deck. We don't want your intentions to be obvious."_

Those were his orders, and he was going to follow them loyally.

He set a card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"That oughta… Do it…" he said.

Sheena quickly made a draw.

"I summon Neo Bug!" she shouted.

The green, scorpion-like Insect appeared. It clapped its pincers. (1,800/1,700)

"Neo Bug, attack his mystery Monster!"

Neo Bug scurried forward. The Monster that appeared on the card was a bird-like creature with golden feathers and wings in place of arms. It was blown to bits.

"Chainsaw Insect, destroy Berfomet!"

Chainsaw Insect scurried forward, and made a slash, cutting Berfomet in two.

The Ogre grinned, and made another draw.

"Des Mosquito, attack him directly!"

The Ogre winced a little, as Des Mosquito stabbed him with its spear.

**(S: 7,700) - - - - - - - - - - (O: 6,200)**

He grinned.

"What don't kill me only makes me stronger," he said.

Sheena looked at him.

"I just don't get it," she said, shaking her head. "What did Daala promise you guys? What did she offer you to make you want to join her unholy army?"

The Ogre frowned.

"Well, not that's it any'a your business," he said with a scowl, "but most'a us just don't like humans all that much.

"Wanna know why I decided to join her? I used ta live in one'a the Dimensions where primitive Spirits were the most common. Beasts, Beast-Warriors, Winged Beasts, Dinosaurs, stuff like that. I was one'a the lucky ones who found a way ta travel ta Earth, an' watch unseen.

"I didn't bother tyin' myself to a card like some Spirits do. I knew that no duelist would wanna use an Ogre of the Black Shadow, cause non-Effect Level Four Beast-Warriors with my scores went outta style when Vorse Raider showed up. So I just watched.

"And ya know what made me mad? Duelists who treated the cards like crud!

"Oh, sure, they kept their Secret Rares an' Holofoil Special Editions protected like valuable treasure, but they stuffed their common cards in boxes an' stashed 'em like junk. Bein' Secret Rare doesn't increase the chance that a card will draw a Spirit to it one bit! In fact, there are more Spirits in Commons, 'cause there are so many more'a those! But these brats never considered that…

"How many Duel Spirits have spent countless hours alone in the darkness 'cause someone threw their card in a closet and forgot about it? Even worse, how many have been thrown back to their home dimension, crash landing 'cause their card was destroyed and they were torn from the world of humans forcefully?

"That's why I joined Daala's army! She offered us a chance ta get even!"

Sheena stared at him.

She didn't know what to say. Was she guilty of doing the very thing he accused duelists of doing because of the vast library of cards she kept in the Kaibacorp building for research purposes? How many cards in that huge place had Spirits in them?

"I… end my turn…" she finally said.

"Then I draw," said the Ogre, drawing a card.

His facedown card lifted.

"I play Call of the Haunted," he said.

In a flash of light, Thunder-Pegasus appeared again. (700/2,000)

"The Monster I'm going to summon next is Level Seven. However, 'cause of one of its effects I can bring it out with one sacrifice if the Monster I use as a sacrifice is a Phantom Beast, like itself.

"So… Goodbye Thunder-Pegasus…"

Thunder-Pegasus vanished, and the ground started to rumble.

"…and hello, Phantom Beast Rock-Lizard!"

The ground cracked, and a huge creature rose out of it. It looked like a monstrous centaur made of rock, with huge, rocky fists. (2,200/2,000)

"That was a waste," said Sheena. "My Chainsaw Insect will eat it alive."

"Oh, really?" replied the Ogre. "Remember that bird-like thing you deep-sixed last turn? It was another Phantom Beast called a Cross-Wing. And when it's in my Graveyard, all Phantom Beasts on the field get 300 more Attack Points."

Rock-Lizard glowed with energy. (2,500/2,000)

"Okay, that could be bad…" muttered Sheena.

"Rock-Lizard…" ordered the Ogre, "smash her Chainsaw Insect!"

The Rock-Lizard ran forward with a noise that sounded like an avalanche. It punched Chainsaw Insect, crushing it like a bug.

"I get another card 'cause of your Insect's effect," he said, making a draw. "And, when Rock-Lizard squashes a Monster, you get clobbered for 500 more Life Points…"

Sheena screamed as a boulder flew at her, striking her in the chest. She fell over.

**(S: 7,100) - - - - - - - - - - (O: 6,200)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"This is hopeless!" said Chelsea.

"We need someone who's an expert," said Erik. "A tracker, or a survivalist, or something…"

"Uhm, I've got an idea…" muttered Sam.

"Well…" said Ren, "it can't be worse than what we've been doing so far…"

Sam activated her Disk, and took a card from her deck.

"I summon Mad Archfiend!" she shouted.

In a burst of dark energy, the snarling, drooling demon appeared. It growled a little, and looked around.

"How's he going to help?" asked Ren. "He's insane, in case you didn't realize…"

"So was Hannibal Lechter, and he was still a genius," said Sam. "The thing is, yes, he's insane, which means he looks at the world in a whole different way. Maybe, just maybe, the spell of Chaos that has us so confused won't be as debilitating to someone like him, and he can use his instincts to find his way to Nexus."

It seemed like Sam actually had something. Mad Archfiend stopped snarling for a minute, and started sniffing the air like a bloodhound. It looked down one path, and then another.

"You know…" said Yumi, "that actually makes sense in a strange way… If you want to fight a spell of Chaos, use someone who's already thick with Chaos."

Mad Archfiend growled, and made a beeline down one of the paths.

"Follow him!" shouted Yumi.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"My… move…" groaned Sheena.

She drew a card.

_Good…_ she thought, looking at it. _This will take out that thing…_

"I move my two Monsters to Defense Mode," she said, "and set another one in Defense Mode…"

Neo Bug and Des Mosquito crouched and shielded themselves, and a third defensive Monster appeared.

"…and that's all."

The Ogre drew a card.

"I summon my secret weapon," he said. "Phantom Beast Wild-Horn."

In a blast of arctic air, a hulking Beast-Warrior appeared. It had the head of a moose with large antlers, tattoos on its fur-covered torso, and was dressed in fur clothing. It carried a sword that was also shaped like an antler. (1,700/0)

"A moose?" asked Sheena. "That's your secret weapon?"

"Don't knock it," replied the Ogre. "And don't forget, with Cross-Wing six feet under, he gains 300 more Attack Points."

(2,000/0)

"Now, I play Path to Destiny. If a Monster is a Beast-Warrior, like yours truly, I can Equip it with this card, an' it lets that Monster attack directly."

Sheena grit her teeth as Rock-Lizard glowed…

Rock-Lizard slammed its fist into the ground, and a shockwave shot towards Sheena. She tried her best to brace herself as it tore through her.

She gasped for breath.

"Then there's Wild-Horn!" laughed the Ogre.

Wild-Horn snorted with fury, and slashed at Neo Bug with its sword. The Bug shattered. Sheena cringed in pain again.

"Forgot to mention," said the Ogre, "Wild-Horn has a trampling effect."

**(S: 4,300) - - - - - - - - - - (O: 6,200)**

Sheena gave him a strange look…

Then she looked at Des Mosquito…

_Neo Bug had 1,700 Defense Points…_ she thought. _Des Mosquito only has 500…_

_And yet, he chose to attack Neo Bug with Wild-Horn instead of Des Mosquito…_

_Why would he deliberately choose the target that would do far less damage?_

_Unless…_

Then it hit her.

"This is a diversion, isn't it?" she shouted.

"Eh?" asked the Ogre.

"You're purposely dragging this duel out!" shouted Sheena. "You're keeping me occupied so that another member of Daala's army can strike somewhere that's _truly_ important!"

The Ogre chuckled.

"Maybe I am, and maybe I ain't," he replied, with a sinister grin. "But what are you gonna do about it? I ain't lettin' you out of this duel. The only way you can end early is if you forfeit, and if you forfeit, you lose."

Sheena looked at her deck.

_He's right,_ she thought. _And we all knows what happens if I lose. I'm gonna have to win quickly._

"My draw…" said.

She drew a card.

"I flip my Man-Eater Bug into Attack Mode!" she shouted.

Her facedown card flipped, and the huge, savage Insect appeared. (450/600)

It leapt at Rock-Lizard.

"Aw, crud, my Rock-Lizard is a gonner," chuckled the Ogre.

Rock-Lizard burst into an explosion of rock.

"But guess what? That's still good, because when Rock-Lizard is trashed by your card effect, another of its effects is activated, and you lose 2,000 Life Points!"

"Huh?" said Sheena.

Then she screamed as a whole shower of rocks fell on her.

She slowly got up.

"I'm not done with you…" she growled. "I move Des Mosquito to Attack Mode…"

Des Mosquito stood up.

"Then, I sacrifice Man-Eater Bug…"

The Bug vanished.

"…to summon Saber Beetle!"

The Insect that appeared next could best be described as a giant rhinoceros beetle with a giant frontal horn, which was glowing with energy. (2,400/600)

"Attack his Wild-Horn!" she shouted.

Saber Beetle scurried forward, and stabbed Wild-Horn with its weapon. The Beast-Warrior groaned, and then shattered.

"Des Mosquito, attack him directly!"

Des Mosquito flew forward and stabbed the Ogre again. He staggered backwards.

**(S: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (O: 4,100)**

The Ogre chuckled.

"Spunky…" he said.

He drew a card.

"I play Premature Burial," he said. "Guess who I'm bringin' back?"

He played the card, and the ground split open again. Rock-Lizard appeared once again. (2,200/2,000) –) (2,500/2,000)

"Flatten her Saber Beetle!" he commanded.

Rock-Lizard punched Saber Beetle, smashing it flat.

Sheena screamed again, as another boulder hit her in the gut.

**(S: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (O: 3,300)**

"It's your move…" he said.

Sheena drew a card.

_All right!_ she thought.

"Oh, I'll move all right," she said. "I remove two Insects from play…"

Man-Eater Bug and Neo Bug fell out of her discard slot. She quickly pocketed them.

"…to Special Summon my Doom Dozer!"

Once again, the ground split open, but this time, it was on Sheena's side of the field. The enormous, blood-red centipede appeared, and roared. (2,800/2,600)

"Whoo-wee!" said the Ogre. "You're a big one, ain't you?"

"Stuff it!" shouted Sheena. "I'm taking out your Lizard! Doom Dozer, attack!"

The huge centipede lunged at Rock-Lizard…

…only to be thrown back when an aura of electricity surrounded the Beast-Warrior.

"What happened?" asked Sheena.

The Ogre held up a card.

"I used the effect of my Thunder-Pegasus," he said. "Remember him? By removin' him from play when a Phantom Beast on the field is attacked, I can save my Beast, and reduce the damage all the way to zero."

Sheena growled.

"I'll set a facedown, and another Monster in Defense Mode," she said. "I'll get your Rock-Lizard next turn."

A reversed card and a facedown Monster appeared.

The Ogre laughed, and drew a card.

"Well," he said, "since Branch! is no good any more, I'll get rid of it."

He played a Spell Card.

"I play Magic Planter. This lets me ditch my Spell Card, and then draw two cards."

A cluster of vines sprang up, and consumed the Branch! card. The ogre made two draws.

He looked at them.

"Something you should know about large members of the deer family…" he said.

He played one of the cards, and a second Wild-Horn appeared. (1,700/0) –) (2,000/0)

"They always gather in herds.

"Next, I play Foolish Burial."

The Spell Card appeared on his side of the field.

"I'll use it to toss a second Cross-Wing," he said, as he discarded a card. "That boosts my Phantom Beasts even more."

Rock-Lizard grew to an Attack Score of 2,800, while Wild-Horn grew to 2,300.

"Now, I play a card I included especially for you and that big bug… Kishido Spirit."

A Continuous Spell appeared on his side of the field.

"Now, my Monsters can attack Monsters with equal Attack Points without being smashed themselves.

"And you know somethin'? I think I've stalled long enough… I'm gonna end this…

"Rock-Lizard… Destroy Doom Dozer!"

Rock-Lizard charged forward, and punched the immense myriapod. Doom Dozer roared, and then shattered.

"No…" gasped Sheena. "It was my best card…"

Then she groaned as a bolder hit her again.

"Wild-Horn…" shouted the Ogre, "stomp her facedown Monster!"

Wild-Horn charged at the facedown Monster. A large, black beetle with a skull printed on its back appeared on the card, and was cleaved in half.

"A Skull-Mark Ladybug?" shouted the Ogre.

"You were expecting another Man-Eater Bug?" said Sheena with a scowl. "It has 1,500 Defense Points, so I only lost 800 Life Points, and then, due to its effect, I gained 1,000 back. I'm still in this."

**(S: 1,400) - - - - - - - - - - (O: 3,300)**

"Not for long," growled the Ogre. "My Rock-Lizard has 2,800 Attack Points, so you're gonna need a pretty big Monster ta take it out. An' don't forget, if you take it out with a card effect, you lose 2,000 Life Points, an' that's more than you've got.

"Make your move…"

Sheena quickly drew a card.

"I activate… Pot of Greed," she said.

She played the card, and the evil jar appeared. She quickly drew two cards.

_That's the ticket…_ she thought, looking at them.

She played one of them, and a Continuous Spell appeared on her side of the field.

"If I can't summon a Monster that's stronger," she said, "I'll make your Monsters weaker. I play… Burden of the Mighty!"

"Huh?" said the Ogre. "Burden of the Mighty?"

"Burden of the Mighty causes all of your Monsters to lose 100 Attack Points for each Level they have," said Sheena, with a grin. "As they say, the bigger they are, the harder they fall…"

The two Phantom Beasts roared. Rock-Lizard fell to an Attack Score of 2,100, while Wild-Horn fell to 1,900.

"Next," said Sheena, as her facedown card lifted, "I play Call of the Haunted to bring back my Skull-Mark Ladybug."

In a flash of energy, the discolored tick appeared. (500/1,500)

"Then, I sacrifice both my Monsters…"

Des Mosquito and Skull-Mark Ladybug vanished.

"…to summon my Metal Armored Bug!"

In an explosion of dirt, dust, and rock, a giant beetle with a solid, steel exoskeleton burrowed its way to the surface. (2,800/1,500)

"Eek…" muttered the Ogre.

"I gain 1,000 more Life Points from my Ladybug's effect," said Sheena, as she glowed with energy. "And now, my Bug is going to take out your Rock-Lizard!"

With an even more thunderous rumble, Metal Armored Bug charged at Rock-Lizard, and crushed it under its huge bulk. The Ogre reeled from the blow.

**(S: 2,400) - - - - - - - - - - (O: 2,600)**

"All right, now I'm angry…" he growled.

"I set one card facedown," continued Sheena, "and that ends my turn."

A facedown card appeared.

The Ogre snarled as he drew a card.

"I set a Monster," he said, "and then move Wild-Horn to Defense Mode."

A facedown Monster appeared, and then Wild-Horn knelt, and crossed its arms over its chest.

"I end my turn."

"Draw," said Sheena, drawing a card.

"Metal Armored Bug, turn his Wild-Horn into venison!"

The giant Insect charged, and flattened the Beast-Warrior.

"Your move, Ogre, and I don't think this is going to last much longer…"

The Ogre snarled, and drew a card.

He chuckled to himself when he saw what it was.

"I play Mystical Space Typhoon!" he shouted, playing it.

The cyclone ripped across the field, and Burden of the Mighty was blown to pieces.

"Now," he continued, "I play Monster Reincarnation. I'll ditch one card in my hand…"

He played the Spell Card, and discarded a second Berfomet.

"…to get back my Rock-Lizard. Now, I'll sacrifice my facedown Gazelle to summon him again!"

The facedown Monster vanished, and Phantom Beast Rock-Lizard appeared with a roar. (2,200/2,000) –) (2,800/2,000)

"My Kishido Spirit is still here," he chuckled, "making my Phantom Beast one giant fly swatter.

"Attack that overgrown cockroach!"

Rock-Lizard charged at Metal Armored Bug…

"I'll teach you to insult my Monsters, you unwashed hypocrite!" shouted Sheena, as her facedown card lifted. "Go, The Transmigration Prophesy!

"This Trap Card lets me return two cards in either Graveyard to the owners' decks. And I'm going to return two cards to your deck… Your two Phantom Beast Cross-Wings!"

The Ogre's deck glowed.

"But that means…" he gasped.

"That's right…" said Sheena, with a grin. "They can't power up the Phantom Beasts on the field anymore."

Rock-Lizard fell to an Attack Score of 2,200. It tried to punch Metal Armored Bug, only to have it clamp its mandibles on its hand. The Bug slammed the Phantom Beast to the ground, where it shattered into shards of rock.

**(S: 2,400) - - - - - - - - - - (O: 2,000)**

The Ogre of the Black Shadow looked at the one card left in his hand.

"I play Monster Reborn," he muttered.

The ankh appeared in a flash of light, and Rock-Lizard appeared again, crouching and shielding itself in Defense Mode. (2,200/2,000)

"Just move…" he growled.

Sheena drew a card.

"I play my own Premature Burial," she said, playing the card. "I'll bring back my Saber Beetle."

Sheena glowed with red energy, as Saber Beetle appeared on her side of the field again. (2,400/600)

"By the way… Saber Beetle has the exact same effect as your Wild-Horn. Allow me to demonstrate…"

Saber Beetle rushed at the Rock-Lizard, and it was blown into a blast of pebbles. The Ogre reeled from the blow.

"Now, Metal Armored Bug, attack directly and finish him off!"

Metal Armored Bug grabbed the Ogre of the Black Shadow in its mandibles, and he screamed…

It dumped him on the ground.

**(S: 1,600) - - - - - - - - - - (O: 0)**

Then he started laughing. He started laughing hysterically.

"What's so funny?" asked Sheena.

The Ogre got up.

"You may have beaten me good," said the Ogre, "but I'm pretty sure that my mission was a success. If the other duel lasted as long as this one did without Daala winning, she would have won by decking her opponent out.

"Well… smell ya later…"

Then he started running in the other direction.

Sheena was about to chase him, but she stopped short.

"What the heck did he…"

She turned and started running back to the temple.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Nicholas and Olga were in big trouble right now.

They only had 2,600 Life Points left, while the two clowns had their full total of 8,000.

Nicholas had Yaichi (1,300/800), Nisashi (1,400/700), and Irou (1,700/1,200) in Attack Mode and a facedown card. Olga had a facedown Monster in Defense

Crass Clown had Castle Gate in Attack Mode (0/2,400) and Spirit Barrier. Dream Clown had Super Conductor Tyranno in Attack Mode. (3,300/1,400) Even worse, it was his turn.

He chuckled, and drew a card.

"I summon Cannon Soldier," he laughed, as the Machine appeared. (1,400/1,300)

"Now, I sacrifice it, to use my dino's effect. Get 'em!"

Cannon Soldier vanished, and Super Conductor Tyranno blasted a bolt of energy at the two duelists. Nicholas and Olga screamed as their Life Points fell to 1,600.

"I'm done…" chuckled Dream Clown.

_Gotta do something…_ thought Olga. _Next turn, his partner will be able to sacrifice that Dinosaur to use Castle Gate's effect, and we'll lose._

She drew a card.

"I flip Zolga into Attack Mode," she said.

Her facedown card flipped up, and a mysterious, dark, robed figure with a single eye and a helmet, floating in mid-air appeared. (1,700/1,200)

"Next, I play Monster Reborn."

She played the card, and Hysteric Fairy appeared next to Zolga. (1,800/500)

"Now, I sacrifice both Monsters…"

Zolga and Hysteric Fairy vanished into grains of Light.

"…to summon Splendid Venus!"

In a burst of light, a powerful-looking female angel appeared. She wore golden ceremonial armor, had four feathered wings, and carried a bejeweled scepter. (2,800/2,400)

"And since I sacrificed Zolga to summon her, we gain 2,000 Life Points."

Their Life Points rose to 3,600.

"Big deal!" laughed Dream Clown. "She can't beat my dino!"

"Yes she can," replied Olga. "When she's on the field, all Monsters except Fairies lose 500 Life Points."

"Eh?" said Dream Clown.

Super Conductor Tyranno fell to 2,800 Life Points. It growled as it and Venus looked each other in the eye…

Splendid Venus fires a blast of pure light at the huge Dinosaur. At the same time, the Dinosaur breathed a bolt of energy at Venus. The two blasts collided, and both Monsters were incinerated in a great explosion.

"Sweet Christmas!" shouted Dream Clown, cowering.

"That ends my turn," said Olga.

"You'd better have a plan…" said Dream Clown, turning to his partner.

"Don't worry, said Crass Clown, drawing a card. "We still have Castle Gate…

"I summon Dark Elf…"

He played the card, and the dark, evil twin of Mystical Elf appeared. (2,000/800)

"Now, I sacrifice her to use Castle Gate's effect… Monster Cannon!"

Dark Elf vanished, and Castle Gate pointed its arms. There was a sound like artillery firing, and both Nicholas and Olga reeled from the impact. Their Life Points fell to 2,600.

"What do you say to that?" asked Crass Clown.

"I say…" said Nicholas, "it's my move…"

He drew a card.

"I play Six Samurai United," he said, playing the card. "Then, I summon Six Samurai Kamon."

The Continuous Spell Card appeared, and then the explosives-laden Samurai appeared. (1,500/1,000)

"Now, I can ditch my United card to draw one card…"

The United card vanished, and he made a draw.

"Then, I play Double Summon. I can make another Normal Summon now. And I use it to summon Six Samurai – Zanji."

In a burst of light, the naginata-wielding Samurai appeared. (1,800/1,300)

"Now… Kamon, destroy that Spirit Barrier!"

Kamon lit the fuse of one of his explosives, and threw it at the Trap Card, blowing it to pieces.

"Uh oh…" said both the clowns at once.

"Zanji, attack the Castle Gate!" shouted Nicholas.

Zanji leapt at the huge building, and slashed at it with his weapon. Castle Gate shuddered, and cracks appeared all over it. Then it collapsed into a pile of rubble.

"But how?" gasped Crass Clown. "It can't be destroyed in battle!"

"It wasn't," replied Nicholas. "It was destroyed by Zanji's effect. And you still took damage."

The two clowns groaned as their Life Points fell to 6,200.

"And you're both defenseless! Irou, attack Dream Clown directly!"

Dream Clown screamed as Irou slashed at him with his katana. Their Life Points fell to 4,500.

"Yaichi, you next! Aim for Crass Clown's stomach… You can't possibly miss."

Crass Clown howled as he was hit in the gut by Yaichi's arrow. Their Life Points fell to 3,200.

"And finally, Nisashi can attack twice, meaning he has one for both of you. Go, Strike of the Driving Gale!"

Nisashi dashed to Dream Clown and then to Crass Clown, slashing at both of them with their weapons and knocking them over. Their Life Points fell to merely 400.

"They still have 400 Life Points, Olga," said Nicholas. "Can you remedy that?"

"Mercy, please!" shouted Crass Clown.

"We give up!" shouted Dream Clown.

The fell to their knees.

"Well, that's more like it," said Nicholas. "Now, just deactivate your Duel Disks like good scum, and start talking."

"Who's leading this army of Duel Spirits?" asked Olga.

"Uh… Uhm..." muttered Dream Clown.

"It's… It's Freed…" said Crass Clown, nervously.

"Liar!" screamed Nicholas. "Freed the Matchless General would never work for Daala."

The two clowns looked visibly nervous. It almost looked as if they expected Nicholas not to believe them.

"Uhm…" said Dream Clown. "He's… He's kind of hard to describe… Look… He's using Kaibaland as a base… We'll gladly take you there to meet him…"

"Just leave our names out of it!" said Crass Clown.

"Perish the thought," said Olga. "Lead on."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As Sheena ran up the hill to the temple, she saw Yumi and the others run up from the opposite direction.

"You're back!" she exclaimed.

"After going through a virtual maze," replied Yumi, as they ran up the hill. "Daala's clearly trying something new."

"I know," said Sheena, "and I don't like it at all…"

The doors to the temple opened.

"Joan!" shouted Yumi. "Joan!"

There was no-one in the common room. The place seemed empty.

"Let's not panic yet, people…" said Sam.

"Where the heck is Joan?" asked Ren.

"We were hoping you folks could tell us," said a voice from the door.

They all turned around, and saw five duelists they knew enter. Jesse, Mako, Aster, Atticus, and Zane, and all of them looked worried. Aster was carrying an extra Duel Disk.

"What happened, people?" asked Yumi.

"We were gathering Joan's troops from the six Realms to prepare for the assault," said Atticus, "and when we came back fifteen minutes ago… No Joan."

"All we found was this…" said Aster.

He handed her the Duel Disk.

Yumi looked at the deck, which was half-used. Clearly, this Disk and deck had been used in a duel recently.

She looked at the cards.

"Okay, _now_ we can panic…" she said. "Lightsworn Monsters… This belongs to Joan!"

"She was beaten?" exclaimed Mako. "By who?"

"By Daala, personally," said a voice.

"Everyone turned, and saw General Freed enter.

"I came to tell Joan that my army stands ready to march," he said. "But when I entered Nexus, I ran into Daala, and she and a Masked Beast Des Gardius had Joan as their prisoner. I tried to stop them, but the Fiend delayed me long enough for Daala to escape, taking Joan with her."

Freed slammed something to the ground. It was a Mask of Remnants.

"I slew the foul abomination… A lot of good that will do Joan…"

Yumi rubbed her chin.

"Daala defeated Joan…" she muttered. "I don't get it… Daala is no slouch, but I don't see how she could have beaten Joan's Lightsworn Deck… We saw the duel with Demise. Joan had several ways to defeat practically any Dragon. Even the F.G.D."

She turned to everyone present.

"We may have taken six Realms, but we haven't weakened Daala. She's become stronger somehow…"

"What I don't get is why Daala decided to capture when she could have killed," said Zane. "So long as Joan is alive, the rebellion is still protected by her dictum, even if she herself isn't."

Yumi sighed.

"Daala's goals are as fickle as Chaos itself," she said. "Joan may not even be alive. Daala may have another reason for not arresting the whole resistance.

"And if Joan is alive, it may not be for long.

"In cases like this, we have to assume the worst… We must assume…"

She swallowed hard.

"We must assume that Joan is dead."

There was dead silence for a few seconds.

"Zane, you're second-in-command," continued Yumi. "It's up to you to do whatever Joan had planned once her patron gets here."

"That's a tall order, Yumi," said Zane. "I don't even know who this patron is! That was one thing Joan didn't share with anybody."

"Well, you'd better prepare fast!" replied Sam. "Because according to my watch, he'll be here in ten minutes!"

"Jesse!" shouted Zane. "Find the manual controls to raise the portal. This assault is going through for as long as we're able to."

"You got it!" said Jesse.

He ran to a large winch at the other end of the room, and gave it a large turn. The trapdoor opened, and the crystal spire started to rise out of the floor.

"Oh… no…" said Yumi, looking at it.

There was a very large crack in the side of the crystal.

"I'm guessing that Daala tried to destroy it, but that was all she managed…" muttered Ren. "What are we gonna do?"

"Pray that it somehow still works," said Chelsea. "But we're gonna have to do an awful lot of praying…"

As she finished these words, the room became awash in light…

They turned. The light was coming from the giant throne that dominated the far end of the room. The one that they didn't know the purpose of, and were too polite to ask.

The light became blinding…

As the light started to decrease (but not go away entirely) a majestic, titanic form appeared sitting on the throne. He had blue skin, and silvery hair tied in a long topknot. He was dressed in royal, pure white, silken robes, and a golden circlet was behind his head resembling a halo. Four glorious feathered wings were behind his back. His mere presence filled the whole room with an aura of divine energy that could not be ignored.

Six humans, five AI programs, and one Duel Spirit looked up in wonder at the immense form of Shinato, King of the Higher Plane…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DES MOSQUITO (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Insect/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 500  
**DEF:** 500

**Card Description:** When this card is Normal Summoned, place two Counters on it. This card gains 500 ATK for each Counter placed on it by its effect. If this card would be destroyed by a card effect, you may remove one Counter from it to negate the destruction.

_Note: "Des Mosquito" is a real card that has not yet been released in the United States. (Note that it has indeed been released for the TCG, but only in European versions)._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**PATH TO DESTINY (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image:** Two Samurai about to ambush each other from behind the corner of a building.

**Card Description:** Equip only to a Beast-Warrior Type Monster. The Equipped Monster may attack directly.

_Note: "Path to Destiny" was first used by Atticus in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Pop Goes the Duel". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MAGIC PLANTER (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A basin full of water and vines and shrubbery, emitting eerie steam.

**Card Description:** Send one face-up Continuous Spell Card that you control to the Graveyard. Draw two cards from your deck.

_Note: "Magic Planter" was first used by Aki in an episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lords of Chaos**

**The Enigma of the Monoliths of Cantha**

They have stood motionless since before recorded history. Only a select few knows their purpose, and they don't like what they know. The Monoliths of Cantha are a sleeping power that would threaten the world if they ever awoke.

The Monoliths of Cantha were discovered roughly one-thousand years ago by the Wind Dukes of Aaqa, and they consider themselves very lucky that they found them first. After a battle with a powerful demon lord who was trying to open a portal in a subterranean cavern system, they discovered an underground cathedral where these five large statues stood.

Each Monolith is twenty feet tall, hulking, blocky, and vaguely humanoid. Four of them are made of white stone, and stand in a circle facing each other. The fifth is made of black stone, and stands outside the circle, facing out.

The Monoliths seem to move slightly when viewed out of the corner of one's eye, but this apparent illusion stops when one looks at them with a full glance. Most remarkably, no-one can sleep in the cathedral in which they are housed without suffering terrible nightmares, unless he has done so several times. Most importantly, the Monoliths radiate a powerful aura of Chaos, something that the Wind Dukes noticed immediately.

The Wind Dukes inspected the cavern, and it had apparently not been built by any human civilization that they knew of, and had been there much longer than any recorded history that existed on Earth. But years later, they found a set of ancient scrolls called the Scrolls of Cantha that told the purpose of these statues; whoever or whatever Cantha was, no-one knows, but the scrolls were written in the ancient language of the obyriths, a language they knew only too well.

Apparently, the Monoliths are forerunners of alien colonization from an unknown dimension. Their colonization party consisted of four females (the white Monoliths) and one male (the black one). For unknown reasons, the alien race that sent them to Earth either couldn't or wouldn't awaken its representatives. The Monoliths remain unconscious and immobile until they can somehow awaken and make contact with their home realm. Once that is done, they will "purify" the world they have arrived on before starting to reproduce their own spawn.

The Wind Dukes quickly realized that "purify" likely meant "kill all life that could interfere". They decided to destroy the Monoliths before anything could awaken them. They first tried picks and hammers… Then explosives… They tried every form of demolition, mundane and magical, that they knew of, but nothing could make as much as a blemish on the five creatures.

The Wind Dukes resigned to the fact that the Monoliths were indestructible as they were, and the only way to destroy them was to awaken them first – probably. But since they had no idea just what they were capable of when awake, they decided not to try, and simply to watch the cathedral, keeping their knowledge secret.

Unfortunately, their knowledge slipped. Over the years, doomsday cultists and worshippers of Chaos found other copies of that scroll, and embarked on missions to awaken the Monoliths. Each time, the Wind Dukes responded, raiding the cathedral and raining death on whatever cult was trying to make the attempt.

After a very close call, the Wind Dukes decided to form a group to make a permanent base within the cathedral. They trained several strong warriors to withstand the nightmares that the Monoliths cause, and resolved to guard them until the end of time, if that was necessary.

In the meantime, research is done towards finding a weakness that can be used to destroy them. After all, guarding them forever may not be possible, and the Monoliths' race may one day decide to awaken them from long distance. The Monoliths of Cantha are one group of foes that frustrate the Wind Dukes the most, despite the fact that combat between the two groups has never truly occurred.

There is one irony of the whole situation. Since the Scrolls of Cantha were written in the obyrith language, it hints at a relation between the Monoliths and that race. Perhaps the obyriths were allies, cohorts, rivals, or enemies of the Monoliths' race. Maybe they were even responsible for them not being able to awaken the Monoliths. Possibly, they know of a weakness that could be exploited. But the obyriths are the last race that the Wind Dukes would go to for advice. The demons intended nothing less than their extinction when the Queen of Chaos led them, and the Wind Dukes responded by decimating them. There are many ironies in the universe, and this is one of the biggest.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**With or without Joan, the assault on the Core is going through! Next chapter, the Big Five return, and they aren't the only ones, as the rebellion forces their way into the very heart of Xanadu to make the last stand. It's Jesse versus Gansley! Aster versus Krump! And Freed's army of Warriors versus anything in their path! And lest we forget who the stars of this fic are…**_

"_**Battlezone" is coming up next!**_


	57. Battlezone

_**It's all come down to this…**_

_**Joan is either dead, or is a prisoner of the enemy. But an even greater representative has arrived from the Higher Plane to guide us. Joan's defeat will not be in vain!**_

_**Freed's army, Joan's army, and the five of us stand ready. We're taking the fight straight into the heart of the problem. None of us know whether or not we'll be coming back or not, but if we are defeated, we will die knowing that we made a stand. **_

_**It will be a battle of Order versus Chaos. A battle of ideas that will be fought both with swords and Duel Disks…**_

_**We've worked hard to get to this point… And there's no turning back now…**_

_**Pharaoh… If you're watching from some better place, it's time for me to fulfill the purpose that the prophesy spoke of so long ago. You said you had faith in me when you left, and I'll have faith in myself.**_

_**I don't know what we'll find…**_

_**But we'll find out…**_

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**CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX**

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**Battlezone**

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Not many people knew it, but the throne room where Daala had resided in up to now, where she reclined on her couch being pampered by attendants, was only her secondary throne room.

At this moment, she was sitting on the true seat of power of Xanadu. She was in a vast chamber made of black crystal, lit by candelabras holding candles made of black wax and torches. She sat on a throne made of gold, decorated with demonic skulls.

She had traded in her trendy outfit for a black, low-cut, evil sorceress-style dress. She looked beautiful in a sinister way.

It was no longer time to play. It was time to be serious.

Behind her was a thick curtain. She glanced at it every now and then, making sure it was undisturbed.

In front of her were five Duel Spirits and one human – The Big Five, and Slade. Skull Knight stood off to the side.

She sighed.

"The Big Five…" she muttered. "I can't see how I was anything more than generous to you.

"I had you rescued from that lonely place you were stuck in. I made you my governors. I even shared my precious Devil's Fruit with you, so that you finally got what you wanted all along, and then some."

"And we are incredibly grateful," said Nezbitt.

"Zip it, Nezbitt!" snapped Leichter. "We're in enough trouble!"

"And yet…" muttered Daala, "when push came to shove, you did the same thing you did when you worked for Noah… You messed up."

Slade sighed and crossed his arms.

"Your excellence," he grumbled. "Can you scold me separately? I don't recall ever joining this group of losers."

"Oh, stuff a sock in it, Slade!" shouted Krump. "You messed up just as much as we did!"

"Did I ever tell you how much I just love penguins, Krump?" asked Slade, glaring at him.

"Uh, you do?" asked Krump.

"Yes…" said Slade. "Let's exchange recipes sometime."

"Enough!" shouted Daala. "I've taken Joan prisoner, so once her army is defeated, you six can get your lordships back, as much as you don't deserve it…"

"If you've taken her prisoner," said Gansley, "I think you should kill her now."

"Gansley is right," added Johnson. "In every movie I've seen, every villain makes the same dumb mistake when he captures the hero – he waits instead of killing him when he has the chance."

"True, I could dispose of Joan now," said Daala. "It would end our troubles quickly…

"But, by keeping her alive, and letting her dictum stand for now, I can enact a plan that will help me get what I need to magnify the power emitted from the Core a hundredfold, increasing all of our powers!

"To do so, I need powerful Duel Spirits. I was thinking that five of them should be enough… Now, if I were to kill Joan, the most powerful ones available would be you five…"

"The plan is fine!" gasped Krump. "Whatever it is…"

"Yeah, I like it…" stammered Johnson. "But… Uhm, forgive me for asking… Who else are you thinking of?"

"Five individuals who have already proven far stronger than you five," said Daala, as she sat down.

She paused.

"Now…" she said. "As I just said, I'm not Noah. I'm willing to give you jerks one more chance, as much as you don't deserve it. You six will be in charge of leading my personal army when the resistance gets here. In the meantime…"

She took a card out of her dress.

"…I have a powerful card that I'm just dying to give away. But I only have one, and there are six of you…"

The six of them gasped when they saw what it was.

"As the member of the Big Five with the most seniority," said Gansley, "it should rightly go to me!"

"That's just another way of saying you're _old_, Gansley!" replied Nezbitt. "Old and senile!"

"Why do you want it, Nezbitt?" asked Krump. "It isn't even a Machine!"

"By all rights, I should get that card," said Slade. "I rightfully won that duel with Yumi. She cheated."

"On the contrary," said Johnson, "Relay Soul is a perfectly legal card. On the other hand, the Evil Heroes were never authorized for use by Industrial Illusions. If anyone cheated in that duel, it was you."

Gansley glared at Johnson.

"Well ex-_cuse_ me," he replied. "Do you ever read Shakespeare, Johnson? There's a good quote of his from _Henry VI_, Act IV, Scene II."

"I know that quote," said Gansley. "It went, 'The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers'."

"No arguing!" shouted Daala. "Here's what we'll do. Each you will form groups of two, and then duel. The winners of the three duels will then duel in a triangle duel. The winner of that duel will get this card."

She leaned back in her throne as Skull Knight walked over.

"The rest of the inner circle are in the prison level, milady," he said. "So far, most prisoners who once worked for you are willing to accept your offer."

"Good," said Daala. "Get them their decks and Disks. Soon, the Core is gonna be a battlezone."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi could not believe the irony…

Noah Kaiba had been a person with an incredible ego. In his virtual world, he was so powerful, he believed he was a god. This was reflected in the decks he used when challenging Kaiba and Yugi.

Against Kaiba, he used a deck that was titled "The Seven Turns of Creation". As he dueled, his Monsters, Traps, and Spells were an allegory for the history of the Earth. He started with Monsters that represented Grecian deities. Then he used the Spell Card Giant Flood to simulate the Great Flood that God used to purge the world of evil (and at the same time, revealed his Deckmaster, Shinato's Ark, which represented the biblical Noah's Ark). His deck went on to eras like the age of dinosaurs, the Ice Age, and finally the modern age. His final move in that duel was to summon Shinato, King of a Higher Plane, which represented the Apocalypse.

After Noah defeated Kaiba (although he cheated by using Mokuba as a shield) he used a different deck against Yugi – a Spirit Deck, which seemed to represent the afterlife and beyond, continuing the theme of his first deck. Shinato remained as his Deckmaster, and it was very powerful, granting him any Life Points that Yugi lost. Still, despite an overwhelming advantage, he was defeated.

Now, Noah, despite this god complex, was only a genius in scientific matters. He may have studied world religion as part of the many social sciences he studied, but his true personal beliefs were another story. He had no knowledge of actual magic, and didn't know that other dimensions were hidden behind the veil of his sight. He didn't know that Duel Spirits existed, and had no way of knowing that Fairies lived in a complex society, ruled over by a real Shinato.

Yumi would have found it hard to disbelieve that fact after all she had seen in the last week. But now, if she ever had any doubts, they were completely gone.

Mostly because the true Shinato, King of the Higher Plane was seated on the immense throne before her and her allies.

The Fairy monarch looked at them, and rubbed his chin.

"Uh, people?" said Ren. "Should we kneel?"

"Kneeling is optional for non-Fairies," said Shinato's powerful voice.

"So…" said Yumi, in awe. "It was you who was supporting Joan all along…"

"Yes," said Shinato. "I was the one whom Dr. Ting's call for help truly reached.

"I investigated. I was alarmed when I saw that a new dimension had been created, and its ruler was recruiting Duel Spirits. I was even more alarmed when the key point of her recruitment was a promise to be free of the treaty that forbids them from invading Earth.

"And I was most alarmed when I saw Shogarr's influence. I had to act.

"As the highest representative of Order in the Twelve Dimensions, I had to stop this threat of Chaos. Naturally, my responsibilities as sovereign of the Higher Plane kept me from personally coming here until I was truly needed. Fortunately, Joan was willing to do so."

"So, you sent Joan to form a rebellion," replied Sam.

"Yes," said Shinato. "And she has done her job admirably. Now, it is time for me to do my job. Do your armies stand ready?"

"They will in about a half-hour," replied Zane.

"Same here," said Freed, "but there's a big crack in the crystal spire. Can you fix it?"

Shinato looked at the spire.

"Hmm," he said, rubbing his chin.

"This crack was caused by an influx of chaotic energy. Likely the result of a duel where a powerful Light Monster was defeated by a powerful Dark one."

"Maybe Joan's Judgment Dragon was destroyed by something that Daala summoned," said Erik, "which was what caused Joan to lose."

"Perhaps," said Shinato. "But yes, I can fix it. However, I need a Spirit who represents a different contradiction. Such as a high-Level Monster with a low Attack Score."

"We can use Doubleguy," said Mako to Aster.

"There's no true Spirits in my cards," said Aster. "Only the real Aster's cards had the Spirits of the Destiny Heroes in them. They were unique."

"Wait!" shouted Ren.

He took a card from his deck.

"Use Black Lotus!"

Shinato looked at the card. He concentrated.

Black Lotus appeared in front of them. She closed her eyes, and held her hands together, as if she were praying.

Shinato chanted.

"_Spirit's power, make a match. Use your strength to form a patch."_

Then Black Lotus glowed with energy, and she flew into the crystal. In a burst of light, she was absorbed into it, and the crack vanished, as if it were never broken. The crystal glowed with soft, white light.

"Gather your troops outside," said Shinato. "It's almost time…

"And one more thing. You have thus far only fought Daala's forces. But you cannot ignore the possibility that Daala's demonic patron will send her aid."

"Shogarr…" muttered Yumi. "I'm the one he wants…"

"But fear not," said Shinato. "I have been an ally of the Wind Dukes of Aaqa for years. I told them of my concern, and they added Xanadu to the list of places they are monitoring.

"In other words, should Shogarr decide to send his demonic troops to oppose you, do not give up, whatever you do. The Wind Dukes will know, and if you can last long enough, help is sure to arrive."

"Yeah…" muttered Sam. "The only question is, will that help arrive on time?"

"The point is," said Yumi, "if it happens, there's a chance they will, so we hang on until our last amount of strength is spent.

"We're in dangerous waters now… It's not gonna be easy…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Leichter screamed as a direct attack from Power Annihilator slammed into him. He fell to his knees.

"Well done," said Daala, walking up to Gansley. "You have earned this."

She handed him the card.

"Now, all of you get to your positions. The rebellion will be here soon."

With all of them – except Gansley – grumbling, they left the chamber.

Daala grinned, and looked at the curtain.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi looked out at the two battalions that had formed.

On one side was Freed's army, a large squadron of Warriors armed with swords and clad in armor, all of it finely made. Freed himself and Marauding Captain stood at the forefront.

On the other side was an equally large group of Duel Spirits and AI programs, comprised of the Xanadu population that Joan had recruited. The Elemental Heroes stood in the forefront, the Amazoness tribe made up one part, and various other Monsters filled the gaps. All of them were armed with Duel Disks.

Yumi and her friends along with Sheena and the five guides who had accompanied them through their six missions stood in front of the temple, with Shinato looming behind.

"Okay!" shouted Yumi. "Now let's go over the plan one more time…"

She pointed to Freed's group.

"The Gold Squadron's job is to handle any part of Daala's army that fights using weapons other than Duel Disks."

She pointed to the other group.

"Red Squadron's job is to engage anyone who summons using Disks by summoning Monsters of their own.

"In the meantime, the infiltration team, which is me and this group, will infiltrate Daala's palace and confront Daala's source of power directly.

"I take it no more needs to be said… May the powers of Order guide you all…"

She turned to Shinato.

"We're ready…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The King of the Higher Plane's eyes glowed with pure light…

An orb of light appeared over Gansley's castle in the Tzimisce Woods…

A second one appeared over Krump's castle at the edge of the Sea of Infinite Tears….

A third appeared over Johnson's fortress in the Burnt Paradise…

A fourth appeared over the Infernal Clock in Darkspire…

A fifth appeared over Leichter's castle in the Flaming Peaks…

And the last appeared over Slade's fortress in the Frozen Wastes.

The crystal spire glowed with intense light…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The army looked around. The first thing they saw was flashes of lightning.

They were on a blasted, rocky badlands. The sky was dark, and full of swirling, angry clouds. Dead trees dotted the barren land.

They were in the Core.

"Look out for the enemy!" shouted Freed.

"I'm looking," said Burstinatrix. _"And here they come!"_

Coming over the hill ahead was a swarm of Monsters. Whiptail Crows, Ocubeam, Morinphen, and Reapers of the Cards came by air, while Pitch-Black Warwolves, Vorse Raiders, Stone Ogre Grottos, and Hitotsu-Me Giants came by foot.

"Attack!" shouted Freed.

Freed's army and the army of Monsters collided. The warriors seemed to gain the upper hand at first, cutting down the grunts as they pressed forward.

"Brain Crusher at ten o'clock!" shouted Marauding Captain.

It was indeed Brain Crusher, and Weevil Underwood was riding it.

"Hee, hee," he chuckled, activating his Disk. "This should bug you a little…"

In a flash of energy, a swarm of Killer Needles appeared.

Meanwhile, an Amazoness Swordswoman screamed as a blast hit her, blowing her to shards.

Her sisters angrily looked up, and saw Emma Frost hovering in the air next to Mental Sphere Demon, smiling evilly.

The four Elemental Heroes flew forward with Disks in hand.

"Now's our chance!" shouted Avian. "If we can reach the next hill…"

Then Drillroid burrowed out of the ground, blocking their path.

"Where do ya think you're going?" asked Bandit Keith.

Stealthroid, Truckroid, and Expressroid appeared. Keith held up his Vehicroid Connection Zone card, and the four melded together into Super Vehicroid Stealth Union.

Meanwhile, Freed's men were cutting through a group of Ancient Gear Soldiers. But as they were doing so, Doresain appeared, and two of the Soldiers vanished. Ancient Gear Golem loomed over the field.

"Let's hope Yumi's group is having better luck than we are…" said Freed.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi's group was in sight of Daala's palace, thanks to Chelsea's Interdimensional Matter Transporter. The whole place was built on an island in the center of a vast lake of lava.

"Well, she has style," said Sheena.

"Aster!" said Zane. "Time to use that Spell you've been saving!"

"Gotcha!" said Aster, opening the Field slot on his Disk. "I play Bridge Over Destiny! London Bridge is falling down."

With an explosion of energy, a bridge that did indeed look like London Bridge appeared, spanning over the lava.

The eleven duelists wasted no time, running across it…

…only to find their path blocked. The Big Five and Slade were on the opposing side.

"What do you clowns want?" asked Mako. "You guys are pathetic."

"Don't make fun of us!" replied Gansley. "Despite what you did, we're still the law in Xanadu!"

"You're still the law, huh?" asked Atticus. "Yumi! You and your four friends go ahead of us. The six of us will handle the Keystone Cops!"

"All right…" said Yumi.

"Be careful, Sam!" shouted Sheena.

The six governors of Xanadu and the six rebels faced off. Six duels started at once…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Daala moved over to the curtain and moved it aside.

Joan was standing there, alive, but certainly not in great shape. She was tied down by two Shadow Spells, and a Mask of the Accursed was bonded to her face, rendering her blind and mute. Daala was taking no chances.

Daala grinned, and took hold of the Mask. She lifted it off of Joan's face. Joan only glared at her.

"You're likely wondering why you're still here, Joan," she said. "Well, it won't be for long. Very soon, I'm shipping you to Shogarr, gift wrapped."

"I heard what you said, Daala," whispered Joan. "I'm the bait for some trap, aren't I?"

Daala nodded.

"And guess what?" she replied. "Right before I do away with your would-be heroes, they're gonna learn your shame."

"You're too late," replied Joan. "They know about Marie."

Daala took a card out of her dress.

"Do they know about this?" she asked.

Joan gasped.

"HOW?" she shouted. "That card was never approved for design by I2! It shouldn't exist!"

"There are ways to get anything you want, if you want it enough," said Daala. "I'm a girl who gets what she wants. Lights out now…"

She thrust the Mask back on Joan's face.

Joan's head sadly drooped as Daala closed the curtain.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Aster was facing Krump. Krump seemed to have the advantage, and then some. He had three Monsters on the field: Gogiga Gagagigo (2,950/2,800), which he had Equipped with Glory Level Talisman, Flying Penguin, which he had Equipped with Penguin Sword (1,200/1,000) –) (2,000/1,00), and Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness. (1,800/1,500) He also had Level Tax on the field. Aster's side was clear. Aster had 4,000 Life Points remaining, while Krump had 6,000. Fortunately, it was Aster's turn.

"I'm drawing!" shouted Aster.

He drew a card.

"And I summon Destiny Hero Divineguy!"

In a flash of energy, the masked, armored Hero with the large, metal discus on his back appeared. (1,600/1,400)

"Ha!" laughed Krump. "He's not strong enough to beat any of my Monsters!"

"He will in a minute," said Aster, opening his Field slot. "I play Dark City!"

With a rumble, the buildings of a dark, foreboding metropolis with the full moon in the sky rose around the two duelists.

"In Dark City," continued Aster, "the Destiny Heroes gain 1,000 Attack Points whenever they attack Monsters that are stronger than they are. And my Hero is gonna attack your Flying Penguin!"

Divineguy flew towards Flying Penguin. His Attack Score rose to 2,600.

"This activates his effect, by the way. I get to destroy an Equip Spell, and then burn you for 500 points of damage. So I think I'll destroy Glory Level Talisman!"

Krump squawked as the Trap Card burst, and a red aura surrounded him. Divineguy slashed at Flying Penguin, and the fowl exploded. Krump's Life Points fell to 4,900.

"I set two cards, and end my turn," said Aster, as two facedown cards appeared.

"You'll pay for that," said Krump, drawing a card. "Sea Serpent, attack Divineguy!"

The Warrior of Darkness charged, and speared the Hero with his trident. Aster cringed as his Life Points fell to 3,800.

"I activate Destiny Signal!" he shouted.

One of his Trap Cards lifted, and the spotlight shone over Dark City. Defendguy appeared crouching in Defense Mode. (100/2,700)

Krump sneered. He pointed, and Gogiga Gagagigo's mighty claw crashed down, smashing the Hero.

"It's your move…" he growled.

Aster drew.

"I play Destiny Draw," he said. "I'll toss one Destiny Hero, so I can draw twice."

He discarded a card, and made two draws. He smirked.

"Next," he said, as a Spell Card appeared, "I play D-Mind. Since I have no Destiny Heroes on the field, I can summon a Level Three or lower one from my deck, like Diehardguy."

In a burst of energy, the wildhaired, bare-chested hero with shells on his arms appeared. (800/800)

"Next, I Normal Summon Destiny Hero Departedguy."

The Hero that appeared this time resembled Claude Raines as the Invisible Man. He was a mysterious-looking figure in a formal suit, with his head covered in bandages. He held a walking stick with a knob shaped like a skull. (1,000/0)

"Then, since the Destiny Hero I discarded when I played Destiny Draw was Destiny Hero Diabolicguy, I can remove him from play to summon a second Diabolicguy from my deck."

The Hero that appeared next looked more like a Fiend than a Warrior, with horns, claws, wings, tails, and goat-like legs. (800/800)

"I lose 800 Life Points due to your Level Tax," he said, as his Life Points went down to 3,100, "but I can take it.

"Now… I sacrifice all three of my Destiny Heroes…"

Diehardguy, Departedguy, and Diabolicguy all vanished into pixels.

"Meet the epoch of Destiny!" shouted Aster, as a huge form started to rise on his side of the field. _"Destiny Hero Bloo-D!"_

The demonic creature Aster had summoned left little to the imagination. It had leathery wings, fiendish armor, and huge, talon-like protrusions. Its left arm ended in a large claw, while its right ended in a diabolical dragon's head. It roared in bloodlust. (1,900/600)

"Good lord…" said Krump. "It does exist…"

"Bloo-D is Level Eight, so I lose another 1,900 Life Points due to your Level Tax," said Aster, as his Life Points went down to 1,200, "but it's worth every one. I activate Bloo-D's effect… It can absorb an enemy Monster, and steal half of its Attack Score."

Bloo-D lifted its terrible wings, catching Gogiga Gagagigo in a powerful suction. The Reptile roared before it shattered into bits.

Bloo-D's wing membranes started to bulge as its Attack Score went up to 3,375.

"Attack his Sea Serpent!" shouted Aster. "Vengeful Rain!"

Blood-D spread his wing, and a driving shower of gore shot at Krump's Monster. Krump screamed as Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness burst, and his Life Points fell to 3,325.

"I'm not done," said Aster, as his other facedown card lifted. "I first activate Blood Roar.

"Then, I play Drain Time."

He played his last card, and a Spell Card appeared.

"Now, since Bloo-D is on the field, I can name one Phase of the turn, and we both have skip that Phase the next time it would occur. I name Draw Phase.

"And I end my turn."

Krump snarled.

"I can't draw, huh?" he said, looking at the two cards in his hand. "Fine…"

"That means it's your Standby Phase now," said Aster, "so my Blood Roar gets a counter."

Krump looked at him.

"I set a Monster…" he said.

He played the card, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"And that's all I can do…"

"I have to skip my Draw Phase too," said Aster. "I move right to my Standby Phase, and since Departedguy was sent to the Graveyard last turn, he's Special Summoned this turn."

"Big deal!" replied Krump. "He only has 1,000 Attack Points."

"You didn't let me finish," said Aster. "He's Special Summoned to _your_ side of the field."

Departedguy appeared on Krump's side of the field in Attack Mode. (1,000/0)

Bloo-D blasted its Vengeful Rain again, and Departedguy exploded. Krump screamed again as his Life Points fell to 950.

"It's your move," said Aster.

"I draw," gasped Krump, drawing a card.

"And my Blood Roar gains another counter," said Aster.

Krump looked at the two cards in his hand.

_Hey…_ he thought. _I have Defender Iceberg and Revenge Sacrifice! With my Monster on the field, I can turn this around!_

"I play one facedown card, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared.

"Draw," said Aster, drawing a card.

"Now I activate the effect of Blood Roar. Since it has two counters, and Bloo-D is on the field, I can destroy one face-up Monster, and deal damage to you equal to half its Attack Score."

Krump laughed out loud.

"Talk about dumb!" he laughed. "I don't _have_ a face-up Monster!"

"Krump, Krump, Krump…" said Aster. "You think too small…"

Krump looked at Aster.

Then he looked at Bloo-D. It sank in.

"Oh… no…" he said.

"You were a big accountant once, Krump," said Aster. "Surely you can handle a simple division problem."

Then Bloo-D exploded in a burst of nasty residue, and Krump screamed as his Life Points fell to nothing.

He collapsed, and vanished into grains of light.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Using Chelsea's Trap Card again, the team of five had made it to the back gate of the castle.

They were surprised to see that the only guards were four Chthonian Soldiers.

"Only four guards?" asked Sam.

"Maybe Daala doesn't think anyone would be stupid enough to break in this way," said Erik.

"Or maybe all of her important troops are needed in the battle," said Yumi. "I just hope Freed's forces aren't being decimated too badly."

The Chthonians were shocked to see a Dark Blade, Vampire Lady, Gil Garth, and Toy Magician leap at them. In only a few minutes, they were cut down.

Yumi held up a card, and Vampire Lady and Dark Blade vanished. Dark Magician of Chaos appeared. He aimed his staff, and blasted the gate open.

"Be prepared for anything," said Yumi. "Let's go."

They ran into the gate, into the palace proper.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, part of the outskirts of the palace had been transformed into A Legendary Ocean, due to Mako's confronting Johnson. Mako also had Ocean's Keeper (1,500/1,200) –) (1,700/1,400) and 2,500 Life Points remaining. Johnson had Shadowslayer in Attack Mode, and was ahead with 7,100 Life Points.

"Ocean's Keeper, destroy his Shadowslayer!" shouted Mako.

The Fish speared the Fiend with its trident. Johnson grunted as his Life Points fell to 6,800.

"I set a card facedown, and end my turn," said Mako.

"I'm going to throw the book at you," said Johnson, drawing a card.

He played it, and Hysteric Fairy appeared on the field. (1,800/500)

"Dismiss his Ocean's Keeper. Attack!"

Hysteric Fairy blasted a beam of light from its glasses, and Ocean's Keeper exploded. Mako's Life Points fell to 2,400.

"I use Ocean's Keeper's effect," said Mako. "When it goes to Davy Jones, I get to pull one of two Monsters from my deck."

He took a card from his deck.

"It's your move," said Johnson. "Care for a rebuttal?"

Mako drew.

"I play Premature Burial to bring back Ocean's Keeper," he said.

He played the card, and his Life Points fell to 1,600 as Ocean's Keeper appeared again. (1,500/1,200) –) (1,700/1,400)

"Then, I sacrifice it, to Special Summon Thousand-Eyes Jellyfish in Defense Mode."

Ocean's Keeper vanished, and a large sphere covered with eyes appeared in front of Mako. (300/2,100) –) (500/2,300)

"Now, I get to see every card in your hand."

Johnson frowned as the images of his three cards appeared above him – A Feather of the Phoenix, Graceful Charity, and Foolish Burial.

"Interesting," said Mako. "I set one more card facedown, and end my turn."

A second facedown card appeared.

"I draw," said Johnson.

Mako could see the card he drew. It was Grave Squirmer.

"I play Graceful Charity," said Johnson.

Mako played close attention as Johnson drew Monster Reincarnation, Sky Scourge Norleras, and Dimension Fusion. He discarded Dimension Fusion and Monster Reincarnation.

_I know what you're planning, you old pirate,_ thought Mako.

"I end my turn," said Johnson.

Mako drew.

"First, I play Pot of Avarice," he said.

Five Monsters slipped out of his discard slot. He reshuffled his deck, and drew two cards.

His facedown card lifted.

"Next, I bring back Deepsea Macrotrema with Call of the Haunted."

A small, vicious-looking Fish appeared next to the Jellyfish. (600/100)

"Now, I use both these small fish as bait…"

Both his Fish vanished. The sea began to stir and shift…

"I summon the biggest fish in this pond… Arise, Superancient Deepsea King Coelacanth!"

The Monster that appeared was a Fish that looked almost too big to be real. It was bigger than Fortress Whale, and looked like a cross between a giant shark and an enormous moral eel. Its scales were rough, and had the consistency of stone. (2,800/2,200) –) (3,000/2,400)

"Three-thousand Attack Points?" gasped Johnson.

"And that's not all," said Mako. "By discarding one card, my King can call forth as many of his loyal subjects from my deck as possible."

He discarded a card, and two 7 Colored Fish (1,800/800) –) (2,000/1,000), one Abyssal Kingshark (1,700/600) –) (1,900/800), and another Ocean's Keeper (1,500/1,200) –) (1,700/1,400) appeared.

"Of course," said Mako, "there is a catch. The Monsters I summoned with this effect can't attack, and their effects are negated. But I can sacrifice Ocean's Keeper again to Special Summon Cranium Fish."

Ocean's Keeper vanished, and the big fish with the equally big brain appeared. (2,400/1,000) –) (2,600/1,200)

"Cranium Fish, attack Hysteric Fairy!"

Cranium Fish blasted a wave of mental energy at the Fairy, and it exploded into shards of light.

"Wait a minute…" said Johnson.

"Coelacanth," shouted Mako. "Attack his honor directly!"

Johnson hollered as the giant Fish let out a huge roar, knocking him over. His Life Points tumbled to 3,000.

"And with that," said Mako, "I end my turn."

Johnson got up. He drew a card.

_I don't have enough Life Points to pay for Norleras's effect AND Dimension Fusion!_ he thought. _I'll have to improvise…_

"I play A Feather of the Phoenix," he said.

He discarded his Foolish Burial. Pot of Greed slipped out of his discard slot, and he placed it on top of his deck.

"Now…"

"Surprise," said Mako, as his facedown card lifted. "I have a Trap… Imperial Iron Wall!

"When this card is in play, Monsters can't be removed from play."

"WHAT?" said Johnson. "But that means…"

"It means you can't summon Norleras," said Mako. "Because you can't satisfy its summoning requirements.

"So, what are you gonna do now?"

Johnson looked at the other two cards in his hand.

"I play Monster Reborn to bring back Hysteric Fairy in Defense Mode," he said.

Hysteric Fairy appeared, crouching in Defense.

"Then I set a Monster."

A facedown Monster appeared.

"And I end my turn."

_When he attacks my Grave Squirmer,_ he thought, _I can destroy his Trap Card. Then maybe I can gain the advantage._

Mako drew a card. It was Mermaid Knight.

"I activate Cranium Fish's effect," he said, discarding it. "By discarding a Water Monster, it can destroy a facedown card."

Cranium Fish shot a beam of energy at Johnson's facedown Grave Squirmer, and it exploded.

"Now to finish this!"

Cranium Fish blasted the energy again, and Hysteric Fairy exploded. Then Coelacanth roared again, and Johnson screamed as his Life Points fell to zero.

He collapsed, and burst into shards of light.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After running through several hallways, Yumi and her allies had apparently entered an indoor arboretum.

"Who'd have thought Daala was a big fan of plants?" asked Erik.

"Be careful," warned Sam, as they ran through the indoor forest. "This place is likely crawling with Insect Monsters…"

They stopped short.

"Speak of the devil…"

On a huge tree up ahead were about a dozen Cocoons of Evolution. And they were starting to move. Clearly, they were almost ready to hatch.

"What do we do?" shouted Ren. "We can't fight off that many Great Moths!"

Yumi drew a card.

"I summon Blast Magician!" she shouted.

In a blast of fire, the red-cloaked Spellcaster appeared. (1,400/1,700)

"Everyone, start playing Spell Cards!" she shouted. "With each one, he can destroy a Cocoon!"

That seemed like a good idea, so they all started drawing cards. Erik played Pot of Greed. Chelsea played Call of the Mummy. Ren played Reinforcement of the Army. Each time, Blast Magician aimed his staff, and a Cocoon fell to the ground in flames.

Just as he was about to take aim at the last one, however, it burst open, and the Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth emerged. (3,500/3,000)

"Now what?" shouted Chelsea.

Sam played a card. Blast Magician vanished, and Dark Ruler Ha Des appeared. (2,450/1,600)

"Erik! On my mark!" she shouted.

The huge Moth flew at Ha Des.

"NOW!"

"I play Shrink!" shouted Erik.

The Moth shrunk to half its size, and an Attack Score of 1,750. Ha Des cast his demonic blast, and it exploded.

"Let's not stop now," said Yumi. "Let's keep going!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Back at the palace outskirts, Atticus was facing off against Nezbitt.

Nezbitt had Machiner's Force on the field, (4,600/4,100) and General Commander Covington (1,000/600) and 5,500 Life Points remaining. Atticus had Red-Eyes Black Dragon in Attack Mode (2,400/2,000), Troop Dragon in Defense Mode (700/800) and a facedown card, with 4,000 Life Points remaining.

"Your fairy tale Dragons are no match for my Monsters made of steel," said Nezbitt, drawing a card. "I sacrifice Covington to summon Machine King."

Covington vanished, and the monarch of Machines appeared. (2,200/2,000) –) (2,400/2,000)

"Machiner's Force, obliterate his Red-Eyes."

The huge Machine aimed its missile launcher.

"I activate… Staunch Defender!" shouted Atticus, as his facedown card lifted. "Now, you can only attack the Monster I choose, and I choose my Troop Dragon."

The missiles fired, and Atticus braced himself as Troop Dragon was blown to bits.

Atticus raised his hand, and a second Troop Dragon appeared. (700/800)

Nezbitt growled.

"I end my turn," he muttered.

Atticus drew a card.

"I summon Attachment Dragon," he said.

He played the card, and a very small, thin, green Dragon appeared. (100/100)

It flew at Machiner's Force, and wrapped its claws and wings around the big robot's shoulders.

"What's happening?" shouted Nezbitt.

"Attachment Dragon can attach to one of your Monsters," said Atticus, "and force it into Defense Mode."

Machiner's Force knelt down, and crossed its arms.

"And it can't move back to Attack Mode either. Next, I activate Big Bang Shot, to give my Red-Eyes a little boost."

He played a card, and Red-Eyes went up to an Attack Score of 2,800.

Now, Red-Eyes, destroy Machine King! Inferno Fire Blast!"

Red-Eyes blasted a stream of fiery death, and Machine King exploded. Nezbitt growled as his Life Points fell to 5,100.

"I'll set a card facedown, and take a break," said Atticus, as a facedown card appeared.

Nezbitt drew a card.

"I use Machiner's Force's effect," he said. "I sacrifice it, to Special Summon the three Monsters I sacrificed to summon it."

Machiner's Force vanished, taking Attachment Dragon with it, and Machiner's Soldier (1,600/1,500), Sniper (1,800/800), and Defender (1,200/1,800) all appeared in Defense Mode.

"I set two cards facedown, and end my turn."

Two facedown cards appeared.

Atticus quickly made a draw.

"I sacrifice my Red-Eyes…" he said.

Red-Eyes vanished into grains of light.

"…to summon Tiger Dragon!"

With a primal roar, a new Dragon appeared. Its hide was covered with tiger's stripes, and its face was a cross between that of a Dragon and that of a predator cat. (2,400/1,800)

"When Tiger Dragon is summoned by sacrificing another Dragon, I can destroy two facedown cards."

Nezbitt gasped as his Mirror Force and Call of the Haunted shattered.

"Next," said Atticus, "I remove my Troop Dragon from play…"

His Troop Dragon faded into a ripple of light.

"…to Special Summon my Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon!"

An even bigger Dragon appeared. This one seemed to be a version of the more common Red-Eyes made entirely of metal, with glowing red eyes. (2,800/2,400)

"Now, I use my Metal Dragon's effect, to Special Summon my normal Red-Eyes back from my Graveyard."

He played the card, and Red-Eyes appeared again. (2,400/2,000)

"And finally," he said, taking the last card in his hand, "I sacrifice my Red-Eyes, to summon the Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon!"

Red-Eyes vanished again, and the huge, pitch-black, ultimate evolution of the Red-Eyes appeared. (2,400/2,000)

"With seven Dragons in my Graveyard, it gains 2,100 more Attack Points."

(4,500/2,000)

"Fine, attack my Machiners," said Nezbitt. "They're in Defense Mode, so I won't take any damage."

"Uh-uh," said Atticus.

His facedown card lifted.

"I activate Dragon's Rage!"

Nezbitt stepped back in shock…

Three powerful streams of fire shot from the jaws of the three Dragons, incinerating the three Machiners. Nezbitt screamed as his Life Points plummeted to zero, and then he burst into pixels.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Yumi and her friends had made their way into a comfortable-looking chamber, full of large, satin pillows and couches, with the smell of incense and perfume in the air. Relaxation music was playing.

And the place wasn't uninhabited.

"Look…" said Ren. "We're really sorry we barged in… But why don't we just all have a drink and talk this over, and we can handle this without resorting to violence?"

The six Harpie Ladies in the chamber seemed to not want to do that. They all bore their claws, and grinned evilly at the five duelists. (1,300/1,400 x6)

"Guess they don't feel like talking…" said Sam.

Their Disks activated, and Archfiend Soldier (1,900/1,500), Skilled Dark Magician (1,900/1,700), and Dark Blade appeared (1,800/1,500).

The Harpies grinned and stepped aside…

Then Harpies Pet Dragon loomed up behind them. It roared. (2,000/2,500) –) (3,800/2,500)

"Uh… oh…" said Chelsea.

The Dragon breathed a stream of fire, eradicating Skilled Dark Magician. Yumi cringed.

The Harpies got in a crouching position. They were clearly going to pounce for the kill once their Dragon eliminated all of their enemies' Monsters.

Sam wasn't going to let them. She quickly placed a card in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"Hey you ugly, sorry excuse for a Dragon!" she shouted. "Over here!"

The Dragon growled angrily…

It breathed its fire at Archfiend Soldier. Sam quickly activated Hate Buster, and the Dragon screamed. It exploded into a blast of fire.

The six Harpies were stunned at first. Then they all fell to their knees, sobbing.

Yumi motioned towards the other exit, and her friends followed her out. The Harpies made no move to stop them, deciding that they would rather survive.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Sheena was in big trouble.

She was dueling Leichter, and he clearly had the upper hand. His side of the field had EBE Abductor (1,000/500) which was Equipped with Heart of Clear Water; EBE Epsilon (1,500/1,600), and three Monsters that his Abductor had stolen from Sheena – two Insect Knights (1,900/1,500) and one Neo Bug (1,800/1,700). He had his full Life Point total of 8,000. Sheena's side was clear, and she only had 2,000 Life Points left.

"Make your last move," said Leichter. "I'm ending this next turn…"

Sheena drew a card. She looked at it.

She placed it on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"That the best you could do?" asked Leichter, drawing a card. "Neo Bug, destroy it!"

Neo Bug charged at the facedown card. Flying Kamakiri #1 appeared on it, and was crushed.

"I use my Monster's effect," said Sheena. "To summon a second Kamakiri."

A second of the large mantises appeared. (1,400/900)

"EBE Epsilon, attack that one!" shouted Nezbitt.

Epsilon slashed at the bug, and Sheena's Life Points fell to 1,900. But a third Kamakiri appeared. (1,400/900)

"Insect Knight, destroy it!" shouted Leichter.

"Insect Knight slashed at the Insect with its sword. Sheena's Life Points fell to 1,400.

"I use that one's effect," she said. "To summon my Flying Scorpion."

In a flash of light, the large, winged arachnid appeared. (1,500/1,200)

Leichter growled. He pointed, and the second Insect Knight cut Flying Scorpion in two. Sheena's Life Points fell to 1,000.

"I use Flying Scorpion's effect," she said. "To Special Summon an Insect from my Graveyard. Pinch Hopper in Attack Mode."

The large grasshopper appeared. (1,000/1,200)

"Well, I could easily destroy that," said Leichter. "But then, you'd be able to Special Summon any Insect from your hand. And I'm not taking that risk just yet. I end my turn."

Sheena drew a card.

"I play… The Spell Card, Insect Costume," she said, as the Spell appeared. "I toss one Insect from my hand…"

She discarded her Aztekipede.

"Then, I get to take a better Insect from my deck."

She took a card from her deck.

"Then, I get to destroy one Insect on the field."

Pinch Hopper shattered into pixels.

"That means I can Special Summon this… My Grasschopper!"

A new, much larger Insect appeared. It looked more like a mantis with scythe-like claws than any sort of grasshopper. (2,350/1,000)

"Grasschopper is a Gemini Monster," she explained. "So, I use my Normal Summon this round to activate its effect…"

Grasschopper glowed with green energy.

"And what's its effect?" asked Leichter.

"The ability to attack every Monster on your side of the field," replied Sheena.

"What?" shouted Leichter. "Well… Fine. Do it! I dare you! My Abductor can't be destroyed by your attack, and next round, it will be able to steal your Grasschopper."

Sheena played another Spell Card.

"I Equip my Monster with Fighting Spirit," she said. "Now, it gains 300 more Attack Points for each Monster you have on the field."

"It does?!" shouted Leichter.

Grasschopper's Attack Score rose up to 3,850.

"Attack his EBE Abductor!" shouted Sheena.

Grasschopper slashed at the small alien, and Leichter screamed. His Life Points went down to 5,150.

"Now take out the rest of them!" ordered Sheena.

Grasschopper slashed at EBE Epsilon and the rocky alien shattered. Leichter fell to 2,800 Life Points, and Grasschopper fell to an Attack Score of 3,550.

Grasschopper continued, smashing Neo Bug. Leichter's Life Points fell to 1,050 and Grasschopper's Attack Score fell to 3,200.

Finally, Grasschopper cut one of the Insect Knights in two, and Leichter fell to his knees as his Life Points fell to zero. He screamed, and then exploded into shards of energy.

"Unbelievable…" said Sheena.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi and company were running down a vast, wide hallway with Magician's Valkyria (1,600/1,800) and Vampire Lady (1,550/1,550) flying in front of them.

"Wait…" said Yumi. "I refuse to believe that this hallway isn't guarded somehow…"

As if to answer her, three large shapes rose out of the floor. They formed into Millennium Golems. (2,000/2,200 x3) They stared at the duelists with their single eyes.

"Man, oh man…" said Erik, playing a card.

Valkyria and Vampire Lady vanished, and Puppet King appeared. (2,800/2,600)

"How many of these creatures are we gonna have to smash before we get to their master?"

Puppet King slugged one of the Golems, and it shattered into shards of rock…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Back at the perimeter, Freed's army was not having a very good time. The grunts they had encountered first had given way to more powerful Monsters. Weevil had summoned Insect Queen to join his Brain Crusher. Doresain had summoned several Ancient Gear Beasts to accompany his Golem. Emma had brought out Magical Android to fight alongside Mental Sphere Demon. And Keith had summoned Super Vehicroid Jumbo Drill, forming a lethal tag team with his Stealth Union.

So, every member of Freed's army was shocked to see the four Elemental Heroes bravely charge the group of titans.

"Are they crazy?" asked a Command Knight.

"They dress in funny costumes and fight crime," replied Freed. "I'd say that _all_ superheroes are a little crazy."

Avian placed a card on his Disk.

"I remove one Wind Monster from play," he said, "to summon Garuda the Wind Spirit."

In a blast of Wind, Garuda appeared, flying next to him. (1,600/1,200)

"Clayman, over to you!"

"You got it!" replied Clayman, playing a Spell Card. "I play Polymerization, and fuse Big Piece Golem and Medium Piece Golem, to summon Multiple Piece Golem!"

Two Rock Monsters appeared in front of him. One looked like a big boulder with a face, hands, and feet. The other one was humanoid and made of rough stone.

They flew into the vortex, and a large golem made of brick and stone appeared. (2,600/1,300)

"Over to you, Burstinatrix!" he shouted.

"Right!" shouted the heroine, playing a Spell Card. "I play Gift of the Martyr, sacrificing Garuda to give its Attack Points to Multiple Piece Golem!"

Garuda vanished, and the Golem increased to an Attack Score of 4,200.

"Attack!" shouted Clayman. "Clobber Super Vehicroid Stealth Union!"

Multiple Piece Golem punched the huge Vehicroid, and it exploded into scrap.

"It's gonna take more than that to stop us, you wimps!" shouted Emma.

"We're just gettin' started," said Clayman. "I activate Multiple Piece Golem's effect, and send it back to my Fusion Deck to summon Big Piece Golem and Medium Piece Golem."

Big Piece Golem appeared (2,100/0) followed by Medium Piece Golem (1,600/0).

"An' when Medium Piece Golem is summoned when Big Piece Golem is on the field, I get ta summon Small Piece Golem."

A smaller Rock Monster appeared, looking like a tree stump made of stone. (1,100/0)

"How cute!" laughed Weevil. "Like the Three Bears!"

"You won't be laughing long!" said Sparkman. "I sacrifice Big Piece Golem, Medium Piece Golem, and Small Piece Golem… Begone!"

The three Golems vanished.

"I summon… Gilford the Lightning!"

Lightning flashed, and the mighty form of Gilford appeared in the center of the field. (2,800/1,400)

"Uh… Oh…" said Emma.

Gilford unsheathed his mighty sword, and held it to the heavens. Lightning flashed, and then multiple bolts of lightning stuck the land. Emma's Psychics were blown to gibbets. Keith's and Doresain's Machines were atomized. Weevil's Insects were burned to ashes, including the one Weevil was riding, burning Weevil himself.

The grunts in the opposing army screamed as lightning struck them, and they were all struck dead.

Freed's army cheered.

"All we gotta do now," said Marauding Captain, "is clean up."

Then the ground started to rumble. The human duelists on Daala's side all looked at each other. Looks of fear crossed their faces.

Then, they lay flat on the ground, face-first.

"Daala double-crossed us!" cursed Weevil. "We should have never agreed to this…"

"Shut up, Underwood!" screamed Emma.

"What's going on?" asked Marauding Captain.

Then, three hideous creatures flew out of the very blasted earth. They looked like gaunt, ghoulish demons, with bare skulls for faces, and black, feathered wings like those of a vulture. (1,600/1,600 x3)

Each one of them held up a Megamorph card, and they each rose to Attack Scores of 3,200.

"We can clean up…" muttered Freed. "But we're gonna need some extra-strength detergent…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi and her friends were running though a vast antechamber.

"Keep going, everybody!" shouted Yumi. "I think maybe we're getting closer!"

Then they stopped. Thundering footprints were moving towards them.

With a roar, an Ultimate Tyranno turned the corner and glared at them. (3,000/2,200)

"Okay, now I'm sure we are."

"Daala has _way_ too much free time," said Sam, drawing a card.

"I play Curse of the Masked Beast! I sacrifice Mad Archfiend and Opticlops to summon The Masked Beast!"

The two Fiends appeared on the field. They vanished into black bonfires, and the huge, masked demon appeared. (3,200/1,800)

The Fiend charged at the huge Dinosaur, and clubbed it with its cudgel. The Dinosaur roared, and shattered into black shards.

"That was too easy," said Yumi. "Keep alert, people. I have a feeling that the real danger is yet to come…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At the palace entrance, Jesse was dueling Gansley. Both duelists were feeling fatigue.

Jesse had Topaz Tiger (1,600/1,000) and Amethyst Cat (1,200/400) on the field, plus three Crystal Beasts and a facedown card in his Spell Zone. He had 3,000 Life Points remaining. Gansley had Power Annihilator (1,800/1,800), two Power Bombards (1,000/1,000 x2) and had Power Zone, Power Spirits, and Ring of Fiendish Power active, one facedown card, and 3,100 Life Points remaining.

"It's been swell, Anderson," said Gansley, drawing a card, "but it's time to end this… Power Annihilator, attack his Cat! Power Pulse Slash!"

Power Annihilator leapt up in the air.

"I activate… Rainbow Path!" shouted Jesse, as his facedown card lifted. "Now, I just have to send one Crystal in my Spell Zone to the Graveyard, and your attack is negated."

The Emerald in his Spell Zone vanished. Power Annihilator stopped short.

"I also get to take a specific card from my deck."

He took a card from his deck.

"Then it's your move…" growled Gansley.

Jesse drew a card.

"I play Rare Value," he said. "Now, you choose a Crystal, and I send it to my Graveyard."

"Oh, your Mammoth then!" shouted Gansley.

The Amber in his Spell Zone vanished, and Jesse drew two cards.

"Next, I summon Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus," said Jesse.

In a ray of light, Pegasus appeared. (1,800/1,200)

"I use his effect to place Ruby Carbuncle in my Spell Zone."

The Ruby appeared next to the Cobalt.

"Next, I play Mystical Space Typhoon, to destroy your Ring of Fiendish Power!"

He played the card, and the cyclone blasted the Spell Card to pieces.

"Now, I can attack your Bombards before I deal with your Annihilator."

"You still need a Monster with at least 3,800 Attack Points to destroy that one!" shouted Gansley.

"And are you saying I haven't got one?" asked Jesse, with a big grin.

"You don't mean…" gasped Gansley.

Jesse played a card, and a blast of light shot into the air. It formed into a giant rainbow, pulsating with energy.

Before Gansley's unbelieving eyes, the legendary Rainbow Dragon appeared. (4,000/0)

"It's true!" gasped Gansley. "Joan actually was able to duplicate Jesse Anderson's ace card!"

"And thanks to your own Power Zone," said Jesse, "you're in big trouble."

"Tiger, Pegasus… Destroy his Bombards!"

"I activate Emergency Provisions!" shouted Gansley. "I'll send Power Spirits and Power Zone to the Graveyard to gain 2,000 Life Points!"

The two Spell Cards vanished, and his Life Points rose to 5,100.

Topaz Tiger's Attack Score rose to 2,000. It slashed at Power Bombard, ripping it in half. Sapphire Pegasus blasted a beam of energy at the second Bombard.

"Rainbow Dragon…" ordered Jesse. "Attack with Rainbow Refraction!"

Rainbow Dragon breathed a beam of multicolored light at Power Annihilator. Its Attack Points went up to 2,800, but it was hardly enough. It exploded, throwing Gansley backwards.

His Life Points fell to 2,100.

He threw a card on his Disk.

"I Summon Ruklamba the Spirit King in Defense Mode," he said.

Ruklamba appeared, crouching in Defense. (1,000/2,000)

"I cut Amethyst Cat's Attack Score in half so she can attack you directly," said Jesse.

Amethyst Cat fell to 600 Attack Points. She pounced, and slashed at Gansley. His Life Points fell to 1,500.

"I set two facedown cards, and that will be all," said Jesse.

Two facedown cards appeared behind him.

Gansley angrily drew a card.

_The card I won from Daala!_ he thought. _Now I can defeat his big Dragon…_

He played a card.

"I play Monster Reincarnation," he said. "I toss one card…"

He discarded a card.

"And I get Power Annihilator back.

"But as happy as I am to have it back in my hand, I'm even happier to have that other card in my Graveyard, because it was Ojamagic. Now, I get my three Ojamas."

Three cards appeared in his hand.

"Now, I activate Ruklamba's effect, and sacrifice it, to Special Summon all three of them."

In three flashes of light, the three goofy-looking gremlins appeared. (0/1,000 x3)

"Now…" said Gansley, "I sacrifice my three Ojamas…"

The three Ojamas vanished.

"To summon the master of disaster… Behold… The Wicked Dreadroot!"

In a burst of dark, shadowy flames, the third of the Wicked Gods, the one that did not appear in Yumi's dreams of the invasion of Neo Space, appeared. It was huge, muscular, and hulking, with claws, demonic wings, ram-like horns, and an armored carapace. (4,000/4,000)

"Dreadroot radiates an aura of fear that weakens all Monsters on the field except himself," said Gansley, "cutting their Attack Scores in half. Not even your Dragon is immune."

Rainbow Dragon roared as it fell to an Attack Score of 2,000. Amethyst Cat fell to 600, Topaz Tiger fell to 800, and Sapphire Pegasus fell to 900.

"Time to finish this," said Jesse. "Dreadroot, attack his Amethyst Cat with Fierce Knockdown!"

Dreadroot roared, and lifted its mighty claw.

"Save me, Jesse!" screamed the Cat.

"Don't worry!" shouted Jesse, "I'm getting you guys out of here! I activate Rainbow Dragon's effect! By sending all my Crystal Beasts on the field to the Graveyard, including the ones in my Spell Zone, Rainbow Dragon gains 1,000 Attack Points for each one!"

The Cat, Tiger, and Pegasus, as well as the two Crystals in his Spell Zone vanished, and Rainbow Dragon rose to an Attack Score of 7,000.

Gansley laughed.

"Then Dreadroot's effect is just reapplied, fool!" he said. "And your Dragon is given a new score."

Rainbow Dragon fell to 3,500.

Then one of Jesse's Trap Cards lifted.

"I activate The Transmigration Prophesy!" he shouted. "I'll take Sapphire Pegasus and Topaz Tiger, and return them to my deck!"

As if that will help!" shouted Gansley. "Dreadroot, destroy his Dragon!"

Dreadroot started to attack again.

"I activate my other Trap!" shouted Jesse, as his last facedown lifted. "Crystal Split! I send one Crystal Beast from my deck to the Graveyard, and Dreadroot gets a taste of its own medicine!"

He slipped Topaz Tiger into his discard slot. Gansley gasped as Dreadroot fell to an Attack Score of 2,000.

"Now finish this, Rainbow Dragon!" shouted Jesse. "Rainbow Refraction!"

Rainbow Dragon blasted its breath weapon, and the Wicked Dreadroot screamed before it exploded in a fiery blast. Gansley's Life Points hit zero, and screamed too, before he dissolved into mist…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Back at the perimeter, the three strange demons were decimating every Monster that Freed's army tried to defend with. Each summoned Monster was burned to ashes with dark flames, and every real Spirit was fleeing.

"What are these things?" shouted the Command Knight.

"Angels of Entropy!" replied Freed. "They're spawned wherever large quantities of chaotic magic are formed. The last time I saw one was the last time the two Envoys fought each other!"

Burstinatrix played a card.

"Swords of Revealing Light!" she shouted.

The three Angels of Entropy screeched as the glimmering swords appeared in front of them.

"That won't hold them for long," she said. "Any ideas?"

"If it holds them long enough for me to summon my Super Conductor Tyranno," replied Sparkman, "we can beat them."

"NO!" shouted Freed. "That's just what they want you to do!

"Whenever these things are spawned, it's a kamikaze mission. When one of them dies, they create something called a Chaos Storm. It tears a hole in the very fabric of reality, turning the whole world inside out, upside-down…"

"In layman's terms?" asked Avian.

"If they die, they drag us all down with them," said Freed. "And they know it will happen, and they welcome it."

He took a card from his own deck.

"But they have one weakness… And I know it…

"Everyone stand back!"

He walked up to the three Angels, and placed the card in his Disk. A facedown card appeared. Then he sheathed his sword.

"Not a braver Spirit alive…" muttered Marauding Captain.

"Hey you butt-ugly worms!" shouted Freed. "Yeah, you!"

The Angels turned to Freed, and their eyes glowed red.

"You three look in a reflective surface lately?" he shouted. "I'll bet when you were born, the doctor slapped your mother!"

The three demons shrieked again.

"Know what the difference is between guys like you and manure?" yelled Freed. "Manure is useful!"

That did it. The three Angels threw their claws against the barrier, and it shattered. They dive-bombed at the Matchless General.

"Go, Trap Card!" shouted Freed. "Dimensional Prison!"

The three Angels of Entropy screeched as the Trap Card lifted, and a flash of light covered them. They vanished into nothing.

Freed took some deep breaths. Sweat poured down his face.

"Not bad, general," said Marauding Captain. "But… How did you banish three of them with one Dimensional Prison?"

"Technically, I didn't," replied Freed. "Those things have no individuality. They can only exist in teams of three. Do away with one of them, and the other two lose all their power and fade into nothing."

He looked towards the castle in the distance. Then he looked at the battlefield where many of his men's wounds were being treated by medics, and Daala's men, who had seemingly given up after the Angels appeared, were being apprehended.

"It seems we've won the first round," he said. "Daala doesn't seem to have a second wave ready yet. It's all up to the ones who went ahead for now…

"Heaven help them…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi and her friends had entered a large room. They stopped to catch their breaths.

"We gotta rest for a minute," muttered Chelsea. "We…"

She looked around in fear.

"What is this place?"

They were in what looked like a combination of an evil temple and a dueling arena. The room was circular and had a lot of free space. Above them was a balcony that spanned the whole circumference. An altar was at one end, flanked by braziers and sinister idols. Torches lit with violet flames provided illumination.

"Hey guys," said Erik. "Come over here."

They all went to where he was standing, at a glass case at the far end of the temple.

Inside the glass case was a group of crystal cubes, and a card was sealed inside each of them. Monster Cards.

Most of them were easy to identify. They were Grave Squirmer, Giant Germ, Aswan Apparition, Nuvia the Wicked, Lesser Fiend, Infernal Incinerator, Maju Garzett, Invader of Darkness, Infernal Flame Emperor, Vennominaga the Deity of Poisonous Snakes, and Gate Guardian.

There was also an empty cube to the right of Gate Guardian.

"What are these cards for?" asked Ren. "What's the common thread?"

"Well, they're mostly Fiends…" replied Sam. "And the ones that aren't Fiends are evil creatures who would be right at home with Fiends."

"And…" said Yumi. "They're all different Levels. Grave Squirmer is Level One, Giant Germ is Level Two, and so on, until you get to Gate Guardian at Level Eleven."

She pointed to the empty cube.

"That one must be for a Level Twelve Monster. Whatever Daala wants to use these cards for, she must not have one yet that she can use.

"Level Twelve Monsters are pretty hard to come by…"

"She has F.G.D.," replied Chelsea.

Yumi shrugged.

"Maybe she can't use it for some reason…" she replied.

"Maybe we should stop this plan before we find out more about it," said Erik. "Let's try to bust this case open…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the front of the palace, Zane was confronting Slade.

Zane had Cyber End Dragon (4,000/2,800) and two facedown cards, and 4,000 Life Points remaining, while Slade had two facedown cards, and 3,000 Life Points remaining.

"Time to show you who the true master of machines is, Truesdale," said Slade, drawing a card.

"I activate Call of the Haunted."

His facedown card lifted, and a Proto-Cyber Dragon appeared. (1,100/600)

"Now, I play Inferno Reckless Summon," he said, playing a Spell Card. "That means I can summon three real Cyber Dragons."

In flashes of light, three Cyber Dragons appeared. (2,100/1,600 x3)

"Next, Polymerization."

He played the card, and the three Cyber Dragons flew through a vortex. In another flash of light, a Cyber End Dragon appeared on Slade's side of the field. (4,000/2,800)

Zane snarled.

"Now, I activate Rare Metalmorph," said Slade. "This makes my Dragon stronger than yours…"

(4,500/2,800)

"Attack."

The stronger Cyber End Dragon roared…

"I activate… De-Fusion!" shouted Zane, as a facedown card lifted.

"That won't work, Truesdale," replied Slade. "Rare Metalmorph also lets my Dragon resist the effects of one Spell Card."

"Who said I was using it on yours?" asked Zane.

Zane's Cyber End Dragon vanished, and his three Cyber Dragons appeared in Attack Mode. (2,100/1,600 x3)

"Next," he said, as another facedown card lifted, "I activate the Trap Card, Cybernetic Hidden Technology! I sacrifice one Cyber Dragon to destroy your Cyber End Dragon!"

One of his Cyber Dragons vanished.

"Not so fast!" shouted Slade. "I have a De-Fusion of my own!"

He quickly played the card, and his Cyber End Dragon vanished, replaced by three Cyber Dragons again. (2,100/1,600 x3)

"Since your Trap Card's target was no longer there, it missed.

"Now let's continue… Two of my Dragons attack two of yours."

Two Dragons on each side of the field blasted beams of energy at their enemies. In a tremendous explosion, the four Cyber Dragons were blown to scrap.

"I'm not done with you," said Slade. "My last Cyber Dragon attacks directly."

The third Cyber Dragon breathed it Strident Blast, hitting Zane dead-center.

"And now my Proto-Cyber Dragon attacks."

The smaller Machine breathed a blast of energy, hitting Zane as well. Zane's Life Points fell to 800.

"Are you quite done?" asked Zane.

"Make your move…" said Slade.

Zane drew a card.

"I'm taking you out now, Slade," he said, showing it to him. "I just drew… THIS!"

"Your Power Bond doesn't scare me," said Slade. "With no Monsters on the field and only one other card in your hand, you can't possibly perform a Fusion Summon. It's impossible."

"Impossible, Slade?" asked Zane. "I'm sure people would have thought that the military experiment that made you immortal was impossible. I'm sure they'd have thought that creating Xanadu was impossible. Before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon in 1969, people said THAT was impossible! Mankind has been doing impossible things for ages, Slade. When you get right down to it, very few things are truly impossible.

"And neither is my ability to make a Fusion Summon. I play Cybernetic Fusion Support!

"Now, by removing my three Cyber Dragons from play, and paying half my Life Points, I can use Power Bond to summon the Cyber End Dragon!"

His Life Points fell to 400, and with a great roar, Cyber End Dragon appeared, twice as big as it was before. (4,000/2,800) –) (8,000/2,800)

"Attack!" shouted Zane. "Super Strident Blaze!"

Cyber End Dragon blasted its triple bolts of burning doom, blowing the opposing Cyber Dragon to nothing.

When Zane looked, Slade was gone. He was the winner, and Slade had apparently been atomized with his Monster.

He looked and saw his five allies regroup. It was clear that the Big Five had fallen a second time. Hopefully, this would be the last time.

"Time to get back on track," he said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"It's no use people," said Sam. "This glass just won't break."

"We're wasting time here!" shouted Yumi. "Let's keep going!"

"Uhm, Yumi?" said Ren. "That might be hard…"

"Huh?" said Yumi.

Ren was trying to push the door open.

"It's locked, Yumi," he said. "We're trapped in here…"

Yumi paused.

"Don't panic, people…" said Yumi. "There's got to be a way out… We'll find it…"

_I hope…_ she thought.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DRAIN TIME (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A pocket watch with the letter D on the inside of the cover, with the numbers floating off the face.

**Card Description:** Activate only when you have a "Destiny Hero Bloo-D" face-up on your side of the field. Select one of the following: Draw Phase, Standby Phase, Main Phase 1, Battle Phase, Main Phase 2, or End Phase. Each player must skip their next Phase of the one that was selected.

_Note: "Drain Time" was first used by The D in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Ultimate Destiny". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BLOOD ROAR (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image:** Destiny Hero Bloo-D in an explosion of dark energy.

**Card Description:** If a "Destiny Hero Bloo-D" is on your side of the field, you may place one "Blood Counter" on this card during each of your opponent's Standby Phases (max. 2). During your turn, you may send this card with two "Blood Counters" to the Graveyard to destroy one face-up Monster on the field and deal damage to your opponent's Life Points equal to half of the destroyed Monster's ATK.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**D – MIND (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** Destiny Hero Daggerguy leading Pitch-Dark Dragon, Goblin Elite Attack Force, and Return Zombie into battle.

**Card Description:** If you do not control any face-up "Destiny Hero" Monsters, you may Special Summon one Level Three or lower "Destiny Hero" Monster from your deck.

_Note: "Blood Roar" and "D-Mind" were first used by Aster in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "The Forbidden Ritual (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BRIDGE OVER DESTINY (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image:** The Destiny Signal looming over London Bridge at night.

**Card Description:** Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you may Special Summon from your Graveyard a "Destiny Hero" Monster that was destroyed as a result of battle (only this card's controller may use this effect). If a Monster Special Summoned by this effect is destroyed, it is removed from play.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ATTACHMENT DRAGON (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Dragon/Effect  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level:** 1  
**ATK:** 100  
**DEF:** 100

**Card Description:** You may Equip this card to a face-up Monster your opponent controls as an Equip Spell Card. Change the battle position of the Equipped Monster. The Equipped Monster's battle position cannot change for as long as this card remains Equipped.

_Note: "Attachment Dragon" was first used by Atticus (as Nightshroud) in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Doomsday Duel (Part One)" Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**INSECT COSTUME (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A flying beetle flying above a grasshopper.

**Card Description:** Send one Insect-Type Monster in your hand to the Graveyard. Search your deck for one Insect-Type Monster and add it to your hand. Then, you may destroy one Insect-Type Monster that you control.

_Note: "Insect Costume" was first used by Uryu in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D" episode "Creepy Crawlies". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CRYSTAL SPLIT (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A martial artist in a blue _gi_ karate chopping a large gem in half.

**Card Description:** You may only activate this card during your opponent's turn. Select one "Crystal Beast" Monster in your deck and send it to your Graveyard. Reduce the ATK of a face-up opposing Monster by half until the End Phase of the current turn. If the opposing Monster is destroyed during the turn this card is activated, the Monster's controller may draw one card from his deck during the End Phase of the turn.

_Note: "Crystal Split" was first used by Jesse in a fourth season episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CYBERNETIC FUSION SUPPORT (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** A high-tech machine generating energy towards a central point.

**Card Description:** Activate this card in response to your activation of a Spell or Trap Card that is used to Fusion Summon a Machine-Type Fusion Monster. If the cards listed as Fusion Material Monsters for the intended Machine-Type Fusion Monster are in your Graveyard, you may pay half your Life Points to remove those Fusion Material Monsters from play instead of paying the summoning conditions listed on the Spell or Trap Card.

_Note: "Cybernetic Fusion Support" was first used by Zane in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "The Graduation Match (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ANGEL OF ENTROPY (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,600  
**DEF:** 1,600

**Card Description:** When you have three copies of this card face-up on your side of the field, all copies of this card gain the following effects:

When one "Angel of Entropy" leaves the field, remove all other copies of "Angel of Entropy" on your side of the field from play.

When an "Angel of Entropy" would be destroyed as a result of battle, before applying damage calculation, destroy all cards on the field.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lords of Chaos**

**The Puzzlement of Rule-of-Three**

To the casual dimensional traveler, the fiendish wise man who calls himself Rule-of-Three doesn't seem like a Lord of Chaos. For one thing, he doesn't seem like that bad a guy, despite the fact that he's a demon. One might meet him in a tavern in a civilized part of the Lower Planes (of which there aren't many) and find him in a friendly mood, eager for someone to talk to, and willing to give a little advice.

For another thing, Rule-of-Three isn't a true demon. He's a half-demon, a hybrid of demon and human. It's rare for demons to produce offspring with humans, but it happens from time to time. Sometimes a human is seduced by a demon – most often, by a succubus – or it happens as part of some evil ritual or bargain.

Rule-of-Three is the embodiment of the universal axiom that he is named after, that important things in the universe come in sets of threes. (Some fortunate souls have seen the seraphim warrior of Heaven named Unity of Rings, who represents another axiom. If there is another being named Center of All, he has never been seen by mortals.) Rule-of-Three seems to be a sorcerer of no small skill, but he keeps his true level of power concealed. He is an expert on the culture and society of the Abyss, and will share this knowledge with anyone who wants to deal with demons. True to his name, his advice always comes in three parts. (His usual advice for those who need to go to the Abyss is, remain inconspicuous, get the job done fast, and leave as quickly as possible.)

Rule-of-Three is as chaotic as his demonic father. He always requires three articles of payment for his counsel, but this always changes, and is often strange. One might have to present him with three riddles, or three types of pastry, or three antique tin soldiers. The better the advice he gives, the more exotic the price he wants. Strangely, he never asks for souls or other things that demons usually want. If you get past the part that he's a demon, Rule-of-Three often comes across as friendly and likeable, a living contradiction as far as his race is concerned.

One might think that Rule-of-Three is little more than an eccentric information dealer. But spies for the Wind Dukes of Aaqa have uncovered their own information that hints at his possible true motives. Rule-of-Three is often seen in Graz'zt's realm, and is seen going places that only the demon lord's most trusted henchmen are allowed to go. Clearly, Rule-of-Three serves Graz'zt in some manner.

The most alarming thing about Rule-of-Three is his secret meetings with devils. He tries to conduct these meetings in the most private settings, but occasionally, they are observed. Not much is garnered from these meetings with minor officers of Hell, but Rule-of-Three seems to want to negotiate with higher-level diabolic forces for some reason.

This has led to a very frightening theory among the Wind Dukes – that Rule-of-Three is involved in a plan to end the Blood War peacefully and form a partnership between demons and devils, creating a united alliance of Evil that could oppose Heaven. Possibly, Graz'zt approves of this plan, and perhaps even initiated it.

Most think that such a plan would never succeed. The very nature of the demons and devils would prevent peace. But the apocalyptic repercussions that would occur if such a plan ever succeeded have got the Wind Dukes' eyes squarely on this half-demon. Striking at him directly would not be wise, as he has powerful friends who would take his side if any were to oppose him. The Wind Dukes are thus searching for proof that this evil plan does indeed exist. Once they have it, if it is true, the curiosity surrounding Rule-of-Three will likely turn to fear, and they'll be able to strike him down. Of course, Rule-of-Three may be hiding powers that they don't know of…

Truly a mystery is Rule-of-Three…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**As Yumi and her friends look for a way out of that creepy chamber, they find that they aren't alone in there. Now, Ren and Chelsea must bond together like they never have before. A team duel, perhaps? Maybe. But the dueling will continue, as the assault on the Core continues, and Joan's forces continue to advance. **_

_**And the true secret of the Devil's Fruit will be revealed. What is the hidden power of this strange plant that grew in fiendish soil using a sleeping devil king as its fertilizer?**_

"_**Hidden Agenda" is coming up next.**_


	58. Hidden Agenda

**I can honestly say I've known Chelsea all of my life. Our fathers were friends when they were our age, and were young duelists with dreams themselves. When they grew up and married, they lived within blocks of each other, and never stayed out of touch. Chelsea and I knew each other before we could walk. Heck, we were even in the same class in kindergarten!**

_**I grew older and matured, knowing that Ren was a friend who I could count on. I was closer to him than any other boy my age. When our parents finally consented to let us use Duel Disks, he was the first one who sparred with me using it. Our decks were pathetic then, but it was still fun. We eventually saw each other as boyfriend and girlfriend.**_

**It wasn't until Duelatopia last year that we finally took the next step… We saw each other as practical soulmates. We saw each other as the ones we wanted to be with all our lives.**

_**It's funny that this situation has never happened before in our careers as duelists. Two opponents have shown up, requiring a team duel, and for the first time, I have to duel with Ren as my partner.**_

_**I imagined that when this time came, I'd be nervous. But I actually welcome it.**_

**So do I, and for the same reason. It will prove that we truly belong together.**

**Let's go…**

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Hidden Agenda**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi and her five allies were spread out around the whole sinister shrine, searching every nook and cranny for anything that suggested a way to open the door, or reveal a new one.

"Be careful, people," said Yumi. "This place may be booby-trapped, for all we know…"

"You know, Sam," said Erik. "I just thought of something I haven't had in a very long time."

"What?" asked Sam.

"Big League Chew," replied Erik.

"HUH?" replied Sam.

"You know, Big League Chew," said Erik. "It's bubble gum, and it doesn't come in sticks or pieces like other gum. It comes shredded, so you can have as much of it or as little of it as you want. They want you to believe that baseball players use it, but I have my doubts…"

"What does that have to do with anything?" asked Sam, getting annoyed.

"Well…" said Erik with a sigh. "It's just that when you're trapped in another dimension with no way out that you know of, and you have no idea whether or not you'll ever see home again, little things like this come to mind…"

They didn't know at the moment that they weren't alone. Two Duel Spirits were looking down on them from the balcony up ahead.

One of them was a young man with spiky black hair wearing a red martial arts _gi_ with gold trim. He held an odd weapon – it looked like a long staff with a faucet head on the end.

The other was a young woman dressed in a purple jumpsuit, with long, green hair worn loose. A long knife was strapped to her belt.

Goe Goe the Gallant Ninja and Lady Ninja Yae looked down on them.

"Goe Goe…" whispered Yae, nervously. "Do we really have to do this? Isn't there another way?"

"Look, honey…" said Goe Goe, holding her arms. "You know there isn't. I don't like it any more than you do, but you know what will happen if we don't…"

"This nuts…" said Ren, putting his hands on his hips. "Maybe we should just try to…"

Then he was startled as a rope fell from the ceiling.

"GUYS!" he shouted.

Everyone turned, just as the two Ninjas slid down the rope.

"Huh?" said Yumi. "What are you two doing in here?"

"Don't shoot!" shouted Yae.

"Actually," said Goe Goe, "the two of us are kinda in the same boat as you guys."

"Come again?" asked Sam.

"Well… See…" said Goe Goe. "We were just two thieves, who wanted to make a big score. So we came here, and we got this far…"

"Yeah…" said Yae, nervously. "There were two other Spirits in this temple, and they couldn't get out either. They kinda forced us to duel them, saying that the magic of the temple demands a duel before anyone who comes in is let out. The winners leave, the losers stay."

Yumi looked at them suspiciously.

"And you two lost?" she asked.

They nodded nervously.

"And I suppose you want another duel so you can get out?" asked Sam.

"Well, yes, but we want to make a deal before we do that!" replied Goe Goe. "See, the two who left us here hinted that the magic of this temple can be shut off by turning off some generator or something in Daala's throne room. But, they weren't nice enough to ever do it."

"So…" said Yae. "We make a deal… Whoever wins finds the generator and turns it off, so we can all get out of here. Sound fair?"

"One question," asked Erik. "Why didn't you duel each other and make that deal?"

"We thought of doing that," sighed Goe Goe. "We almost did it once. But we couldn't…"

"Our decks are designed to work as a team," added Yae. "We're nothing on our own! If one of us got out, and the one who got out was challenged by one of Daala's men, he or she wouldn't stand a chance! Whoever was left behind would be trapped here forever!"

Yumi looked at them again.

"Sam…" she said. "Feel like being partners again?"

"Hold up, Yumi," said Ren. "You and Sam had best save yourselves for Daala. I think I can do this."

"Me too," said Chelsea. "How hard can it be?"

The two Ninjas beamed.

"Great!" said Yae, nervously again. "Two-on-two! And it's a deal?"

She lifted her Disk.

"Sure," said Ren.

"Hold up," said Goe Goe. "Some ground rules…"

"Make it quick," said Yumi.

"Okay, here's how it is," said Goe Goe. "Each team will share a Life Point total, but because it's a team, they'll start with double the amount of Life Points.

"No sharing of strategies, and no sharing of cards that are not already played. But, you can use anything on your partner's field. Also, both partners share the same Graveyard in terms of cards that can manipulate it.

"Are we set?"

"So who goes first?" asked Ren.

"Up to you," replied Goe Goe.

Ren looked at Chelsea.

"Then by all means, we'll go first," said Chelsea.

"Okay…" said Yae with a nervous chuckle. "Then, Ren will go first, then me, then you, then Goe Goe, and then back to Ren. No attacks allowed until each player has had one Standby Phase."

The four of them stood in a square pattern. Simultaneously, four Disks activated.

"What do you think?" asked Erik.

"I don't know _what_ to think yet," replied Yumi.

_There's something wrong here…_ she thought. _I think we're gonna regret this…_

Each player drew five cards.

"Game on!" they shouted.

**(Ren and Chelsea: 16,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Yae and Goe Goe: 16,000)**

"Let's go!" said Ren, drawing a card.

He looked over his hand.

"I play a facedown, and then summon my Dark Blade."

A facedown card appeared, and then Dark Blade appeared, lifting his swords. (1,800/1,500)

"And that's all for me…"

"Uh, my move…" said Yae, drawing a card.

She added it to her hand and chose another.

"I'll play a facedown too… And then summon… Silver Spirit – Sakyo."

A facedown card appeared, and then a Monster appeared in a shower of silvery light. Ren and Chelsea were surprised. They had never seen _this_ before.

It looked like a humanoid made entirely of paper, dressed in a plain blue robe tied with a black sash. (600/800)

"Uh… yeah…" said Ren.

"I end my turn…" said Yae.

"I draw…" said Chelsea, drawing a card.

"I play a facedown of my own, and then summon Vampire Lady!"

A facedown card appeared, and then Vampire Lady appeared in a dark shadow. (1,550/1,550)

"I end _my_ turn."

"My move!" said Goe Goe, drawing a card.

"I summon Silver Spirit – Ukyo."

In another shower of silvery lights, another Monster appeared. At first, it looked identical to the one that Yae had summoned. On closer inspection, however, it was clear that the two Monsters were mirror images of each other. What was on one's left was on the other's right, and vice versa. (800/600)

"No wonder you two lost," chuckled Ren. "With Monsters like that?"

"Oh, we're so afraid of weak Monsters!" said Chelsea, sarcastically. "Especially ones made of paper!"

"Of course they're weak," replied Goe Goe, taking a card from his hand. "I mean, if Ukyo had more than 1,000 points, I couldn't play this…

"Secret Pass to the Treasures. This lets him attack directly.

"So… Attack Ren directly! Quicksilver!"

Ukyo grunted, and pointed its hand at Ren. It blasted a bolt of silvery energy, slamming into Ren's stomach.

"ERGH!" groaned Ren, doubling over.

"Chelsea… Be careful… They pack a lot of punch for a couple of paper dolls…"

"I'll set a card facedown, and end my turn," said Goe Goe, as a facedown card appeared.

**(R and C: 15,200) - - - - - - - - - - (Y and GG: 16,000)**

"And back to me!" said Ren, drawing a card. "Time to play Rock, Paper Scissors… And Scissors cuts Paper! Dark Blade, attack Spirit Sakyo!"

Dark Blade lifted his swords and flew at the Spirit.

"But Rock smashes Scissors," gasped Yae, as her facedown card shot up. "I activate Mirror Bind!"

Ren and Chelsea were shocked as the whole room became full of mirrors, flying around in a chaotic pattern.

"With both Sakyo and Ukyo on the field," said Yae, "this not only destroys the Monster that attacked, but destroys another one that's weaker."

Ren and Chelsea braced themselves as both Dark Blade and Vampire Lady exploded.

"Ooh, you aren't gonna get away with that…" said Ren.

Both he and Chelsea gestured, and both their facedown card lifted at the same time.

"Go, Call of the Haunted!" they both shouted.

In two bursts of energy, Dark Blade (1,800/1,500) and Vampire Lady (1,550/1,550) appeared again.

"Dark Blade, let's try this again!" shouted Ren.

Dark Blade flew towards Sakyo again…

"Not so fast!" shouted Goe Goe.

His own facedown card lifted.

"I activate Mirror Trap!"

A card materialized in his hand.

"This takes the Trap that Yae just used and sends it to me. And best of all, I can activate it right now."

He threw it into his Disk, and once again, the chaotic storm of mirrors hit the room. Once again, Dark Blade and Vampire Lady exploded.

"And these two are stuck here because they lost?" asked Erik.

Yumi rubbed her chin.

"Uh…" said Ren, looking at his hand. "Rather than tempt fate, I'm going to end my turn…"

This seemed to give Yae a little more confidence as she drew her next card.

She looked at it. She smiled, nervously again.

"I play the Continuous Spell Card, Full Moon Mirror."

As she placed it in her Disk, an eerie fog started to rise on her and Goe Goe's side of the room. Between them, a mirror appeared – one without a reflective surface, and with several closed eyes on the face. Then, a full moon appeared above in the fog.

"I don't like that," said Chelsea. "What does your Full Moon Mirror do?"

"Nothing… yet," replied Yae. "But we'll get to it later, maybe…

"Anyway, I play Mirror Call."

Another Spell Card appeared on her side of the field.

"With both Sakyo and Ukyo on the field, I get to take a Trap Card from my Graveyard."

The Mirror Bind card slipped out of her discard slot.

Then she fit it in her Disk, and it appeared facedown.

"Terrific…" said Ren.

"Now…"continued Yae. "Sakyo, attack Chelsea directly. Quicksilver!"

Sakyo cast a bolt that was identical to the blast shot by Ukyo, slamming into Chelsea's stomach.

"Ergh…" she groaned.

"You were right… That does hurt…"

"And I end my turn," said Yae.

**(R and C: 14,600) - - - - - - - - - - (Y and GG: 16,000)**

Chelsea drew a card.

"That Mirror Bind is a power Trap, Yae," she said. "But you said that it destroys two Monsters.

"I wonder… Does it work if your opponent only has _one_ Monster?"

Yae just looked at her, again noticeably nervous.

"Let's find out," said Chelsea. "I play Call of the Mummy."

She fit the card into her Disk, and it appeared on the field.

"Next, I use it to summon Vampire's Curse!"

In a dark aura, the armored, winged vampire appeared. (2,000/800)

"Attack Sakyo!" she shouted "Night shade!"

Vampire's Curse shot a ball of flaming blackness, and Silver Spirit – Sakyo exploded into scraps of paper. Yae cried out in pain.

Then one of the eyes on the Full Moon Mirror opened.

"I thought so," said Chelsea. "Now that the coast is clear, I'll Normal Summon Zombie Master."

She played another card, and Zombie Master appeared in a burst of energy. (1,800/0)

"I'll set one card facedown, and play Mirage of Nightmare."

A facedown card and the Mirage card appeared.

"Your move…"

**(R and C: 14,600) - - - - - - - - - - (Y and GG: 14,600)**

Goe Goe drew a card.

"Hold up," said Chelsea. "I get to draw four cards."

She made four draws.

"Then, I activate Emergency Provisions."

Her facedown card lifted up, and the Mirage card was consumed.

"Let's take this to the next level," said Goe Goe. "I set a facedown…"

A facedown card appeared.

"Then I sacrifice Ukyo…"

The Silver Spirit vanished.

"…to summon Magic Mirror Spirit – Nayuta!"

The Monster that appeared was frightening to look at. It was a woman dressed in the traditional dress of a miko, with flowing blonde hair, long claws on her hands, and an evil-looking, cat-like mask over her face. (2,600/1,400)

"Magic Mirror Spirit?" asked Chelsea. "What are these creatures?"

"They are known as _shikigami_," replied Goe Goe. "Sorcerers summon them for use as servants, using paper to give them corporeal forms. Some are not very strong, like those two you saw a minute ago…

"This one, however, is very strong. Attack Vampire's Curse!"

Nayuta cast a bolt of fiery energy from her claws. In an instant, Vampire's Curse was reduced to bones, and then the bones were vaporized.

A second eye on the Full Moon Mirror opened. Also, a sliver of darkness began to cover the moon overhead.

"Uh…" said Chelsea. "Don't think I'm gonna use his effect…"

"Suit yourself," said Goe Goe. "I end my turn."

**(R and C: 15,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Y and GG: 14,600)**

Ren drew a card. Any sympathy he had for these two Duel Spirits was fading fast.

"I summon Armageddon Knight!" he shouted.

He played the card, and the dark Warrior in worn armor with a cutlass appeared. (1,400/1,200)

"Now, I use his effect…"

He took a second Dark Blade from his deck, and discarded it.

"Continuing, I remove the Dark Blade I just discarded from play, to summon La Sombra!"

In a flash, the female bandito appeared, lashing her whip. (1,800/1,000)

"Now, one of you has to draw a card. The type of card you draw decides what La Sombra does next."

"Uh…" said Yae.

She made a draw.

She held it forward. It was Secret Pass to the Treasures.

"Spell Card!" said Ren. "Now she can destroy one Monster!"

La Sombra lashed her whip, entangling it around Nayuta's waist. Nayuta gasped as the bandito yanked, pulling the Fiend towards her. La Sombra made a roundhouse kick, and the Magic Mirror Spirit was blown to shards.

A third eye on the Full Moon Mirror opened.

"You two are defenseless!" shouted Ren.

"No we aren't!" replied Goe Goe, as his facedown card lifted. "I activate Call of the Haunted! Now, I'll bring back Silver Spirit – Ukyo!"

In a flash of light, Ukyo appeared again. (800/600)

"And when Ukyo is summoned from the Graveyard, its effect activates, meaning that Sakyo isn't far behind."

Silver Spirit – Sakyo appeared next to Ukyo. (600/800)

"Ren, watch out!" shouted Ren. "This means they can use that stupid Mirror Bind thing again!"

Ren looked at the other three cards in his hand.

"Thanks for the safety tip, Chelsea," he said. "I play the Spell Card, Bait Doll. This forces you to trigger that Trap early."

"Huh?" said Yae, as her Mirror Bind lifted up.

"However," said Ren, "since the timing for it is wrong, it's destroyed."

The Mirror Bind shattered in to pieces.

"Now," he said, taking the Spell Card, "after using Bait Doll, I return it to my deck, and then reshuffle…"

He shuffled his deck, and then placed it back.

"Next, I play Monster Reborn!"

He played the card, and the ankh appeared on his side of the field. His first Dark Blade appeared again. (1,800/1,500)

"Now, let's take these guys out. Get 'em!"

Armageddon Knight and Dark Blade flew at the two Silver Spirits. With two slashes of swords, the two _shikigami_ were torn into shreds.

Two more eyes opened on the Full Moon Mirror, and the shadow covering the moon got bigger, now covering half of it.

"La Sombra, attack Goe Goe directly!" ordered Ren.

La Sombra leapt up, and slashed her whip downward. Goe Goe cringed and fell backwards.

"Goe Goe!" screamed Yae.

"I'm all right, darling…" muttered the Ninja, getting up.

"Your move, Yae," said Ren. "We have you grossly outnumbered now…"

**(R and C: 15,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Y and GG: 11,000)**

Yae drew a card. She seemed to have lost the confidence she had gotten back the last turn.

"I… I set a Monster, and a facedown card, and that will be all…" she said.

A facedown Monster and a reversed card appeared.

"My move…" said Chelsea, drawing a card.

"Okay, I'm using Zombie Master's effect," she said. "I'll discard my second Vampire Lady…"

She slipped the card into her discard slot.

"…to bring back my first one!"

In an aura of shadow, Vampire Lady reappeared. (1,550/1,550)

"Next, I sacrifice her…"

Vampire Lady vanished.

"To summon Ryu Kokki!"

With a roar, the giant Bone Dragon Ogre loomed over the field. (2,400/2,000)

"Next, I'll drop 800 Life Points to play Premature Burial, and bring Vampire's Curse back to the field."

She played the card, and a red aura surrounded her as Vampire's Curse appeared again. (2,000/800)

"Zombie Master, destroy the facedown Monster!"

Zombie Master cackled, and threw a volley of lightning bolts at the facedown Monster. A Morphing Jar appeared on the card, and was blown to pieces.

Another eye opened on the Mirror, and the moon continued to eclipse.

All four duelists discarded the cards in their hands, and made five draws.

"Vampire's Curse, attack…"

"I activate my Trap!" screamed Yae, as her facedown card lifted. "Limit Reverse! This lets me summon a Monster from my Graveyard with 1,000 Attack Points or less!"

In a flash of light, Sakyo appeared again. (600/800)

"And, its effect summons Ukyo."

Ukyo appeared next to Sakyo. (800/600)

Vampire's Curse blasted his Night Slade, blowing Ukyo away. Then Ryu Kokki punched Sakyo with its mighty fist, flattening it.

Two more eyes opened on the Mirror.

"I believe that means it's Goe Goe's turn…" said Chelsea.

**(R and C: 14,200) - - - - - - - - - - (Y and GG: 8,000)**

Yae looked anxiously at Goe Goe as he drew a card.

"I toss three cards facedown, and that will do it," he said, as three facedown cards appeared.

"Then it's my move!" shouted Ren, drawing a card.

"And I summon Mataza the Zapper!"

With the flourish of a somersault, Mataza leapt onto the field, and drew his katana. (1,300/800)

"Mataza, attack Yae directly!" he shouted.

Yae gasped in fright as the ronin charged towards her.

"Don't worry, honey," said Goe Goe.

One of his facedown cards lifted.

"I activate Soul Mirror!" he shouted. "Now, I send one of my cards on the field to the Graveyard…"

Another of his set cards vanished.

"And I get to summon a Monster from it."

Once again, Sakyo appeared, this time in Defense Mode. (600/800) And again, Ukyo appeared close behind. (800/600)

Sam shook her head.

"Man, this whole duel is one vicious cycle," she said. "What benefit do they have summoning these things over and over again?"

"I dunno," said Erik. "Ren and Chelsea are just gonna smash them over and over again."

"This is getting annoying!" growled Ren.

He turned to Mataza.

"Go ahead…"

Mataza rushed at Sakyo and slashed with his sword. The Silver Spirit burst.

"Now I use his effect to attack a second time!"

Mataza slashed at Ukyo, and it was torn to shreds.

"I activate Buried Soul Talisman!" shouted Goe Goe, as his last Trap Card lifted up. "Since both my Monsters were destroyed in one turn, I can destroy the Monster who destroyed them."

A talisman appeared on Mataza's face. He screamed, and then exploded into shards.

"And that's not all…" continued Goe Goe. "I get to Special Summon a high-Level Monster from my hand. So I summon Magic Mirror Spirit – Asogi in Defense Mode."

He played the card, and another of the advanced _shikigami_appeared. This one was apparently male, and dressed in a brown robe. It crouched and shielded itself in Defense Mode. (1,500/2,500)

"And when Asogi is summoned, I get to bring Nayuta back from the Graveyard."

In a burst of energy, Nayuta appeared again in Attack Mode. (2,600/1,400)

"Oh, great…" muttered Ren.

"Uh… Ren…" said Chelsea.

"What?" said Ren.

Chelsea pointed at the Full Moon Mirror.

The eyes were gone, and it had gained a reflective surface. And the moon overhead had been completely eclipsed. Even worse, Yae was smiling. She had seemed to have gotten over her lack of confidence.

"The Full Moon Mirror absorbed the power from every Monster that perished during this duel," she said. "Since more than ten Monsters have now been destroyed between the four of us, its true power can finally be released…"

"Chelsea…" said Ren. "I think we may have been played for suckers…"

"My move!" said Yae, drawing a card.

"I sacrifice both our Monsters…"

Asogi and Nayuta vanished into grains of light.

"To summon the beast of a thousand nightmares… The Dark God!"

A huge, hulking shape started to form behind the two Ninja. Then it came fully into view. It was fifteen feet tall, and almost as wide, with an armor-like black hide, two huge claws, a mass of tentacles in place of legs, and one, huge glaring eye. (3,000/1,000)

"Man…" muttered Chelsea. "Why are these Monsters always big and hideous? Why can't we ever duel someone who uses Monsters like the Ice Cream Sandwich Man?"

"Or the Calzone With Extra Pepperoni Creature?" asked Ren.

"Don't make us hungry now," said Sam.

"Now…" said Yae, "I send Full Moon Mirror to the Graveyard, in order to activate Infinite Fiend Mirror!"

The Full Moon Mirror vanished, and she placed a card in her Field slot. All of a sudden, the whole temple turned into a void of pure darkness, and winged imps carrying mirrors in their claws started to circle around all four duelists.

"What's going on?" shouted Chelsea.

"When Dark God is on the field, Infinite Fiend Mirror multiplies its abilities by ten!" exclaimed Yae.

Then, more Monsters started to form on Yae and Goe Goe's side of the field. On each space in both their Monster Zones, a man-sized version of the Dark God formed. (3,000/1,000 x9)

"You have GOT to be kidding!" shouted Chelsea. "TEN Monsters with 3,000 Attack Points EACH?"

"Now I KNOW we were played for suckers," shouted Ren. "You two aren't a couple of common thieves… You're duelist assassins working for Daala!"

"We're not going to explain ourselves now," said Yae. "Suffice to say, you're talking to two Duel Spirits who have nothing left to lose.

"Dark God… Mow their Monsters down!"

The Dark God and five of its duplicates blasted beams of burning darkness from their eyes, striking Armageddon Knight, La Sombra, Dark Blade, Ryu Kokki, Vampire's Curse, and Zombie Master. The six Monsters erupted into black flames and were reduced to ashes. Ren and Chelsea screamed.

"And Dark God has an added effect," said Yae. "For each Monster that it or one of its doppelgangers crushes, you lose 700 Life Points."

Ren and Chelsea screamed again as a wave of evil energy struck them.

**(R and C: 3,200) - - - - - - - - - - (Y and GG: 8,000)**

"Well, Chelsea…" gasped Ren. "I guess this is goodbye…"

"I set two cards facedown, and end my turn," said Yae, as two facedown cards appeared.

Ren and Chelsea looked at her with an expression that could best be defined as complete confusion.

"Uhm, hello?" asked Erik. "Can someone tell me why we aren't scraping Ren and Chelsea off the floor right now?"

"I… I really don't know…" said Yumi. "There has to be _some_ reason why Yae didn't declare a direct attack…"

Chelsea slowly drew a card. She looked at it.

"Chelsea!" whispered Ren. "Be very, very careful… She had us dead to rights, so why didn't she attack? I think it may be less of a question of whether or not she would, and more of whether or not she _could_."

Chelsea looked at them, and then looked at her hand.

"The butt-ugly Monster has a weakness, right?" she said out loud. "You didn't have it attack us directly, because it can't do that!

"So, if I just don't put any Monsters on the field, we're completely safe from your Dark God.

"But just in case, I'll set a facedown."

She fit a card in her Disk, and it appeared.

"And I'll turn it over to the not-so-Gallant Ninja."

"I'm still gallant!" shouted Goe Goe, drawing a card. "I never stopped being gallant!"

"Then why do you work for Daala?" asked Chelsea.

"I don't recall ever admitting that I did," said Goe Goe. "And you were right, by the way. Dark God can only attack Monsters. But that doesn't mean we can't hurt you with it.

"Yae, if you would…"

One of Yae's facedown cards lifted.

"I activate Ojama Trio," she said. "If you won't summon a Monster, I'll just give you a few."

In three bursts of light, three tokens resembling Ojama Yellow, Ojama Green, and Ojama Black appeared in front of Chelsea in Defense Mode. (0/1,000 x3)

"And I'll chain my other Trap to it," she said, as her other facedown card lifted. "Trap Reclamation. I toss one card…"

She discarded a card.

"…and as soon as my Ojama Trio goes to the Graveyard after being activated, I get it back."

The Trap Card slipped out of her discard slot, and she added it to her hand.

"This is bad!" exclaimed Sam. "Not only will Ren and Chelsea lose 700 Life Points for each token that's destroyed, but because those are Ojama Tokens, they'll lose 300 more apiece!"

"Now," shouted Goe Goe, "Dark God, attack!"

The true Dark God's eye glowed.

"You like cards that depict the moon?" asked Chelsea. "Here's one… Red Ghost Moon!"

Her facedown card flipped up, and she discarded her Vampire Lord, just as the blast shot at Ojama Green. The ominous harvest moon appeared behind Ren and Chelsea.

"Now, your attack is deflected, your Battle Phase ends, and we gain Life Points equal to your Monster's Attack Score."

**(R and C: 6,200) - - - - - - - - - - (Y and GG: 8,000)**

She turned to Ren.

"I held them off one round," she said. "You got any ideas?"

"I might…" said Ren. "Wish me luck…"

He drew a card.

"Yes!" he shouted.

He played it.

"I summon New Moon Princess!" he shouted.

He played the card, and the young squire with ebony skin appeared, holding her practice sword. (1,300/1,200)

"Next, I sacrifice her, to summon her big sis…"

New Moon Princess vanished.

In an aura of darkness, the mighty form of Crescent Moon Queen appeared out of the shadows, holding her gleaming scimitars. (2,600/1,700)

"Not bad," said Yae. "But Dark God is still stronger."

"It won't be," said Ren, "once I Equip my Queen with Fusion Sword Murasame Blade!"

He played the card, and the Queen's scimitars vanished. A much larger, much deadlier sword appeared in her hands. (3,400/1,700)

"Attack!" shouted Ren. "Destroy their Dark God!"

Crescent Moon Queen shouted a war cry, and flew at the Dark God. She slammed the sword into it, causing sparks to fly…

**(R and C: 6,200) - - - - - - - - - - (Y and GG: 7,600)**

…and then, she looked up, dumbfounded, to see that her foe was still there.

"Not a bad try," said Yae, "but it can't be destroyed in battle."

Ren and Chelsea looked at each other.

"Okay!" shouted Ren. "I wanna know where you got these cards!"

"Don't worry, Ren," said Chelsea. "At least Dark God can't defeat your Queen."

"It could if she lost that sword," said Yae.

"Fusion Sword can't be destroyed," replied Ren. "Anyway, I set a facedown, and end my turn…"

A facedown card appeared.

"My move…" said Yae, drawing a card.

"And I play the Spell Card, Spiritualism. This lets me return one Spell or Trap Card on the field to its owner's hand."

A cackling ghost flew out of the Spell Card. It flew into the Fusion Sword, and the weapon vanished. The card reappeared in Ren's hand.

"Dark God, destroy his Queen!"

The Dark God blasted it bolt of evil energy, and Crescent Moon Queen screamed before she was struck. She was blown to atoms.

Three of the Dark God's clones shot their beams at the three Ojamas. Ren and Chelsea screamed as they were shocked again.

**(R and C: 2,100) - - - - - - - - - - (Y and GG: 7,600)**

"I set a facedown card, and end my turn," said Yae.

_It has to be Ojama Trio again,_ thought Ren. _If they attack another three Ojama Tokens, we lose. We have one last chance…_

"Chelsea!" he said.

Chelsea was about to draw, but stopped.

"It's all up to you…" he said. "We can still win, but neither of us can do it alone.

"Just keep us alive one more round, and show them the best you've got!"

Chelsea looked at Ren. She slowly drew a card.

_Was that a suggestion?_ he thought. _The most he could do without violating the rules?_

_Well, here goes nothing…_

"Trap Card, activate," said Yae.

"Her facedown card lifted, which was Ojama Trio again. The three Ojamas rematerialized on Chelsea's side of the field. (0/1,000 x3)

Chelsea looked at her hand.

"I throw one card facedown," she said, as a facedown card appeared. "Then, I play Book of Life. I'll raise Vampire Lord from my Graveyard, and remove Nayuta from play."

Magic Mirror Spirit – Nayuta fell out of Goe Goe's discard slot, and Vampire Lord appeared on Chelsea's side of the field. (2,000/1,500)

"Then, I remove my Vampire Lord from play, to summon Vampire Genesis."

Vampire Lord vanished into grains of light, and the powerful vampire deity appeared. (3,000/2,100)

"And that's all for me…"

"My move!" said Goe Goe, drawing a card. "And it's time to end this…

"Dark God, attack her Vampire!"

Dark God's single eye glowed again.

"Go, Trap Card!" shouted Chelsea. "I activate Trap of Darkness!"

Her facedown card lifted.

"Trap of Darkness can only be activated when I have 3,000 Life Points or less. Then, I can spend 1,000 of them to remove a Normal Trap in my Graveyard from play. Then, this Trap's effect duplicates that of the removed Trap."

A card slipped out of her discard slot.

"I choose to duplicate… Red Ghost Moon!"

She quickly discarded a Zombie Werewolf, and the Red Ghost Moon appeared again. The blast was halted dead in its tracks.

Goe Goe grunted in frustration.

"I end my turn!" he shouted.

"It's all up to you now, Ren…" said Chelsea.

**(R and C: 4,100) - - - - - - - - - - (Y and GG: 7,600)**

"I draw!" shouted Ren.

"I play Premature Burial. So I'm bringing my Queen back…"

He glowed with an aura of red energy, and Crescent Moon Queen appeared again. (2,600/1,700)

"Next, I give her Fusion Sword Murasame Blade once again…"

The Sword appeared in the Queen's hands again. (3,400/1,700)

"Now, I activate my own facedown card… Rising Energy. I toss one card…"

He discarded the card he just drew.

"And my Queen gets even stronger."

(4,900/1,700)

"Wait a minute…" said Yae.

"And finally…" said Ren, taking the last card in his hand. "I play Gift of the Martyr! I sacrifice Vampire Genesis…"

Vampire Genesis vanished into grains of light.

"…and give his Attack Score to my Queen!"

(7,900/1,700)

"Seventy-nine-hundred Attack Points?!" shouted Goe Goe and Yae.

"That's right," said Ren. "And due to her own effect, my Queen can attack twice. Sure, your Dark God will survive…

"But it doesn't really matter.

"Crescent Moon Queen, attack the Dark God!"

The Queen leapt up, and slammed her blade into the behemoth. The whole room shook, and the two Ninja screamed.

"Now… Take another swipe at it!"

Crescent Moon Queen struck at it a second time, and the two Ninja screamed again.

Yae collapsed on her knees, and started sobbing.

**(R and C: 3,300) - - - - - - - - - - (Y and GG: 0)**

The Monsters vanished, but Yae didn't stop crying. Goe Goe hugged her gently.

"We're doomed…" she cried.

"Oh, no," said Yumi. "You two aren't getting off that easily. You know the way out, and you're gonna tell us, now."

"Don't hurt, us please," sobbed Yae.

"Look, I'll explain," said Goe Goe. "We had no choice but to work for Daala. Our only other choice was to be sent to some demon king."

"What?" asked Sam.

"Shogarr?" asked Yumi.

"We don't know…" said Goe Goe. "See, the part about being thieves wanting to make a big score was true. In our home dimension, we belong to a clan that works kind of like Robin Hood did… Stealing from corrupt people in positions of power for the benefit of the impoverished. When we found ourselves stuck in Xanadu, we figured we should start doing the same thing. This place is full of corruption.

"But we stole something very, _very_ valuable from Daala. We had no idea it was so valuable. We thought it was only a gemstone, but it was really a magical artifact of incredible power that could control the chaotic energies of the Abyss.

"We were caught quickly, and charged not with theft, but with treason. We didn't know that what we did was so bad, but Daala said that ignorance was no excuse. After spending some time in prison, we were dragged out, thrown in the middle of the Burnt Paradise, and forced to face… Daala's executioner…"

"Ruin…" whispered Chelsea.

"Yes…" said Goe Goe. "The most frightening experience of our lives. Our decks were not nearly as good as the one you saw, and we didn't have a chance. But before she banished us, Daala stepped in. She gave us one chance.

"We simply had to stay in this temple, wait for you, and… Keep you occupied… She gave us those decks. We've spent most of our time here studying the cards and figuring out how they work."

Yae was still quietly sobbing.

"We failed…" she sobbed. "We lost our only chance…"

"Show us the way out," said Yumi. "And stay in this temple. Here's the best we can promise you: If we are successful in our mission, the new government of Xanadu will grant you full asylum from anyone who was affected by the theft."

Yae stopped crying. She looked at Goe Goe.

They nodded.

They put their hands together, and made an odd sign. A trapdoor in the floor opened up.

"One more thing you two," said Yumi. "Before we go…"

She pointed to the case with the eleven Monster Cards.

"What are _those_ for?"

"Well… We aren't sure," replied Yae. "We were told not to touch them, or the deal was off. But we did hear Daala say something about how this temple was supposed to be for a special duel of some sort."

Yumi looked at the case again. She didn't like just leaving, but they had already tried to break open that case. It was likely protected by magic.

"Let's go, people," said Yumi.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In her throne room, Daala was getting a little concerned. She wondered why none of the Big Five had contacted her in the past hour.

Then Skull Knight ran in, quite out of breath.

"What's going on?" shouted Daala. "What's the status of the battle?"

"Lost," gasped Skull Knight. "More or less…"

"What do you mean?" said Daala, getting off her throne. "The Angels of Entropy…"

"Were released too soon," interrupted Skull Knight. "Thanks to the Elemental Heroes wiping out most of our forces with Gilford the Lightning. And Freed defeated them with a Dimensional Prison.

"And all your AI duelists realized that you intended to kill them as well. They've all surrendered to Freed. Freed is in the process of healing and regrouping. It won't be long before the palace is besieged.

"And the Big Five all lost to Joan's generals. Zane and the others have infiltrated the palace."

A look of rage came across Joan's face.

"Yumi!" she snarled. "Where is Yumi?"

"We lost track of her…" said Skull Knight. "Your handmaidens reported that she and her group killed their Dragon, so they clearly went through that area of the palace. But now, they could be anywhere…"

Daala paused.

"Go on ahead of me," she said. "Remember the final plan."

Skull Knight nodded. Then he vanished in a burst of shadow.

Daala gestured, and her iron scepter flew to her hand.

She threw the curtain aside.

"Bad news, Joan," she said. "I have to crush your army now. I had hoped to lure Yumi to me with hopes of rescuing you… But I guess she'll be just as willing to chase me if she's on a revenge mission."

She pointed the scepter at Joan…

"Dread Emperor…" she chanted. "I offer you the…"

"Stop right there, Daala!" screamed Yumi's voice.

With an explosion, the door to the throne room flew open, and Yumi and her five friends rushed through.

Daala quickly tried to complete the spell. Then Chelsea gestured, and shot a blast of flame from her fingertips. Daala screamed in pain, and dropped the scepter.

She tried to pick it up, but Sam gestured, and the floor around Daala was covered with ice. She slipped and fell over.

Then Ren gestured, and the stone floor opened up, swallowing the scepter. It contracted, and crushed it.

"How do you like that?" asked Ren.

Daala snarled.

She waved her hand, and the chains holding Joan vanished. Joan started to collapse, but Daala caught her in a headlock.

"I _like_ having a hostage!" she said.

Joan tried to struggle, but she was too weak. The Mask on her face prevented her from seeing or speaking, but she could still hear, and she knew what was happening. If she could have, she would have screamed to Yumi and the others that it was a trap, but she was helpless to do so.

"Well… Ain't this a pretty picture?" said Daala. "If this was a movie and I was the villain, we'd be entering the scene now that's universally called 'the chase'.

"I would probably say something evil and dramatic like… 'Don't even think of following me, or she suffers the worst fate you can dream of!' But you know something? I _want_ you to follow me. If you didn't, what fun would that be?"

Then she laughed, and both she and Joan turned into an orb of darkness. Then, they literally flew through the floor, leaving a big hole.

Yumi and the others ran up to it. A staircase going down had been revealed.

"Talk about a prima donna," said Ren.

"You realize she's leading us into something?" asked Sam.

"We don't have much of a choice, Sam," said Yumi.

They were about to follow, when Erik clutched his head.

"What?" asked Chelsea.

"A vision?" asked Sam.

"Yeah…" muttered Erik, "and a very clear one…

"Chaos Sorcerer!"

"That jerk?" asked Ren. "Well, if he's down there, we'll just beat his butt again…

"Come on!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Down, down, and down. They followed the very straight path down into the bowels of the castle.

"We're getting closer," said Yumi. "I can sense a powerful source of energy nearby."

After what seemed a long time, they came to the portal that led to the Core. They took notice of the sign that said "No humans beyond this point", but they didn't care about it. They continued running…

But when they tried to enter the portal, they were thrown backwards.

"What happened?" asked Sam.

"Can you not read?" asked a sinister, inhuman voice. "The sign clearly says, 'No humans beyond this point'."

Everyone slowly turned to see a pair of glowing, white eyes in a dark alcove.

The creature came slowly into view. It was vaguely feminine, with blue skin, a hairless head, and pointed ears. Her clothing looked like it had been issued from a torture chamber, and half of her torso was eaten away, revealing metallic rib bones underneath. She carried a broken, demonic-looking infant doll in her arms.

"Dark Necrofear…" gasped Yumi.

"Behind that portal lies the true Core of Xanadu," said Dark Necrofear. (Her lips didn't move – she was likely speaking telepathically.) "The source of all power in this dimension. It is a sacred place, where humans simply are not allowed."

Yumi lifted her Disk. The demon chuckled.

"Well, I'll certainly duel you if you like," she said. "But even if you defeat me, and you won't, the portal still won't let you in. The will of Shogarr enforces this rule, not me."

"There must be some way in," growled Sam, clenching her fist.

Dark Necrofear smirked.

"The only way humans may enter is if they are no longer human," she replied. "But there is one way that will be possible, at least for you five… I notice you have sampled the Devil's Fruit. And I am the one who controls the Fruit's power in this world. Would you like me to awaken its true power within you?"

"True power?" asked Yumi.

She didn't like the sound of that.

"Devil's Fruit contains not devils," said Dark Necrofear, "but the spark from which Duel Spirits are created. If the fruit is eaten by humans, that spark can merge with the one whom has eaten it with the right surge In other words, I can transform humans who have eaten it into Duel Spirits, if I have their permission.

"Then you could easily use that portal and deal with Daala any way you like."

The five humans looked a little scared.

"Can you change them back?" asked Chelsea.

"Don't know," said Dark Necrofear. "No one has ever asked me."

"I don't trust this creature," said Ren. "How do we know she won't turn us into Kuribohs?"

"I usually do not choose the specific Spirit," said Dark Necrofear. "To do that would require a ritual that takes hours to complete. If you have time, you could choose the Spirit yourself."

"We don't have hours to do it for all five of us," said Sam. "Or even one of us."

"In that case," said Dark Necrofear, "I can do it instantly, but in that case, the choice is dictated by the recipient's dreams and subconscious desires. But I can at least guarantee a humanoid form."

"Look everyone," said Yumi. "I don't trust this Fiend either. After all, she was used by someone who gave my grandfather a hard time…"

Dark Necrofear chuckled.

"The dark spirit that possessed Bakura?" she asked. "I found him quite amusing. True, he used my card, but he had no idea what he was truly using."

"I have to go into that portal," said Yumi. "If any of you want to turn back, it's okay. Daala invited me here alone at the start of this mess, after all."

There was a pause.

"I'm going with you," said Ren.

"If you are going, I am going," said Chelsea.

"Eh, why not," asked Sam. "It wouldn't be any riskier than what we've already done."

"Count me in too," said Erik.

Yumi looked at the Fiend.

"Do it," she said.

"Then I guess the decision is made…" said Dark Necrofear.

Her eyes started to glow. Yumi and her friends screamed as a terrible pain shot through their heads.

"So then," said the demon, with a sinister smile. "You five will surrender your humanity so you may face Daala…

"Pray that you don't regret it later…"

At that, Yumi and her four friends collapsed, out cold.

A transformation started to occur…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SILVER SPIRIT – SAKYO (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 600  
**DEF:** 800

**Card Description:** When this card is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned, you may Special Summon one "Silver Spirit – Ukyo" from your Graveyard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SILVER SPIRIT – UKYO (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 800  
**DEF:** 600

**Card Description:** When this card is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned, you may Special Summon one "Silver Spirit – Sakyo" from your Graveyard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MAGIC MIRROR SPIRIT – NAYUTA (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 6  
**ATK:** 2,600  
**DEF:** 1,400

**Card Description:** When this card is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned, you may Special Summon one "Magic Mirror Spirit – Asogi" from your Graveyard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MAGIC MIRROR SPIRIT – ASOGI (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 6  
**ATK:** 1,500  
**DEF:** 2,500

**Card Description:** When this card is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned, you may Special Summon one "Magic Mirror Spirit – Nayuta" from your Graveyard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK GOD (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 10  
**ATK:** 3,000  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description:** This card cannot be destroyed by battle. This card cannot attack your opponent directly. When this card destroys an opposing Monster as a result of battle, inflict 700 points of direct damage to your opponent's Life Points.

_Note: In the English dub, this card was called "The Dark Creator". I have referred to it by its original name here to avoid confusion with the real card with that name._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**FULL MOON MIRROR (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image:** A mirror without a reflective glass covered with closed eyes; over this is a cloaked demon holding a glass mirror.

**Card Description:** When a Monster is destroyed, place one "Full Moon Counter" on this card (max. 10). You may send this card with ten "Full Moon Counters" on it to the Graveyard to activate an "Infinite Fiend Mirror" from your hand or deck.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**INFINITE FIEND MIRROR (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image:** The image on this card was not shown.

**Card Description:** This card can only be activated via the effect of "Full Moon Mirror". If a "Dark God" is face-up on the field, the controller of the "Dark God" must summon a "Dark God Token" on every available space on his/her Monster Zone. "Dark God Tokens" have the same ATK, DEF, Level, Type, Attribute, and effects as "Dark God". If a "Dark God" is destroyed, all "Dark God Tokens" summoned by this effect are destroyed.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MIRROR CALL (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A cloaked figure in a silvery flame.

**Card Description:** Activate only if you have a "Silver Spirit – Sakyo" and a "Silver Spirit – Ukyo" face-up on your side of the field. Select one Trap Card in your Graveyard and add it to your hand.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MIRROR BIND (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** Silver Spirit – Sakyo and Silver Spirit – Ukyo fighting between two panes of glass.

**Card Description:** Activate only if you have a "Silver Spirit – Sakyo" and a "Silver Spirit – Ukyo" face-up on your side of the field and your opponent declares an attack. Destroy the attacking and Monster and one other face-up opposing Monster with a lower ATK than the attacking Monster.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MIRROR TRAP (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A very nervous frog surrounded by mirrors.

**Card Description:** During the turn this card is activated, select one Normal Trap Card from your Graveyard and set it in your Spell/Trap Zone. You may activate the selected Trap Card this turn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BURIED SOUL TALISMAN (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A skeletal zombie with a burning talisman on its forehead.

**Card Description:** Activate this card during a turn when two of your Monsters are destroyed as a result of battle. Destroy the Monster(s) that attacked your Monsters. Then, Special Summon a Level Five or higher Monster from your hand.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SOUL MIRROR (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A hand mirror surrounded by flames, with a fiendish face in the glass.

**Card Description:** Send one card on your side of the field to the Graveyard. Special Summon one Monster from your Graveyard.

_Note: The proceeding twelve cards were first used by Sarina in the multi-part "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Mirror, Mirror". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lords of Chaos**

**The Dark Side of Nature; Nocticula the Witch Queen**

Members of the Wicca faith hate to be confused with followers of Nocticula. This demon queen is the primary reason that Wicca gets the bad rap it often does. Practitioners of Wicca and cults that follow the Witch Queen both worship nature, but the similarities end there.

More than a little mad, this demon may have once been a succubus, and she believed early on that a woman's emphatic mind and bodily cycles held the key to understanding the natural world. Her cults started slowly, and by leading mortals to the knowledge of mind-altering and hallucinogenic properties of certain plants and fungi, she created a widespread cult who specialized in the use of psychedelic drugs, both for pleasure of their own, and to make a good profit. Such things were always highly sought after.

As she got stronger, Nocticula set herself up as a protector of women, of which there were not many in those times. If a woman was abused by a husband, or was the victim of infidelity, some might tell her there was someone whom she could pray to who would answer. If she took this action, the abusive or unfaithful spouse might find himself the target of a succubus temptress sent by the Witch Queen to seduce him and then slay him in a deadly embrace. Once that was done, the succubus usually tried to convert the woman into the cult (assuming she was not already a member) and was usually successful. Scorned women were not her only recruits – sympathetic men sometimes joined, even though females outnumbered them, and more than one large-scale opium dealer secretly carried the symbol of Nocticula on his person.

One might think that Nocticula would have grown stronger in the modern age, but this was not the case. As it happened with most demon lords, her cults were opposed by heroic warriors, and fighting was not the skill that her worshippers were best at. Even worse, conflicts between the more powerful cults and the Wind Dukes often resulted in a disaster for the Witch Queen's side, as the Vaati are impervious to poisons and toxins, the principle weapon of this type of cult.

Drugs and hallucinogens are still a vital concern in every culture, but few who use them and fewer who deal in them ever consider paying tribute to some demon lord. The drug trade is an illicit business to those who engage in it now, not a religion. Women who are the victims of abuse or infidelity now have better ways of dealing with it than selling their souls to an even greater evil. Cults of Nocticula still exist in secluded areas, grim parodies of the groups formed by Wicca and other pagan religions that worship the natural world, but they are nowhere near as powerful as they used to be.

Clearly, Nocticula is a demon lord in decline, and it may be only a matter of time before the Vaati decide to eliminate her for good.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**You all likely want to find out what the outcome of Dark Necrofear's spell will be on our heroes. Sorry, but I've left this part of the story on that little thing called a "cliffhanger". You all will have to wait.**_

_**Next chapter, we leave Yumi for now, and go to the real world, where Nicholas struggles to save Domino by confronting the general of Daala's invasion force, a member of the Dread Council itself. Can even the power of the True Master defeat this incredible force of Chaos? "The Other Side" is coming next.**_


	59. The Other Side

_**The two Duel Spirits whom we roughed up claimed that the general of their invasion force was Freed. I refused to believe them, thinking it had to be lie. I knew that a noble Duel Spirit like Freed the Matchless General would never work for Daala.**_

_**It seems I have to apologize to them. They were not lying. There is apparently another Duel Spirit named Freed. In fact, there seems to be another Duel Spirit named Freed who happens to be a general.**_

_**However, the general I'm now facing leads a demonic army, and serves a nation where Chaos is the ruler. He's the opposite of the noble soul that Freed is supposed to be.**_

_**I'm up against pure Evil… If ever I needed the new card in my deck, now was the time.**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Other Side**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Kaibaland.

While Olga kept an eye on the Crass Clown and Dream Clown who had led them here, Nicholas looked in the small opening he had made in the fire escape door of the large stadium.

Sure enough, the place had been turned into a temporary base for Duel Spirits. Several of them were here, most of them strong Level Four Monsters. There were Blindly Loyal Goblins, Battle Oxes, Dark Assailants, Snake Hairs, and various other scary things. The one in charge – at the moment – seemed to be a Vorse Raider who was standing guard over what seemed to be a group of prisoners.

Nicholas took notice of the prisoners. They were duelists, most of them teenagers, who were shackled by their wrists and waists with heavy chains. Nicholas got angry just looking at them.

"Where's this general?" he said to the Clowns with a scowl.

The Clowns shrugged.

"Dunno," said Dream Clown. "He's the one in charge, you know… He does what he wants…"

Then they heard angry cursing. He looked again, and saw a Tiger Axe and a Wolf Axwielder drag two more teenagers in, a boy and a girl. The girl was trying to fight, but the Tiger Axe who was holding her was far too strong.

The Vorse Raider held up a card – it appeared to be Shadow Spell – and a set of chains appeared, latching onto the boy. This made the girl scream even more. Then the Vorse Raider held up the card again, and she got a set of her own.

Nicholas couldn't take it anymore, and neither could Olga. They kicked in the door and stormed in.

"That's enough, you barbarian!" shouted Olga. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"

The Vorse Raider turned and saw them. Then he smiled.

"That would certainly not be _you_, human," he replied.

The rest of the Monsters laughed, as everyone saw that it was true. He was a head taller than Olga was.

"You're gonna let these kids go right now…" threatened Olga, "or I'll…"

"You'll what?" asked the Beast-Warrior. "You think you can just barge into our base and make demands?

"Just how did the two of you intend to stop all of us? With your good looks?"

The Duel Spirits laughed again.

"In fact," said the Vorse Raider, "once our general finds out…"

"Where is your general?" interrupted Nicholas. "I want a word with him."

"He won't be bothered with worms like you," said the Vorse Raider. "We'll handle you ourselves…"

The Monsters surrounded the two duelists as he activated his Disk. Olga frowned and activated hers…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Five minutes later…

The Vorse Raider stepped back in shock as Tualatin appeared, blowing his Legendary Fiend, Lesser Fiend, and Beast of Talwar to pieces.

"Who's laughing now?" asked Olga, drawing a card. "Tualatin, take him down!"

Tualatin blasted its energy triangle, and the Beast-Warrior screamed as his Life Points fell to zero.

He dissolved into grains of light.

"All right!" shouted Nicholas. "Who's next? Who wants to see just how tough a couple of 'worms' are?"

"I believe that honor belongs to me…" said an ominous voice from above.

The Duel Spirits stepped back, and Nicholas and Olga looked up, as a dark figure started to descend from the stadium seats. Clearly, he had been watching the whole time.

If you saw this Duel Spirit in very bad light, you might have mistaken him for Freed the Matchless General. His armor was the same style, more or less, and he had the same hair style and moustache…

But his armor was jet black, like that of some dark knight, and his skin was an ebony hue. His hands looked more like claws, and his eyes burned like fiery embers.

Nicholas looked at him nervously…

"Who?" he asked. "You can't be Freed…"

The Spirit smiled. It was a very unpleasant smile.

"Not quite…" he replied.

"You ever hear about how nature abhors imbalance, human? Whenever a powerful force exists for one philosophy, the opposing philosophy evens it out with a powerful force of its own.

"In the worlds of Duel Monsters, there are several powerful Spirits dedicated to Order and Good. The Dread Council was the response to this on the side of Chaos.

"I am the opposite of Freed… I am… _Dark General Freed_. The strategist and tactician of the armies of Xanadu, and a member of the Dread Council."

_Dread Council?_ thought Nicholas. _As in Dread Emperor? Is this guy connected to that demon lord that's after Yumi?_

The Dark Warrior held up his left arm, and a Battle Ox quickly attached a Duel Disk to his gauntlet. It was made of black iron, and had sharp spokes between the slots on the tray.

"I've heard reports that you two troublemakers have been taking down my best men since my army arrived," said the General. "And now that you've had the gall to invade our base, I'll just have to deal with you myself… I might even enjoy this…"

"Bring it," said Nicholas. "That was my idea all along…"

The two Disks activated.

"Game on!" they both shouted.

**(Nicholas: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Dark Freed: 8,000)**

"Feel free to make the first move," said the General. "I doubt it matters. I haven't lost a duel since the beginning of my career, and I don't intend to. I'm preparing for my confrontation with my true enemy."

"That would be the real Freed, right?" asked Nicholas.

Dark Freed nodded.

"By defeating the original, I would gain the power he has accumulated over the years," said the General. "For once, the power would tip towards the side of Chaos."

"I thought you said that nature abhors imbalance," said Nicholas.

"And I'm glad it didn't when it created me," replied Freed. "But I really don't care if it abhors me causing it again. It was foolish to think we would preserve its idea."

Nicholas drew a card.

He placed a card on his Disk, and a defensive Monster appeared.

"That all?" asked the General. "I expected a little more."

He made his first draw.

"I'll start by playing the Spell Card, Lightning Crash."

"Lighting Vortex?" asked Nicholas, confused. He certainly had no face-up Monsters on the field.

"No, Lightning _Crash,_" replied the General. "This lets me search my deck for any Thunder-Type Monster I desire."

The Spell Card materialized on his side of the field. He took his deck and chose a card from it.

"The catch is, I can't use it until next turn. Then, I'll set a Monster of my own, and end my turn."

A facedown Monster appeared on his side of the field.

Nicholas drew a card.

"First, I play the Spell Card, The Six Samurai United," he said.

The Continuous Spell Card appeared.

"Then, I summon Six Samurai – Irou!"

In a dark shadow, the blindfolded Samurai appeared, holding his katana. (1,700/1,200)

"Attack his Monster!" ordered Nicholas.

Irou leapt at the facedown card. A small frog with wings on its back appeared on it, and was cut down.

"A Treeborn Frog?" gasped Nicholas.

"That's trouble…" muttered Olga.

Nicholas looked at his hand.

"I set a facedown card," he said, "and then play the Field Spell, Shien's Castle of Mist."

A facedown card appeared, and then the whole stadium faded away, and was replaced by the dark castle courtyard, with the large shiro behind Nicholas.

"And I end my turn…"

Dark Freed drew a card.

"Since I have no Spells or Traps on the field," he said, "my Treeborn Frog comes back from the Graveyard."

In a burst of energy, Treeborn Frog appeared. (100/100)

"Next, I sacrifice it…"

Treeborn Frog vanished.

"To summon Zaborg the Thunder Monarch."

In an explosion of electrical energy, the exotically-garbed giant with the large electric orb for a cranium appeared. Electricity crackled around it. (2,400/1,000)

_A Monarch Deck…_ thought Nicholas. _Wonderful…_

"Now, I activate Zaborg's effect," continued the General. "I think I'll destroy your facedown Monster."

Lightning struck the facedown Monster. Chamberlain of the Six Samurai was blown to pieces.

"Don't forget," said Nicholas, "in this Field, Monsters lose 500 Attack Points when they attack one of the Six Samurai."

"My Monarch is still strong enough to beat him," replied the General. "Zaborg, attack. Lightning strike."

Zaborg threw up his arms, and blasted a bolt of lightning at Irou, his Attack Score falling to 1,900. The Samurai screamed and was reduced to dust.

"Yeah!" shouted a Goblin. "Burn him!"

"Torch him!" laughed a Swordstalker.

"Hit him with a rock!" shouted a Mountain Warrior.

_We don't seem to have much of a cheering section,_ thought Olga, looking at the tied up prisoners, who were watching quietly. _They're apparently too scared to shout any support for Nicholas._

**(N: 7,800) - - - - - - - - - - (DF: 8,000)**

"My move…" said Nicholas.

He drew a card.

"I summon Zanji!"

In a blast of light, the radiant Samurai holding his naginata appeared. (1,800/1,300)

"Since two Samurai have been summoned since I played my United card, I can ditch it to draw two cards."

The Spell Card vanished, and he made two draws. He looked at them, and added them to his hand.

"Now, I'm going to cut your Monarch down to size, with the Spell Card, Shrink!"

He played the card, and Zaborg was reduced to half his size, and an Attack Score of 1,200.

"Zanji, attack! Rising Sun Strike!"

Zanji slashed with his weapon, and the Thunder Monarch exploded into a blast of sparks.

**(N: 7,800) - - - - - - - - - - (DF: 7,400)**

"Not bad…" said Dark Freed. "You destroyed one of my Monarchs… But there's more where he came from…"

He drew a card.

"I raise Treeborn Frog from the Graveyard again…"

Treeborn Frog appeared again. (100/100)

"Now, I set two facedown cards."

He fit two cards into his Disk, and they appeared facedown.

"Next, I sacrifice my Frog a second time…"

Treeborn Frog vanished again.

"For Mobius the Frost Monarch."

A blast of chilling wind blew over Shien's Castle, as another of the Monarchs, this one a giant sculpted out of pure ice wearing a cape, appeared. (2,400/1,000)

"With his arrival, I can destroy up to two Spell or Trap Cards. I could destroy your two cards…

"But… I think I'm going to destroy my own."

The two facedown cards he had just set iced over and shattered.

"You're likely wondering why I did that…"

Then two large frightening forms appeared to either side of Mobius. They looked like large serpents with claws wearing tutan masks. (1,000/1,000)

"Statue of the Wicked," muttered Nicholas. "Smart…"

"Mobius, attack his Monster," commanded Dark Freed. "Blizzard blight."

Mobius breathed a cone of frost at Zanji, and its Attack Score fell to 1,900 again. Zanji froze solid, and then shattered,

"Now, my two Wicked Tokens attack you directly."

The two Fiends exhaled blasts of flame from their jaws, and Nicholas screamed as he was hit by them.

**(N: 5,700) - - - - - - - - - - (DF: 7,400)**

_Man,_ thought Nicholas. _Monarch Decks are among the strongest in the business… And with that Trap Card trick, he put a new spin on it. I gotta think of something fast…_

"My move…" he muttered.

He made a draw.

"I play… Premature Burial," he said. "I'll give up 800 points to bring Zanji back from the Graveyard."

He glowed with a red aura as Zanji appeared again. (1,800/1,300)

"Next, I summon Six Samurai – Nisashi!"

In a gust of wind, the armored, double-blade wielding Samurai appeared. (1,400/700)

"Next," said Nicholas, taking a card from his hand, "I play Enemy Controller…"

He played the card, and the large video game control pad appeared over the field.

"Go! Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, and Start! Move Mobius to Defense Mode!"

Mobius knelt and shielded itself in Defense Position.

"Now Nisashi attacks, and since I have another Samurai on the field, he can attack twice. Go, Strike of the Driving Gale!"

Nisashi flew at the first Wicked Token, and with one slash of his sword, cut it in half. Then he made a second slash, and Mobius was blasted into ice cubes.

"Zanji, destroy the other Token!"

Zanji made a stab with his naginata, and the second Wicked Token exploded.

"Ergh…" groaned the General.

**(N: 4,900) - - - - - - - - - - (DF: 6,200)**

"Well…" said Dark Freed. "Seems I underestimated you slightly… But only slightly…"

"It's your move…" said Nicholas.

The General drew a card.

_Not bad,_ he thought, looking at the Spell Card. _I can do some damage with this…_

"I bring back my Frog again," he said. "In Attack Mode."

Treeborn Frog appeared again. (100/100)

"Next, I play the Spell Card, Creature Swap."

The Spell Card appeared on his side of the field.

"Not so fast!" shouted Nicholas.

His facedown card lifted, revealing a Quickplay Spell.

"I activate Cunning of the Six Samurai. "This lets me send a Samurai to the Graveyard to Special Summon one from it.

"So I send Nisashi to the Graveyard…"

Nisashi vanished into grains of light.

"…and summon my Chamberlain in Attack Mode."

In a flash of light, the cybernetically enhanced Warrior holding a katana appeared, standing up. (200/2000)

"Huh?" said Dark Freed.

"In response to your Creature Swap," said Nicholas, "you can have him."

The General scowled, as the Chamberlain and Treeborn Frog switched places.

"200 Attack Points is better than 100," said the General. "Attack the Frog."

Chamberlain made a slash with the katana, and Treeborn Frog was cut in half.

"It's your move…"

**(N: 4,800) - - - - - - - - - - (DF: 6,200)**

_Hang in there, Nicholas…_ thought Olga. _So much is riding on this duel…_

"I draw," said Nicholas, drawing a card.

"Then I attack with Zanji!"

Zanji charged at the Chamberlain, and his Attack Score fell to 1,300. He made a swipe, and the Chamberlain shattered into shards. The General grit his teeth.

**(N: 4,800) - - - - - - - - - - (DF: 5,100)**

"That's all for me…" said Nicholas.

The General drew a card, and looked at it.

"First, I set a facedown card," he said, as a reversed card appeared. "Then, I'm going to do us both a favor. I activate Coins From Heaven."

The Spell Card appeared, and the sky above the Castle lit up, and coins fell from the sky. He drew three cards, while Nicholas got the better deal out of it with four.

"Next, I play a second facedown card," he said, as a facedown card appeared. "Then I activate this one…"

The facedown Spell Card he had just set lifted up.

"I play Soul Exchange. I have to skip my Battle Phase this round, but I get to summon a Monster by sacrificing yours."

Nicholas frowned as Zanji vanished into grains of light.

"I summon Granmarg the Rock Monarch," continued Dark Freed.

In a burst of dirt and dust, the hulking giant made entirely of stone with a blue cape appeared. (2,400/1,000)

"By summoning this Monarch, I get to destroy one facedown card."

"Sorry, General," said Nicholas, with a chuckle. "I don't have any. You're gonna have to destroy your own."

"That was the idea," said the General.

Granmarg punched the facedown card he had just set, smashing it to pieces.

"The facedown card I just destroyed is called Dormant Volcano. Like Statue of the Wicked, it must be destroyed for it to be activated. When that happens, you get burned for 300 points of damage."

"Huh?" said Nicholas.

Then he screamed as an explosion of fire surrounded him.

He gasped for breath.

"I'm guessing you have Dark Coffin in that deck somewhere too…" he muttered.

"That is for me to know and you to find out," said Dark Freed. "You see, human, there are differences between a good duelist and a great duelist. A great duelist looks at every little detail. He sees every possibility towards using his cards' effects. Anyone can use Mobius or Granmarg to destroy their opponent's cards, but you can benefit from that effect in so many other ways, if you look hard enough.

"Anyway, Dormant Volcano has another effect as well, but we'll have to wait until my next turn for that to happen. In the meantime, I'll end this turn."

**(N: 4,500) - - - - - - - - - - (DF: 5,100)**

Nicholas drew a card.

He looked hard at the seven cards in his hand.

"I set a Monster, and a facedown card," he said, "and I end my turn."

A facedown card and a facedown Monster appeared.

The General quickly made a draw.

"Now that it's my turn again," he said, taking his deck from the holder, "the other effect of Dormant Volcano activates, and both players may search their decks for any Fire-Attribute Monster they desire."

"Really?" said Nicholas, taking his deck.

"Then I choose this guy."

He held Six Samurai – Kamon forward.

"He's pathetic compared to Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch," said the General, taking a card from his own deck.

"Now, I bring my Treeborn Frog back once more."

"Not again…" said Olga.

The Frog appeared again. (100/100)

"Now I sacrifice it to summon Thestalos."

The Frog vanished again, and in a burst of flames, the fiery giant in plate armor with burning hands appeared. (2,400/1,000)

_Two Monarchs at once?_ thought Olga. _This is too much!_

"Now, one card in your hand is destroyed," continued the General.

The images of six cards appeared in front of Nicholas, their backs to Dark Freed. Thestalos threw a fireball at one of them. It turned, revealing itself to be Yariza, before it was burned to ashes.

"Since that was a Level Three Monster, you lose 300 Life Points."

Nicholas groaned as a fiery aura surrounded him.

"All right!" said the General, getting excited for the first time. "Granmarg, smash his Monster! Monolith smash!"

Granmarg lumbered forward, towards the facedown Monster. Shien's Footsoldier appeared on the card, and was crushed.

"I use my Footsoldier's effect!" shouted Nicholas. "I summon Yaichi from my deck!"

In a burst of watery energy, the Samurai archer appeared, kneeling in Defense Mode. (1,300/800)

"Thestalos, attack!" shouted the General. "Fire blaze!"

Thestalos threw a burning bolt of flame at Yaichi.

"Not so fast!" shouted Nicholas. "I activate… Negate Attack!"

His facedown card flipped up, and a forcefield materialized around his whole side of the field. The flames glanced off it.

"I place three reversed cards," said the General, as three facedown cards appeared. "Then, I play the Spell Card, Fiend's Sanctuary."

The Spell Card appeared, and a Metal Fiend Token materialized on his side of the field.

"Finally," he said, playing his last card, "I activate Mirage of Nightmare."

The infamous Mirage card appeared.

"And I end my turn."

"Didn't miss a beat…" mumbled Nicholas.

**(N: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (DF: 5,100)**

He drew a card.

"Thanks to my Mirage card, I now get to draw four times," said the General.

He made four draws.

"Then, I activate Emergency Provisions, to dispose of Mirage of Nightmare."

One of his facedown cards flipped up, and a large set of fanged jaws appeared, devouring the Mirage card. Nicholas flinched a little.

Nicholas looked at the cards in his hand.

"I move Yaichi to Attack Mode," he said.

Yaichi stood up, and aimed his bow.

"Then, I summon Kamon."

He played the card, and in a burst of fire, the Samurai armed to the teeth with explosives appeared. (1,500/1,000)

"Now, I activate Yaichi's effect," continued Nicholas. "If I forfeit his attack, he can destroy one facedown Spell or Trap Card.

"Yaichi, the one on the left!"

Yaichi fired an arrow from his bow, and the facedown card.

"Chain!" shouted the General. "Jar of Greed!"

The red, grinning vase appeared in front of him, and he drew one card.

"Next," said Nicholas, playing another card, "I can Special Summon Grandmaster of the Six Samurai."

In a burst of energy, the elderly Grandmaster appeared. (2,100/800)

"And then, I can Special Summon Great Shogun Shien!"

An inferno erupted on Nicholas's side of the field, and in a flourish, the mighty Shogun stepped out of it. He dramatically drew his katana, and uttered a battlecry. (2,500/2,400)

For the first time, Dark Freed looked a little nervous.

"Okay…" he muttered. "Nothing I can't handle…"

"Now, I play The A. Forces!" exclaimed Nicholas, as a Continuous Spell Card appeared. "This Spell Card…"

"I know what it does!" interrupted Freed. "I'm a Warrior Spirit myself, in case you didn't notice. You don't need to tell me what a Warrior Support card does!"

"So what _does_ it do, boss?" asked a Bio Plant.

Then the Attack Scores of all four of Nicholas's Warriors went up. Yaichi went up to 2,100, Kamon to 2,300, Grandmaster to 2,900, and Shien to 3,300.

"Oh, I see…"

Dark Freed growled…

"Grandmaster," ordered Nicholas, "destroy Granmarg!"

The Grandmaster lifted his longsword, and leapt at the huge giant. There was a sound like steel against stone, and the Rock Monarch shuddered as cracks formed all over its hide. Then it burst into a pile of inert stones.

"Shien, attack Thestalos! Sword of burning pride!"

Great Shogun Shien dashed across the field, leaving a trail of flames in his wake. The Firestorm Monarch screamed as he made a swipe with his blade, and then it burst into an explosion of soot and smoke.

**(N: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (DF: 4,700)**

"Yeah!" cheered a voice. "Get him! You can beat this creep!"

Nicholas turned to see who it was. It was one of the prisoners, the girl who had most recently been brought in. Somehow, she had found the courage to cheer for Nicholas.

Then she yelped as a Battle Steer spanked her on the buttocks with the blunt of his trident.

"Be quiet!" he warned. "Or I'll use the prongs next time!"

"Never mind them!" ordered Dark Freed. "This human just got on my bad side… I've never seen a human duelist with skill like this…

"Who are you, anyway? What sort of name do you have?"

"You can call me Nicholas," replied Nicholas.

The General's eyes opened wide.

"Nicholas Algernon?" he asked. "As in, Yumi Mouto's boyfriend?"

"You've heard of me?" asked Nicholas.

Dark Freed chuckled.

"Daala told me to be on the lookout for you," said the general. "She said you might be useful as a hostage in the final stages of her plan… Seems I lucked out…

"Of course, I didn't expect you to be so good with a Disk. But… You and these Samurai… This is a challenge I can finally sink my teeth into…"

He grinned broadly, showing small fangs.

"It's your move," said Nicholas. "And with Shien on the field, you're only allowed to use one Spell or Trap Card per turn."

Dark Freed drew a card.

"I don't even need one to dispose of him," he replied. "I pay 1,000 Life Points to keep my Metal Fiend Token.

"Then I sacrifice it…"

The Token vanished.

"…to summon Raiza the Storm Monarch!"

A fierce wind blew through the Castle of Mists, and yet another Monarch appeared. This one had green armor, a green cape, and a helmet of a bird-like design. (2,400/1,000)

"They say Raiza is the most powerful Monarch, and with good reason," said the General. "When it's summoned, I can send any card on the field to the top of the owner's deck."

An even fiercer wind started to blow, and Shien shielded himself. Then he vanished.

"You can't possibly destroy more than one of my Samurai," replied Nicholas. "You've already summoned for this round. That means I'll be able to summon him again next round."

"Not when I have this," replied the General, as his facedown card lifted up. "It's a Trap called Simultaneous Loss. Now, we each send the top card on our decks to the Graveyard."

"You're not gonna get away with this…" grumbled Nicholas, as he discarded Shien.

The General took the top card from his deck and looked at it. He smirked, and then discarded it.

"Now that he's gone," he said, taking another card in his hand, "I play Heavy Storm!"

An even more ferocious windstorm erupted over the field. The three Samurai braced themselves as The A. Forces was blown to bits, and Shien's Castle was reduced to a pile of rubble. The scene returned to the stadium.

"Raiza," commanded the General, "destroy Samurai Yaichi with foul winds!"

Raiza's eyes glowed, and a chilling gale started to blow in Yaichi's direction…

"Kamon!" shouted Nicholas. "Defend Yaichi!"

Kamon threw himself in the path of the vile wind, and he shattered into bits.

"I used the effect that all the Samurai share," muttered Nicholas. "When one of them would be destroyed, another one can take the fall for him."

"Indeed," said the General. "I have no Spells or Traps on the field again, so I summon Treeborn Frog in Defense Mode."

Treeborn Frog appeared, crouching in Defense. (100/100)

"Finally," he said, holding up another card, "I play the Spell Card, The Shallow Grave. Now, we each must each Special Summon a Monster in facedown Defense Mode."

The Spell Card appeared, and a facedown Monster appeared. Another one appeared on Nicholas's side of the field.

"I'll set two cards facedown, and end my turn."

He played two cards, and two facedown cards appeared.

"It's your move…"

**(N: 3,100) - - - - - - - - - - (DF: 3,700)**

Nicholas drew a card.

_Just who I needed,_ he thought.

"Yaichi, destroy the facedown card on the left again!"

Yaichi fired his bow, and skewered the facedown card, which was revealed to be Mirror Force. The general growled.

"Now I summon… Hand of the Six Samurai!"

A smaller fire appeared on his side of the field, and two feminine eyes appeared in it…

When the fire died down, the Monster that appeared was a comely female, dressed in a long, silken robe, with a shawl covering her head. She carried a sharp dagger. She looked at Dark Freed and Raiza with a look that suggested she was upset… Maybe even a little pissed.

"Now, I don't know what you're planning to do with that facedown Monster," he continued, as his own facedown Monster started to turn upright, "but it's not gonna work. I Flip-Summon… Irou!"

In a flash, the blindfolded, katana-wielding Samurai appeared again. (1,700/1,200)

"Eh?" asked Dark Freed. "You didn't bring back Shien?"

"Irou is better in this situation," said Nicholas. "When Irou attacks a Monster that's in facedown Defense Mode, and I have another Samurai on the field, that Monster is automatically destroyed, and its effect is negated."

Dark Freed growled again.

"Irou, attack his mystery Monster!" shouted Nicholas. "Setting Sun Strike!"

Irou charged at the facedown Monster.

"I had hoped to use this on Shien," growled the General, "but you leave me no choice…"

His facedown card lifted.

"Activate, Draining Shield!"

A shimmering plane of force appeared in front of the facedown card. Irou's sword slammed into it, and energy flowed into the evil General.

Nicholas paused for a second.

_I can't waste the Hand's effect on that facedown Monster…_ he thought. _I have to use her for Raiza… And I can't sacrifice Irou too, he's too valuable._

_Oh well… He didn't have any Flip-Effect Monsters in his Graveyard anyway…_

"Hand, take out that Frog!" shouted Nicholas. "Stabbing hand!"

The Hand dove at Treeborn Frog, slashing with her dagger, and blowing it to shards.

"Next, my Grandmaster is going to handle your mystery Monster…"

Grandmaster leapt at the facedown Monster. A large, wrinkled orb appeared on the card and exploded into a cloud of green gas.

Nicholas started to choke.

"A Giant Germ?" he gasped. "When the heck was _that_ in your Graveyard?"

"I discarded it when I played Simultaneous Loss," said Freed. "At first I wasn't going to use The Shallow Grave, because I figured you might use it to bring back Shien. But the chance was too good to pass up.

"So you lose 500 Life Points, and I get to summon two more Germs."

Two more Giant Germs appeared. (1,000/100 x2)

**(N: 2,600) - - - - - - - - - - (DF: 5,400)**

"Seems you're only hurting yourself…" said the General.

"Yeah?" asked Nicholas, "well, here's something that's gonna hurt you… I activate the Hand's effect. When she's on the field with another Six Samurai Monster, I can sacrifice one of them to destroy a Monster. So, I'll sacrifice the Hand herself to destroy your Storm Monarch!"

The Hand vanished into grains of light. Then she appeared behind Raiza in spiritual form. She drove her dagger between the huge creature's shoulder blades, and it screamed. It collapsed, and then shattered into pixels.

Dark Freed glared at Nicholas again.

"My move…" he growled.

He drew a card. He looked at it.

He gestured, and Treeborn Frog appeared in Defense Mode again. (100/100) Then he placed the card in his Disk, and it appeared facedown. Then, he turned the cards on his Disk, and the two Giant Germs switched to Defense Mode.

He looked at Nicholas.

Nicholas drew a card.

"I set one Monster, and two facedown cards," he said, as a set Monster and a two reversed cards appeared.

"Then I use Yaichi's effect, to destroy your facedown card!"

Yaichi aimed his bow.

"I chain it," replied the General, as it lifted. "Dark Spirit Art – Greed. Now, by sacrificing a Dark Monster, I get to draw two cards."

One of the two Giant Germs vanished.

"Of course, you can stop me if you show me a Spell Card in your hand…"

Nicholas growled. He had no cards in his hand right now.

Dark Freed made two draws.

"Irou, attack the last Giant Germ!" shouted Nicholas.

Irou swung his katana at the large amoeba, and it burst into another cloud of gas. Nicholas coughed again.

"Grandmaster, attack…" started Nicholas.

He paused.

"Oh, what good would it do?" he muttered. "I end my turn…"

"Nicholas, stop talking like that!" shouted Olga. "You can still beat this guy! He's almost out of Monarchs!"

"Maybe so," said the General, drawing another card, "but I know how to use what I have…

**(N: 2,100) - - - - - - - - - - (DF: 5,400)**

"I play Monster Reborn!"

The holy ankh appeared on his side of the field. Raiza appeared once again. (2,400/1,000)

"Next, I summon my Dimensional Alchemist."

In a twinkling aura of energy, a new Monster appeared. It looked like a knight in shimmering armor with a cape, wearing a Guy Fawkes mask over his face. (1,300/200)

"Now I activate my Alchemist's effect," he continued, as he took a card from his deck. "By removing the top card from my deck from play, it gains 500 Attack Points."

Dimensional Alchemist glowed with eerie energy. (1,800/200)

"Attack Yaichi! Warp blast!"

The Alchemist formed a sphere of multicolored energy in its hands, and hurled it at the archer. Yaichi burst into an explosion of pixels.

"Now that he's taken care of, Raiza is going to take care of your Grandmaster."

Raiza blew its foul wind again, and Grandmaster staggered against it. He shattered into shards.

**(N: 1,300) - - - - - - - - - - (DF: 5,400)**

"I set another card facedown, and end my turn," he said, as a facedown card appeared. "That means my Dimensional Alchemist's Attack Score goes back down to 1,300. It's your move."

"I draw one card…" said Nicholas, making a draw.

He looked at it.

"I flip my Morphing Jar into Attack Mode!" he shouted.

His facedown Monster flipped up, and the laughing creature in the jar appeared. They both discarded the one card they had, and drew five cards.

_I'm getting awfully sick of that damn Frog,_ thought Nicholas. _I wonder…_

One of his two facedown cards lifted.

"I activate Capture Summon!"

"Huh?" said the General. "Capture Summon?"

"Now, I get to look at your hand," explained Nicholas. "And it there's a Monster there that I can Normal Summon, I get to Normal Summon it to my side of the field."

Dark Freed frowned. He turned his hand of cards forward. There was only one Monster there, but it was just the one that Nicholas had wanted.

Nicholas smiled as he stepped forward and took it.

"Thanks!" he said. "I kinda figured you had this guy somewhere in your deck…

"Now, then… I sacrifice my Morphing Jar, to summon Caius the Shadow Monarch!"

The Jar vanished, and the sixth Monarch appeared. It was a dark, fiendish giant in black armor, with a head with features like a large bat. (2,400/1,000)

"Now, I can remove one card on the field from play," said Nicholas. "And I choose your Treeborn Frog!"

The prisoners started to cheer as the small Frog vanished into ripples of light.

"Curses…" growled Dark Freed.

He smirked.

"Going to attack my Alchemist, huh? By the way, Caius's attack's name is 'demon shadow blast'."

"I don't need to give it any fancy name!" replied Nicholas. "Caius, attack his Dimensional Alchemist!"

The Shadow Monarch formed an aura of dark energy in its hands. It hurled the darkness at the Alchemist, and the Fairy exploded into shards.

"Ergh…" muttered the General.

**(N: 1,300) - - - - - - - - - - (DF: 4,300)**

"Seems I now have a choice to make," said Dark Freed.

"Huh?" said Nicholas.

"Dimensional Alchemist has another effect," said the General. "When it's destroyed, I get to recover a Monster that's been removed from play."

"You're going to get that blasted Frog back!" shouted Olga.

"Or, I can get back the Monster I removed to activate its effect," replied Dark Freed. "It all depends on which one would be more useful at this point…"

He pondered for a second.

"I think that the Frog has served its purpose," he said. "I'll go with the latter."

A card appeared in his hand.

"It's still my turn," said Nicholas.

His other facedown card lifted up.

"I play Double Summon. Now, I can summon Command Knight to the field."

In a burst of fire, Command Knight appeared, holding her sword aloft. (1,200/1,900) –) (1,600/1,900) Irou rose to an Attack Score of 2,100.

"Irou, move to Defense Mode."

Irou sheathed his katana, and knelt in defense.

"And I end my turn."

Dark Freed drew a card. He looked at it, and nodded.

"Raiza, attack Caius," he ordered.

"Huh?" gasped Nicholas. "They'll kill each other!"

"Exactly," said the General.

The two Monarchs blasted their bolts of elemental energy towards each other. Both of them exploded into pixels.

"Moving to my second Main Phase," he said, "since you now control two Monsters, and I control none, I can Special Summon my Cyber Dragon."

In a flash of light, the huge, serpentine Machine appeared. (2,100/1,600)

_First Monarchs, now Cyber Dragons?_ thought Nicholas.

"Then," continued the General, "I activate my facedown card."

His facedown Spell Card lifted.

"It's a Spell Card called Star Level Shuffle. Now, I get to send my Monster to the Graveyard, to Special Summon a Monster from it that's the same Level. Most Monarchs are Level Six, but for some reason, Zaborg is Level Five. So, I'll get rid of Cyber Dragon, who's also Level Five, and bring back Zaborg."

Cyber Dragon vanished into grains of light. The Thunder Monarch appeared again. (2,400/1,000)

"I set a Monster in Defense Mode, then one facedown card."

A facedown Monster and a reversed card appeared.

"And I end my turn."

Nicholas looked at the facedown card. Since he had clearly gotten Cyber Dragon with his draw that turn or with Dimensional Alchemist's effect, he knew it was likely Bottomless Trap Hole. He had seen it in Dark Freed's hand when he had played Capture Summon. If he summoned anything with 1,500 Attack Points or more, it would wipe it out.

Unless…

As he reached for his deck, he felt a sudden surge of energy.

He paused.

It was finally the time.

He drew. The card glowed with radiance.

"Time to bring out my ace Monster!" he shouted. "I could simply Normal Summon him right now, since I have two Monsters to sacrifice… But when Yaichi, Kamon, Nisashi, Yariza, Zanji, and Irou are all on the field and in my Graveyard, his true power can be unleashed!

"I Special Summon… The True Master!"

Lightning flashed, and the arena went dark. The form of a great serpentine dragon made of fire started to form behind Nicholas. It roared, and then vanished, as a Warrior started to materialize.

He was an elderly man, with a white moustache and a short beard. He was dressed in a white, tight-fitting martial arts _gi_, and wore a straw collie hat.

With a flourish, he drew a gleaming katana from his hip, and it shone with brilliant light. (2,800/2,500)

"Whoa…" said Olga.

"Sorry I have to ruin your plans," said the General. "Activate… Bottomless Trap Hole!"

His facedown card lifted. A large pit started to form under The True Master…

But then he leapt clear of it, and rolled out of the way.

"Huh?" said Dark Freed. "It didn't work?"

"When The True Master is summoned using his effect," explained Nicholas, "he can't be destroyed by card effects. And since he's a Warrior, he gains 400 more Attack Points from Command Knight."

The True Master rose to (3,200/2,500).

Irou stood up, assuming an offensive position.

"Also," continued Nicholas, "he has three different effects, and I can use one of them every round. By sending Nisashi and Yariza back to my deck and reshuffling, he can attack you directly."

"WHAT?" shouted the General.

The two Samurai slipped out of his discard slot, and he quickly shuffled them into his deck.

"So… Attack the General directly! Leaping Dragon Strike!"

The True Master leapt up, aiming his weapon at the evil General. He made a savage slash with the katana, and Dark Freed toppled over on his back. The prisoners all cheered, their fear quite gone by now.

"No way!" gasped the Mountain Warrior.

"He just struck the General!" gasped a Snake Hair.

**(N: 1,300) - - - - - - - - - - (DF: 1,100)**

Dark General Freed slowly got up, his eyes burning with absolute fury.

"You, my foolish human friend," he said through his teeth, "have just signed your own death warrant…"

"Irou, attack his facedown Monster!" shouted Nicholas.

The blind Samurai rushed for the facedown Monster.

Spirit Reaper appeared on the card, and parried the blow with its scythe. (300/200)

_Darn,_ thought Nicholas. _Irou's effect only works if there's another Samurai on the field, and the Master doesn't count._

"Make your move…" said Nicholas.

Dark Freed drew.

"I play Nightmare's Steelcage!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and the iron bars formed around Nicholas and his three Monsters.

"Next, I move Zaborg to Defense Mode, and that will end my turn…"

Zaborg knelt, and crossed its arms in a defensive position.

Nicholas drew a card.

"I activate another of The Master's effects," he said. "I send Yaichi and Kamon back to my deck, in order to destroy all Spell and Trap Cards on the field."

He returned the two cards to his deck, and The True Master made a slash with his weapon, forming a wave of energy. The Steelcage was blown to dust.

The General grit his teeth, and fire appeared in his eyes.

"Now, my True Master attacks Zaborg!" shouted Nicholas. "Go! Leaping Dragon Strike!"

The sensei leapt at the Thunder Monarch, and cut deep with his weapon. Zaborg exploded into shards.

"All right…" said Nicholas, "I can't get by your Reaper yet, so I end my turn…"

Dark Freed was now very nervous. He looked at his deck. He drew a card.

"I summon Reflect Bounder in Attack Mode!" he shouted.

He played the card, and the streamlined android perched on a spire appeared. (1,700/1,000)

"If you attack that, your Monster's Attack Score will be dealt to you in damage," said Dark Freed. "I'll still defeat you. Make your move…"

"No you won't," said Nicholas, as he drew a card. "You forget, my True Master still has one move. But before he uses it, I summon Marauding Captain in Attack Mode."

He played the card, and the battle-worn veteran appeared. (1,200/400) –) (1,600/400)

"Now," he said, "by sending Zanji and Irou back to my deck, I can destroy all of your face-up Monsters."

Irou vanished, and Zanji slipped out of his discard slot. He shuffled the two cards into his deck, and The True Master slashed with his weapon again. A blade of energy tore across the field, and Reflect Bounder and Spirit Reaper were ripped in half.

"I have to skip my Battle Phase if I do that, so you're lucky," continued Nicholas. "I set one card facedown, and end my turn…"

A reversed card appeared.

Dark Freed looked frightened for the first time. He sweat as he drew a card.

Then he grinned wickedly. He laughed out loud.

"I couldn't have asked for a better draw…" he said with a sinister voice.

He played a Spell Card.

"I play Requiem of Monarchs. I can only use this card when I have six different Monarchs in my Graveyard. Then I get to recover three of them."

Raiza, Thestalos, and Granmarg slipped out of his discard slot.

"Then, I have to remove the other three from play."

He took Zaborg, Caius, and Mobius from the slot as well, and placed them in a pouch on his belt.

_So that's what that card does…_ thought Nicholas. _It was in his hand when I used Capture Summon… But… Why didn't he use it last round? He could have sacrificed Spirit Reaper to summon Raiza or Caius, and used either effect to defeat the Master…_

"There is one other catch," said Dark Freed, as if he knew what Nicholas was thinking. "If I summon any of them, their effects are rendered invalid."

"Then what's the point?" asked Nicholas.

"I'll show you," continued Dark Freed. "One, two, three…"

He threw the three Monarchs into his discard slot again.

"By sending them all to the Graveyard again, I can Special Summon… THIS!"

He threw his last card on his Disk, and an explosion erupted behind him. A huge, grey-scaled Dragon with vast wings and three hideous heads appeared over him.

"Meet a beast that Daala gave to me as a gift," said Dark Freed. "The Montage Dragon!

"And if you want to know how many Attack Points it has, we add up the Levels of those three Monsters I sent to the Graveyard, and then multiply by 300!"

Montage Dragon roared… (5,400/0)

"Good lord…" said Nicholas. "This is one time I'm sorry I aced math…"

"Looks like it's curtains for your Master…" chuckled Dark Freed.

"Don't forget, pal," said Nicholas. "The True Master is a Warrior. That means you can't attack him until my Marauding Captain is gone."

Dark Freed looked at Nicholas.

"Gee, that's right…" he muttered. "Humph… I had hoped to win this duel by crushing your best Monster… Doing so by attacking such a common card would be… anticlimactic…

"Ah, well… If anyone asks, I'll lie.

"Montage Dragon… Attack Marauding Captain with Power Collage!"

Montage Dragon's eyes glowed, and it breathed three streams of lethal energy at the Warrior.

"I activate… Covering Fire!" shouted Nicholas, as his Trap Card lifted. "Now, I can add the Attack Score of my True Master to that of Marauding Captain! That means my Captain gains 3,200 more Attack Points!"

Marauding Captain rose to an Attack Score of 4,800.

"It isn't enough to beat your beast, but at least I won't lose the duel."

Nicholas reeled as an explosion incinerated Marauding Captain.

He caught his breath as he watched Marauding Captain's card fall into the Graveyard.

_Thanks, pal…_ he thought.

"Well…" said Dark Freed. "At least I can crush your Master next round. I end my turn…"

**(N: 700) - - - - - - - - - - (DF: 1,100)**

Nicholas drew a card. It was Zanji.

He looked at another card in his hand.

_Okay…_ he thought. _I hoped it would never have to come to this… But he leaves me with no choice…_

"I summon Zanji once again," he said.

He played the card, and Zanji appeared for the second time. (1,800/1,300) –) (2,200/1,300)

"Summon all the Warriors you want," replied Dark Freed. "It won't be enough to take down a Monster with this much firepower."

"We'll see about that," said Nicholas. "I play the Spell Card, Brave Attack!"

The Spell Card appeared on his side of the field.

"Huh?" said the General. "What does that do?"

"I'll show you," said Nicholas. "Zanji, attack!"

"What?" gasped the General. "That's suicide!"

Nonetheless, Zanji leapt at Montage Dragon, and slammed his weapon into the great beast's torso.

Then Zanji fell backwards, with his naginata broken, out cold.

Dark Freed laughed.

"Seems I win!" he exclaimed. "Looks like… Huh?"

He noticed that Nicholas's Life Points had not gone down.

"Command Knight, attack!" shouted Nicholas.

Command Knight screamed a war cry, and leapt at the huge Dragon, slamming her sword into it.

Then she fell backwards and collapsed, just as Zanji had.

"What's going on?!" shouted Dark Freed.

Then he looked at his Dragon. It was groaning, and two burning wounds were cut across its chest.

"Brave Attack is a powerful Spell Card that lets my Monsters attack as a team," said Nicholas. "They won't survive this assault, but when my True Master attacks, he'll have both Zanji and Command Knight's power to back him up!"

"Wait a second…" said the General. "That adds up to…"

"7,000 Attack Points," said Olga. "More than enough to end this duel."

"Go!" shouted Nicholas. "Destroy his Dragon!"

The True Master let out a scream, and leapt at the giant Monster. He made a slash with his katana, making a slice right down the middle. Montage Dragon roared in death throes… Then it burst in multiple explosions, and shattered into pieces.

Dark General Freed fell to his knees.

"This can't be…" he gasped. "I can't lose…"

"Can't lose?" asked Nicholas. "Let me spell it out for you. My Monster had 7,000 Attack Points when he attacked, your Monster had 5,400. You lost 1,600 Life Points from that attack, when you only had 1,100 left. That means your Life Points are zero, meaning you lose."

**(N: 700) - - - - - - - - - - (DF: 0)**

Dark Freed slowly got up. A look of anger slowly crossed his face.

"That may be true…" he said. "But too much is at stake for us to be stopped now!"

He drew his sword, and pointed it at Nicholas…

Then, his sword flew from his hand.

Dark Freed stepped back. The True Master was standing in front of him.

"No…" said the General.

Then he screamed as the sensei stabbed through the seams of his armor with his weapon. The evil General burst into globs of darkness.

"They're too powerful!" shouted the Swordstalker. "Retreat!"

A dark portal opened, and the General's men started to run through it. As they did, the chains holding the prisoners crumbled into dust. They fell to the ground, very stiff and sore. Nicholas and Olga ran up to them.

"Call the police, Olga," said Nicholas. "Tell them we found the abductees… Tell them we might need trauma counselors… Although, I really don't know how we're gonna explain this…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At the portal leading to the Core of Xanadu…

Yumi woke up from a sleep full of nightmares. She felt like she had been turned inside out and then had her insides taken out, rearranged, and then put back in again.

She noticed her clothing had changed.

She was wearing a fancy dark blue outfit with pink trim, one with a very short skirt which showed a great deal of thigh and cleavage. She had fancy boots and odd wristbands. Then she realized that she had gained curves that she hadn't had before. She had gotten a figure that would have taken hundreds of millions of yen worth of cosmetic surgery to acquire.

She felt her head. She was wearing an odd hat.

The realization came to her quickly…

She was Dark Magician Girl.

She slowly got up. Her eyes were still seeing things a little blurry. The shock hadn't set in completely yet.

"Ren? Chelsea?" she called. "Where are you?"

"We're here, Yumi," said Ren's voice. "At least, we think we are…"

Yumi turned, and saw Mataza the Zapper helping a Vampire Lady to her feet.

"Ren?" gasped Yumi. "Chelsea?"

"Afraid so," said the Vampire Lady, in Chelsea's voice.

She made a sad sigh.

"It's finally happened," she said, almost crying. "What happened to Penelope has happened to me now…"

She didn't know how this could have happened… Dreams and subconscious desires? Did some part of her _want_ to be a vampire temptress?

"Calm down, Chelsea, calm down!" said Ren, holding her. "You're still beautiful in my eyes. And if it turns out that I have to become undead too once we take care of Daala…"

"Where's Sam and Erik?" asked Yumi.

"Over here," said Sam's voice.

They looked, and saw a Shadow Tamer and what appeared to be Warrior Dai Grepher.

The Shadow Tamer looked at herself.

"Kind of… makes sense in an odd way," she said with a nervous chuckle.

She looked at the whip that was strapped to her belt.

"At least I'm not Infernalqueen…"

"Why Warrior Dai Grepher?" asked Ren.

"Well, uhm," said Erik, looking at himself. "That card was in the first deck I used… Kind of symbolic…"

He looked at the sword on his belt, and drew it slightly from the sheath.

"Indeed," said Dark Necrofear's voice.

They all turned towards the Fiend, who they had forgotten about.

"The appearance of a second Warrior Dai Grepher surprises even me," she said. "After the first one's hunger for power led him to make a deal with the Archfiends and turn himself into Dark Lucius, his name has only been spoken of in whispers in the Twelve Dimensions.

"I wonder, Erik… Will the same offer ever be available for you?"

Erik shuddered.

"Don't listen to her, Erik," said Sam, hugging him. "I don't know what tempted Grepher, but he was obviously weak. You're strong."

"Well, people," said Yumi, "we made our choice, and it could have been worse. We all can pass for humans… Not _normal_ humans, granted, but we aren't inhuman. At least we still have hands, and we can still duel. Now we'd best see what's behind that portal."

"One thing you should know," said Dark Necrofear. "As Duel Spirits, you must serve as your own Deck Lords from now on. But fear not… You do not have to start at the beginning. Your old Deck Lords have transferred all their powers to you. I'd say it was very generous of them."

"We never gave them any reason to hate us," said Ren.

"By the way," continued Dark Necrofear, "some folks I remembered were down this way earlier. I remembered them because they were also recipients of my power. I gave it to them some time after I gave it to the Big Five."

"Of course…" said Yumi. "Daala gave the Devil's Fruit to the Big Five so they could have real bodies again… Bodies of Duel Spirits, but they preferred those anyway…"

"Who are these other guys?" asked Sam.

"I don't know their names," said Dark Necrofear, "but they were given more power by Daala than the Big Five had. I believe they know you folks in some way.

"My work here is done… Good luck…"

She slunk back into the dark alcove.

"You'll need it…"

Yumi looked at the portal.

"You sure you guys are all right?" she asked.

"We'll be fine," said Chelsea. "I don't have any cravings for blood, at least not yet…"

"Then let's go…" said Yumi. "The final leg of our journey is at hand…"

They all started running, and ran through the portal.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**LIGHTNING CRASH (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A city street at night with lightning flashing overhead.

**Card Description:** Choose one Thunder-Type Monster from your deck and add it to your hand. Then, shuffle your deck. You may not summon or set the chosen Monster on the turn you use this card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DORMANT VOLCANO (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** An ominous looking volcano with snow on the top.

**Card Description:** This card is activated when it is destroyed by a card effect while facedown on your side of the field. Inflict 300 points of direct damage to your opponent's Life Points. Then, on your next Standby Phase, both you and your opponent may search your respective decks for one FIRE Monster and add them to your respective hands.

_Note: "Lightning Crash" and "Dormant Volcano" were first used by T-Bone in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "J-Dawg and T-Bone". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**STAR LEVEL SHUFFLE (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A knight in white armor and a knight in black armor struggling among broken ground.

**Card Description:** Send one Monster you control to the Graveyard. Special Summon from your Graveyard one Monster with the same Level as the Monster sent to the Graveyard.

_Note: "Star Level Shuffle" was first used by Yakou Tenma in the "Yu-Gi-Oh R" issue "Double Lapse!! And…" Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**REQUIEM OF MONARCHS (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch on his knees with his head bowed and his armor broken, with a dark shadow looming above him.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when you have at least six different "Monarch" Monsters in your Graveyard. Select three of those Monsters and add them to your hand. Then, remove all remaining "Monarch" Monsters in your Graveyard from play. If you Normal Summon the Monsters recovered with this effect, their effects are negated.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CAPTURE SUMMON (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A duelist grinning as he takes a card from his opponent's hand.

**Card Description:** Look at your opponent's hand, and select one Monster from it that can be Normal Summoned. Normal Summon the selected Monster to your side of the field. (This counts as your Normal Summon for your turn.)

_Note: "Capture Summon" was first used by Joey in the "Yu-Gi-Oh R" issue "Jounouchi Counterattacks!!". Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BRAVE ATTACK (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A Swamp Battleguard holding a huge sword below the following three Monster Cards: "Gazelle, the King of Mythical Beasts", "Obnoxious Celtic Guard", and "Buster Blader".

**Card Description: **Target one Monster on your side of the field. This turn, only the targeted Monster may attack. Add the Attack Scores of all other face-up Monsters you control to the Attack Score of the targeted Monster. When the targeted Monster attacks, destroy all face-up Monsters you control after damage calculation.

_Note: "Brave Attack" was first used by Yugi in the original anime episode "A New Evil (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**THE TRUE MASTER (Spell Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,800  
**DEF:** 2,500

**Card Description:** You may Special Summon this card from your hand if you have six different "Six Samurai" Monsters on your side of the field and/or in your Graveyard whose names collectively include the words "Zanji", "Irou", "Kamon", "Yariza", "Yaichi", and "Nisashi". If this card is Special Summoned via its own effect, it cannot be destroyed by card effects. If this card is Special Summoned via its own effect, once per round, you may activate one of the following effects by moving the following Monsters from your side of the field or Graveyard to your deck and reshuffling:

"The Six Samurai – Zanji" and "The Six Samurai – Irou": Destroy all face-up opposing Monsters. Skip your Battle Phase this round.

"The Six Samurai – Yaichi" and "The Six Samurai – Kamon": Destroy all Spell and Trap Cards on the field.

"The Six Samurai – Nisashi" and "The Six Samurai – Yariza": This card may attack directly.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Lords of Chaos

Obox-Ob, the Lost Prince

Long ago, Obox-Ob was one of the mightiest forces of Chaos. He held the title of Prince of Demons when the obyrith ruled the Abyss. He was also the Prince of Vermin, and ruled an empire of not only obyrith, but of demonic insects and arachnid, creatures of filth and disease that humans would come to despise.

When the Queen of Chaos rallied the obyrith lords against the Wind Dukes of Aaqa, Obox-Ob was one of several who refused her call. His pride was so great, he refused to acknowledge any other demon as a superior. The Queen proved him wrong when she killed him, personally, and granted his title to her consort, Miska the Wolf Spider.

But although Obox-Ob's true body had been slain, his most powerful avatar survived, and fled to a remote realm of the Abyss, where the environment was so hazardous that even most demons feared to go. Only one like him who could adapt like the vermin he ruled could survive. Eventually, the avatar became his new body, albeit one with only a small fraction of his former power. He hid for centuries, but eventually, he got bored, and decided to take a chance. He returned to the more populated areas of the Abyss, only to find that the obyriths were close to extinction, a new race of demons now dominated the Abyss, and a member of this new race, the terrible Demogorgon, held the title that was once his.

Possessing nowhere near the level of power he once had, Obox-Ob refused to submit to a life of servitude as most surviving obyriths had. He now had goals… Very, very big ones. He sought nothing less than to murder Demogorgon and take back his title, and once he had done that, cleanse the Abyss of this interloper race and return it to obyrith rule. He holds these goals to this day, but before he can even start step one of these grandiose plans, he must regain the power that he once had.

This presents a problem. The best way for a demon lord, even an exiled one, to gain power, is with mortal followers. That is hard for the Prince of Vermin. One of his nature does not attract many human worshippers, even those who usually deal with demons. Not many are very interested in worshipping lice and fleas. So Obox-Ob has devised another way to gain this power: stealing it.

Special obyrith spawned by his experiments have worked their way into the courts of several powerful demon lords. These creatures attract no more attention than a cockroach. By simply being close to the lords, these parasites siphon off a tiny part of the divine energy they receive, and transfer it to their master. They only take a tiny bit so that the demon lord never misses it – perhaps one half of one percent – but there are many demon lords, and Obox-Ob has these parasites hiding in many of their demonic courts. Several small doses of power, he hopes, will add up to a large amount.

The Wind Dukes are aware of Obox-Ob's plan, but they are content to leave him alone for now. He isn't hurting anyone but other demons at the moment, and if by some miracle he manages to inflict lasting harm against Demogorgon, a demon who is far too powerful for them to handle, it is for their benefit. But they watch Obox-Ob with a careful eye, and the moment his plans include a move against any innocent targets, they are ready to deal with him.

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**Daala has prepared for the heroes' final assault, and next chapter, her next plan to oppose them begins, as her mysterious inner circle comes forward to face them. Ren faces one of these upper-class Duel Spirits, and the funny thing is, it seems to be someone he knows. The past starts to come back to assault the heroes, and then some. "Primary Colors" is coming up next.**_


	60. Primary Colors

_Author's note: We are approaching the part of the story that is referred to in video games as the "boss rush". We're in the home stretch now, as most of you believe._

_A lot of folks are no doubt going to be sorry when this fic ends. I know I will be. I love these characters, and it will be hard to say goodbye when this fic ends._

_However, I have good news. Due to support, my days of writing Yu-Gi-Oh fanfiction will not end. The success of _Yu-Gi-Oh 5D_ has inspired me, and I have decided to stay around long enough to try my hand at writing a story set in this other future time, where dueling has entered the Fifth Dimension._

_Watch for previews of my new fic in the coming months. It should be a wild ride (literally, because yes, there will be Turbo Duels)._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**You may find this hard to believe, but my friends and I have lives outside of dueling. Heck, even our families did. Yugi Mouto and Joey Wheeler went to school like any other teenagers, and Seto Kaiba was CEO of the biggest gaming company in the world, spending a lot of time doing PowerPoint presentations and holding board meetings when he wasn't planning his next move against his rival.**_

_**I'm a student myself, and I was planning on entering college next year, hopefully to major in business studies like my dad did. I haven't gotten an acceptance letter from the University of Tokyo yet, but the admissions board there says I'm almost a sure thing.**_

_**Of course, it all might change, unless what has just happened to me can be reversed somehow… A change that was the result of my own choice, because it was the only way to go further and rescue Joan…**_

_**And I'm facing someone who I know from my regular life, who made the same choice as I did, apparently…**_

_**This difference is, I like to think I made the choice for a far more noble reason than he did. After all, it's not like he was ever going to get into college. **_

_**Duel…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Primary Colors**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

"Yumi?" called Ren. "Sam? Erik?"

He paused.

"Chelsea?"

He stopped.

Where was he?

As soon as he stepped through the portal, he had entered a thick fog, and his four friends had disappeared.

He looked around. His sight was limited. He hoped that they were okay. Daala seemed to be up to her old tricks again.

He started thinking about Chelsea. He sighed. She was Vampire Lady.

He wasn't going to leave her just because of that. But what if she changed? What if she couldn't survive the sun? What if she couldn't eat pizza or Italian food because she was repelled by garlic? What if she craved blood? What if she decided to leave him for Vampire Lord?

He looked at himself. He had changed a great deal too. He never figured himself one for Samurai armor. He figured he probably looked rather ridiculous.

Still, he kind of wished there was a mirror around somewhere…

He looked at the katana blade strapped to his hip. He took the handle and drew it halfway out of the sheath.

Yes, it was definitely real. He had heard about the various styles of swordsmanship practiced in Japan, but he had previously not known the first thing about them. Would he know how to use the weapon automatically if he ever had to?

Well, whether he would or not, holding the traditional weapon of the Samurai gave him a little more confidence. He started to walk forward.

The fog started to clear…

He found himself in a large, open-air stadium. It appeared to be a baseball diamond of some sort, and the night sky was overhead.

"I know this place…" he muttered.

Then he realized where he was. This was the Domino High baseball field.

Then some music started to play. The old classic, "Take Me Out To The Ballgame", played on an organ.

"Am I back on Earth?" he asked.

"No," said a voice. "I just fixed up the place more to my liking."

Ren looked towards the pitcher's mound, and a dark portal appeared on it. A dark, centaur-like creature appeared on it, with a breastplate and helmet, holding a bladed staff in one hand, and a shield in the other.

"Exarion Universe?" asked Ren.

"Most of the time," replied the Beast-Warrior. "But not always. Remember me, Ren? Just listen to my voice. It will come to you…"

Ren looked at him. Then his eyes narrowed.

"How could I forget, Fujita?" he replied. "So, you work for Daala now? Why? Weren't there any job opportunities for disgraced, drop-out jocks?"

"You're treading on dangerous waters, bub," said the Duel Spirit. "You're forgetting that it was your fault that I was expelled in the first place."

"MY fault?" shouted Ren. "It was MY fault that you broke into the teacher's lounge, stole the hard copy of the mid-term exam, and then tried to sell the answers to the questions to the other students? THAT was MY fault?"

"You were the narc who told on me!" shouted Fujita.

"And I was glad I did it, too…" said Ren, crossing his arms. "You didn't think anyone would be brave enough to tell on you. But I was just getting sick of you sliding though every class, cheating on every test, with the teachers looking the other way because you had rich parents who had so much influence on the school board. If Haruhi punished you, she would be sure that her next request for a budget increase would be turned down.

"I was tired of you getting good grades for doing nothing and spending all your time making out with the girls, while honest and hard-working students weren't doing nearly as well with real work. So when you did something _that_ bad, I told on you, knowing it would create an outcry among the other parents that Haruhi, and the superintendent, couldn't have possibly ignored.

"You were never more than a spoiled brat, Fujita. And you got what you deserved."

"Indeed I did," replied Fujita. "Daala made me a member of her inner circle. Daala chose her inner circle from among humans who have issues with you and your friends. Your allies are all being disposed of as we speak, just as I'll dispose of you. And best of all, I'm one of the true rulers of Xanadu now."

"And I see you turned yourself into a half-horse in the process," replied Ren. "Seems the Devil's Fruit is more popular than we thought."

Fujita's weapon and shield vanished, and a Duel Disk appeared on his left arm.

"True, but the fringe benefits that go with it are great," he said. "But anyway, since there's no way out of this pocket dimension except past me, not to mention the fact that Mataza the Zapper is no match for Exarion Universe in a head-to-head fight, your only option right now is to duel."

Ren looked at Fujita's Disk. It was an Anarchist Disk.

"I never figured you for a minion of Chaos," muttered Ren. "You may have been spoiled, but in league with demons? That's a little much."

"I'm full of surprises," replied Fujita.

Both Disks activated.

"Fine," said Ren. "I gotta say, Fujita… This is gonna be a pleasure!"

**(Ren: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Fujita: 8,000)**

"Eh…" said Fujita, looking at his hand. "Why don't you go first?"

"Gladly…" said Ren, drawing a card.

He looked over his hand, and then chose three cards.

"I set two cards, and then summon my Dark Blade," he said.

Two facedown cards appeared, and then Dark Blade appeared with a dramatic flourish of blades. (1,800/1,500)

"That will do for now."

"Heh…" said Fujita, drawing a card.

He smirked as he looked at it.

"I set three of my own," he said, as three facedown cards appeared. "And then I summon Sangan."

With a loud squeak, the three-eyed Fiend appeared. (1,000/600)

"That's all…"

Ren made a draw.

_Not the best move…_ he thought. _He's planning some…_

"Trap activate…" said Fujita.

"Huh?" said Ren.

One of Fujita's facedown cards lifted, and Crush Card Virus appeared. Sangan started to vanish.

"Leave it to the spoiled brat to have the most expensive cards in existence!" shouted Ren. "Sorry, Fujita, but you have the Virus, I have the cure!"

One of his facedown cards lifted.

"I activate My Body as a Shield! This costs me 1,500 Life Points, but it negates any card that destroys Monsters. Even the infamous Crush Card!"

Fujita gasped as his Trap Card was blown to bits.

"And I chain my other card too," continued Ren. "Emergency Provisions! This lets me sacrifice my Spell Card, so I gain back 1,000 of the Life Points I just spent."

His other facedown card lifted, and the first one vanished.

"Very clever," said Fujita with a scowl. "You're more resourceful than I thought. But you may have negated my Crush Card, but I still had to sacrifice Sangan to pay its cost. And since Sangan was sent to the Graveyard, its effect activates."

He took his deck, and looked through the cards until he found what he wanted. He added it to his hand, and then shuffled his deck.

"Tell that to Familiar Knight!" shouted Ren.

In a burst of energy, the knight in shining armor appeared. (1,200/1,400)

"Familiar Knight… Dark Blade… Direct attack!"

The two Warriors flew at the Beast-Warrior. Two slashes of swords slammed into Fujita, and he let out a loud neigh, and stumbled back and fell on his hindquarters.

**(R: 7,500) - - - - - - - - - - (F: 5,000)**

"Not so tough without mom and dad to bail you out, huh?" asked Ren.

Fujita scowled as he got up.

"How should I know?" he shouted. "They cut off my allowance after I was expelled! They said I was an embarrassment and a disgrace!

"When Daala first offered me this position, I had my doubts. But when I found out that my folks were looking into military school, I had no choice! I accepted Daala's offer, ran away, and left the world of humans behind!

"But I'll never forget Ren, it was you who ruined the good life I had. And you're going to suffer for it! I promise you that!

"It's my move!"

He drew a card.

He fit two cards in his Disk, and two more facedown cards appeared, giving him a total of four.

"I end my turn…"

Ren drew a card.

_Okay, this is weird…_ he thought. _He didn't summon or set a Monster, even though he searched for one last turn._

_Maybe one of those facedown cards is Torrential Tribute. I don't think it would be wise to summon anything…_

"Dark Blade, attack!"

Dark Blade flew at Fujita.

Fujita gestured, and his facedown card gestured. Negate Attack appeared, and Dark Blade bounced off an invisible shield.

_So far the only cards he's used are ones that could be splashed into any deck,_ thought Ren. _I have no idea yet what sort of deck this is…_

"I end my turn," he said.

Fujita quickly made a draw.

"Okay, Ren," he said. "I play Card Destruction."

Ren growled. He discarded the four cards in his hand, and then made four draws. Fujita discarded the two cards in his hand, and drew twice.

"Perfect," he said, looking at them.

One of his facedown cards lifted.

"I activate Call of the Haunted," he said. "I'll bring back a Monster that I just tossed. Meet Boot-Up Soldier – Dread Dynamo."

In a burst of energy, a man-sized robot appeared. It looked like it was made of makeshift parts and jury-rigged construction. It had a large, oval-shaped cavity in its torso. (0/2000)

"What?" asked Ren.

"Next," said Fujita, as another facedown card lifted, "I activate Inferno Reckless Summon."

In two flashes of light, two more Dread Dynamos appeared next to the first. (0/2,000 x3)

Ren quickly took one Dark Blade from his Graveyard, and one from his deck. They appeared on the field next to the first one. (1,800/1,500 x3)

"Is there a point to this?" he asked. "Three Monsters with zero Attack Points in Attack Mode?"

"Indeed," said Fujita, as a Spell Card appeared. "I summon Red Gadget."

He played his last card, and in another flash of light, a cute robot appeared next to the Dynamos. It was – obviously – red, with a big gear on its back, and googly eyes. (1,300/1,500)

"And when Boot-Up Soldier – Dread Dynamo is on the field with a Monster with the word 'Gadget' in its name," continued Fujita, "its Attack Points go all the way from zero, to 2,000!"

The three Dynamos glowed with energy… (2,000/2,000 x3)

_A Gadget Deck…_ thought Ren. _Terrific…_

"And," said Fujita, taking a card from his deck, "thanks to Red Gadget's effect, I now get to take a Yellow Gadget from my deck.

"All right my Dynamos… Wipe out his Dark Blades! Revolver buckshot blast!"

The Dread Dynamos lifted their arms, and fired a burst of rounds at the three Warriors. Ren covered his head as all three of them shattered.

"Red Gadget, attack his Familiar Knight!"

Red Gadget flew at the last Warrior, and gave him a solid punch. Familiar Knight shattered.

"I activate Familiar Knight's effect!" shouted Ren. "When he gets totaled, both players get to summon a Level Four Monster from their hands."

He threw a card on his Disk, and Getsu Fuhma appeared. (1,700/1,200)

"I'll use that effect as well," said Fujita. "Here comes my Yellow Gadget."

In a flash of light again, another cute robot appeared. This one was yellow, had no face, other than one eye on its upper torso, a gear lengthwise in the center of its torso, two halves of a gear each on the sides of its back, and limbs that looked like pipe cleaners. It knelt down and shielded itself in Defense Mode. (1,200/1,200)

"By summoning Yellow Gadget," continued Fujita, taking his deck again, "I get to search for Green Gadget."

_This doesn't seem at all like the type of deck that an Anarchist Deck would create,_ thought Ren. _I would think that Gadgets would prefer Order over Chaos…_

"I set a card facedown, and then turn it over to you," said Fujita, as yet another facedown card appeared.

**(R: 6,800) - - - - - - - - - - (F: 5,000)**

Ren drew a card.

"I play Pot of Greed," said Ren.

He played the card, and the wicked jar appeared. He drew twice.

He looked at the two cards.

"I was hoping you'd do that," said Fujita. "I activate a Trap Card."

His facedown card lifted.

"It's called Gamble. I'm sure you know how this works…"

A gold coin appeared in his hand.

"You sure that coin doesn't have two heads?" asked Ren.

"Ren, Ren!" laughed Fujita. "You should learn to trust people more!"

Ren crossed his arms.

"I seem to remember one of your girlfriends who believed you when you said you would marry her," grumbled Ren. "She trusted you so much, she acted as your lookout. Look where it got her…"

Fujita glared at him.

"Heads!" he shouted.

He tossed the coin. It fell to the ground.

Then he laughed.

"Read it and weep, Ren! Heads it is!"

He quickly drew four cards.

Ren looked at him. Then he looked at his hand.

_The key to beating those Dynamos is destroying the Gadgets,_ he thought. _And with this gal, I might be able to do that…_

"I remove one Dark Warrior in my Graveyard from play," he said, "to Special Summon La Sombra!"

Familiar Knight slipped out of his discards slot, and La Sombra appeared, lashing her whip. (1,800/1,000)

"Now, you gotta draw another card…"

"Yeah, yeah," said Fujita. "I know how it works…"

He made a draw.

Then he laughed again. He turned it forward. It was Gadget Soldier.

"No!" gasped Ren. "That's a Monster…"

La Sombra screamed, and then shattered into dark triangles.

"Looks like Lady Luck is smiling on me this duel, Ren!" laughed Fujita.

Ren scowled, and looked at the other five cards in his hand. Unfortunately, his only other Monsters were Litmus Doom Swordsman and Dark Squire.

_I can't take out both his Gadgets this round,_ he thought. _And even if I did, he could summon the Green one. _

_But maybe I can still get rid of them…_

"First, I summon Dark Squire," he said.

Dark Squire appeared on the field. She knelt and shielded herself. (300/300)

"Next, I move Getsu to Defense Mode."

Getsu Fuhma sheathed her sword, and knelt down and crossed her arms.

"Then, I throw two cards facedown, and end my turn…"

Two facedown cards appeared.

Fujita quickly drew a seventh card.

"I activate my Deck Lord effect," he said.

_Deck Lord?_ thought Ren. _No fair! He didn't even tell me we were using Deck Lords! He didn't give me a chance to bring out Penumbral…_

He stopped.

_Oh yeah… All her powers have been transferred to me… This gets some taking used to…_

"Anyway," said Fujita, "during my first Main Phase, I can select one of my Monsters, and that Monster gains an effect similar to Exarion Universe. The only difference is, it doesn't have to drop 400 of its Attack Points."

_A trampling effect?_ thought Ren. _One that he can apply to ANY Monster? No fair!_

"I think I'll choose my Dread Dynamo in the middle," continued Fujita, as the central Dynamo started to glow with blue energy.

"Next, I move Yellow Gadget to Attack Mode…"

Yellow Gadget stood up.

"…and then play the Spell Card, Limiter Removal!"

He threw the card into his Disk, and all five of the Machines started to glow with a powerful aura. The three Dynamos increased to Attack Scores of 4,000 each, while Red Gadget rose up to 2,600 and Yellow Gadget rose to 2,400.

"Time to finish you off!" laughed Fujita. "Central Dynamo, attack Dark Squire!"

The empowered Dynamo aimed its revolvers at the young Warrior.

"Did you think these facedown cards were only for show?" asked Ren. "I activate Attack Guidance Armor!"

One of his facedown cards lifted, and the fiendish suit of armor appeared. It flew towards Yellow Gadget and clamped down over it. The Dread Dynamo fired its rounds of hot lead, but its aim was way off, and Yellow Gadget exploded.

"ERGH!" shouted Fujita. "Okay, Ren… Now you made me mad…

"Second Dynamo… YOU attack her!"

The second Dynamo raised its arms, and fired.

"You have a thick skull, Fujita," said Ren, as his other facedown card lifted. "If it weren't for your folks, you would likely have been held back in the sixth grade. Activate Sakuretsu Armor!"

A shimmering shield appeared in front of Dark Squire, and then a blast of energy shot back at the Dynamo. The robot exploded.

"Why, you…" growled Fujita. "Now I'm _really_ mad!

"But at least you're out of Trap Cards…"

The third Dynamo blasted its guns, and this time it met no resistance. Dark Squire shattered into pixels.

"When Dark Squire bites the dust," said Ren, "both players get to draw two cards."

Fujita frowned. He quickly made two draws, and Ren did the same.

Then Fujita pointed, and Red Gadget flew at Getsu Fuhma, punching her and blowing her away.

"I throw three more cards facedown, and end my turn," said Fujita, as three more reversed cards appeared next to his other one."

"That means the side effect of Limiter Removal kicks in, Fujita," said Ren. "And your Machines go away."

"I know how my own cards work," replied Fujita.

Red Gadget and Dynamo shattered into shards.

**(R: 6,800) - - - - - - - - - - (F: 3,400)**

Ren quickly drew a card.

It was Total Defense Shogun.

"Ready to help me again, Burgundy?" he whispered.

A small smile on the Warrior's face was all the proof he needed. He added the card to his hand.

"First," he said, "I play Pot of Avarice."

He played the Spell Card, and the goofy jar appeared in front of him.

All three Dark Blades, Getsu Fuhma, and La Sombra slipped out of his discard slot. He shuffled them all back into his deck, and then drew twice.

He looked at them, and then added them to his hand.

"Next, I activate the effect of a guy that I kept in my Graveyard. The Immortal Bushi. Since I have no Monsters on the field, and the only Monsters in my Graveyard are Warriors, I get to Special Summon him."

In a flourish, the old, battle-worn veteran appeared, holding his katana and wakisashi. (1,200/600)

"Next, I sacrifice him…"

The Bushi vanished into grains of light.

"…to summon Total Defense Shogun!"

In another blast of energy, the powerful barbarian appeared, holding his huge sword and larger shield. He quickly knelt in Defense Mode. (1,550/2,500)

"Next," said Ren, "I play Premature Burial, to bring back my Fiend Megacyber."

He played the card, and glowed with red energy, as the powerful cybernetic Warrior appeared. (2,200/1,200)

"Bravo…" said Fujita. "Not bad for someone who once got out of gym class by claiming he had walking pneumonia."

"I had a signed note from my doctor, Fujita!" shouted Ren. "Why wasn't that ever proof enough for you?"

"I don't like doctors," replied Fujita. "They're so bossy…"

"Stuff it!" replied Ren. "Unless one of those facedown cards is a Trap that can protect you from two direct attacks, I win!"

"Well, no…" replied Fujita. "None of them are Traps that can stop your attacks…"

"Then I'm ending this!" shouted Ren. "Total Defense Shogun, Fiend Megacyber… Attack him directly!"

Burgundy lifted his sword, and the Megacyber bore his bladed gauntlets…

"I activate… Dark Wall of Wind!" shouted Fujita.

As the two Warriors charged at him, one of the facedown cards lifted, revealing a Quickplay. A tornado of black wind surrounded him, and both Warriors were thrown backwards.

"I didn't lie…" chuckled Fujita. "That wasn't a Trap Card."

Ren growled.

"I'll get you next time," he said. "In the meantime, I'll play Reinforcement of the Army."

He played the Spell Card, and then a card slipped out of his deck.

He took Dark Blade again, and looked at it.

"It's your move…"

**(R: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (F: 3,400)**

Fujita drew a card.

"I summon Green Gadget," he said.

He played the card, and the third Gadget appeared. This one was green, and seemed to have a torso that was one big gear. (1,400/600)

"Now I get to take another Red Gadget from my deck," said Fujita, taking a card from his deck. "Then, I activate Ultimate Offering."

Anther of his facedown cards lifted.

"Now I get to make as many Normal Summons as I want, so long as I pay 500 Life Points each time. So I'll pay 500 Life Points to summon Red Gadget."

Another Red Gadget appeared. (1,300/1,500)

"This lets me search for another Yellow Gadget," he said, taking a card from his deck. "Then, I pay another 500 Life Points to summon it."

Yellow Gadget appeared again. (1,200/1,200)

Fujita chuckled, and took another Green Gadget from his deck.

"Now I'll activate another facedown card. It's both a Trap _and_ a Monster… Stronghold the Moving Fortress!"

A facedown card lifted, and with a loud rumble, a titanic robot started to rise out of the ground. Like the Dynamos, the whole thing appeared rickety and jury-rigged, but it was fifty feet tall. It knelt down, apparently in Defense Mode. (0/2,000)

Then the three Gadgets leapt up, and embedded themselves in depressions in the giant robot's chest.

"When all three Gadgets are on the field," said Fujita, "Stronghold's Attack Score becomes 3,000!"

(3,000/2,000)

"Slight problem," said Ren. "It's in Defense Mode, and you can't switch it to Attack Mode this round."

"Oh no?" asked Fujita.

His last facedown card flipped up.

"I activate Zero Gravity! Now, all Monsters on the field switch modes."

Stronghold slowly stood up, moving to Attack Mode. Burgundy also stood up, while the Megacyber knelt down and crouching in Defense Mode.

"Now I use my Deck Lord effect," continued Fujita. "I naturally choose Stronghold.

"Stronghold, flatten his Megacyber!"

The Moving Fortress lunged forward, and with one smash of its mighty hand, crushed The Fiend Megacyber. Ren was thrown backwards from the shockwave.

"Fortunately for you," said Fujita, "I had to switch my Gadgets to Defense Mode. I'll set two more facedown cards, and that will be all."

Two more reversed cards appeared.

_Just how many Trap Cards does this guy have?_ asked Ren.

**(R: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (F: 2,400)**

He got up, and brushed himself off.

He drew a card.

"Your Stronghold may be powerful," he said, "but it has a big Achilles Heel, in more ways than one.

"If I were to destroy even one Gadget, its Attack Score would fall all the way to zero. And the Gadgets have weak Defense Scores."

"Mmm… That's true…" muttered Fujita.

_What Ren doesn't know is,_ he thought, _as soon as he tries it, I'll activate my facedown Staunch Defender, which will force all of his Monsters to attack Stronghold. Then this duel will be mine…_

Ren played a card, and Dark Blade appeared. (1,800/1,500) Then he fit another card in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"I end my turn," he said.

_Eh?_ thought Fujita. _No attack?_

He looked at Ren.

_He's up to something… He didn't even move his Shogun to Defense Mode…_

He drew a card.

"Stronghold, attack his Shogun!" he shouted.

The huge robot lunged at Burgundy…

"I activate… Rising Energy!" shouted Ren.

His facedown card lifted, and he discarded Penumbral Soldier Lady. Total Defense Shogun's Attack Score quickly rose to 3,050.

Then, to Ren's surprise, Stronghold vanished into grains of light right before he reached the Shogun. The three Gadgets fell to the ground, and knelt in Defense Mode.

"What happened?" asked Ren.

"I was on to you," chuckled Fujita. "And you forgot that Stronghold was a special Monster that was also a Trap Card.

"As soon as you triggered your Trap, I chained my facedown Emergency Provisions, sending Stronghold along with Ultimate Offering and my other facedown card to the Graveyard, to avoid your attack, and gain 3,000 more Life Points.

**(R: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (F: 5,400)**

"Seems I'm in the lead. It's your move…"

Ren drew a card.

"Okay, Fujita," he said, as a Spell Card appeared. "I play Card of Demise. Now, I get to draw until I have five cards."

The ominous guillotine appeared behind him as he drew four cards.

"The catch is, I have to ditch my whole hand after five turns, so I guess I'm just gonna have to finish this quickly…"

He looked at the five cards in his hand.

He was startled at the sight of one of them.

He started to sweat…

"You look awfully nervous, Ren," said Fujita. "Don't tell me that your own cards scare you?

"Let me guess… One of the cards you just drew was Mataza the Zapper, right? And you're wondering what will happen if you summon it, right? Or maybe you're wondering what will happen if you summon it and I destroy it? I'll bet you don't know…

"Come to think of it, I don't know either. I don't even have an Exarion Universe in my regular deck when I'm not using this Anarchist Disk… Never really found room… I just like the card because it looks nice…

"Why don't you play it and find out? After all, it can attack twice… I have three defenses, and you have two Monsters…"

Ren just glared at him.

He looked Mataza the Zapper. Then he looked at the other four cards in his hand: Litmus Doom Swordsman, Chthonian Soldier, Mystic Plasma Zone, and Hidden Soldiers.

He slowly reached for Chthonian Soldier.

Then he stopped.

_I'd avoid using my own card if I could,_ he thought. _But if Fujita manages to stall long enough, it will go to the Graveyard anyway when my five rounds are up…_

_It's a risk… But this is still a duel, and I have to win…_

"I summon Mataza the Zapper!" he shouted.

In a burst of shadows, an exact twin of Ren appeared on the field in front of him. He drew his katana and glared at Fujita. (1,300/800)

"Whoa!" gasped Fujita, rubbing his eyes. "I'm seeing double here! _Four_ Matazas!"

"Oh, that's very funny," muttered Ren, placing a card in his Field slot. "I play Mystic Plasma Zone! Your game is about to be called on account of darkness."

The dark, creeping shadow of the Mystic Plasma Zone covered the whole diamond, plunging it into a murky void. Dark Blade's scores changed to (2,300/1,100), Shogun's changed to (2,050/2,000), and the Mataza on the field changed to (1,800/400)

"Hey, I like the dark," replied Fujita. "I'm a Dark Monster myself now…"

Ren paused.

He had to admit, it was kind of invigorating…

He turned a card on his Disk.

"I move my Shogun into Defense Mode," he said, as Burgundy knelt and held his shield up.

"Now, to take out your Gadgets! Burgundy, destroy the Green one!"

Burgundy slammed his sword down, and a shockwave shot towards Green Gadget, smashing it into scrap metal.

"Now, my double is going to attack your other two Gadgets, since he can attack twice. Go!"

Ren's twin dashed across the field, and made one swing at Yellow Gadget, slicing it in half. He made another at Red Gadget, and it broke into pieces.

"Too bad they were in Defense Mode," said Fujita.

"But are you?" asked Ren. "Dark Blade, attack him directly!"

Dark Blade leapt into the air, and made a savage slash at Fujita. The Beast-Warrior let out a cry that sounded like the whinny of a horse, and collapsed on his hindquarters again.

**(R: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (F: 3,100)**

"THAT was for triggering the fire sprinklers in the gym during the freshman social dance!" shouted Ren.

"No one can prove I did that!" screamed Fujita, getting up.

Ren fit a card into his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"Just move…" he said.

Fujita drew a card.

"Oh, I'll move," he growled. "And you're gonna lose. I play Enemy Controller."

The large video game pad appeared on the field.

"And my target is your doppelganger."

"Think again," said Ren. "Mataza the Zapper can't be brainwashed."

"But I can switch him to Defense Mode," replied Fujita.

Ren's twin sheathed his sword, and knelt in Defense Mode.

"Next," said Fujita, "I activate Monster Reborn, AND Premature Burial!"

The two Spell Cards appeared on the field, and both Green Gadget (1,400/600) and Yellow Gadget (1,200/1,200) appeared again.

"Now, I sacrifice both Gadgets…"

Green and Yellow vanished into grains of light.

"…to summon the most powerful beast in my deck…"

A huge form started to rise behind Fujita.

It suddenly made sense why an Anarchist Disk had chosen this deck. The Machine that had appeared could have only been conceived in a mind that had been lost to Chaos. It was in the shape of a dragon that had been cobbled together by broken gears, gaskets, gewgaws, and other spare parts. But while its component pieces were apparently all junk, it formed a strong and terrifying whole.

The Disk had created a deck using Gadgets not to symbolize Order, but a corruption of it.

The Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon let out a mighty roar… (3,000/2,000)

"I activate Hidden Soldiers!" shouted Ren. "Now I get to Special Summon a Dark Monster to the field!"

In a burst of energy, Chthonian Soldier appeared, kneeling in Defense Mode. (1,200/1,400) –) (1,700/1,000)

"As if that will matter!" shouted Fujita. "Gadjiltron Dragon… Crush Mataza the Zapper with mechanized molten blast!"

Ren looked in horror as the huge Machine opened his jaws, and flames appeared in them…

He was thrown backwards as a volley of white hot fireballs shot from the beast, incinerating his double on the field.

"Heh, heh, heh…" chuckled Fujita, getting up. "Well… Guess that's that…"

Then he stopped laughing as Ren got up.

Ren's face was covered with soot, but it was clear that he was not only unharmed…

…he was incredibly angry.

"Why are you still here?" gasped Fujita. "Your Deck Lord…"

"That wasn't my Deck Lord," said Ren, staring at him. "I'm the Deck Lord.

"I was tipped off to the situation when you said you didn't have an Exarion Universe in your ordinary deck. You likely were too much of a coward to try what I just tried.

"That made me figure that using your own card is optional for Duel Spirits. And using it, if you take that option, has no effect on the Spirit itself.

"You just destroyed an ordinary card. I'm still here, and this duel is still going on."

Fujita's eyes narrowed.

"Maybe so…" he said. "Maybe I should add an Exarion Universe to my deck then…"

"Why not?" asked Ren. "You always did like looking at yourself."

"It doesn't matter!" shouted Fujita. "Since I sacrificed Green to summon my Dragon, it has the same trampling effect as Ancient Gear Golem. And since I sacrificed Yellow, you lose 600 more Life Points whenever it crushes a Monster. And like most Ancient Gear Monsters, you can't activate Trap Cards when it attacks.

"It's your move… Make it so I can finish you off…"

**(R: 1,000) - - - - - - - - - - (F: 2,300)**

Ren slowly drew a card.

It was Monster Reborn.

The other card in his hand was Litmus Doom Swordsman.

_No good…_ he thought. _There isn't a Monster in either Graveyard that can stand up to that thing… If only I could summon Litmus Doom and trigger a Trap Card… But I can't do either…_

_What do I do? This is the time I would likely ask my Deck Lord for advice…_

Then it hit him.

_What am I saying? I'm the Deck Lord now…_

He looked at Litmus Doom.

_And maybe I can use this guy to finally use that card… That special Monster that Freed gave me!_

_It's worth a shot…_

"All right, Fujita!" he shouted. "I'm using one of my Deck Lord abilities! Arms Trade!"

"Arms Trade?" asked Fujita.

"By sending one Warrior back to my deck," said Ren, "I can search for one that's a lower Level. So I can send my Level Eight Litmus Doom Swordsman back to my deck, to search for a Level Three one."

Fujita laughed.

"Level Three?" he laughed. "If it were Level Four I might be worried that you were looking for Exiled Force. What Level Three Warrior could possibly be a threat to my Dragon?"

Ren glared at him, and shuffled his deck.

"This one," he replied. "I summon… Tune Warrior!"

In an aura of energy that looked like a pattern of ones and zeroes, a strange Warrior appeared. It looked like an android of some type, with red armor covered with dials and gauges, antennae on his helmet, jetpacks on his heels, and radio port plugs instead of hands. (1,600/200)

"Wait a second…" gasped Fujita. "That… That's a Tuner Monster!"

Ren played the other card in his hand, and the holy ankh of Monster Reborn appeared on the field. Dark Squire appeared next to Tune Warrior. (300/300)

"WAIT!" screamed Fujita. "You don't know what you're doing! Do you actually believe you can control what you're about to summon?"

"I do," replied Ren. "This is a card that chose me. And to summon it, I need a Tuner, and exactly eight Levels worth of Monsters, no more, no less."

Tune Warrior's visor glowed, and the needles on its dials all set to maximum. Then he leapt into the sky of the Mystic Plasma Zone, and Chthonian Soldier and Dark Squire followed him.

"I tune Dark Squire, Chthonian Soldier, and Tune Warrior!" shouted Ren. "Clustering stars call a new force. The ultimate Shadow Warrior! Synchro Summon… Colossal Fighter!"

The three Warriors transformed into eight shimmering stars, which in turn burst into an explosion of stars that showered over the whole baseball diamond. Then, a titanic creature crashed down on Ren's side of the field with a roar. It was just as big as Fujita's Dragon, a giant that appeared to be covered from head to toe with cybernetic armor, wearing a green visor. (2,800/1,000)

"HA!" laughed Fujita. "All that big show for nothing… It still falls short of being strong enough."

"Guess again," replied Ren. "Colossal Fighter has a nifty effect. He gains 100 more Attack Points for each Warrior-Type Monster in my Graveyard. And in case you lost count, there are eight of them there right now."

"Hey, wait a minute…" said Fujita.

"Not to mention the 500-point bonus he gets from the Field Spell, since he's a Dark Monster," continued Ren.

(4,100/600)

"Hold on!" gasped Fujita. "This… This isn't fair! I wasn't supposed to lose! No-one told me you had one of those… Things…"

"You haven't changed, Fujita," said Ren. "You're nothing but a spoiled brat, who thinks the world owes him everything. Well, since you never paid attention in English class except to copy off the other students' work, let me quote from the immortal Mark Twain.

"'Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.'

"Colossal Fighter, destroy his Dragon with mega-knuckle!"

With hardly any subtlety at all, Colossal Fighter slugged the Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon hard, causing its steel exoskeleton to crack all over. Then the whole beast exploded into a conflagration of flames and molten steel.

"Burgundy…" said Ren. "Finish him off…"

Burgundy made a slash downwards with his great sword, and Fujita, alias Exarion Universe, let out a great scream…

**(R: 1,000) - - - - - - - - - - (F: 0)**

Ren looked around. He was alone, aside from Colossal Fighter, Dark Blade, and Burgundy. Fujita had vanished.

"Good riddance to bad rubbish," muttered Ren.

As the Monsters vanished and he started to shuffle his deck, he saw a shimmering portal appear on the pitcher's mound where Fujita had been standing.

"I take it that's the other exit to this pocket dimension," he muttered. "At least I hope it is… Because it's the only way out…"

He started to walk towards it.

"If what Fujita said is true," he mused, "the others are all fighting the other members of Daala's inner circle… And they're all folks who are angry at us for some reason… Daala probably went all-out preparing for us to come to Xanadu.

"I hope Chelsea is all right…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Ren's Deck Lord: "Mataza the Zapper":** "Immortal Warriors": If you control no Monsters, and your Graveyard contains no Monsters other than DARK Warriors, you may Special Summon a DARK Warrior from your Graveyard. This effect may be used once per turn, during your Main Phase. (Greater Power) "Arms Trade": Send one Warrior-Type Monster from your hand back to your deck. Search your deck for one Warrior-Type Monster that is of an equal or Level than the Monster you sent back to your deck. This effect can be used once per turn, during your turn, and may be used a total of three times. (Intermediate Power) "Dark Rush": You may pay 800 Life Points to increase the ATK of one of your DARK Warrior-Type Monsters by the same amount during your own Battle Phase. If you use this effect, you may not use again until three of your Standby Phases have passed. (Minor Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Fujita's Deck Lord: "Exarion Universe":** "Bestial Strike": Once per turn, during your first Main Phase, select one face-up Monster on your side of the field. During that turn, when the selected Monster attacks with an ATK that is higher than the DEF of your opponent's Defense Position monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points. (Extraordinary Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lords of Chaos**

**The Legend Not Told; The Hecatoncheires**

Some legends are well-known. But many of them have parts that are left out.

When the world was young, the Titans ruled supreme. The Titans were children of Gaia, the spirit of the living Earth. But before them, Gaia had other children. The Hecatoncheires were among them.

Sages are uncertain just how many Hecatoncheires existed, or still exist. Most believe there are three, while others put their number closer to six. While the Titans possessed godlike beauty, the Hecatoncheires were hideous, being giant brutes, each with fifty heads and a hundred arms. They represented the destructive side of their mother, bringing earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis wherever they went. Each was the equal of any Titan in terms of strength, but because they were ugly, and also dimwitted, their father Uranus banished them to Carceri.

Carceri was then an untamed wilderness that bordered the Abyss, and would become known as the Prison Plane. Whenever a powerful being or even a god had a prisoner whose escape could simply not be allowed, Carceri was the most secure jail. Mortals would one day call it Tartarus.

When Cronus made a bid to overthrow his father, he at first promised his mother to free the Hecatoncheires once he was successful. But after he was successful, he broke this promise, for the same reason his father had imprisoned him. He would not have such ugly beings walk upon his kingdom. But, when his own son Zeus rallied his siblings against him, he made the same promise, and didn't wait until victory to keep it. He freed the Hecatoncheires, who needed no prompting to fight on his side in his bid to overthrow the Titans. As everyone knows, Cronus and the Titans were defeated, and imprisoned in Carceri, where they remain to this day. Zeus then gave the Hecatoncheires the task of guarding them.

The Hecatoncheires made adequate jailers for a few centuries. But eventually, it sank in that they were also prisoners in all but name. Zeus had kept his promise to the letter, but not the spirit. Zeus was not repulsed by their ugliness, as his father and grandfather were, but rather concerned about the danger they posed. He feared that their destructive nature would be a threat to the race of mortals that now populated the world if they were allowed to be free.

The Hecatoncheires abandoned their duties, and since that time, have offered their services as mercenaries. They will serve practically anyone who offers them a way out of Carceri. Unfortunately, almost everyone who has made this offer so far has been a powerful demon or other force of Chaos. Despite the fact that they once served a force of Order, no sane being of Order today would consider freeing such destructive creatures. Zeus's decision has always turned out to be the wise one, because anyone who frees the Hecatoncheires eventually regrets doing so, as they cause too many casualties to make the endeavor worth it. Every time they were freed, the ones who have freed them have broken their promise and sent them back to the prison where they were taken from.

Time has gone by, and the Olympian gods have lost most of their power due to lack of worship. But the Hecatoncheires are not gods, and do not need devotion from mortals to keep their great strength. They are too stupid to ever find a way out of Carceri themselves, but many fear that it is only a matter of time before some force of Chaos manages to use their destructive power completely to his advantage. Then, a force that was not seen since the time of the Titans may then be unleashed…

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_**Coming up next: **_

_**You all are probably thinking right now that Domino Public High School is not the best place to for teenagers to go to school. Well, it isn't, and if you read the earliest Yu-Gi-Oh manga, you'd know that. Ren had a problem with a fellow student who was taking advantage of everyone, and he's not the only one of our group who has had bad memories of that place. **_

_**Next episode, Erik comes face-to-face with another member of Daala's inner circle, and finds that she's a figure from his past that's just as mad at him as Fujita was at Ren. Why? Well, saying too much now would be giving it all away. I can't even reveal the title for fear of revealing too much. Be here, or be square.**_


	61. More Than Meets The Eye

_**It's Columbus Day. Today, we honor the discoverer of America, despite the fact that he discovered it by accident after making a gross miscalculation of the size of the Earth, and he never realized what he had discovered. Nonetheless, as ignorant as Columbus was, today is a holiday that means a day off for many, or in my case, overtime pay, so I thought I'd put up a new chapter.**_

_**Anyway, this is another chapter where I use Japanese names for a group of Monsters. The names were given a pretty big change for the American transition, likely to avoid legal trouble with a company that is far more powerful than Konami.**_

_**I don't have to worry about that, and since the original names are so much cooler in this case, I'm using them.**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**You ever have a teacher you didn't like?**_

_**If any of you said "no", I'd accuse you of lying. Everyone has teachers they don't like. There are ones who give pop quizzes, ones who have dour personalities, and ones who give lectures that could cure insomnia.**_

_**But let me ask you this: Did you ever have a teacher who hated you, wanted to see you fail, and was so obsessed with proving her superiority over you that she refused to believe your best work had been done honestly?**_

_**Probably not. Well, I had a teacher like that.**_

_**My conflict with this teacher ended badly for her. I never thought I'd see her again. **_

_**I was wrong. Seems she hated me so much, she's done the unthinkable.**_

_**One good part of this situation, though… There's no principal here, no dean of students, and no guidance counselors. She can't simply use her position to give me detention. At long last, I'm confronting her on equal terms.**_

_**Duel…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER SIXTY**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**More Than Meets The Eye**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Neo-Space.

Alexis Rhodes – the true Alexis, not a virtual copy that Joan had created – walked quickly down a long hallway, lit by odd lights. Unlike Jaden, she had long ago left her Duel Academy outfit behind, wearing a long, white jacket over a blouse and a skirt, as well as her Duel Disk. (She'd feel naked without that.) After all, her primary role in the government here was as counselor and negotiator.

She headed towards the door at the far end. She made a quick salute to the sentry guarding it, and the door opened. Inside, several Neo-Spacians and other alien creatures were sitting at monitors, observing various locations. Some images on the screens depicted jungles, others plains, and still others building complexes.

The one human in the room, other than the one who had just entered, was Syrus Truesdale, who was supervising, and writing down the progress of one project that was being viewed on a clipboard.

"Syrus," said Alexis, as she walked up to him. "Do you know where Jaden is?"

"Uhm, he might be upstairs," replied Syrus, not looking up immediately. "Why? Big news?"

"Probably," replied Alexis. "I just got back from the detention center. Phoebe is ready to start talking. And I think that Pollux and Damocles are almost at that precipice. All it took was a little gentle persuasion."

Syrus handed the clipboard to someone next to him.

"You're a pro, Alexis," he said. "We'd better find him quickly. The sooner we know what the whole deal with those three was, the better…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Erik was wandering through the thick mist. He called Sam's name every now and then, but there was no answer.

He looked at himself, and worried.

After Unus the Undying told them that story about Warrior Dai Grepher, he did his own research into the Monster. Most of it was hearsay, interpreted by several Spell and Trap Cards where he was a part of the scene. Apparently, Grepher was once a heroic soldier. But he became obsessed in his rivalry with Warrior Lady of the Wasteland. And after she defeated him when she became D.D. Warrior Lady, he searched for more power.

If the Trap Card The Paths of Destiny was to be believed, he was offered power from two sources, light and darkness. He chose darkness. He got power… But it cost him his humanity.

Erik had seen the Dark Lucius cards used… The demonic Monster that Grepher had turned into. The Level Eight version was even scarier than most of Sam's Fiends. What was so appealing about it that Grepher chose that over the light?

What if someone offered him the same choice that the first Grepher was offered? Did the Archfiends even now have their eyes on him, and were they looking forward to making the dark enticement a second time?

He hoped he wouldn't have to find out… If they defeated Daala, maybe Joan could find someone who could make them human again…

As he said this, the fog started to clear.

He looked around. To his surprise, he was in a school lecture hall. There were rows of seats on a dais above a teacher's desk in the front.

_I know this room…_ he thought.

He paused.

"No…" he said. "This in my Senior English classroom!"

"Quiet down, students," said a voice. "Class is now in session."

_It can't be…_ thought Erik. _Professor Watanabe?_

Then a shimmering portal appeared on the desk. As Erik watched, an exotic female form stepped out of it. It was a woman with a halter top and long skirt, with long brown hair with two thick braids.

The Otohime looked at Erik with an evil smile.

"Professor Watanabe?" asked Erik. "Is that you?"

"In the flesh," said the Duel Spirit. "Or rather, in a much better flesh, thanks to the Devil's Fruit…"

She leapt off the desk, did a flip, and landed on her feet.

"Yeah, right!" laughed Erik. "You chose a poor form, teach! Otohime has zero Attack Points. So you're gonna let me out of here, or I'll…"

Then Watanabe's eyes glowed. Erik felt himself losing control of his muscles. He was slowly forced to kneel.

"Otohime can also force the mightiest Monster to its knees," said Watanabe. "In the game, this is translated into her ability to switch a Monster's battle position. You may be stronger, but I'll never let you get near me."

"You're something else," grumbled Erik. "You gave me a hard time all the way through my Senior year. My English Seminar paper was the best work I ever did, and yet you…"

"Best work you _plagiarized_, you mean!" shouted Watanabe.

"Oh, give it up!" yelled Erik. "You just won't quit! You were so certain it was plagiarism… But you didn't know from what source I had copied it from. You couldn't make that accusation without proof. So you withheld my grade so you could find the source.

"But your search of all the websites that students commonly download papers from turned up nothing even similar. For over a month, you combed the internet, searching every keyword you could think of, hoping something would lead you to the paper I had copied from. You looked through every essay book in the library with a fine-toothed comb, and still came up empty.

"Finally, my parents got upset, and demanded my grade. They went to the school board."

Watanabe growled.

"I told them my reasons," she said, "and I thought they would take my side. But they accused me of 'antagonizing an innocent student'."

"As I recall, it wasn't the _first_ time you had 'antagonized an innocent student'!" replied Erik.

"They took the paper out of my hands," growled Watanabe. "You ended up getting an A on it, while I was reprimanded, and my files were investigated. I lost my chance for tenure because of it all! You deserved to be expelled for what you did, and instead you graduated with honors and I was the one who was disciplined!"

"Give it up!" shouted Erik. "Why don't you admit it, Watanabe? The truth is, you were jealous because that paper was better than anything you had ever written! You just hate teenagers, and that makes you a lousy teacher!"

Then Watanabe's eyes glowed again, and Erik was forced to his feet. A Duel Disk appeared on her arm.

"It was plagiarized, and you know it," she said. "And once I defeat you, I'll be able to drag the truth right out of your very soul."

Erik laughed, and activated his Disk.

"Oh, I thought you'd never ask," he said. "Like I need incentive to duel you? What high school student wouldn't jump at the chance to kick the butt of a teacher who always gave him a hard time?"

"I hope you remember what all your Deck Lord's powers were," said Watanabe, "because they're yours now.

"And I'm going to show you what it feels like to have your ideas copied. My deck also uses toys."

"Your deck is just like mine?" asked Erik. "Talk about dumb. That means there's no way for you to surprise me."

"Oh, it's _very_ different than yours," replied Watanabe. "I use more… _modern_ toys."

They both drew five cards off their decks.

"Game on!"

**(Erik: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - (Watanabe: 8,000)**

"I'm gonna teach you a thing or two, teach," said Erik, drawing a card.

He looked at his hand.

"I'll use one of my Deck Lord abilities right away. I toss one Spell Card…"

He discarded his Pot of Avarice.

"And in return, I get to activate Toy Town from my deck."

The classroom faded away, and the gingerbread houses and sugarplum hills of Toy Town rose around them.

"Nice place, huh?" asked Erik.

"I was diabetic, you little brat!" replied Watanabe. "This place would have been a nightmare before Daala gave me my new body…"

"The problem with you, Watanabe," said Erik, "is that the world dealt you a bad hand, and you dealt with it by taking it out on everyone else."

He played a card, and Toy Soldier appeared in front of him. (800/300) –) (1,100/300)

"That's all for now…"

Watanabe drew a card.

"I summon… Deformer Mobaphon!" she exclaimed.

"Say what?" asked Erik. "Deformer?"

With a loud whir, a cellular phone the size of a man appeared in front of Watanabe. Erik raised an eyebrow.

Then, the phone's parts started to turn, shift, and change shape. After a few seconds, it had become a cute robot with the features of a cellular phone. (100/100)

"Now, I activate its effect. Okay, Mobaphon… Dial On!"

Deformer Mobaphon whirred and beeped, and then the numbers on its chest started to light up in an apparently random sequence. Finally, it stopped on the five.

"Five?" asked Erik. "Five what?"

"That means I get to check the top five cards of my deck," replied Watanabe, "and if there's a Deformer Monster among them that's Level Four or less, I get to Special Summon it."

She took five cards off of her deck and looked at them.

"And there is… The Level Three Deformer Magnen U! I summon it in Attack Mode."

With another whir, a large, steel magnet appeared next to Mobaphon. Then it started to change shape, just like Mobaphon did, until it was another cute robot, this one blue with an elongated head. (800/800)

"I get it…" said Erik. "Your Monsters are those toy robots that turn into things."

"You got it," replied Watanabe. "Next, I reshuffle these other four cards back into my deck…"

She quickly shuffled.

"And by the way, a Deformer's effect depends on its battle position. Take Deformer Magnen U, for instance. If it were in Defense Mode, it would be the only Monster you could attack. However, since it is now in Attack Mode, you can only attack it with your strongest Monster.

"With that, I set one card facedown, and then end my turn…"

A reversed card appeared behind the Deformers.

Erik drew, and looked at the two Deformers.

_I know what she's planning,_ he thought. _She thinks I'm going to attack Mobaphon because it's weaker. _

_But… If she summoned another Magnen U and managed to switch them both into Defense Mode, it would form an attack lock, like two Marauding Captains… I have to take it out._

"I use Toy Soldier's effect, to summon two more Soldiers."

In two flashes of light, two more Toy Soldiers appeared. (800/300 x2) –) (1,100/300 x2)

"Next, I use my most powerful Deck Lord effect," said Erik. "My Toy Tinker ability. I get to take a low-Level Toy Monster from my deck this turn, and ever other turn thereafter."

He looked through his deck, and took Toy Magician from it. He nodded.

"Now, I play Crowning of the Emperor!"

The Toy Soldier in the middle saluted, and then vanished into grains of light. Toy Emperor appeared, galloping onto the candy street on his toy horse. (2,300/800) –) (2,600/800)

"Toy Emperor, attack Deformer Magnen U!"

Toy Emperor pointed his saber, and charged at the robot…

"I activate… Negate Attack!" exclaimed Watanabe.

Her facedown card flipped up, and an invisible shield stopped Toy Emperor dead in his tracks.

Erik looked at his hand, and sighed.

"I'll end my turn there," he muttered.

Watanabe drew again.

"Once again, I use Mobaphon's effect," she said. "Dial On!"

Again, Mobaphon's button's flashed with a series of beeps. They landed on the three.

Watanabe took three cards from her deck, and looked at them.

"I Special Summon Deformer Clockn in Defense Mode," she said.

In a whir, a large digital clock appeared in front of her. Its numbers read 0:00. (600/1,100)

Watanabe quickly shuffled the other two cards into her deck.

"Next," she said, "I Normal Summon a second Magnen U."

Another of the large magnets appeared, and it changed shape, turning into a twin of the first Magnen U. (800/800)

"Now, I'll Equip my first Magnen U with Deformer Cord."

She played a card, and a large, leather strap covered with circuits with plugs on each end appeared in the air. It plugged into the sides of Magnen U.

"Then," continued Watanabe, "I move it to Defense Mode…"

The first Magnen U started to change shape again. After a few minutes, it had reverted to magnet shape.

"Due to that Cord, whenever it changes its battle position, one Spell or Trap Card on the field is destroyed."

Then an electric storm erupted over the whole arena. Erik shielded himself as the buildings of Toy Town were blasted into dust.

"Then I use my Deck Lord effect," continued Watanabe. "It's called Battle Dance. During my first Main Phase, I can switch the Battle Position of one of my Monsters, regardless of any conditions that say I can't. So, even though I just summoned my second Magnen U in Attack Mode, it goes into Defense Mode as well."

The second Magnen U changed shape like the other one did. Then they both were surrounded by an aura of electricity, which grew into an electrical field that surrounded her whole side of the field.

"An attack lock," muttered Erik. "Great…"

"You don't know the half of it," replied Watanabe. "Now I can use the effect of my Clockn. Each round that it's in Defense Mode, I get to put one Deformer Counter on it."

The number on Deformer Clockn changed to 1:00.

"At any time, I can sacrifice my Clockn to inflict damage to you equal to 1,000 times the number of Counters it has."

"So, it's not a clock," replied Erik. "It's a time bomb."

"More or less," replied Watanabe. "I set a facedown, and end my turn."

She played another card, and a facedown card appeared behind her Deformers.

Erik drew a card.

It was Puppet King.

_I have enough Monsters to summon this guy,_ he thought, _but I think I'll save him for later…_

He added the card to his hand, and chose another card.

"I summon Toy Magician," he said.

In a flash of bright energy, Toy Magician appeared next to his other toys. (1,600/1,500)

"Maybe I can't attack your Monsters," he said, as he played a Spell Card, "but with my Forced March, my Monsters can attack you directly, so long as I cut their Attack Scores in half."

The Toy Soldiers aimed their guns, and their Attack Scores fell to 400 each. Toy Emperor's fell to 1,150, while Toy Magician fell to 800.

"Wait a minute…" said Watanabe.

The two Toy Soldiers fired, and Watanabe shrieked as the shells hit her. Then Toy Magician cast his spell, and she groaned.

Then Toy Emperor galloped forward, and slashed at her with his saber. She fell backwards.

**(E: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - (W: 5,250)**

"That's all for my turn," said Erik. "You may have a bunch of toy robots, teach, but you can't beat that old-fashioned charm."

"I'll show you," said Watanabe, drawing a card.

Her facedown card lifted.

"I activate Compulsory Evacuation Device."

"You're going to bounce my Emperor back to my hand!" shouted Erik.

"No," replied Watanabe. "Actually, I'm going to return Mobaphon to MY hand."

An odd machine looking somewhat like a mortar cannon appeared on her side of the field. Mobaphon was grabbed by a set of chains and drawn into it, and then shot out with a blast. Its card appeared in Watanabe's hand.

"Next," she continued, as a Spell Card appeared, "I play the Spell Card, Deformer Speed Unit. By sending one Deformer back to my deck, I can destroy one card on the field."

She shuffled Mobaphon back into her deck, and a machine that looked like a streamlined rocket engine appeared. Its engine ignited, and it flew into Toy Emperor, blowing him to bits. Erik scowled.

"Also, I get to draw one card," she said, making a draw.

She looked at it, and added it to her hand.

"Now, I add one more Counter to Clockn."

The clock's number changed to 2:00.

"Then, I summon Deformer Chakkan!"

In a burst of flames, a man-sized cigarette lighter appeared in front of her. Like before, it whirred and changed shape, transforming into another toy robot. (1,200/600)

"Not exactly the best toy for kids," said Erik.

"Indeed," said Watanabe, as another Spell Card appeared. "Any parent will tell kids they shouldn't play with fire. And you're about to learn why. I play the Continuous Spell Card, Gadget Box."

It was an odd Spell Card. It showed the picture of a cartoonish machine with weapons built into its limbs looming over a collection of stuffed toys.

"This card is a Monster creator," said Watanabe. "Once per round, I can use it to summon a Gadget Token."

In a flash of energy, an odd Machine appeared. It was a goofy gizmo, with six arms, each one with a tool in place of a hand, such as a hammer, shears, cleaver, metal fist, and wrench. (0/0)

"But, if you think this card is just like Jam Breeding Machine, and will keep me from summoning Monsters, think again. I can summon all the Monsters I want. The downside is, I can't sacrifice the Tokens for a Tribute Summon.

"But I can sacrifice them for other things. Such as Chakkan's offensive effect. By sacrificing a Monster, it can deal 600 points of damage. So, I'll sacrifice my Token."

The Gadget Token vanished, and a blast of flame shot from Deformer Chakkan. Erik winced a little.

"Now, thanks to my Battle Dance ability, Chakkan moves to Defense Mode…"

Chakkan turned back into its lighter mode, moving to Defense.

"And that means I can use its defensive ability, which lets me inflict 300 points of damage without sacrificing anything."

Another blast of flame shot at Erik, and he winced again.

"So, Deformers are just an exotic burn strategy?" asked Erik.

"I end my turn," replied Watanabe, not bothering to answer the question.

**(E: 7,100) - - - - - - - - - (W: 5,250)**

Erik drew.

_That's it,_ he thought.

"First, I use my Toy Tinker ability again," he said.

He took his deck, and took a second Toy Magician from it.

"But I won't be using him yet… I sacrifice both my Toy Soldiers…"

The two Toy Soldiers vanished into grains of light.

"To summon Puppet King!"

With a roar, the mighty Puppet King appeared on his side if the field. (2,800/2,600)

"So what are you going to do with him?" asked Watanabe. "You still can't attack."

"I'll be able to as soon as I play Enemy Controller!" replied Erik.

The large video game pad appeared on Erik's side of the field. Watanabe gasped as the Deformer Magnen U that was Equipped with the Deformer Cord changed shape, moving to Attack Mode.

"I'm guessing that the effect of that Equip Spell isn't optional," said Erik. "Am I right?"

"Yeah, you were right…" mumbled Watanabe. "But I can use the effect to destroy the Cord itself."

The Cord shattered.

"I didn't forget Deformer Magnen U's offensive ability," continued Erik. "When it's in Attack Mode, I have to attack it with my strongest Monster.

"Puppet King, attack the Attack Mode Deformer Magnen U! Majestic Checker!"

Puppet King lunged at the small robot, and slugged it hard. It shattered into pieces of broken metal.

"ERGH!" shouted the Otohime.

"Now, my Toy Magician attacks your defensive Magnen U," said Erik. "Sparkle blast!"

Toy Magician cast his powerful spell, and the second Magnen U exploded.

"I throw a card facedown," said Erik, as a reversed card appeared, "and my turn is over."

**(E: 7,100) - - - - - - - - - (W: 3,250)**

Watanabe frowned, and drew a card.

"I play Pot of Greed," she said.

The evil jar appeared, and she made two draws.

_Darn,_ she thought, looking at one of them. _I drew this one a turn too late…_

"I activate Chakkan's defensive ability again," she said.

Erik groaned as a blast of flame hit him again.

"Then, I move it to Attack Mode."

Chakkan changed shape, turning to robot form again.

The Gadget Box card glowed, and a second Gadget Token appeared. Then it vanished, and Erik hollered as Chakkan blasted him a second time.

"Now," said Watanabe, "I place another Counter on Clockn…"

The number on Clockn turned to 3:00.

"Then I move Clockn to Attack Mode as well…"

Clockn started to change shape as the others did, and also turned into a robot, with its number on its chest.

"While in Attack Mode, I can't place any new Counters on Clockn. But, it gains 500 Attack Points for each Counter it already has."

(2,100/1,100)

"Then, I summon Deformer Radion!"

With another whir and a burst of energy, a digital radio appeared. It changed shape, turning into a radio robot. (1,000/900)

"When Radion is in Attack Mode, all Deformers gain 800 more Attack Points."

Clockn rose to an Attack Score of 2,900, Chakkan rose to 2,000, and Radion itself rose to 1,800.

"Finally," she said, playing another card, "I Equip Chakkan with Deformer Power Unit."

Chakkan glowed, and an engine appeared on Chakkan's back. It pulled a ripcord, and the engine started to hum.

"This Equip Spell doubles its base Attack Score. Of course, after two of my turns, the Unit will be destroyed, and I'll take damage equal to that base score."

Chakkan rose to an Attack Score of 3,200.

"So," said Watanabe, "to answer your previous question, no, Deformers are not 'an exotic burn strategy'. They are quite capable of battling when they have to.

"Chakkan, attack Puppet King! Flame blaze!"

Chakkan blasted flames at the huge Warrior with the power of a flamethrower…

"Not so fast!" shouted Erik, as his facedown card shot up. "I activate Draining Shield!"

She shielded himself as the flames were blocked by an invisible barrier.

"OOH!" shouted Watanabe. "Clockn, you attack!"

Clockn pointed, and a blast of energy composed of glowing numbers shot at Puppet King. Puppet King groaned, and then exploded.

"Radion, attack Toy Magician!"

Radion blasted a beam of energy that looked like a radio band. Toy Magician was blown to pieces.

"And that's all," laughed Watanabe.

**(E: 9,100) - - - - - - - - - (W: 3,250)**

Erik looked at her.

"Gee, Watanabe…" he said. "You were never this enthusiastic before. Your lectures on the symbolism of Milton's works could bore a rock to sleep. What happened?"

"Well, just look at me," replied Watanabe.

She made a seductive pose.

"Aren't I more beautiful now than I ever was when I was human? Once I left my human body behind, I was free to express myself in ways I never though I would be able to…"

"But at what cost?" asked Erik. "What did you promise Shogarr for your beauty and power? People never think of the consequences when making such decisions… Heck, you said so yourself in your lecture on Marlowe's _The Tragic History of Doctor Faustus._

"Of course, you also believe that dumb conspiracy theory about Marlowe… About how he faked his death and then wrote all of Shakespeare's plays…"

"I never admitted that!" shouted Watanabe.

"Of course you didn't," replied Erik. "People would think you were ignorant, which you are. Still, you always seemed to take a dim view of any student who gave Shakespeare credit for his own works and quotations, and lectures about his biography were always strangely absent from your lesson plans."

He drew a card. Watanabe was simply looking at him blankly, as if he had struck a nerve.

"Marlowe's life was tragically cut short, Watanabe," continued Erik. "He was murdered by three guys with unclear motives. That dumb theory was started because the upper class just refused to believe that a commoner like Shakespeare could have written such genius work. Just like you didn't believe that a mere student like me could have written such a good paper. You're simply ignorant, and I'm gonna see to it that you regret it…

"I play Toy Memorial! Now, I get to draw once for each card in my Graveyard with the word 'Toy' its name. With Toy Emperor, Toy Magician, Toy Town, and three Toy Soldiers, that's six cards!"

He quickly made six draws. He looked them over.

"I have to skip my Battle Phase, but it's a small price to pay.

"Next, I play Toy Box."

He played the Spell Card, and the goofy Toy Box materialized on his side of the field. (0/0)

"You can't attack it, nor can you use Spell Cards on it. And I get to take two Monsters in my hand with the word 'Toy' in their names, and hide them in the Toy Box."

Two cards in his hand turned into motes of light, and then flew inside the Toy Box.

"Then, I set a card facedown, and that will be all."

A facedown card appeared.

Watanabe laughed as she drew a card.

"Six new cards," she laughed, "and you couldn't get a Monster that you could defend yourself with?

"I summon Deformer Cameran!"

In a bright flash of light, another robot appeared on her side of the field, this one short and blocky, colored red and blue. (800/600)

"And thanks to my Battle Dance ability, I can move it to Defense Mode."

Cameran started to whir and change shape, turning into a very large photographer's camera.

"When Cameran is in Defense Mode, none of my Deformers can be targeted by Spell or Trap Cards. So unless your facedown card is a Mirror Force, it isn't gonna work.

"But before I attack, I'll use the effect of Gadget Box again…"

The Spell Card glowed, and another Gadget Token appeared. (0/0)

It vanished, and Chakkan shot a stream of flames at Erik again. Erik groaned.

"Now, Chakkan, show him some real fire! Attack directly!"

Deformer Chakkan's Power Unit started to hum again. It blasted an even more intense stream of flames…

"Go, Toy Robot Box!" shouted Erik, as his facedown card lifted.

He quickly discarded a Toy Wind-Up. Three toy robot action figures appeared in front of him, crouching in Defense Mode. (0/0 x3)

Watanabe growled.

"You just don't give up, do you?" she asked.

Chakkan's flame incinerated one of the robots. Clockn shot its numbers at another, and it exploded. Radion shot its band of energy at the third, and it burst.

"I end my turn," she said.

"Not before I activate the effect of my Toy Box," said Erik. "I use it to bring Toy Magician out of it."

The Box opened, and Toy Magician hopped out. (1,600/1,500)

**(E: 8,500) - - - - - - - - - (W: 3,250)**

"Now I'll draw," said Erik.

He drew a card.

"I'm going to skip using my Toy Tinker ability… My deck is running a little short of Monsters as it is…

"But I will play Premature Burial. Now, my Toy Emperor returns!"

He placed the card in his Disk, and glowed with a red aura, and Toy Emperor appeared in a flash of light. (2,300/800)

"Now, I use another Deck Lord ability," he continued. "When Toy Emperor is on the field, I can toss one card in my hand to recover another Monster with the word 'Toy' in its name."

He discarded his Dark Designator, and his other Toy Magician slipped out of his discard slot.

"Now I'll summon it while I'm at it…"

In a flash of light, the first Toy Magician appeared next to the second. (1,600/1,500)

"Now, I'll bring out the other Monster I hid inside my Toy Box… Meet my Toy Dragon!"

With a loud roar, Toy Dragon leapt out of the Toy Box, its eyes blinking red, and its articulated parts ready to strike. (2,300/2,000)

The Toy Box disappeared.

"Toy Dragon gains 400 more Attack Points for each other Toy Monster I have on the field. That equals 1,200 more big ones."

(3,500/2,000)

"All right!" shouted Erik. "First Toy Magician, destroy Deformer Cameran!"

The second Toy Magician cast his spell, and Cameran exploded into pieces of broken metal.

"Toy Emperor, attack Deformer Radion!"

Toy Emperor charged at the robot, and slashed with his saber, cutting it in half.

Clockn fell to an Attack Score of 2,100, while Chakkan fell to 2,000.

"Now, I get to take a Trap Card from my deck…"

He looked through his deck, and took what he wanted.

"Toy Dragon, stop her clock!"

Toy Dragon shot a blast of glowing motes from its jaws, and Deformer Clockn exploded. Watanabe cringed.

**(E: 7,700) - - - - - - - - - (W: 1,350)**

"Since Chakkan is still too much for my other Magician to handle, I set one card facedown, and end my turn."

A reversed card appeared.

"It's your move…"

Watanabe snarled as she drew.

"I seem to remember you saying that Deformer Power Unit is destroyed this round," said Erik, "and that you take 1,200 points of damage."

The Equip Spell shattered, but Watanabe just laughed.

"I forgot to mention the other Deck Lord effect I have," she said. "I take no effect damage from any cards that I control."

"You're kidding…" said Erik.

"No joke," replied Watanabe. "You should have seen the face on the fool who used a Lava Golem against me.

"Now… I'm sure you remember Mobaphon."

She played a card, and with another whir, the cell phone robot appeared again. (100/100)

"Now, once again, Dial On!"

Mobaphon's numbers flashed, and beeped, until they landed on the three.

Watanabe looked at the top three cards on her deck, and then chose one.

"I summon Deformer Radiocassen in Defense Mode!" she exclaimed.

With another loud whir, a large, old-fashioned boom box, the type that was used to play cassette tapes, appeared in front of her. (1,200/400)

"Once again, Gadget Box activates…"

A Gadget Token appeared again. (0/0) Once again, it vanished, and the flames shot at Erik. Fortunately, he was used to it happening by now.

"Next, I move Chakkan to Defense Mode, so it can use its other effect."

Chakkan quickly turned back to lighter mode, and shot another stream of flames at Erik.

"I set two cards facedown, and end my turn."

She played the last two cards in her hand, and two reversed cards appeared.

**(E: 6,800) - - - - - - - - - (W: 1,350)**

Erik quickly drew a card.

_I don't like the look of that boom box,_ he thought. _I'd better get rid of it first..._

"Toy Magician, destroy Deformer Radiocassen!"

The first Toy Magician pointed his wand…

"I activate Radiocassen's effect!" shouted Watanabe. "Once per round, it can negate one attack against it!"

The blast shot at Radiocassen, but simply glanced off it casing.

"Toy Emperor, destroy it!" shouted Ren.

Toy Emperor slashed at the Machine with his saber, and the boom box exploded.

Erik paused to look through his deck, and took a Trap Card from it.

"This next hit is going to wipe you out!" shouted Erik. "Toy Dragon, attack Deformer Mobaphon!"

Toy Dragon roared…

"I activate a Trap!" shouted Watanabe, as a facedown card lifted. "It's called simply, Deform. This shifts my Deformer to its other battle position, and negates your attack!"

As Toy Dragon's blast shot towards Mobaphon, it quickly changed to phone form, and the blast glanced off an invisible shield.

"Second Toy Magician, attack Deformer Chakkan!" ordered Erik.

Toy Magician pointed his wand at the lighter.

"Surprise…" said Watanabe, as her second facedown card lifted. "I have _two_ copies of Deform."

Chakkan quickly turned into robot mode, and Toy Magician's blast bounced off the same invisible shield.

Erik looked at his hand for a second.

"I set another card facedown, and end my turn," he said.

A facedown card appeared next to his other one.

"I draw one card…" said Watanabe.

She drew.

"And my Trap Card activates!" shouted Erik. "Dust Tornado!"

One of his facedown cards lifted up, and the Tornado shot across the field, blowing the Gadget Box card to pieces.

"So much for you getting free uses of that thing's effect," he said.

"Well, I'll still be able to delay you a little," said Watanabe. "I play Swords of Revealing Light!"

She played the card she had just drawn, and a blizzard of swords shot from it, trapping Erik and his Monsters.

"Now, I use Mobaphon's defensive ability…"

The lights on the huge cell phone flashed again. They landed on the four.

"That means I get to look at the top four cards on my deck before I draw them."

She looked at the top cards on her deck. She smirked, and then put them back.

"Now, I move Chakkan to Defense Mode, to use its effect again."

Chakkan moved back to lighter mode, and then blasted its flames at Erik again.

"And I end my turn."

**(E: 6,500) - - - - - - - - - (W: 1,350)**

_This is getting to be annoying…_ thought Erik, as he drew a card.

"I'm just going to pass," he said. "It's your move…"

Watanabe grinned, and drew a card.

She gestured, and Chakkan shot its flames at Erik again.

"I play Psychic Cyclone," she said, holding up the card she had just drawn. "This Spell is kind of like Mystical Space Typhoon, but it only works on set cards. Before I use it, I have to guess whether the target is a Trap or a Spell. If I'm right, I get to draw one card. If I'm wrong, then you get to draw one card.

"Doesn't that sound interesting?"

Erik just glared at her.

"Since you searched for that facedown card with Toy Emperor's effect, I'm gonna guess Trap Card."

A cyclone tore across the field. Erik's Mirror Force lifted up and shattered. Watanabe laughed, and drew a card.

She quickly placed it on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"Your move…"

Erik drew a card.

_Let's see,_ he thought, looking at his hand. _What is that facedown Monster? Deformers don't seem like the Flip-Effect type…_

_Since she used up all the cards in her hand, it's likely a Flip-Effect Monster that will likely let her make more draws… Maybe even Morphing Jar…_

_And since she waited until then to use Psychic Cyclone, when she knew exactly what her next card would be due to Mobaphon's effect… Yeah, it's definitely Morphing Jar…_

_So…_

"I set two cards facedown, and end my turn," he said.

Two reversed cards appeared.

Watanabe quickly drew a card.

She looked at it, and then set it on her Disk, a second facedown Monster appeared.

Then she flipped the facedown Monster face-up, and Morphing Jar appeared. (700/600)

_Bingo…_ thought Erik.

He discarded the cards in his hand. They both drew five cards.

Erik looked at his deck.

_Only seven cards left in my deck…_ he thought. _All the drawing and searching has caught up to me… I'd better win this fast…_

Then he was shocked as Chakkan's flame burned him again.

**(E: 6,200) - - - - - - - - - (W: 1,350)**

"Your turn!" laughed Watanabe.

Erik growled as he made a draw.

"I'm just going to pass, and end my turn there," he said. "Now your Swords wear off, and my Monsters will be free to attack next round."

"That will be too late, Erik," replied Watanabe, drawing another card. "Time to show you what my deck can truly do…

"First, I move Chakkan and Mobaphon to Attack Mode."

The two Deformers quickly switched to robot mode.

"Then, I use Chakkan's offensive effect, and sacrifice Morphing Jar to do so…"

Morphing Jar vanished, and Erik sweat as more flames scorched him.

"Then, I use my Battle Dance to switch it to Defense Mode, and use its other effect."

Chakkan turned back to lighter mode, and another blast of flame hit Erik.

"Next, I use Mobaphon's effect one last time. Dial On!"

Mobaphon's buttons flashed again, this time landing on the three. Watanabe looked at the top three cards on her deck.

"I summon a second Clockn in Defense Mode," she said.

Another of the digital clocks appeared. (600/1,100)

"Now, I place one Counter on it…"

Clockn's number changed to 1:00.

"Then I sacrifice it to use its effect!"

Clockn vanished, and Erik cringed as a red aura surrounded him.

**(E: 4,300) - - - - - - - - - (W: 1,350)**

"I'm just getting started," said Watanabe. "I flip my facedown Monster to Attack Mode. Reveal… Penguin Soldier!"

The card flipped up, and a cute-looking penguin carrying a sword appeared. (750/500)

_Oh, no…_ thought Erik. _She can use that to bounce two of my Monsters back to my hand…_

"I use its effect to send Deformer Mobaphon and Deformer Chakkan back to my hand," said Watanabe.

The two Deformers vanished.

"Confused?" asked Watanabe. "It will all become clear in a minute. You likely thought I had no high-level Monsters in this deck… Well, I have one. I sacrifice my penguin…"

Penguin Soldier vanished.

"…to summon Gadget Hauler!"

In a large burst of energy, a large semi rig truck appeared next to Watanabe. It didn't seem very remarkable as far as rigs went, but Erik could tell, this meant business. (1,300/0)

"Next," continued Watanabe, "I use my Hauler's effect. For each Deformer in my hand that I discard, it receives a permanent gain of 800 Attack Points."

She quickly discarded Mobaphon and Chakkan, and Gadget Hauler glowed, rising to an Attack Score of 2,900.

"Next," she continued, "I play the Spell Card, Factory of 100 Machines!"

A creepy-looking Spell Card appeared on her side of the field. It had the picture of Jinzo with two shadowy Deformers behind it.

Then nine Deformers appeared behind Watanabe: Mobaphon, two Magnen U, two Clockn, Radion, Radiocassen, Chakkan, and Cameran. They all faded into nothing.

"By removing from play every Deformer in my Graveyard, one Machine on my side of the field gains 200 Attack Points for each!"

(4,700/0)

Gadget Hauler's cab split in two, its trailer opened, and a large cannon with a giant engine emerged from it…

_Ho boy…_ thought Erik. _This is gonna hurt…_

"FIRE!" shouted Watanabe.

Gadget Hauler's cannon blasted with a roar so explosive that the whole half of the room behind Erik was blown to pieces, revealing a dark void outside. Toy Magician was vaporized, and Erik was thrown backwards.

Erik narrowly avoided the same fate. He grabbed hold of a broken pipe just in time to keep from falling into that void…

He caught his breath, and pulled himself back into the room.

**(E: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - (W: 1,350)**

He looked, and saw that, by some miracle, his hand of cards had fallen on the floor right before he had nearly been blown away. He slowly picked them up.

"Anything else?" he said, with a hint of anger in his voice.

Watanabe placed a card in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"I end my turn, which means the effect of my Spell Card wears off," she said. "But like I said, any increase that my Hauler gains by its own effect is permanent."

(2,900/0)

_Then this is my last chance,_ thought Erik. _If she manages to use that effect next round with even one more Deformer, it will be too strong for anything I've got to defeat…_

He drew a card. He held it to the light.

One of his facedown cards lifted.

"Go, Monster Reborn!" he shouted.

In a flash, the ankh appeared, and the Toy Magician appeared again. Toy Dragon rose to an Attack Score of 3,500 again.

"Go ahead!" laughed Watanabe. "Attack if you think it will work!"

"Oh, but it will," replied Erik. "I play… Sky Union!"

The Spell Card appeared, and glowed with energy.

"I sacrifice three Monsters…"

Both Toy Magicians and Toy Emperor vanished.

"To bring out my most powerful beast… Arise!"

From out of the void behind him, the mighty Air Fortress Ziggurat appeared. (2,500/2,000)

"HA!" laughed Watanabe. "That's not strong enough!"

"It will be in a minute," replied Erik. "I play… Shrink!"

His other facedown card lifted.

"It doesn't truly cut your Hauler's Attack Score in half… But it does reduce its Score by half of its base Attack Score, which I believe was 1,300. That means it loses 650 Attack Points, which makes it just the right size for my Fortress to handle."

Gadget Hauler fell to an Attack Score of 2,250.

"Attack her Gadget Hauler!"

Air Fortress Ziggurat's eyes glowed with golden fire.

"I activate… Sakuretsu Armor!" shouted Watanabe.

Her Trap Card lifted up.

Then she was startled, as it was smashed to pieces.

"My Monster is immune to Traps," replied Erik. "I'm guessing you didn't research the game as much as you researched the cheat sites so you could find the proof you imagined existed that I had copied that paper."

A volley of missiles fired from the Fortress, blowing Gadget Hauler to scrap. Watanabe screamed.

"Before I attack, teach," said Erik, "here's one last thing to remember me by… I _didn't_ plagiarize that paper. If I did, don't you think I'd gloat about it right now?"

"Wait… don't!" begged Watanabe, looking at Toy Dragon. "Mercy, please!"

"Mercy?" asked Erik. "As if! I've wanted to do this ever since you assigned us to read _Gulliver's Travels _over Christmas break!

"Toy Dragon… Attack directly with Shooting Star Shower!"

Watanabe screamed as the barrage of glowing motes from Toy Dragon slammed into her. She fell to her knees.

**(E: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - (W: 0)**

Erik walked up to Watanabe, who was panting for breath.

"So you beat me…" she said, with a voice that was thick with bile, "but consider this, Erik… I've learned a few things about the politics of the Twelve Dimensions…

"Dark Lucius is one of the Archfiends' greatest assets. As a general of the armies of Pandemonium, he's led battalions of their troops to many victories in the darker parts of the Dimensions…

"You can just imagine how much the Terrorking is salivating with anticipation right now, now that the possibility has arisen of another Dark Lucius eventually being born…"

That was too much for Erik. He drew the sword out of the sheath at his side. But before he could use it, Watanabe erupted into green flames, and vanished.

Erik took a deep breath.

"Deformers, huh?" he muttered. "Weird…"

He looked, and saw a glowing portal open where Watanabe had stood.

"That's my way out…" he muttered. "Let's hope Sam isn't at the mercy of some other psycho…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GADGET BOX (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image:** An odd-looking machine with cartoon weapons built into its limbs looming over a collection of stuffed toys.

**Card Description:** Once per turn, you may Special Summon one "Gadget Token" (Machine/Earth/Level One/0ATK/0DEF) in Attack Position. "Gadget Tokens" cannot be used as Tributes for a Tribute Summon.

_Note: "Gadget Box" was first used by Rua in an episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**PSYCHIC CYCLONE (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** A mysterious man holding up one finger with a whirlwind around it.

**Card Description:** Target one set card in your opponent's Spell/Trap Zone. State whether the set card is a Spell or Trap Card. Then, destroy that card. If the card is the type of card you stated, draw one card. If the card is not the type of card you stated, your opponent draws one card.

_Note: "Psychic Cyclone" was first used by Takasu in an episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Erik's Deck Lord: "Warrior Dai Grepher":** "Toy Tinker": Once every two turns, starting on your second turn, you may search your deck for a Monster with the word "Toy" in its name that is Level Four or less and add it to your hand. (Greater Power) "Realm of Toys": You must use this ability on your first turn. Discard one Spell or Trap Card from your hand. Activate one "Toy Town" from your deck. (Minor Power) "Imperial Rally": If a "Toy Emperor" is face-up on your side of the field, you may discard one card from your hand to select one "Toy" Monster from your Graveyard that is Level Four or less and add it to your hand. (Minor Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Watanabe's Deck Lord: "Otohime":** "Battle Dance": Once per turn, during your Main Phase 1, you can change the battle position of one face-up Monster you control, disregarding any condition that would prevent you from doing so. (Greater Power) "Desensitization": Negate any effect damage you would take from the effects of cards you control. (Extraordinary Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lords of Chaos**

**The Sleepers; The Irecundia**

What are the Irecundia? What purpose do they serve? The simple answer is, only the gods may know for sure. They are quite likely the most dangerous threat that the Abyss has to offer.

Irecundia are demons of mind-boggling size, the size of mountains. If you are able to look at the entire creature – which is difficult – apart from its colossal size, it would look like a typical demon, except that its body is covered with strange runes that have no meaning in any known language. No-one knows how many there are, how they manage to eat enough to maintain their enormous bulk, or what drives them. These goliaths are found in the most desolate areas of the Abyss, always singly, and asleep almost all the time. They do not seem to be related to the obyriths, and they are certainly far older than the current race of demons. Some have theorized that they wait for the end of all times, when they all will awake to devour the universe. Thankfully, these giants are asleep almost constantly.

Irecundia are so powerful, they cannot be summoned or controlled. Sometimes, when the need is dire enough, groups of powerful demon sorcerers can use mighty spells that can wake one of them up. Even then, there is no guarantee that the behemoth won't flatten the ones who did so, but if a demon with power on par with a demon lord speaks to it sternly, there is a chance it might decide to obey.

This is usually done when a demon lord must end a long and very frustrating Blood War conflict. Any battle where an Irecundia shows up is very one-sided, with the great beast stomping and devouring the devilish forces, and often most of the demonic ones as well. Even after the battle is won, the Irecundia doesn't stop slaughtering every living creature who can't escape its grasp, and does so until it gets bored, and decides to leave and find a place to go back to sleep.

Only once in history was there a record of an Irecundia being defeated. Roughly two-hundred years ago, several representatives of the planar races representing Order in the universe decided to form a council, holding a meeting in an area of the Outlands known as Common Ground. This great meeting was overseen by Alorous, one of the group of Archlords that governed Heaven.

News of this council of Order leaked, and one of the most ambitious – but not necessarily the smartest – demon princes, an up-and-coming lord named Bifrons, decided it was the perfect opportunity to decimate the powers of Law. He formed an army, and managed to awaken an Irecundia and convince it to come with them.

His first mistake was thinking he could take the council by surprise. The area of the Outlands that surrounded Common Ground is a vast, grassy plain, and the council was able to see the Irecundia coming from fifty miles away. They were long gone by the time Bifrons's army got there – all except Alorous, who decided to stay behind and deal with the great beast. And he did so, flying at the walking mountain with his celestial sword drawn. Bifrons laughed at this apparent foolish act, until he saw that the look on the Irecundia's face was clearly one of terror. Exactly where on the huge demon Alorous stuck, it was hard to tell, but it was a lethal wound, which sent the great beast toppling over, crushing Bifrons's army and Bifrons himself. The giant demon's body quickly fossilized, becoming a series of hills, but Outlands natives avoid the place to this day.

This victory has led many to believe that the Archlords know something about the Irecundia that even most demons don't. Clearly, Alorous knew of a weakness in the giants, possibly one connected to their origins. However, the Archlords keep this weakness a secret, obviously to prevent any would-be heroes from going to their deaths hoping to slay the great beasts. Perhaps, as an old saying goes, some secrets are not meant for man to know.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**You've been reading this fic for a long time, and you've likely suspected that the Skull Knight who works for Daala is not the same one who was a follower of the Supreme King. Well, let me say right now, he is a completely different Spirit.**_

_**Coming up next, the solo missions continue, as Sam confronts Skull Knight, and he reveals just who he is, someone whom Sam remembers only too well, and has reason to hate. And you can bet that he won't go down easily. "Old Issues" is coming soon.**_


	62. Old Issues

_**What I know of my dad, the illustrious Siegfried Kaiba, I know through pictures and videotapes. He was murdered shortly after I was conceived. Thus, I never knew him on a personal level.**_

_**And yet, I owe him a great deal. He loved my mother, and made sure she would want for nothing. His will left her almost everything he had, including the seventy-five percent of stock in KaibaCorp that he owned. With mom owning a controlling share of the company, she pretty much owned the company.**_

_**Now, as it always happens when a big company changes CEOs, there were people who were not happy. Many of KaibaCorp's board of directors were upset that the title had been given to Siegfried's lover when many of them thought it should have gone to them. Many of them doubted that the will was authentic, even though Siegfried's lawyers assured them repeatedly that it was.**_

_**Even before giving birth to me, mom set them straight. She let them know in no uncertain terms that she was in charge, and it would be either her way or the highway. Most of them relented, and took her way…**_

_**But one of them took the highway… One of the most stubborn men I ever had the privilege of meeting.**_

_**He gave me a lot of trouble a few years ago… Now I'm finally going to settle it.**_

_**Time to duel…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Old Issues**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Phoebe sat at a table in a brightly-lit interrogation room, her expression far less confident than it was when she had dueled both Jaden in Chazz. Her mask was long gone as well; it had been confiscated, along with her Duel Disk. She looked at the door from time to time, but she was smart enough to know that it was guarded. But even if she got past them and escaped this complex, where would she go? How could she ever escape from an alien planet where the rulers controlled every means of transportation elsewhere?

The door opened, and Jaden walked in.

"Hello, Phoebe," he said with a smile.

"Jaden, can I ask you something?" she replied.

"Shoot," he said.

"Neo-Space is like… An inter-planetary empire," she said. "And you're head of government… You have great power, wealth, respect from everyone here…"

"And?" asked Jaden.

"So, why do you still wear that same old red college jersey?" asked Phoebe.

Jaden shrugged.

"Dunno," he replied. "Why do you guys wear scary, black robes? Certainly not because they're stylish."

Phoebe sighed.

"Look Phoebe, I'm sure you know the deal," said Jaden. "Whoever sent you on this mission has obviously decided to abort it, and he's abandoned you. The only way back to Earth is through us. And we'll provide it… So long as you tell us what the whole deal was."

Phoebe let out a longer sigh.

"Okay…" she said, meekly.

Then the door opened, and Chazz stuck his head in.

"Chazz?" asked Jaden.

"Hold that thought, Jaden," said Chazz. "Pollux and Damocles want in on this conversation."

Jaden thought for a second.

"Okay, send them in," he said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As the duels were starting with Ren facing Fujita and Erik facing Watanabe, Sam was wandering through the fog, not knowing where it would lead.

She grunted as she pushed her waist-length, blue hair out of her face for what seemed to be the tenth time.

_How do Shadow Tamers stand having this much hair?_ she thought.

She sighed.

She realized that she would likely never get her human body back… Well, if she ever made it back to Earth again, she would make due. She had a personal hair stylist, something that she doubted most Duel Spirits ever went to.

She looked at herself.

And once she got rid of this ridiculous costume, she could live with this change. At least the change had slimmed her down and given her a better figure.

The fog started to clear.

_Something's up…_ she thought.

She looked around as the fog went away.

She was in an office. An executive's office in a big office building. It looked like it belonged to the most important executive in whatever building it was. It was a corner office, with a lot of space, and some very pricy furniture. In front of her was a very large desk made of mahogany, with a comfortable chair behind it.

She recognized this office at once.

"This is mom's office!" she exclaimed.

"That's right," said a voice, coming from the desk. "Welcome, Samantha…"

Sam turned to watch, as Skull Knight slowly materialized, reclining on the chair. He grinned, and put his hands behind his head.

"So good to see you again, Samantha," said the Spellcaster. "It's been what… Two years?"

Sam's eyes narrowed.

"Oh, come on…" he said. "Don't tell me you don't recognize my voice?"

"Yeah, I recognize it…" growled Sam. "It just took me a minute… Mulner…"

"Glad to see you too…" said Skull Knight. "Can I get you a beverage?"

"NO!" shouted Sam. "So, you work for Daala now, and you took the Fruit's power yourself… The demonic knight is so fitting for one like you…"

"Sam, Sam!" laughed Mulner, getting up. "Why do we have to argue?"

"Why?!" exclaimed Sam. "Because you're a big jerk!"

"You wound me," replied Mulner.

"Oh, you want a reason?" asked Sam. "Fine…

"You were my dad's right-hand man, even though you inherited the position from your own dad, who worked for my great uncle. And you had some fantasy where you thought you were next in line to take over KaibaCorp, even though my dad never even liked you.

"When dad left everything to my mom, you expressed to everyone that she was nothing more than a gold-digging bimbo, and that my dad had been seduced. That was bad enough…

"But then, you tried contesting the will, even though you had no proof at all that it wasn't authentic. After your first argument was thrown out of court, you tried again, and then again. You tried for ten years, giving the judge the same BS every time about new evidence, when you really never had anything. Finally, he fined both you and your lawyer for filing frivolous lawsuits, and your lawyer refused to deal with you any more."

Mulner's smile turned into a frown.

"And when I turned sixteen…" growled Sam, "you did something I'll never forgive… You tried to convince me to turn against my mother. You wouldn't take no for an answer, and it turned into a duel. I was pretty surprised. For someone who used to work for KaibaCorp, you were no better than a dueling monkey."

"It was bad enough that Seto Kaiba didn't leave the company to my dad," growled Mulner. "He gave it to yours. He had worked for KaibaCorp since the days of Gozaburo. He may not have had the authority that the Big Five did, but he was loyal to Kaiba when they turned against him, even though he had turned Gozaburo's company into a joke. All my dad ever got for it was a retirement party with an achievement plaque that wasn't even made of real wood."

"That wasn't all he got!" shouted Sam. "His monthly pension alone was more than the average worker makes in a year! He should have gone on an extended vacation and lived the good life, like all corporate bigwigs do when they retire."

"Regardless," growled Mulner. "He deserved more. I swore I would get what he was denied. But your father gave everything to the first tramp he fell in love with…"

"Call my mother a tramp again," growled Sam, "and I'll…"

Mulner stood up and drew his sword.

"You'll do what, Samantha?" he snarled. "In case you didn't notice, you're a weak Level Three Monster, and I'm a strong Level Seven one. I could slay you with one swipe of my blade…"

Sam gulped, and took a step back.

"I'm also not a Fiend," continued Mulner, "so even if you had taken time to learn how to use your powers as a Shadow Tamer, they wouldn't work on me… However…"

The sword vanished, and an Anarchist Disk appeared on his left arm.

"…I've gotten a lot better since we last dueled. I'm Daala's second-in-command now. If you can beat me, I'll let you by."

"And if I lose?" asked Sam.

"Then you're mine," replied Mulner. "And when your mother finally gets here, I'll use you against her like I planned to all along. Whether you like it or not."

Sam chuckled a little. She activated her Disk.

"Say what you will," she replied. "But even with this new body, at least in spirit, I still have Seto Kaiba's blood in my veins. I hope my dad's watching from somewhere, because I'm going to teach one of his most ungrateful employees a lesson he'll never forget."

"We'll see, won't we?" asked Mulner.

**(Sam: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Mulner: 8,000)**

"You may go first," said Mulner. "A knight must be chivalrous, after all. Even a Skull Knight."

"Aw, you just want the first attack," replied Sam, making her first draw.

She looked at the six cards in her hand.

"I summon Archfiend Soldier," she said.

In a dark shadow, the demonic soldier appeared. (1,900/1,500)

"Then I'll set this, for later…"

A reversed card appeared.

"Interesting," said Mulner. "You use Fiends, and the Fruit chose to give you the form of a Shadow Tamer. What's the symbolism, I wonder?"

"What do you mean?" asked Sam. "They can control Fiends, but…"

"You don't know Duel Spirits like I do, Sam…" replied Mulner. "I know several Shadow Tamers. Yes, they can control Fiends, but they don't do so because they're do-gooder heroines. Shadow Tamers dominate and enslave Fiends, using them to do their bidding. Several times in history, they've been capable of using their slaves to do acts just as evil as the Fiends would have done.

"As you might realize, Fiends don't like them too much. Powerful Fiends put bounties on their heads, and Shadow Tamers who don't watch their backs in places where Fiends are the rulers are often enslaved themselves."

Sam looked at him hard.

"Just move!" she shouted.

Mulner chuckled, and drew a card. Sam really hoped he was lying to throw her off.

"I summon Mythical Beast Barbaros!" he shouted.

With a great roar, a large Beast-Warrior appeared. He looked like a ferocious centaur, except that instead of being part-horse, his bestial parts were those of a great, black lion. His face also had the features of a great cat, with a mane of blonde hair. He held a long lance in one hand, and a steel shield in the other. (3,000/1,200)

"How did you summon THAT with no sacrifice?" screamed Sam.

"Take it easy," replied Mulner. "Due to one of his effects, despite being Level Eight, Barbaros can be summoned with no sacrifice. However, if I do that, he loses a lot of his Attack Points."

Barbaros frowned, and fell to an Attack Score of 1,900.

"Seems our two Monsters have equal scores," said Mulner. "Attacking would accomplish nothing…"

He fit a card into his Disk.

"I'll just set a facedown card of my own, and that will be all…"

Sam looked hard at Barbados, and then at the facedown card.

"Uh, yeah…" she said, drawing a card.

She looked at her hand.

"I sacrifice my rank-and-file Soldier…"

Archfiend Soldier vanished.

"…to summon Gaap, the Divine Soldier!"

In a darker shadow, the larger demon with the exoskeleton and two huge claws on his shoulders appeared. (2,200/2,000)

_I can see your strategy from a mile away, Mulner,_ thought Sam. _It couldn't be more obvious. That facedown card is Skill Drain._

_As soon as I attack, you'll trigger it. Barbaros will lose its effect, meaning its Attack Score will go up to its base score of 3,000._

_What you don't know is, before my Monster reaches yours, I'll activate my facedown Mystik Wok to sacrifice it. Then I'll use Silent Doom to defend myself with Archfiend Soldier._

_I'll just play dumb for now…_

"I activate Gaap's effect," she continued. "For each Fiend in my hand that I show you, he gains 300 Attack Points for one round."

She flipped a card in her hand around, which was The Masked Beast. Gaap glowed with energy, and went up to an Attack Score of 2,500.

"Gaap, destroy Barbaros! Terror claw!"

The Divine Soldier's eyes glowed, and he made a savage swipe at the Beastking. Barbaros roared, and then exploded into pixels.

**(S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 7,400)**

"WHAT?" shouted Sam. "No Skill Drain?"

Mulner chuckled.

"Nope, no Skill Drain," he said. "I summoned Barbaros with a completely different strategy in mind…"

His facedown card lifted.

"It's a Trap called Level Resist Wall. Since you destroyed my Monster, I get to summon from my hand as many Monsters as I can, whose combined Levels equal the Level of the Monster you just destroyed.

"Barbaros was Level Eight. So, I summon Fire Princess…"

In a burst of flame, a stern-faced princess in a flowing, red dress, carrying a wooden staff appeared. (1,300/1,500)

"That's four. Then, White Magician Pikeru."

In a shower of bright motes, a child Spellcaster wearing a white robe and a hat shaped like a Scapegoat, holding a wand with an orb at the end appeared. (1,200/0)

"That's six. And to make eight, Ebon Magician Curran."

In a shower of much darker motes, Pikeru's darker half appeared, the other child Spellcaster wearing a black dress and bunny-eared hood. (1,200/0)

_A Gain/Burn Deck!_ thought Sam.

She looked at Curran.

"Uhm, is that…" she started to ask.

"Nope, that isn't her," replied Mulner. "She's doing something else very important right now… But I don't think she'll mind if I use her card.

"After all, I was the one who took Curran in after she ran away. She needed someone she could turn to after Yumi threw her out. She needed a more powerful and more experienced Spellcaster to teach her how to survive."

"And you obviously didn't tell her that you used to be human," snarled Sam. "So Daala wasn't the one who poisoned her mind with lies. It was you. Is it some habit of yours to seek out youngsters and use them for your own selfish goals?!"

"I do what I have to do," replied Mulner. "And it's still your move."

Sam growled, and looked at the other cards in her hand.

"I end my turn…" she said.

"Then I draw," said Mulner.

"And I gain 1,200 Life Points from Pikeru, four-hundred for each Monster I have…"

Pikeru lifted her staff, and Mulner glowed with energy.

"Then, each time I gain Life Points, Fire Princess burns off 500 of yours."

Fire Princess pointed her staff at Sam, and shot a bolt of fire. Sam screeched as it hit her.

"And Curran deals you 300 points of damage for each Monster that _you_ have!"

Curran threw a small orb of black energy at Sam, and she winced again.

**(S: 7,200) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 8,600)**

"I'm not done," continued Mulner. "I play… Pot of Greed."

He played the card, and made two draws.

"And I couldn't be happier," he said as a Spell Card appeared on his side of the field. "I play Monster Reincarnation. I'll discard this card…"

He held up a card.

"That's Marie the Fallen One!" shouted Sam.

"It sure is!" laughed Mulner, as he discarded it. "We'll get to that later. In the meantime, I get Barbaros back…"

A card slipped out of his discard slot.

"Now, just as I can summon Barbaros with no sacrifice, I can also summon it with _three_ sacrifices."

"Huh?" said Sam.

Fire Princess, Pikeru, and Curran all dissolved into grains of light.

_He's sacrificing his whole strategy?_ she thought.

Barbaros appeared again, with a far more vicious roar. (3,000/1,200)

"When Barbaros is summoned using three sacrifices," continued Mulner, "he destroys all the cards on your side of the field."

Sam gasped. The Beastking raised his mighty lance, preparing to thrust it into the ground…

"CHAIN!" shouted Sam, as her facedown card lifted. "Mystik Wok!"

Gaap dissolved into light, and Sam glowed with energy.

"I sacrificed my Monster before your Beastking's effect kicked in," said Sam with a grin. "Now he has nothing to destroy, and I gained 2,200 Life Points."

"That's all well and good," said Mulner with a smile. "But now, Barbaros attacks you directly!"

The Beastking galloped towards Sam, and she screamed as he stabbed her hard with his lance. She fell on her behind.

**(S: 6,400) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 8,600)**

"While you're picking yourself up," he said. "I'm going to activate one of my Deck Lord abilities. It's called Reverse Reincarnation. I send my Monster to the Graveyard…"

Barbaros vanished into grains of light.

"…and in return, I get to bring back the Monsters I sacrificed to summon it."

Fire Princess (1,300/1,500), Pikeru (1,200/0) and Curran (1,200/0) appeared again.

"To end my turn," he said, playing the last card in his hand, "I play Messenger of Peace. For the low price of 100 Life Points per round, this card keeps all Monsters that have 1,500 Attack Points or more from attacking."

Sam sighed. She knew what it did, and it was trouble.

She drew a card.

"I play Silent Doom," she said, playing a Spell Card.

Archfiend Soldier appeared on the field, crouching in Defense Mode. (1,900/1,500)

"Then I set a Monster, and two facedown cards…"

A concealed Monster and two reversed cards appeared.

"And that's all I can do…"

"Then I draw," said Mulner, drawing a card. "And I pay 100 Life Points for Messenger of Peace.

"That means I gain 1,200 Life Points from Pikeru, and 200 from Marie."

He glowed with energy.

"And since I gained Life Points from two sources, Fire Princess gets to use her effect twice!"

Fire Princess aimed her staff, and blasted two fireballs at Sam. Sam shielded herself and staggered as they hit her.

"Then there's Curran!"

Curran shot her dark bolt, and Sam cringed again.

"I'll set this facedown," he said, placing the card he drew in his Disk.

The reversed card appeared.

"Then, my Princess is going to attack your facedown Monster. I have a feeling I know what it is…"

Fire Princess blasted a stream of flame from her staff at the facedown card. The Morphing Jar appeared on the card, and exploded. Mulner laughed.

He quickly drew five cards. Sam discarded the one card in her hand, and made five draws.

"And I'll just keep on going," laughed Mulner, looking at his hand. "I summon Granadora!"

He placed a card on his Disk, and a huge, semi-humanoid lizard with an ugly face full of horns and pointed teeth appeared. (1,900/700)

"Also known as the Swallowtail Spike Lizard. By summoning it, I gain 1,000 Life Points, which means Princess gets to use her effect again."

"Not again…" groaned Sam.

She yelped as the fire hit her again.

"I'll set one more card facedown," said Mulner, "and that will be all…"

Another reversed card appeared.

**(S: 4,300) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 10,900)**

Sam grumbled as she drew a card.

It was Dark Ruler Ha Des.

_Time to teach this guy a lesson…_ she thought.

"I sacrifice Archfiend Soldier to summon the Dark Ruler!" she shouted.

Archfiend Soldier vanished, and lightning flashed. Dark Ruler Ha Des appeared in a cloud of black smoke. (2,450/1,600)

"Now, I activate my own Deck Lord ability, and it's a dozy! By tossing two cards when Ha Des is on the field, he destroys every card on the field except himself!"

She quickly discarded Gil Garth and Messenger of Hades – Gors.

"Go! Wrath of Ha Des!"

Ha Des lifted his hand…

And then, Sam let out an agonizing scream as a painful backlash hit her. She fell on her back.

She slowly got up, shaking in pain. Mulner was surrounded by violet flames, and his Monsters had not been harmed at all. Her forearms were on fire…

She slowly pulled off her right glove. An ugly scar was on her arm, as if it had been slashed with a knife.

There was likely one on her left arm too…

"Mulner…" she gasped. "What… What did you do?"

Mulner held up the Marie the Fallen One card.

"As Daala's second-in-command," he replied, "I have access to one of the most powerful Deck Lord abilities. It's called Crippling Wave.

"I can activate this whenever you try to use your Deck Lord ability. I merely have to remove a Dark Monster in my Graveyard from play, and pay 1,000 Life Points, and not only is your attempt negated, but all your Deck Lord abilities are disabled until you complete three Standby Phases."

"No… fair…" gasped Sam.

"So who said life was fair?" asked Mulner.

One of his facedown cards lifted.

"I activate Burial From a Different Dimension. Now, I can return Marie to my Graveyard."

He discarded the card.

_That means using his power only sets him back one of the two costs,_ thought Sam. _While I wasted two cards. And even if I last three more rounds, he'll just be able to do it again if I try to use my Deck Lord powers…_

_What do I do?_

Then, her eyes were blinded as a curtain of darkness covered them…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sam was in a sort of waking dream. She was in a dark place, with fog covering the ground.

She turned around, and saw the tall, hulking form of Dark Ruler Ha Des.

"You!" she gasped.

Ha Des nodded.

"I channeled my power through my card, because I thought you could use a pep talk," said the Dark Ruler. "It's been a long time since we spoke, consort. I see you've changed…"

"Ha Des, you gotta tell me!" gasped Sam, running up to him. "Is what he said true? Are Shadow Tamers really Fiend dominatrixes?"

"Unfortunately, he spoke the truth," sighed Ha Des. "In all realms where Fiends are the rulers, including mine, Shadow Tamers are feared criminals, who use their powers to enslave the populace and have them do their dirty work. Some say that they were given their powers by the Archfiends. But they won't reveal the source of their power. I myself have captured several of them… Not even the threat of execution will make them reveal their secrets…"

A look of panic appeared on Sam's face.

"Ha Des, can you help me?" asked Sam. "Me and the others? You rule the Underworld… You must have libraries, magicians, scientists… That sort of thing. Do you know of any cure?"

"Calm down!" replied Ha Des.

He sadly shook his head.

"I've ruled my realm for centuries…" he continued. "Since the days of the Shadow Games, in fact. In all the books of alchemy and magic that I have studied, I never found any formula that could transform humans into Duel Spirits. This Devil's Fruit is completely new to me."

Sam bowed her head.

"What do I do?" she muttered.

Ha Des put his arm on her shoulder.

"There, there," he said. "I'm here to help now, and all is not lost. If you succeed in your mission, find your way to my realm as soon as you can."

"You want me to find a way to a place where Shadow Tamers are considered criminals?" asked Sam.

"I wasn't always the Duel Spirit you see here now," said Ha Des. "I was once one that was much weaker. But I overthrew the Dark King of the Abyss and evolved into the powerful Fiend I am now. Just like Guardian Angel Joan was St. Joan once.

"Under certain conditions, Duel Spirits can shed their forms, and evolve into something stronger. Maybe I can help you become something that isn't so reviled by my kind…

"Perhaps… Perhaps even Dark Queen Per Sephone can become a reality…"

Sam looked at him.

"Really?" she muttered.

"But first," said Ha Des, "you have to get by that big jerk in front of you. The solution is almost within reach, and you just have to hold out a couple more turns.

"Now finish up…"

Sam opened her eyes.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sam looked at the other cards in her hand.

She fit one of them in her Disk, and a third facedown card appeared.

"Move," she said.

**(S: 4,300) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 9,900)**

"I draw," said Mulner, drawing a card. "Once again, I pay 100 Life Points for Messenger of Peace. Then I gain 1,600 from Pikeru, and 200 from Marie.

"Then Princess and Curran can do their jobs."

Sam shielded herself as two blasts of fire from Fire Princess and a bolt of dark energy from Curran hit her.

"I think I'm just going to end my turn there," said Mulner.

**(S: 3,000) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 11,600)**

_At this rate,_ thought Sam, _I'll be finished in two more rounds. This next draw had better count…_

She drew a card.

"All right, Mulner," she said, "I play Pot of Greed."

The evil ceramic appeared, and she drew twice.

"Perfect!" she said. "I play the Spell Card, Shrink!"

"Why bother using that card on my Monsters?" asked Mulner. "You still can't attack them."

"I'm not using it on any of yours," said Sam. "I'm using it on mine."

Dark Ruler Ha Des glowed with dark energy, and his Attack Score fell to 1,225.

"Now, Ha Des is weak enough to get by your Messenger of Peace. So, Ha Des, attack his Fire Princess!"

Ha Des's hand glowed with shadowy energy…

"You made a slight miscalculation!" laughed Mulner. "Fire Princess is now 75 points stronger!"

One of Sam's facedown cards lifted.

"I activate Bark of Dark Ruler!" she exclaimed. "I'll pay 1,300 Life Points, and your Princess falls to a much lower Attack Score."

Fire Princess gasped and held her hand over her chest, as her Attack Score fell to zero. Then she screamed as the Stygian blast hit her, and she was blown to shards.

"ERGH!" grunted Mulner.

"I'll set a Monster, and that will end my turn," said Sam, as a facedown Monster appeared in front of her. "That means my Shrink wears off."

**(S: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 10,375)**

_It cost me a little,_ thought Sam. _But part of my problem is taken care of. Let's hope this jerk takes the bait…_

"I draw!" said Mulner with a scowl, drawing a card. "And I pay 100 Life Points for my Messenger! Then I gain 1,200 Life Points from Pikeru, and 200 from Marie.

"Then, you lose 600 from Curran."

Curran shot her bolt at Sam, and she grunted again.

"Now, Curran is going to attack your facedown Monster!"

Curran pointed her finger, and blasted a bolt of dark energy at the facedown card. A shadowy, hooded, masked assassin holding a knife appeared on the card. It was blown to bits.

"Sorry, Mulner," said Sam, with a laugh. "You just activated Night Assailant's Flip-Effect. Now, I get to send one of your Monsters packing. Think I'll choose Pikeru."

Pikeru screamed, and then shattered into shimmering lights.

"Why you…" growled Mulner.

He looked at his hand.

"I set two cards facedown, and that will end my turn!"

Two facedown cards appeared.

**(S: 1,100) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 11,675)**

Sam looked at her deck.

_C'mon deck…_ she said. _Give me a winner…_

She drew.

_Yes!_

"First, I play Enemy Controller!" she shouted.

The large video game pad appeared.

"Now, I can move your Granadora to Defense Mode!"

Granadora knelt, and crossed its arms over its chest.

"Next, I summon Skull Knight #2. Ironic, isn't it?"

In a burst of dark energy, the armored, skeletal Fiend appeared. (1,000/1,200)

"Then, I play Monster Reborn! I'll summon a Monster from _your_ Graveyard!"

The holy ankh appeared, and White Magician Pikeru appeared on her side of the field. (1,200/0)

"Pikeru, attack Ebon Magician Curran!" shouted Sam.

Pikeru and Curran looked at each other with stern looks. Pikeru blasted a bolt of shimmering magic. Curran shot back with a blast of shadowy darkness. They collided, and both Spellcasters were blown to bits.

"Skull Knight #2, destroy Granadora!"

Skull Knight made a slash with its sword, and the large lizard exploded into bits.

"And due to Granadora's effect, you lose 2,000 Life Points when it's destroyed."

Mulner groaned as an aura of red energy surrounded him.

**(S: 1,100) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 9,675)**

"With that, Mulner, I end my turn. Seems I've taken out your whole side."

"We'll soon see," said Mulner. "I draw one card…"

He drew a card. He looked at it.

"I pay 100 Life Points to keep Messenger of Peace. Then I gain 200 from Marie.

"Then I play… Magic Planter. I send my Messenger of Peace to the Graveyard to draw two cards."

He played a Spell Card, and a cluster of vines shot up, consuming the Spell Card. He made two draws. He looked at them.

He smirked.

"I see you have no cards left in your hand, Samantha. That is a shame. Well, maybe I can help…"

One of his facedown cards lifted.

"I activate The Gift of Greed. This Trap Card requires you to draw two cards."

"What?" shouted Sam.

She made two draws.

"You're crazy…"

"Not as crazy as this," said Mulner, as a second facedown card lifted. "I'm activating a _second_ Gift of Greed!"

"WHAT?" shouted Sam.

She looked at him with a puzzled expression. Then she drew two more cards.

"That's the stupidest thing you've ever done," she said. "Letting me have four free cards…"

"It will seem smarter in a minute," said Mulner, taking a card from his hand. "I let you have four more cards so I couldn't possibly miss when I played _this_ one."

A Spell Card appeared.

"It's called Temptation of the Goddess. Now, I get to see your hand. And if there's a Level Four Monster there, I get to force you to Special Summon it in Attack Mode."

Sam gave him a strange look. She turned her hand of cards forward.

"Malice Doll of Demise will do," said Mulner with a grin.

Sam placed the card on her Disk, and the evil puppet holding an axe appeared. (1,600/1,700)

"And just how is this helping you?" asked Sam.

"Here's how," replied Mulner, as his last facedown card lifted. "It's a Trap Card called Comparable Level, and I can activate it when you summon a Monster. I now get to Special Summon Monsters from my hand whose combined Levels total the Level of your Doll."

In two flashes of light, a second Curran and a second Pikeru appeared. (1,200/0 x2)

"They won't last long," replied Sam. "You got rid of your Messenger, remember?"

"I don't intend to keep them," replied Mulner. "I sacrifice both of them…"

Pikeru and Curran vanished into grains of light…

"I summon… Mondo the Meanie!"

In a giant shadow, a huge, hulking Monster loomed over Mulner's side of the field. As Sam got a clear look at it, it seemed almost comical – a giant, monstrous infant of sorts, with a scowl on its face, wearing a black pair of trousers and a small beanie on its head. (2,700/2,000)

"Hold on…" said Sam. "I recognize that Monster… He's the ogre that Pikeru and Curran are fighting on the Trial of the Princesses Equip Spell. So that's his name?"

"Yeah," replied Mulner. "Curran told me some inside information about this card. She and Pikeru had to defeat this creature to earn their birthrights, the reason being, it possessed both their powers, slightly enhanced. Powers of Light and Dark…"

"A being of Chaos," muttered Sam.

"You got it," replied Mulner. "Mondo, flatten that sorry excuse for a Skull Knight!"

The monstrous infant roared, and lifted its fist…

"Not so fast!" shouted Sam, as one of her facedown cards shot up. "I activate Shadow Spell!"

A mass of chains shot out of the floor, and wrapped around Mondo the Meanie. The ogre growled, and struggled, but they held fast, and its Attack Score fell to 2,000.

"So you last one round longer," said Mulner, placing his last card into his Disk.

A facedown card appeared.

"But not much longer. I end my turn."

**(S: 1,100) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 9,775)**

"Then I draw," said Sam, drawing a card.

She was relieved to see the nasty scar on her arm from Mulner's Crippling Wave finally disappear.

She looked at the card. Pot of Avarice.

"And my Trap Card activates!" shouted Mulner. "Dust Tornado!"

His facedown card lifted, and the fierce wind tore across the field. The chains binding Mondo snapped, and it roared with rage as its Attack Score rose back to 2,700.

"You've lost, Samantha," said Mulner. "As soon as I start my turn, Mondo's effect will increase my Life Points by 600 for each Monster I have, but more importantly, will deal you 400 points of damage for each one you have. Do the math. You lose."

"Not if I get rid of him first," replied Sam. "I play Pot of Avarice!"

She played the card, and Night Assailant, The Masked Beast, Archfiend Soldier, Morphing Jar, and Gil Garth slipped out of her discard slot. She shuffled them into her deck, and made two draws.

"Okay, Mulner," she said. "I play a Monster Reincarnation of my own."

The Spell Card appeared, and she discarded Opticlops.

"I'll bring back Gaap, and then sacrifice Skull Knight #2 to summon him."

The skeletal Fiend vanished, and Gaap appeared again. (2,200/2,000)

"That means I get to Special Summon a second Skull Knight from my deck!"

A second Skull Knight #2 appeared. (1,000/1,200)

"You remember Gaap's effect, right?" she continued. "By showing you a Fiend in my hand, he gains 300 Attack Points."

She turned one of her three cards around, revealing it to be Dark Queen Per Sephone. Gaap rose to an Attack Score of 2,500.

"Next, with Ha Des on the field, I can Special Summon Per Sephone."

She played the card, and the fiendish beauty that resembled her old self appeared, bearing her claws. (2,200/1,200)

"Next, I play a Spell Card," she said, as another card appeared. "The Puppet Magic of Dark Ruler. I'll remove my Skull Knight and Doll from play…"

Skull Knight and Malice Doll of Demise vanished into ripples of light.

"…and in return, I get to summon a Fiend from my Graveyard whose Level matches their Levels combined. Here comes Gors!"

In an explosion of dark energy, the Messenger of Hades appeared, holding his zanbatô aloft. (2,700/2,500)

"Wait a minute…" said Mulner.

"Finally," said Sam, "I'll toss this…"

She discarded her last card.

"…to use Per Sephone's effect, and Special Summon Archfiend Soldier from my deck."

Archfiend Soldier appeared in a burst of black smoke. (1,900/1,500)

The five Fiends glared angrily at Mulner…

"Gors…" ordered Sam. "Attack Mondo the Meanie!"

"With pleasure, my queen," replied Gors, lifting his weapon.

The Messenger shouted a war cry, and leapt at the huge ogre. Mondo met the attack with its fist, and an explosion rocked the whole room, blowing both Monsters to shards.

"I have over 9,700 Life Points!" shouted Mulner. "Do you have enough there to finish me off?"

"Well, why don't we find out?" asked Sam. "Ha Des, attack directly with Stygian blast!"

Ha Des cast his dark spell, blasting Mulner with wicked flames. The Skull Knight screamed.

"Gaap," ordered Sam. "Terror claw!"

Gaap leapt at Mulner, and raked at him with its huge claws.

"Per Sephone, dark claw!"

Per Sephone flew at Mulner, and slashed at him with her long talons.

"Archfiend Soldier, sword of Perdition!"

The Archfiend flew at Mulner and made a savage swipe with his blade. Mulner staggered backwards.

**(S: 1,100) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 725)**

Mulner held his chest. Sweat fell down his forehead.

"Not bad…" he gasped. "Not bad… But I still have some Life Points left, and…"

Then he stopped short, as Sam's last facedown card lifted.

Call of the Haunted.

In another explosion of energy, Gors appeared again, (2,700/2,500)

"Gors, finish him off," said Sam. "Demonblade."

Gors flew at the demonic knight, slamming the zanbatô into him, and sending him falling to the floor.

**(S: 1,100) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 0)**

Mulner got up, gasping for breath, and glared at Sam with hate.

"This isn't over, Samantha…" he cursed.

"Your Life Points are at zero, Mulner," said Sam. "That's about as over as it can get."

Mulner stood up.

"The only thing I have to say to you is…" he said.

A portal opened behind him.

"…catch me if you can!"

He fled through the portal, and Sam started to chase him, hot on his heels.

_That's right, Samantha,_ thought Mulner. _Chase me… Your friends will follow, and pretty soon, I'll have the last laugh after all…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MYTHICAL BEAST BARBAROS (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Beast-Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 3,000  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description:** This card may be Normal Summoned or set without Tribute, or by Tributing three Monsters. If you Normal Summon this card without Tribute, the ATK of this card becomes 1,900. If you Normal Summon this card by Tributing three Monsters, destroy all cards on your opponent's side of the field.

_Note: "Mythical Beast Barbaros" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**COMPARABLE LEVEL (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** An equal sign between one big monster with a star on its chest and five small monsters with stars on their chests.

**Card Description:** Activate this card when your opponent Normal Summons or Special Summons a Monster. Special Summon from your hand Monsters whose combined Levels exactly equal that of the Level of the summoned Monster.

_Note: "Comparable Level" was first used by Yakou Tenma in the "Yu-Gi-Oh R" issue "Unsurpassable." Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**LEVEL RESIST WALL (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** Two warriors running towards two swords imbedded in the ground. In front of them are three sets of stars: A set of three stars and a set of two stars over a set of five stars.

**Card Description:** You can activate this card when a Monster you control is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard. Special Summon from your hand Monsters whose combined Levels exactly equal that of the Monster that was destroyed.

_Note: "Level Resist Wall" was first used by Yakou Tenma in the "Yu-Gi-Oh R" issue "Offense and Defense of the Summoned God." Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**TEMPTATION OF THE GODDESS (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** A beautiful, blonde woman with angelic, feathered wings. (The woman on this card looks a great deal like Pegasus's deceased wife, Cecelia.)

**Card Description:** Look at your opponent's hand. If he/she has a Level Four Monster that can be Normal Summoned, you may Special Summon that Monster to his/her side of the field in Attack Position.

_Note: "Temptation of the Goddess" was first used by Lucien in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Don't Fear the Reaper". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MONDO THE MEANIE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,700  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Special Summoned. When this card is Tribute Summoned, the Tributed Monsters must be LIGHT and/or DARK. During your Standby Phase that this card is face-up on your side of the field, increase your Life Points by 600 points for each Monster on your side of the field and inflict 400 points of direct damage to your opponent for every Monster on his/her side of the field.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Sam's Deck Lord: "Shadow Tamer":** "Wrath of Ha Des": When you have a "Dark Ruler Ha Des" face-up on your side of the field, you can discard two cards from your hand to destroy all cards on the field except "Dark Ruler Ha Des". You cannot declare an attack on a round in which you use this effect. (Greater Power) "Immortal Ruler": You may disregard the summoning restrictions for "Dark Ruler Ha Des" and Special Summon it from your Graveyard using the appropriate card. (Minor Power) "Summon Subjects": When "Dark Ruler Ha Des" is face-up on your side of the field, you may spend 800 Life Points to Special Summon a Level Four or lower Fiend-Type Monster from your Graveyard. You may use this effect once per turn, during your Main Phase. (Minor Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Mulner's Deck Lord: "Skull Knight":** "Crippling Wave": You may activate this effect when your opponent activates a Deck Lord's Power. Remove from play from your Graveyard one DARK Monster and pay 1,000 Life Points. Negate the use of the Deck Lord Power. Your opponent then cannot use any of his/her Deck Lord's Powers until three of his/her Standby Phases have passed. (Extraordinary Power) "Reverse Reincarnation": Target one Monster on your side of the field that was Tribute Summoned. Send the targeted Monster to the Graveyard. If the Monsters used as Tribute to Tribute Summon the Monster are in your Graveyard, Special Summon them to your side of the field. (Greater Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lords of Chaos**

**The Dreadnaught of Agony**

It may not be entirely correct to classify the Dreadnaught of Agony as a Lord of Chaos. After all, it isn't even a living creature. But this weapon that may tip the balance of the Blood War is something that cannot be ignored by the powers of Order and Good.

In the history of the War, demons and devils alike have always loved fortresses. Their strongholds are built not only with fortification in mind, but intimidation. The denizens of the Lower Planes are hard to scare, but most mortals find it unsettling to approach a building shaped like a giant skull (for instance).

The Dreadnaught of Agony is a fortress that is currently under construction on the first layer of the Abyss. Construction was started five decades ago, and it is apparently going according to schedule. (Demons are immortal, so they think big, and their projects take a long time.) The supervisor of the project is a Blood War general named Belfazar, but no-one is sure who he answers to. Most assume that a project this grandiose has either Demogorgon, Orcus, or Graz'zt behind it.

The Dreadnaught is not only huge, it is mobile. It resembles, at first glace, a huge, metal battleship on rollers, with demonic architecture. When complete, the Dreadnaught will be able to roll into battle, being both a base and a weapon for large-scale skirmishes. Details include an armored hull, cannons and mortars powered by magical energy, and other dangerous weapons.

At first, this is not remarkable as far as demonic war engines go. Mobile fortresses were built by them and by devilish forces several times in the past. But one aspect of it puzzled many until recently. A prison was built inside it, one that held about two-hundred mortal prisoners, presumably enemies of the lord who is funding the fortress's construction. Why the lord decided to convert part of this fortress into a prison was unknown, until recently, when the craft's most powerful weapon was tested.

The weapon is called a "torment cannon" by those who have seen it demonstrated. Apparently, the pain that the prisoners are subjected to is channeled into generators that charge this weapon. When fully charged, it can fire a blast that can conceivable lay waste to a small city – or a fairly large regiment of troops.

How this terrible weapon was built, no-one is certain. It would take magic well beyond the capabilities of any demon lord. The Wind Dukes are worried about the power of this weapon, and the possibility that even more deadly devices are slated to be installed in the Dreadnaught. Plans may well be underway to halt the completion of the fortress before it can actually be used for any Blood War efforts.

After all, if this sort of technology proves a success against the devils, other enemies of the demons may be next…

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**Of all of Yumi's group, Chelsea probably got the worst out of their dealing with Dark Necrofear. The curse of vampirism seems to have been inflicted on her due to her wanting to help. Not exactly the best fate for a hero.**_

_**But next chapter, she'll have to deal with it, as another vindictive individual from the past shows up, one who holds a deck designed to defeat hers. Chelsea's toughest battle is about to come, and she has very little to support her. **_

"_**Unrequited" is coming up next.**_


	63. Unrequited

_**It's finally happened…**_

_**The Devil's Fruit's true purpose has become apparent, and it wasn't the well of great power that we initially thought. It was a magical catalyst that could be used to transform humans who ate it into Duel Spirits.**_

_**Dark Necrofear said that the form I got would be dictated by my dreams and subconscious desires. Could that be true? Did a vampire lurk deep down in my soul that was waiting to get out?**_

_**Maybe Dark Necrofear was a liar. She is a demon after all, and I wouldn't be surprised. Whether she did or not, I've become one of the predators of the night. The curse that Penelope endured is now one that I'm going to have to endure.**_

_**Going into this duel frightens me now. Not because I might lose, but because I might win. If I defeat this guy, will I be tempted to attack him the way a vampire normally does when a victim is at his mercy?**_

_**I have no choice but to accept his challenge… But the dread still hangs over me. The future is uncertain…**_

_**What will happen to me?**_

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**CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO**

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**Unrequited**

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In the portal leading to the Core, Dark Necrofear leaned back in her alcove, chuckling with evil glee.

Yumi and her allies had fallen for it like a house of cards. Daala could go through with her plans now.

Right now, she was waiting for Yumi's other allies to show up, as she knew they would. The perfect ending to her day would be crushing them, and hopefully gaining a soul or two, if any of them weren't AIs.

She was very surprised to see three Mokey Mokeys fly down the hallway. She was even more surprised to see them fly towards the portal.

"Stop right there!" she shouted, standing up.

The small Fairies paid her no heed, and flew through the portal.

Dark Necrofear was about to chase them, but she stopped.

Why bother? They posed no more threat to Daala than mosquitoes. Daala could swat them with ease. She wasn't going to waste her energy chasing down three weak Fairies…

Of course, if she had noticed the globe of light that the three Mokey Mokeys had been surrounding, she may have thought differently…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Chelsea wandered through the mist, just as the others were at this moment.

She placed her hand over her chest, just as she had done every minute for the last five minutes.

Her heart was still beating, and she was still breathing. She hoped that meant she was still alive, although she really didn't know whether or not a vampire's organs normally continued to function or not.

At least she could go off that diet when she finally got home. Looking at herself, the change had made her lose about fifteen pounds.

But could vampires even eat normal food at all? That was the big question. If the answer was no, she might never be able to enjoy pizza or cheeseburgers again… And that was probably the least of her concerns.

She remembered reading _Interview With The Vampire_. She remembered reading how the vampire who was being interviewed (Louis – that was his name, if she remembered correctly) was morally averse to killing humans to survive, so at first, he fed on animals, mostly rats.

The thought of that made her a little squeamish. Weren't rats rabid? Could vampires contract disease? If they could, even preying on humans would give them a lot of problems in this day and age…

She wondered if it was possible to buy blood from blood banks and similar suppliers if you weren't a hospital or university.

She found herself wondering what blood tasted like. It was probably very salty. She had heard of black pudding, a type of sausage that was a traditional breakfast food in Scotland, made using the blood of pigs or cattle, among other ingredients. Germany had its own version called blutwurst. But any version was almost impossible to find in Japan, and even it if was more widespread, she wouldn't have found it appealing. She did hear that the blood made it high in protein…

Maybe that's why the stories about vampires always said they were very strong. The blood they drained from victims gave them a lot of protein.

An idea came to her… Could she survive if she found a place that sold black pudding?

As she thought of this and many other possibilities that might arise from her current situation, the fog started to lift.

She looked around. She was in a beautiful garden. Trees of oriental design and lovely shrubs and bushes were neatly arranged around various statues depicting the gods and goddesses of ancient Japan.

"This place…" muttered Chelsea. "The Domino arboretum. I've been here once… But when?"

"I'll refresh your memory," said a voice.

Chelsea turned to meet the new enemy, and he appeared in a dark shadow. It was a tall man, dressed in a dark suit, with a long, black cape, with a collar with a silver spider web design. His arms were completely covered with brown hair, like those of some beast. He had long, stylish brown hair, and his face would have been handsome, if the left half of it were not tattooed by a similar spider web pattern.

"A Vanity's Fiend?" asked Chelsea.

"That's right, Chelsea," said the Fiend. "I'd say the Devil's Fruit was very good to me… And to you too. You look more beautiful that ever!"

"Uh, pardon me…" replied Chelsea. "Do I know you?"

The Vanity's Fiend frowned.

"Come on, Chelsea," he said, with a hint of anger. "Don't tell me you don't recognize my voice…"

Chelsea looked at him.

"Uhm, should I?" she asked.

"I'll give you a hint," he said, sounding a little angrier. "May 1st of last year."

Chelsea thought for a minute.

"Yeah, I went to the arboretum that day…" she muttered. "No, some boy took me there… Eikou, I think his name was…"

"That's all you remember?" shouted the Fiend.

"Eikou?" asked Chelsea. "Is that you?"

"Of course it is," replied the Fiend. "And you broke my heart."

"It was just a date!" protested Chelsea.

"It was just a date…" muttered the Fiend. "Chelsea, I had wanted it for a long time. I had fallen for you a year earlier, and it took me that long to get the courage to ask you. I was thrilled when you said yes. But after it was over, you never called, and never acknowledged me in the least."

Chelsea laughed.

"We go on one date, and you think that gives you the right to marry me?" she asked. "You're demented!"

"And I'm a powerful Fiend now, much stronger than any vampire," said Eikou. "And Daala welcomed me into her group."

He gestured, and a standard-issue Duel Disk appeared on his arm.

"So I'm going to make you pay for rejecting me. We're dueling right now."

Chelsea sighed.

_How hard could it be?_ she thought. _I just have to try hard not to lose control of myself…_

Eikou grinned.

_She may have ignored me,_ he thought, _but I certainly didn't ignore her. I've been preparing for this duel for a long time, and my whole strategy is one that can defeat any Zombie Deck. I can't possibly lose…_

Both Disks activated.

"Game on!" they both said.

**(Chelsea: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Eikou: 8,000)**

"Let's go!" laughed Eikou, drawing a card.

He looked over the six cards in his hand. He took one, and set it on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"That will do for now," he said.

Chelsea quickly drew a card.

"I activate Pot of Greed!" she shouted, playing the card.

"Already?" asked Eikou. "Sure you don't want to save that?"

Chelsea ignored him, and made two draws.

_Perfect!_ thought Chelsea, looking at the seven cards. _I couldn't have asked for a better hand…_

"I play Call of the Mummy!" she shouted, as the Continuous Spell appeared.

"Hold on, Chelsea," said Eikou. "Before you actually use that Spell, it's only fair to warn you about my Deck Lord power."

"Deck Lord power?" asked Chelsea.

She looked at Eikou.

"Oh my god, you're Vanity's Fiend!" she shouted. "Don't tell me you can negate Special Summonings?"

"No, I can't," replied Eikou, closing his eyes. "Unless I was actually on the field, which would be foolish. However, Special Summoning is going to help me in the long run, because I gain 500 Life Points whenever it happens."

Chelsea looked at him.

_That's got to be an Extraordinary Power…_ she thought. _How far has this freak gone to get back at me? How many of Joan's duelists has he beaten?_

"I Special Summon Vampire Lord," she said, slowly.

In a burst of energy, Vampire Lord appeared. (2,000/1,500) Eikou glowed with energy.

"Next, I Normal Summon Zombie Werewolf!"

In another burst, Zombie Werewolf appeared, and made a howl. (1,200/1,200)

"Zombie Werewolf, attack his Monster with terror claw!"

Zombie Werewolf pounced at the facedown Monster. Skelengel appeared on the card, and was blasted to pixels.

"Now I get to draw one card," said Eikou, making a draw.

"Fine," said Chelsea. "Vampire Lord, attack him directly, with Children of the Night!"

Vampire Lord's eyes glowed, and he lifted his cape. The scourge of bats flew at Eikou, and he groaned as they hit him.

"I activate Vampire Lord's effect," said Chelsea. "I'm telling you to discard a Spell Card."

Then Eikou grinned evilly. He took his deck from its holder.

"Your wish," he said, "is my command…"

He chose a card and discarded it…

Then Chelsea was startled, as a dark shadow with an evil face appeared in front of her.

"Wha…" she said.

Then she screamed as it grabbed her by the throat and started to strangle her. She fell to her knees as it vanished.

**(C: 7,000) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 6,500)**

"What happened?" she gasped.

"The Spell Card I discarded was a special one," replied Eikou, "called Grip of Despair. When my opponent's card effect causes it to go directly from my hand or deck to the Graveyard, that opponent takes 1,000 points of damage.

"I have two more copies in my deck… And I have three copies of Despair From the Dark, and three Trap Cards that are activated in a similar way. In this duel, your vampires' effects are only going to hurt you."

Chelsea slowly got up.

"I… end my turn…" she muttered.

Eikou drew a card.

"I play Graceful Charity," he said, as a Spell Card appeared. "I'm sure you don't need me to explain how this works…"

He quickly drew three cards.

_And I know just what to discard,_ he thought, as he discarded two cards.

"Now, I throw three cards facedown…"

He fit three cards in his Disk, and three facedown cards appeared.

"Then, I play the Spell Card, Soul Taker, to destroy your Vampire Lord."

He played the card, and a blast of energy shot from it, blowing Vampire Lord to pixels.

"Talk about _dumb_!" shouted Chelsea, as a golden glow surrounded her. "I gained 1,000 Life Points because of that, and due to Vampire Lord's effect, he'll be back next turn!"

"Only if he's in your Graveyard, which he won't be," replied Eikou. "I summon one of my secret weapons… The dreaded Blazewing Butterfly!"

He played the card, and a ball of fire appeared in midair in front of him. The ball turned into a small creature. Sure enough, it was a butterfly, although its wings were apparently made of fire. (1,500/1,500)

Chelsea almost laughed.

"A butterfly?" she asked. "That's your secret weapon?"

"Watch it," replied Eikou. "Fire is one of the few things that can actually kill a vampire.

"Now, I play the Spell Card, Double Summon."

The Spell Card appeared on his side of the field.

"You see, Blazewing Butterfly is a Gemini Monster. So to use its effect, I have to summon it twice. So I'll use this second Normal Summon to unleash its effect."

Blazewing Butterfly's wings grew to twice their size, and burned more fiercely.

"Its effect lets me sacrifice it, to Special Summon from my Graveyard any Gemini Monster except a Blazewing Butterfly. When I do that, the Special Summoned Monster comes with its effect, without having to be summoned twice.

"So I sacrifice my Butterfly…"

Blazewing Butterfly vanished.

"To summon the Gatekeeper of Hell… I call forth… _Il Blud!_"

In a dark shadow, a hulking creature appeared where Blazewing Butterfly had been. Chelsea stepped back in shock. It was probably the most hideous thing she had ever seen. Almost its whole body was one big torso, with a tiny pair of arms and legs, dressed in what looked like a dirty prison uniform. A long ball and chain was attached to its right leg. The front of the uniform was unzipped, revealing two hideous eyes, a big nose, and a toothy, grinning mouth, placed right on the torso. (2,100/800)

"UGH!" shouted Chelsea. "What is THAT?"

"Didn't you hear me?" asked Eikou. "It's Il Blud, the most powerful Zombie you'll likely ever meet."

"That's not the strongest," said Chelsea. "Probably the _ugliest_, but I've seen stronger."

"Attack Points aren't everything," replied Eikou. "Il Blud has a very powerful effect, and as I said, since it was summoned using Blazewing Butterfly, I can use it right now. You see, once per turn, I can Special Summon a Zombie from my hand, or from either Graveyard.

"So hand over Vampire Lord!"

Il Blud's eyes glowed with a demonic red light, and Vampire Lord appeared next to it. (2,000/1,500)

"Oh, crap…" muttered Chelsea.

"Vampire Lord…" commanded Eikou, "attack Zombie Werewolf with Children of the Night!"

The swarm of bats shot towards Zombie Werewolf, and the lycanthrope howled. It shattered into pixels.

"Seems I can use Vampire Lord's effect against you," laughed Eikou. "I think I'll choose Monster."

Chelsea took her deck and looked though the cards.

_I know what he's up to,_ she thought. _The more Zombies in my Graveyard, the more chances he has to use that thing's effect…_

She smirked.

_Well, let's see just how much he's truly prepared…_

She chose Pyramid Turtle, and discarded it.

"I use Zombie Werewolf's effect," she said. "I get to Special Summon another one from my deck."

A second Zombie Werewolf appeared, crouching in Defense Mode. (1,700/1,200)

"Il Blud," ordered Eikou. "Attack with Death Breath!"

Il Blud roared, and breathed a stream of foul, green gas at Zombie Werewolf. The Werewolf turned to bones and disintegrated.

"I summon my third Werewolf!" shouted Chelsea.

A third Zombie Werewolf appeared, now in Attack Mode. (2,200/1,200)

_This is bad,_ she thought. _He gains 500 Life Points each time a Special Summon is made… And that round alone, there were _four_ Special Summons! Special Summoning is what Zombies do best!_

**(C: 7,100) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 8,500)**

"My move!" she shouted.

She drew a card.

"Zombie Werewolf, attack his Il Blud!" she shouted.

Zombie Werewolf howled, and pounced at the Gatekeeper of Hell.

"Nice try," said Eikou, as one of his facedown cards lifted. "I activate Offerings to the Doomed!"

A blast of pure energy shot out of the card, and Zombie Werewolf exploded into triangles.

Chelsea growled.

"I'll set a Monster," she said, as a facedown Monster appeared. "Then, I'll toss two cards facedown, and activate Mirage of Nightmare."

Two facedown cards appeared, and the Mirage card appeared.

"Sorry, Chelsea," said Eikou, with a chuckle, "but this time, I'm leaving you cold…

"Go, Call of the Haunted!"

Anther facedown card lifted, and a weird Monster appeared, looming behind him. It was a ghostly phantom, ten feet tall and twice as wide as it was tall, its whole body covered with ancient runes. (1,100/1,900)

"What the…" said Chelsea.

"I knew all about your Mirage strategy," he said, "so I included a strategy of my own to deal with it. Meet Protector of the Sanctuary. With this guy on the field, you can't draw outside your Draw Phase. That means your Mirage card has been frozen."

Chelsea gasped as her Mirage of Nightmare froze solid, covered with a sheet of frost.

She looked at the last card in her hand.

"I… I have to end my turn…" she muttered.

"My move," said Eikou, reaching for his deck.

"Hold it!" said Chelsea.

"What?" asked Eikou.

"You played Offerings to the Doomed, genius," she said. "You can't draw this turn."

"Oh… yeah…" muttered Eikou.

_Looks like someone isn't as smart as he claims to be,_ thought Chelsea.

"Well, fine then," continued Eikou. "I'll start by moving my Protector to Defense Mode."

Protector of the Sanctuary crossed its arms in a more protective position.

"Then, I attack with Vampire Lord!"

The swarm of bats shot towards Chelsea's facedown Monster. Zombie Master appeared on the card, and was blown to bits.

"Il Blud, attack Chelsea directly!"

Il Blud exhaled its foul breath again.

"You triggered my Trap!" shouted Chelsea. "Hallowed Life Barrier!"

One of her facedown cards shot up, and she discarded the last card in her hand, her Axe of Despair. A dome of energy surrounded her, and the blast of filth was halted.

"Well," chuckled Eikou. "Seems you have nothing left now… I move to my second Main Phase, and use the effect of Il Blud again."

Il Blud's eyes glowed again, and Zombie Master appeared on his side of the field. (1,800/0)

"I've got you outnumbered four to none," he said with a laugh. "And I got 500 more Life Points to boot. I end my turn…"

**(C: 7,100) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 9,000)**

Chelsea nervously drew a card.

In a burst of dark energy, Zombie Werewolf appeared, crouching in Defense Mode. (1,200/1,200)

"What?" said Eikou. "Where did he come from?"

"You aren't the only one with a great Deck Lord power," said Chelsea. "Thanks to Marie the Fallen One, and I really should thank her if I ever see her again, I have a Greater Power called Deathless Zombies. Quite simply, any Zombie I control that's Level Four or less has Vampire Lord's rejuvenation effect.

"Since you destroyed Zombie Werewolf with a Spell Card, he comes back now."

She placed the card she had drawn in her Disk, and it appeared facedown.

"That's all I can do."

"HA!" laughed Eikou, drawing a card. "I'm willing to bet that facedown card is nothing more than a big bluff. And I'm pretty sure that your other one is Emergency Provisions. You always play that with Mirage of Nightmare."

"Just how long have you been spying on me?" asked Chelsea, with a frown. "Are you some sort of stalker?"

"Long enough," said Eikou. "I've been studying you for a long time, and I've been waiting for this duel for so long…"

"Why?" asked Chelsea. "What did Daala promise you? She promised you me as a reward, right? Well, I doubt she'll ever honor that bargain."

"We'll see…" replied Eikou.

He looked at the card he had drawn.

"I'll use Il Blud's effect to summon Pyramid Turtle from your Graveyard…"

He glowed with golden energy again, as Pyramid Turtle appeared on his side of the field in Attack Mode. (1,200/1,400)

_He took the bait,_ thought Chelsea. _Whether or not I can do anything with it… It's all up to chance…_

"Next," he said, playing the card he had drawn, "I play the Equip Spell, Black Pendant."

An amulet set with a dark jewel appeared around Zombie Lord's neck.

"See this, Chelsea?" said Eikou. "It doesn't look very good on a male Monster, does it? If you hadn't left me hanging, maybe I could have gotten you something just as beautiful. I had rich parents."

"Too much jewelry ruins an outfit," replied Chelsea. "The only stone that a woman truly needs in her life is her wedding ring. Everything else is just expensive stones and precious metals that are only good for flaunting."

"Well this stone has more value than just decoration," said Eikou. "It boosts Zombie Master's Attack Score by 500 points."

(2,300/0)

"All right! Vampire Lord, destroy her last defense!"

The swarm of bats shot at Zombie Werewolf, and the lycanthrope shattered.

"Il Blud, attack directly! Death Breath!"

Il Blud breathed its foul breath, and this time, there was nothing Chelsea could do to avoid it. She made a face, and clutched her stomach.

_Feel like I've been doused in Pennzoil…_ she thought.

"Pyramid Turtle, dust of decay!" shouted Eikou.

Pyramid Turtle breathed a blast of sand and grit, and Chelsea started to sweat.

"Zombie Master, wrath of the undead!"

Zombie Master lifted his arms, and shot his burning bolts of lighting. Chelsea screamed and was knocked flat on her back.

**(C: 1,500) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 10,000)**

"It's your move," said Eikou. "Make it if you can…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Chelsea's mind was in a fog. She didn't think she even had the strength to stand.

Then to her surprise, a hand reached down to her.

Her eyes cleared.

"P… Penelope?" she asked.

"Yes, it's me Chelsea," said the Duel Spirit. "I'm still here. You need help, and that's what I'm here for."

"He's too strong!" gasped Chelsea. "His strategy is too well thought out!"

"Nonsense," said Penelope. "The reason you're doing poorly is simple… You're scared.

"You've undergone a drastic and terrible change. You've crossed the line from humanity to vampirism. And Chelsea, when _anyone_ makes this change at first, they are scared. I doubt Dracula himself was very calm when he first woke as one of the undead.

"Let me tell you, you are far less scared than most are. Most young vampires panic, and make stupid mistakes that cost them their very soul…"

"My soul?" asked Chelsea.

"Yes," said Penelope. "Listen, and listen well. I didn't panic when it happened to me. It wasn't my faith or dedication to the Almighty that let me keep my soul, but that did help prevent me from losing it eventually. Unless the reason they become vampires is because of the evil they have exhibited in life, vampires have their souls when they first make the change.

"I knew I had to feed, but I resisted the urge to prey on humans. As much as it disgusted me, I fed on animals… Cattle, horses, forest animals… yes, even rats when I had to…

"You see, Chelsea, so long as a vampire never preys on a living human, his heart continues to beat, and his soul remains intact…

"But the instant he makes his first kill upon a human and crosses that line, his heart grows cold, and he becomes a true monster… All the goodness in him is lost, and his soul becomes dead.

"You didn't panic Chelsea, and that's good. Most young vampires panic, and make that mistake early. So many could have been saved if they had only remained calm."

"So… What do I do?" asked Chelsea. "Spend my life hunting rats and stray dogs to survive?"

"Well, Chelsea…" said Penelope. "You're different than the ones I spent my whole life fighting. You're both a vampire and a Duel Spirit. And one of the Twelve Dimensions is populated almost entirely by Duel Spirits who are Zombies. I've never been there myself, but one has to wonder how vampires there survive, when almost every member of the population is something they cannot feed on. Vampires cannot feed on other vampires. I know that firsthand."

Chelsea looked at her.

"So… You think maybe the vampires in this dimension have another way?" she asked.

"It's possible," said Penelope. "And I'm sure they'd tell you if you asked nicely.

"And you can defeat this lout. All you need to do is get over the fear you have, and start thinking clearly.

"It's your move…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Chelsea slowly got up.

"Wow…" chuckled Eikou. "Still trying to win?"

"You bet!" shouted Chelsea. "Draw!"

_This next card had better be a good one…_

She drew one card.

_No!_ she thought, looking at it.

It was Vampire Genesis.

_I can't even use my Call of the Mummy to summon this guy! I've got nothing, and next turn…_

_Wait… Of course!_

"I use my other Deck Lord power!" she shouted. "I send this Monster back to my deck…"

She placed Vampire Genesis back on her deck.

"And in return, I get to search for a Zombie that's an equal or lower Level."

She took a card from her deck, and then reshuffled.

"Now, I summon my second Zombie Master!"

In a burst of dark flames, another Zombie Master appeared. (1,800/0)

"Attack the Pyramid Turtle!" shouted Chelsea.

Chelsea's Zombie Master shot a volley of lightning bolts, and the Pyramid Turtle was blown into a cloud of sand. Eikou winced.

"I activate Pyramid Turtle's effect!" he shouted.

"Oh, no you don't!" snapped Chelsea. "You clearly didn't read the rule book right!"

"Huh?" asked Eikou.

"When a search Monster is destroyed," explained Chelsea, "like Pyramid Turtle, the one who gets to use its effect is the one whose Graveyard it goes to. My Pyramid Turtle, _my_ Graveyard, _my_ effect. You should have researched this more.

"And I choose to summon… Lich Lord, King of the Underworld!"

In an explosion of dark energy, the dark-robed, skeletal sorcerer, with black, feathered wings appeared on her side of the field. (2,400/1,200)

"Well, fine," chuckled Eikou. "Attack Il Blud…"

_And as soon as you do,_ he thought, _I'll activate my facedown Tailor of the Fickle, transferring Black Pendant to him. This duel will be mine…_

"Lich Lord…" ordered Chelsea, "destroy Protector of the Sanctuary! Unholy blight!"

"Huh?" said Eikou.

Lich Lord blasted a bolt of dark magic at the huge specter, and the Protector groaned. It shattered like glass.

"I forgot all about that crazy thing!" gasped Eikou.

"It's your move, Eikou," replied Chelsea. "I'm still in this…"

**(C: 1,500) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 9,900)**

"We'll see about that!" snarled Eikou. "I have 9,900 Life Points, while you have only 1,500!"

He drew a card.

"Hold up, Eikou!" shouted Chelsea. "Your Protector is gone, so my Mirage of Nightmare is defrosted!"

The ice encasing the Spell Card shattered, and Chelsea quickly drew four cards. Eikou gasped.

"Now, Emergency Provisions!" she shouted, as one of her facedown cards lifted.

The large mouth appeared and consumed the Mirage card.

"So you got more cards!" cursed Eikou. "You can't use any of them until next turn, and I'm ending this duel before then!

"I use Il Blud's effect to Special Summon Zombie Werewolf!"

Il Blud's eyes glowed again, and Zombie Werewolf appeared on Eikou's side of the field. (1,200/1,200) Eikou glowed with energy again.

His facedown card lifted.

"Next, I activate Tailor of the Fickle! Now, my Black Pendant goes from Zombie Master, to Il Blud."

The Pendant vanished, and reappeared on Il Blud. Zombie Master fell to an Attack Score of 1,800, while Il Blud rose to 2,600.

"Il Blud, attack her Lich Lord!" ordered Eikou.

"I was hoping you'd do that," said Chelsea. "I activate… Rush Recklessly!"

Her last facedown card lifted, and Lich Lord's Attack Score shot up to 3,100. Eikou gasped in horror.

Il Blud breathed its Death Breath, but Lich Lord shielded it with its arm. It blasted a powerful spell from its staff, and the Gatekeeper of Hell's eyes bugged out before it exploded into a puddle of stinking residue.

Then something happened that Chelsea didn't expect. Vampire Lord, Zombie Werewolf, and the Zombie Master on Eikou's side of the field burst into pixels.

"What?" she said. "Why…"

"Il Blud has an unfortunate weakness…" growled Eikou. "When it leaves the field, all the Zombies that were summoned with its effect are destroyed.

"But since Black Pendant was destroyed, you lose 500 Life Points!"

Chelsea groaned as a red aura surrounded her.

Eikou fit his last two cards in his Disk.

"I set a Monster, and one facedown card, and then end my turn…" he said, as a concealed Monster and a reversed card appeared.

**(C: 2,000) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 9,900)**

"My move," said Chelsea, drawing a card.

"See this?" she said, holding up a Spell Card. "It's my own Graceful Charity!"

She quickly played it, and drew three cards.

She smirked. One of them was Vampire Genesis. She quickly discarded The Kick Man and Vampire's Curse.

"Next," she said, as another Spell Card appeared. "I play Book of Life. I bring Vampire Lord back from my Graveyard."

Vampire Lord appeared again, and looked at Eikou with an expression of hate. (2,000/1,500)

"And I'm removing your Protector of the Sanctuary from play, too. No way are you using that thing against me again."

The card fell out of Eikou's discard slot.

"Don't forget," said Eikou, as he glowed with energy, "I gain 500 Life Points."

"Want more?" asked Chelsea. "I'll give them to you until you choke on them! I remove Vampire Lord from play, to Special Summon Vampire Genesis!"

Vampire Lord vanished into a blur of light, and with a flash of lightning, the powerful vampire deity appeared. (3,000/2,100)

"Zombie Master, attack his Monster!"

Zombie Master cast his lighting, and a Morphing Jar appeared on the card, right before it was vaporized. Eikou sneered. He drew five cards, while Chelsea discarded the three cards in her hand and drew five new ones.

"Lich Lord, Genesis…" ordered Chelsea. "Attack him directly!"

Eikou screamed as Lich Lord's unholy blight slammed into him. He screamed even louder as Vampire Genesis rammed into him in his Crimson Shroud. He fell over.

"I'll set one card facedown," said Chelsea, as a facedown card appeared, "and that will be all…"

**(C: 2,000) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 5,500)**

Eikou was very nervous now. He drew another card.

"First," he said, "I play Polymerization. I'll use it to fuse together my second Il Blud, and my second Blazewing Butterfly."

The two Monsters appeared on the field, and then combined in an aura of pure light.

"By fusing any two Gemini Monsters together, I can Fusion Summon the Superalloy Beast Raptinus."

In a flash of blue light, a large Dragon appeared on Eikou's side of the field. It had metallic, blue scales, which were glowing with an eerie energy. Like any Dragon, it had large wings and claws. (2,200/2,200)

"Next, I activate my facedown card," he said, as his reversed card lifted. "Birthright. Since Gemini Monsters are considered Normal Monsters while in the Graveyard, I can bring one Blazewing Butterfly back."

In a flash of fire, Blazewing Butterfly appeared again. (1,500/1,500)

"Now, with Raptinus on the field, all Gemini Monsters gain their effects, as if they were summoned twice. Thus, I can sacrifice my Butterfly to summon Il Blud again, with no strings attached."

Blazewing Butterfly vanished, taking the Birthright card with it, and Il Blud appeared once again. (2,100/800)

"And I'm not done…" he continued. "I play Foolish Burial. Now, I get to send any Monster from my deck to the Graveyard."

The Spell Card appeared. He took a card from his deck, and discarded it.

"Then, I'll use Il Blud's effect… But, I'm going to summon a Monster from my own Graveyard this time."

"The one you just put in there, right?" asked Chelsea.

"You learn fast," chuckled Eikou. "I summon Despair From The Dark!"

With a loud, haunting laugh, a huge, dark, evil-looking shadow with claws and a demonic face loomed over Eikou's side of the field. (2,800/3,000)

"And I'm still not done," continued Eikou. "I Equip Il Blud with my Axe of Despair."

He played another card, and the ugly axe appeared in Il Blud's small right hand. (3,100/800)

"I'm still going to beat you!" shouted Eikou. "Il Blud, attack Vampire Genesis!"

Il Blud's terrible maw opened, and the vile toxin shot at Vampire Genesis.

"Not so fast!" shouted Chelsea. "I activate… Mystical Space Typhoon!"

Her facedown Spell Card flipped up, and the cyclone flew across the field. The Axe of Despair flew from Il Blud's grasp, and then exploded. Vampire Genesis knocked the blast aside, and Il Blud choked before exploding again.

"You destroyed it!" screamed Eikou.

"And that's not all," replied Chelsea.

Despair From the Dark exploded into pixels as well.

"I'm not done with you!" shouted Eikou. "I still have Raptinus! Attack her Zombie Master!"

The Superalloy Beast's eyes glowed, and they shot a blast of brilliant energy at Zombie Master. He exploded into shards.

"I end my turn…" muttered Eikou.

**(C: 1,600) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 6,100)**

"My move," said Chelsea, drawing a card.

"I play my own Monster Reborn," she said, as the Spell Card appeared. "And you know what? I think I'll raise a Monster from your Graveyard."

The ankh appeared, and a hulking form appeared on Chelsea's side of the field…

"My Il Blud!" screamed Eikou.

It was indeed Il Blud. (2,100/800)

"That's right," said Chelsea. "Thought I'd give this guy a whirl. And you were right, I learn quickly. Especially where Zombies are concerned. So, I'll use my Normal Summon for this turn to activate its effect."

Il Blud glowed with that eerie green energy again.

"Next, I'll use Il Blud's effect to Special Summon The Kick Man from my Graveyard."

Il Blud's eyes glowed, and The Kick Man appeared. (1,300/300)

"Then, I'll use The Kick Man's effect to Equip him with my own Axe of Despair."

The Axe appeared in The Kick Man's hands, and his Attack Score rose to 2,300.

"Next, I'll play my own Premature Burial, to bring back Vampire's Curse."

She played the card, and the elderly, winged vampire appeared. (2,000/800)

"And finally…" she said. "I'll summon my Deck Lord to the field. That would be me, I guess…"

She stepped forward into the last vacant space. (1,550/1,550)

**(C: 800) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 8,100)**

"Wait a minute…" said Eikou.

"Vampire Genesis," ordered Chelsea, "destroy Superalloy Beast Raptinus! Crimson Shroud!"

Vampire Genesis collapsed into his blood-red cloud, and flew at the dragon, blowing it to bits.

"Il Blud, attack directly with Death Breath!"

Il Blud belched its toxic breath at its former master, and Eikou screamed again.

"Kick Man, quick-stick-kick!"

The Kick Man leapt up, and kicked Eikou in the teeth. He staggered back, struggling to keep his footing.

"Vampire's Curse, you next! Night Shade!"

Vampire's Curse formed a ball of black energy, and threw it at Eikou. The Vanity's Fiend fell to his knees.

"Now I'm going to finish you personally," she said. "And I must say, you had this coming…"

She leapt at Fujita, as if by instinct, and then clocked him across the jaw with her fist. He toppled over.

**(C: 800) - - - - - - - - - - (E: 0)**

Chelsea took a deep breath as her Monsters vanished. She looked at Eikou. He had tears in his eyes.

"It didn't have to be like this, Chelsea…" he sobbed. "I wouldn't have had to do this if you had only not cast me aside…"

Chelsea looked at him again. What was she worried about? There was no temptation… In fact, the thought of attacking him like a vampire did kind of disgusted her. Penelope was right… She was more in control than she had thought.

She put her hand on her hip.

"Well, Eikou," she replied, "maybe if you had simply called me a second time instead of waiting for me to do it, things would have been different. But, I guess you just lacked the courage. Heck, it's nothing to be ashamed of… Calling a girl to ask for a date is one of the hardest things for a teenage boy to do.

"But, you know, as the immortal Alfred Lord Tennyson once said… 'Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all'."

Eikou closed his eyes. He burst into green fire, and vanished. In his place was a glowing portal.

Chelsea paused. She took her deck, and looked through it until she found Penelope. She looked at the card.

"Thanks for the pep talk, Penelope," she whispered. "Maybe it won't be so bad, once I find out how to handle it. After all, you did…"

She smirked.

"And maybe someone will write a story about me, like they did with you… And maybe in four hundred years, there'll be a trading card game like Duel Monsters, and someone will put my image on a card, like dad did with you…"

She walked into the portal.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GRIP OF DESPAIR (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** Despair From The Dark strangling Vampire Lord with a dark cemetery in the background.

**Card Description:** This card is activated when it is sent from your hand or deck to your Graveyard by a card effect controlled by your opponent. Inflict 1,000 points of direct damage to your opponent.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Eikou's Deck Lord: "Vanity's Fiend":** "Special Recharge": Gain 500 Life Points whenever a Monster is Special Summoned. (Extraordinary Power) "Nullification": You may disregard the effect that states that "Vanity's Fiend" cannot be Special Summoned if you desire to summon the Deck Lord to the field. (Minor Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Chelsea's Deck Lord: "Vampire Lady":** "Deathless Zombies": If one of your Zombie-Type Monsters that is Level Four or less is destroyed by an opponent's card effect, you may Special Summon it during your next Standby Phase. (Greater Power) "Zombie Swap": You may shuffle one Zombie-Type Monster from your hand into your deck to search your deck for a Zombie-Type Monster that is an equal or lower Level than the one you sent back to your deck. You may use this effect once per round. (Intermediate Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lords of Chaos**

**The Faceless Lord: Jubilex**

What is there to say about the Faceless Lord? What purpose does he serve? Of all the demon lords that populate the Abyss, Jubilex may be the simplest (and thus the easiest to understand) in terms of his goals and drives. Put simply, he has none that anyone knows about.

Jubilex is the self-titled Lord of Slimes and Oozes, although it is likely that no-one except Zargon would ever challenge him for that title. Those who have seen him and escaped alive describe him as a giant mass of disgusting protoplasm, much like the smaller amoeboid monsters that populate his incredibly hostile Abyssal realm. He might have once been a servant of a powerful Elder Evil named Tharizdun (who will be covered later) but Tharizdun was imprisoned long ago, and Jubilex apparently doesn't care about taking steps towards his former master's release.

Jubilex is often called the Lord of Nothing by other demon lords. He doesn't do much except consume and destroy everything he can get his tendrils around. He hates everything, and revels in destruction for its own sake. Other demons despise Jubilex, yet most see him as a threat only to those who are stupid enough to come near him, so they are wise enough to leave him alone.

Jubilex would go unnoticed by mortals too, if not for the danger posed by those who worship him. The Faceless Lord doesn't recruit or encourage worshippers; he likely doesn't even know of those who do, and even if he does, he certainly doesn't reward them for their loyalty. However, a few insane or demented souls do worship Jubilex as a god, and this is when dangerous activities have occurred in the mortal world.

Worshippers of Jubilex are always nihilists or madmen who seek destruction on a large scale. By studying what little information there is on Jubilex (which, unbeknownst to them, is usually provided by cults of Tharizdun, which can be a far more potent threat), they are able to cast spells of forbidden knowledge, bringing horrible creatures of slime and decay to the mortal world.

The worst instance of this happening occurred three-hundred years ago in Europe, when the largest group of Jubilex's cultists to date managed a ritual that summoned a creature that appeared to be the most powerful servant of Jubilex – a giant, black, ooze-like creature called Darkness Given Hunger. The cultists' presumption that they could control the giant ooze was proved incorrect when it devoured them, and then went on a rampage through the rural area where it was summoned. Fortunately, it's summoning set off an alarm that the Wind Dukes responded to, and they were able to arrive before Darkness Given Hunger reached a more populated area. It was a great stroke of good luck that the ritual was not cast in an urban area to begin with, or the creature might have killed thousands before they arrived to deal with it.

As for Jubilex, he simply exists. Demons regard him as a sort of divine garbage disposal, a cast-off by-product of a more powerful entity. Of course, if Tharizdun ever returned, perhaps Jubilex would gain a more concrete purpose… Whatever it would be is anybody's guess.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Coming up next:**_

_**Curran returns! Empowered by the Core, holding a new deck, and more dangerous than ever, she's back. But rather than choose one of Yumi's friends as the target of her misguided anger, she chooses to confront Yumi herself. Next chapter, Curran forces Yumi into a duel with special house rules. Yumi will get to use one of the cards that the Testament gave her, and the end of the chapter may surprise you. **_

"_**Guessing Game" is coming soon.**_


	64. Guessing Game

_Author's note: A reviewer brought up an interesting point. You folks are all wondering just what the purpose of my Lords of Chaos articles at the end of each chapter are about. Well, the entities that I am describing all cannot be included in this fic, I know._

_I am including these little stories to help other authors. Maybe you will find some ideas when writing stories of your own, Yu-Gi-Oh or otherwise. After all, not every Yu-Gi-Oh story can use Zorc or the Orichalcos._

_With that in mind, anyone who desires has my permission to use any storyline I created in the Lords of Chaos section when writing their own stories. I should point out that I borrowed the ideas for a lot of them from other sources (Jubilex is a famous figure in the Dungeons & Dragons RPG, for example). But anyway, if you get any ideas from these small stories, you may use them with my blessing._

_On with the story._

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_**Even though I was the granddaughter of two great duelists, I started out small. As a duelist myself, I evolved, and changed. My first deck wasn't all that great… But I got better, and changed it gradually, adding cards to it until it became the powerful deck it is today.**_

_**But for every card that I added to my deck, I had to take a card out that I felt wasn't as good as the new one I put in.**_

_**I couldn't see Duel Spirits then, and I had no idea that a card I had in my deck, one that I had used many times, housed one of them. And when I took that card out of my deck to make room for another, I had no idea that that the Spirit would feel rejected.**_

_**And I truly had no idea that she'd come back. Daala has recruited her, and filled her mind with lies. Her anger has been turned towards me in the worst way. What happened was all a misunderstanding, but she can't seem to realize that.**_

_**Now, I'm just as much a Spirit as she is, and she's blocking my way to Daala. If I can't talk any sense into her, I'll just have to defeat her. I'm so sorry it had to come to this…**_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Guessing Game**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

As Yumi wandered through the fog, calling her friends' names on occasion, a lot was on her mind.

She knew that breast enlargement surgery was incredibly expensive… But was reduction any cheaper?

She looked at herself. Most girls dreamed of having a figure like this, and now that she had it, she wasn't sure she wanted it. She was practically top-heavy. How did the real Dark Magician Girl even find clothes that fit?

Would Nicholas accept her like this?

What was she saying? What male duelist in the world wouldn't kill to hug Dark Magician Girl? If she ever got home, every boy in Domino would be drooling over her… But she wasn't sure if that's what she wanted…

How did she ever get into this?

As she thought this, the fog started to clear.

Unlike her four friends, as she looked around, she didn't find anything immediately familiar about the large room she was in. She had certainly never been in this room before, and she certainly didn't like the look of it. It looked like a combination of a temple of some sort and a spaceship hangar. On the far end of the room were two ominous statues of bearded men in robes seated on thrones, each one to one side of a doorway shaped like a hexagon. Above the doorway was a large object shaped like a pyramid.

Yumi sighed.

"Not too bad…" she thought. "At least I can see the exit…"

Then, as she started to walk towards it, someone came out of that exit…

Yumi couldn't believe it. It was Curran.

Curran waved her hand, and a metal door slammed down behind her, sealing the exit (one with a big letter B on it).

"Hello, Yumi," she said. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"I don't have time, Curran," replied Yumi. "I know you're upset, but now is not the time to settle our differences. Now let me by!"

"And if I don't?" replied the small Spellcaster, with a pout on her face.

"Notice that I'm Dark Magician Girl now?" asked Yumi. "I'm stronger than you are. I don't want to hurt you, Curran, but if you force me to…"

Curran smirked, and held up a small device. She pushed a small button on it.

There was a loud hum, and the eyes of the two statues started to glow. Then Yumi felt like a huge weight had been dropped on her shoulders. She struggled, but something forced her to her knees.

"Curran!" she gasped. "What did you do? What is going on? I can barely move…"

"Don't you recognize this room at all?" asked Curran.

Then it finally came to Yumi.

"This room…" she gasped. "It's one big Level Limit – Area B!"

"You got it," said Curran. "Starting to realize the downsides of your condition yet? There are a lot of them, and all Duel Spirits have to deal with them.

"This room doesn't affect me, since I'm Level Two. But you're Level Six, meaning that as long as the power is on, you're helpless."

"Curran, please!" gasped Yumi. "Did I really treat you that badly?"

Curran walked up to Yumi. She took something out of her dress that looked like an amulet with an onyx setting.

"What do you think, Yumi?" asked Curran. "You weren't the one who was stuffed in a deck case for who knows how long…"

She fastened the amulet around Yumi's neck.

"I could just bring you to Daala right now… Have you locked up just like I was… But that would be too easy… Tell you what…

"You agree to duel me with a little house rule, and manage to beat me, I'll let you by."

She backed away from Yumi, and hit the button again. The eyes stopped glowing, and Yumi felt the pressure mercilessly lift.

"I can turn it back on at any time," said Curran, "so don't try anything."

"House rule?" asked Yumi, as she stood up. "What kind of house rule?"

"Simple," said Curran. "We duel, and we play 'Twenty Questions' at the same time.

"Here's the rules. You think of a Monster. Any Monster in the game. Then, whenever I start my turn, I'll ask a question that you can answer with a 'yes' or 'no'. I get one question per turn.

"If I manage to guess the Monster you're thinking of, you lose the duel. But, to be fair, if I guess wrong, I lose. Naturally, I'm allowed twenty questions, meaning the duel will last twenty of my turns at most."

Yumi sighed.

"I guess I don't have a choice…" she replied.

Curran picked up her child-size Disk and placed it on her arm.

"Oh, by the way, Yumi," she said. "That pendant I gave you is a Spellcaster's lie detector. You tell me a fib, I'll know."

"All right!" shouted Yumi. "I… I got one…"

_Perfect,_ thought Curran. _This ought to be easy… I already think I know which Monster she chose. The shock of being transformed has her mind on one specific Monster… It's hard for her to think of anyone else._

"Another thing, Yumi," she said, "if you happen to have Nightmare's Steelcage in your deck, don't think it will work like it did for Ren. Taking in the energies of the Core have worked wonders for me. My claustrophobia is all gone now."

"I'm so happy for you…" muttered Yumi.

"Game on!" they shouted.

**(Yumi: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Curran: 8,000)**

"All right…" muttered Yumi, drawing her first card. "Here we go…"

She chose two cards from her hand.

"I summon Skilled Dark Magician."

In a display of dark energy, the robed mage appeared. (1,900/1,700)

"Then I'll set this, and you can go…"

A facedown card appeared.

"Very well," said Curran, drawing a card. "First question… Is the Monster a Spellcaster?"

Yumi took a deep breath.

"Yes…" she muttered.

Curran grinned. She chose one of her cards. She placed it on her Disk, and a set Monster appeared.

"I end my turn," she said.

Yumi drew a card.

_I've got to beat her before she figures it out,_ she thought.

"I summon Magician's Valkyria!" she shouted.

In a blast of light, Valkyria appeared, brandishing her staff. (1,600/1,800)

"Attack!" she shouted. "Magic illusion!"

Valkyria cast her spell, and a Mystic Tomato appeared on Curran's card. It was blown to pieces.

_Huh?_ thought Yumi. _Why'd she have that? I thought she played a Light Attribute Deck…_

"I use its effect to summon a second Mystic Tomato," said Curran, as another of the silly Plants appeared. (1,400/1,100)

Yumi looked at it for a minute.

"Go ahead…" she said to Skilled Dark Magician.

He cast a more powerful Spell, and the Tomato exploded. Curran cringed a little.

**(Y: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 7,500)**

"I summon Allure Queen LV3!" shouted Curran.

In a cloud of pink smoke, a mysterious female Spellcaster appeared. She was dressed in a formal dress and hat that suggested nobility, and carried a gold staff topped with a gem-encrusted crescent. (500/500)

"Uhm, that isn't very strong…" said Yumi.

"Allure Queen is more powerful than you think," said Yumi. "She's a specialist wizard, unlike most of your Spellcasters."

"Huh?" said Yumi.

"Any other moves you'd like to make?" asked Curran.

Yumi looked at her cards.

"I… end my turn…" she said.

Curran drew a card.

"Second question," she said. "Is the Monster Dark-Attribute?"

Yumi sighed again.

"Yes," she said.

Curran grinned again.

_Two more questions, and I'll be sure,_ she thought.

"Anyway, Yumi," she said, looking at her cards, "a specialist wizard is a magician who chooses to focus on one particular school of magic, unlike most of your Spellcasters, who are generalists. By specializing, one can become very powerful in her school, at the cost of giving up the wider variety of spells that generalists have access to.

"Allure Queen's school of specialty is enchantments."

"Enchantments?" asked Yumi.

"The magic of controlling others," replied Curran. "A powerful enchanter can control the wills of others, and bend their minds to her own. Allure Queen can enchant and enslave other Monsters.

"Now then… I'm going to use my Deck Lord ability, and it's changed since we last met. Every round, I can choose one Monster on the field, and change its Level to any I desire.

"I choose to change Skilled Dark Magician's Level from four to two."

"What's the point?" asked Yumi.

"You surely noticed that Allure Queen is a Leveled Monster, right?" asked Curran. "At this stage of her growth, her Level Three form, Allure Queen's powers only works on Monsters that are Level Three or less."

Allure Queen stared at Skilled Dark Magician with an evil smile, and her eyes glowed with red light.

"Not so fast!" shouted Yumi. "I activate my Chaos Shield Deck Lord ability. I pay 500 Life Points, and for one round, my Skilled Dark Magician becomes immune to Monster effects.

"Sorry, Curran."

"Not as sorry as you're going to be," replied Curran.

Allure Queen apparently wasn't impressed. Her eyes continued to glow, and then Skilled Dark Magician's eyes glowed with the same light. Then, he was yanked over to her side.

"HEY!" shouted Yumi. "It… It didn't work?"

"I have another Deck Lord ability," said Curran. "It's called Override. I can use it whenever you use a Deck Lord ability that targets a Monster. If I have a Monster whose Level is higher, yours doesn't work. And if you recall, I lowered Skilled Dark Magician's Level to two, which is lower than Allure Queen's."

Yumi growled.

"So, by doing this," continued Curran, "your Monster is Equipped to Allure Queen like a Spell Card. If you attack Allure Queen now, Skilled Dark Magician takes the fall for her."

She chose another card from her hand.

"However, you won't be able to attack her at all until you get past these guys. I summon Queen's Bodyguard."

In a blur of energy, three figures appeared on Curran's side of the field. It was three men in fancy lavender suits and domino masks, holding decorative swords. (1,700/1,200)

"With them on the field, you aren't allowed to attack Allure Queen. And now they're going to attack Valkyria!"

The three Queen's Bodyguard gang-rushed Valkyria, and she covered her head as three swords came down on her, blowing her to pieces.

"Allure Queen, direct attack!" ordered Curran.

Allure Queen pointed her staff at Yumi…

"I activate… A Hero Emerges!"

Her facedown card lifted. Curran gasped.

"That card…" she muttered.

"That's right, Curran…" sighed Yumi. "You know, I remember my first tournament… This Trap Card prevented me from losing. My opponent destroyed my Dark Magician with his Offerings to the Doomed, and was about to make two direct attacks with his Hayabusa Knight. I would have lost if I didn't have this Trap Card.

"I'm certain you remember what Monster I summoned with it…"

Curran just looked at Yumi for a second or two…

_She actually remembered that?_ she thought.

"Yeah…" she muttered. "It… It was me…"

Yumi nodded.

"He couldn't do anything but call off his attack and end his turn," continued Yumi, "and on my next turn, I summoned Skilled Dark Magician, and we finished him off."

"That was a long time ago!" shouted Curran. "If I have to choose, I choose far left!"

"Perfect!" replied Yumi, throwing the card on her Disk. "I summon Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer!"

In an aura of dark energy, Kycoo appeared. (1,800/700)

"My attack is called off," muttered Curran. "It's your move…"

**(Y: 7,400) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 7,500)**

Yumi drew. She looked at her hand.

"I set a Monster," she said, as a concealed Monster appeared.

"Then I attack with Kycoo! Spell of banishment!"

Kycoo called lightning to his hands, and shot it at Queen's Bodyguard. The three fighters hollered, and then burst into pixels.

"Now I activate Kycoo's effect," said Yumi. "And I remove your two Mystic Tomatoes from play."

"So be it," said Curran.

She took the two cards from her discard slot, and tucked them into her dress.

"I end my turn, Curran," said Yumi.

_And I think I can take out her Allure Queen,_ she thought. _The Monster I set is Old Vindictive Magician. I don't think that her Equipped Monster can protect her from card effects._

"My draw now," said Curran.

She made a draw and looked at it.

"Next question…" she said, adding it to her hand. "Is the Monster blonde?"

"No," replied Yumi.

Curran's confident expression suddenly turned to one of confusion.

_Not blonde?_ she thought. _It's… It's not Dark Magician Girl?_

She paused for a second.

"O…kay," she said. "Continuing… Since Allure Queen is Equipped with a Monster, I can sacrifice her Level Three form this round…"

Allure Queen vanished, taking Skilled Dark Magician with her.

"…in order to summon her stronger form. I summon Allure Queen LV5!"

In another cloud of pink smoke, Allure Queen appeared again. However, she was dressed in a more form-fitting and darker outfit, but no less fancy. (1,000/1,000)

"In this form, Allure Queen's powers work on Monsters that are Level Five or lower."

Allure Queen's eyes glowed with evil light again, and Kycoo's eyes glowed with the same light. Kycoo was yanked over to Allure Queen's side.

"Nuts…" muttered Yumi.

_At least Kycoo can't attack as an Equip,_ she thought. _And when she attacks my facedown Monster…_

"Now," continued Curran, "I summon the second part of my plan… By the way, I claim this to be a complete coincidence, without it having anything to do with Erik whatsoever…

"I summon Dark Lucius LV4!"

She played another card, and a cloud of foul, black smoke appeared on her side of the field. From out of the smoke came a very sinister-looking Fiend, a muscular creature with a bony exoskeleton and sharp spurs pointing out of its back. (1,000/300)

"Urk!" gasped Yumi.

"I have a pretty good idea what that facedown card might be," said Curran. "But it won't work, because Dark Lucius negates the effects of any Monster he destroys.

"Dark Lucius, destroy it with Serrated Shadow Slash!"

Dark Lucius lunged at the facedown card with his claw, and Old Vindictive Magician appeared on the card, seconds before he was torn to pieces.

"Allure Queen, attack Yumi directly!" commanded Curran. "Dark Allure!"

Allure Queen pointed her staff, and shot a burst of sparkling, shadowy energy at Yumi. Yumi winced as it hit her.

"I set two cards facedown," said Curran, as two reversed cards appeared, "and then you can go…"

**(Y: 6,400) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 7,500)**

Yumi drew. She looked at her hand, and then looked at the field.

_Those facedown cards are probably Trap Cards to protect those two guys,_ she thought. _And even if they aren't, if I summon a Monster in Attack Mode, I can't destroy Allure Queen this round… She'll steal my Monster again on her turn. _

_I'd best play it safe…_

She placed a card on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"It's your move, Curran," she said. "Next question…"

Curran drew a card.

"Uhm…" she said. "Is the Monster female?"

"Yes," said Yumi, quickly.

Curran looked even more confused.

_A Spellcaster, Dark, female,_ she thought, _but not blonde? Who is she thinking of?_

_I'll worry about it later…_

"I sacrifice Allure Queen to evolve her to her final form," she said, as Allure Queen and Kycoo vanished. "Allure Queen LV7!"

The third form of Allure Queen appeared, dressed in a far more elaborate costume and a much fancier staff, surrounded by wisps of flame. (1,500/1,500)

"In this form, Allure Queen's powers work on any Monster.

"Then, since Dark Lucius destroyed a Monster last turn, I can sacrifice him for his Level Six form."

Dark Lucius vanished, and in his place rose a larger, better armored version of himself, holding a dark version of Warrior Dai Grepher's sword. (1,700/600)

"You know, Yumi…" said Curran, as she slowly rearranged the cards in her hand. "My home Dimension is a wonderful place… Full of great and marvelous places… The Library Arcane is one such place."

"Huh?" said Yumi. "What are you talking about?"

"I went there several times," said Curran. "Any Spellcaster is allowed in if they want to do research…

"But… There's one wing of the Library that I never went in. I was too scared to. It's called the Dark Archive.

"Don't get me wrong. There's no rule that says a Spellcaster isn't allowed to go in there. Anyone is welcome to do so… After getting permission from the special sentry who stands outside the door.

"She's called Maiden of Macabre. No-one knows just who she is… Most assume she's some servant of whoever owns the Dark Archive, but if her employer ever checks up on her, no-one has ever seen it. She's willing to let anyone in… So long as she's paid.

"But money has no value to her. She takes other things. Sometimes she wants some ability or skill you have. Sometimes she wants one of your memories. Sometimes she wants a piece of your very soul. And if you agree to give her what she wants, she cuts it out of you with the enchanted scythe that she carries, a weapon so sharp that it can cut through the psyche!

"If you refuse to pay her, the door to the Dark Archive doesn't open, plain and simple. And anyone foolish enough to fight her… Well, it will likely be the last thing he does, because she uses what she takes from those who do pay her to get stronger. She's a specialist wizard herself, who specializes in necromancy. The magic of death.

"It's worth it if you do get in. I knew many Spellcasters who did research in that wing… They possessed great magical power aplenty. The ability to control the elements of nature, and raise the most powerful Spirits from the nether regions. It's even rumored that a book exists somewhere in the Dark Archive that holds a spell that can raise the dead."

"Is there a point to all this?" asked Yumi.

"Sort of," said Curran. "I was too scared to even talk to Maiden of Macabre, Yumi, let alone ask what she wanted from me to let me into that wing. But I'm not scared any more! If I ever go back to my home Dimension, I'm going straight to the Library Arcane and dealing with her!

"In the meantime… Would you like to meet her?"

"Huh?" said Yumi, in shock.

Curran played a card, and a dark form started to materialize on her side of the field, until it took frightening shape. The creature looked like an evil Geisha of some sort, with an elaborate kimono and headdress. Like Curran had said, she carried a large, nasty-looking scythe. (1,700/0)

"Before I attack," said Curran, as one of her facedown cards lifted, "I activate Foolish Revival. This lets me Special Summon Old Vindictive Magician to your side of the field in Defense Mode."

In a burst of energy, Old Vindictive Magician appeared on Yumi's side of the field, kneeling and shielding himself with his staff. (450/600)

"Huh?" said Yumi. "Why?"

"Next," said Curran, "I play Book of Moon. To flip him into facedown position."

She played a Spell Card, and Old Vindictive Magician was replaced by a facedown card.

"You see Yumi, the only way Dark Lucius can evolve further is if he negates the effect of a Monster, and I can't be sure your other Monster will do the job.

"Dark Lucius, attack Old Vindictive Magician! Serrated Shadow Sword!"

Dark Lucius made a slash with his weapon. Old Vindictive Magician reappeared on the card, and exploded into shards.

"Maiden of Macabre, attack Yumi's other Monster! Scythe of Souls!"

The Maiden's eyes glowed with evil light. She swung her scythe at the facedown card, and Magician's Valkyria appeared on it. (1,600/1,800) Valkyria parried with her staff, and the Maiden backed off.

"Oh well…" said Curran. "Moving to my second Main Phase, I use Allure Queen's power again…"

Allure Queen's eyes glowed, and Valkyria gasped, right before she was pulled over to her side. Yumi growled with an annoyed look.

"I end my turn, Yumi," said Curran. "Make your move…"

**(Y: 6,400) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 7,400)**

Yumi drew a card.

She quickly set it in her Disk, and a reversed card appeared.

"That's all I can do…" she muttered.

Curran smirked, and drew a card.

She looked at it. It was Level Down!?

_This should be useful if that card is a Mirror Force,_ she thought.

"Next question," she said. "Is the Monster high-Level?"

"No…" muttered Yumi.

Curran looked at Yumi with the same confused look.

_Maybe… Magician's Valkyria?_ thought Curran. _No wait, she's Light…_

"I evolve Dark Lucius into his ultimate form!" she shouted.

Dark Lucius vanished into a cloud of thick, dark smoke.

"Dark Lucius LV8!"

From out of the cloud came the most frightening version yet. He looked like he was clothed in demonic, spike-studded plate armor, with four diabolic wings. He carried a two-handed sword that he was holding one-handed. (2,800/900)

"Activate Trap!" screamed Yumi, in terror. "Threatening Roar!"

Her facedown card shot up, and a roar echoed over the whole Level Limit room.

"In that case…" said Curran, "I end my turn…"

Yumi sweat as she drew a card.

She sighed, and placed it on her Disk. A facedown Monster appeared.

"I end my turn," she said.

"Well, let's see," said Curran, drawing a card. "Another question… We're up to number six, I believe. Is the Monster Level Four?"

"No," replied Yumi.

"Hmm…" muttered Curran, looking at the facedown Monster. "Dark Lucius's Level Eight form can not only negate the effects of Monsters he destroys, he removes them from play…

"But, I already got rid of your Old Vindictive Magician… You haven't played any Spell Cards yet, so Magician of Faith doesn't scare me… And Apprentice Magician wouldn't scare me much either. But that facedown Monster may just be another Monster with high defense…

"So, I'm using my Deck Lord effect, to reduce Dark Lucius's Level all the way from eight, to one."

"Why?" asked Yumi.

"So I can Equip him with this," replied Curran. "Opti-Camouflage Armor."

She played a Spell Card, and Dark Lucius glowed with golden light.

"This Equip Spell lets a Level One Monster attack directly.

"So, attack her directly, Dark Lucius!"

Dark Lucius swung his sword at Yumi, and she screamed as it slammed into her. She fell on her behind.

"Now, Maiden of Macabre," ordered Curran, "attack the facedown Monster!"

The Maiden charged at the facedown Monster. Morphing Jar appeared on the card, and the one-eyed creature cackled before she slashed it to ribbons.

Yumi took some deep breaths. She discarded the two cards left in her hand, and made five draws. Curran discarded her three cards, and made five draws of her own.

"By the way," said Curran. "Maiden of Macabre's effect now activates. Whenever she slays a Monster, she gains 200 Attack Points."

(1,900/0)

"Allure Queen, direct attack!"

Yumi cringed as Allure Queen cast her dark spell at her. She fell on one knee.

"It's your move…" said Curran.

**(Y: 2,100) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 7,400)**

Yumi slowly drew a card.

It was Goddess With the Third Eye.

She looked at the other cards in her hand.

_I have what I need to summon Dark Paladin,_ she thought. _But… Her facedown card is still a problem, and if I lose Dark Paladin, getting him back will be almost impossible…_

_Wait… I have another Fusion Monster I could summon… The one that the Testament gave me…_

_Time to try her out…_

"All right, Curran!" she exclaimed. "I play Polymerization!

"I fuse together my namesake, Dark Magician Girl, with Goddess With the Third Eye…"

A twin of Yumi appeared on the field, along with the Goddess. They combined in an aura of pure light…

"Goddess will assume the role of Dryad in this case… To form a Spellcaster who proves that you can't always look at the world in terms of black and white… To be specific, a lady in grey!

"I summon Sorceress of Conflict!"

A portal opened, and a new Spellcaster stepped out of it. She wore a halter top, a long skirt, and a hat similar to Dark Magician Girl's over her long, platinum blonde hair, all a grey shade. She carried a long wand, which had a white mask of comedy on one end, and a black mask of tragedy on the other. (2,400/2,400)

"She… She exists?" gasped Curran.

"You've heard of her?" asked Yumi.

"Only in the scriptures of the Church of Boccob!" gasped Curran. "She's supposed to be some sort of mediator between the extreme forces of the universe… The keeper of balance… The one who stands in the middle of every metaphysical conflict!"

Yumi shrugged.

"Next," she said, "I play Monster Reborn, to bring back someone I discarded when Morphing Jar was triggered…"

The holy ankh appeared, and Dark Magician appeared in a flash of light. (2,500/2,100)

"Dark Magician…" ordered Yumi. "Attack Allure Queen! Dark Magic Attack!"

Dark Magician cast his mighty spell, and Allure Queen groaned as it hit her. Magician's Valkyria shattered.

"Allure Queen survived," said Curran. "She sacrificed Valkyria to withstand the attack."

"But you still took damage," said Yumi. "And there's nothing to protect her now…

"Sorceress, attack Allure Queen!"

Sorceress of Conflict pointed her staff, and shot a spiraling beam of light and dark energy at Allure Queen.

"I activate Sakuretsu Armor!" shouted Curran, as her facedown card lifted.

The Sorceress screamed, and she was blown to shards.

"Well, that's too bad," muttered Yumi. "However, moving to my second Main Phase, I can activate my Chaos Life Deck Lord power, and bring my Sorceress right back. And I'm betting that your Override ability doesn't work if I target Monsters that are in the Graveyard."

Curran frowned. Yumi had bet right. Sorceress of Conflict reappeared in a burst of energy. (2,400/2,400)

"Next," said Yumi, "I play Swords of Revealing Light."

She fit the card in her Disk, and a swarm of swords shot out of it, surrounding Curran and her three Monsters.

"Before I end my turn," said Yumi, "I get to use one of her two effects. I can either raise my Life Points by 700, or burn off 700 of yours. I'm going to raise mine."

The Sorceress held the white mask to her face, and Yumi glowed with energy.

"Now, I end my turn."

"That means my own Deck Lord effect wears off," muttered Curran, "meaning my Equip Spell is destroyed."

The Opti-Camouflage Armor card shattered.

**(Y: 2,800) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 6,400)**

Curran drew a card, and looked at the six cards in her hand.

"Next question…" she muttered. "Is the Monster Level Three?"

Yumi sighed again.

"No…" she said.

_This is bad,_ she thought. _Like anyone does when she plays Twenty Questions, she's narrowing it down…_

"Then, I use Allure Queen's effect again!" shouted Curran. "And this time, she's taking your Dark Magician! And since I have a Level Eight Monster on the field, don't bother trying to use your Chaos Shield to stop me."

Allure Queen's eyes glowed again, and Dark Magician was pulled over to her side.

"I have your family's signature Monster, Yumi!" she laughed. "I couldn't think of a better way to beat you!"

"Show Dark Magician some respect, Curran," said Yumi. "I seem to remember another tournament I was in, where he helped you a great deal…

"In fact… It was one where I was facing a lockdown strategy. It wasn't Level Limit, it was Gravity Bind… But you remember, don't you?"

Curran gasped.

"You… you remember?" she asked.

"Yes…" said Yumi. "Our opponent's Human Wave strategy had us pinned down… But then, I brought you out to the field, and then sacrificed Dark Magician using Gift of the Martyr, making you strong enough to do enough damage to win the duel."

Curran's head drooped a little.

"I… I set a facedown card, and end my turn…" she said.

A reversed card appeared.

Yumi drew a card.

The two cards in her hand were Dark Magician of Chaos and Premature Burial. She'd need more than that…

"I use another Deck Lord ability," she said. "Soul Circle. Now, I can draw once for each Monster in my Graveyard, so long as I don't exceed my hand size limit."

Magician's Valkyria, Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer, Goddess With the Third Eye, and Old Vindictive Magician appeared behind her, as she drew four cards.

"I play… Heavy Storm!" she shouted, playing one of them.

She played the Spell Card, and a fierce storm blew over the field. The Swords blew away, and Curran's Mirror Force lifted up and shattered.

"You destroyed your own Swords!" shouted Curran.

"Yes," said Yumi, "but since Dark Magician was being treated as an Equip Spell, he's gone too!"

Allure Queen braced herself against the wind, as Dark Magician faded away.

"Now," said Yumi, "I play Premature Burial, to bring Dark Magician back."

She glowed with red energy as she played the card, and Dark Magician appeared again. (2,500/2,100)

"Your Allure Queen has nothing left to protect her!" shouted Yumi. "Dark Magician… Destroy her!"

Dark Magician cast his dark spell, and Allure Queen screamed. Finally, she shattered into black shards.

"Sorceress… Attack Maiden of Macabre!"

Sorceress of Conflict cast her own powerful Spell, and the Maiden screamed before she exploded into a burst of dark energy.

"I set one card facedown," said Yumi, as a reversed card appeared. "Then, I end my turn, and use my Sorceress's effect to increase my Life Points again."

Yumi glowed with golden energy again.

**(Y: 2,700) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 4,900)**

Curran frowned as she drew a card.

"Time for a new question…" she muttered. "Is the Monster Level Two?"

Yumi looked nervous.

"Yes…" she said, quietly.

Curran looked completely stumped.

_Is it Apprentice Magician?_ she thought. _No… Wait… She's blonde… Did Yumi ever use Card Ejector? No, wait, she's Level Three… And Earth…_

"I'm no idiot, Yumi…" she said, looking at her cards. "Dark Lucius is stronger than both your Monsters… You obviously want me to walk right into that facedown card you just set.

"So I'm just going to end my turn without doing anything…"

"Fine with me," said Yumi, drawing a card.

She looked at it, and then added it to her hand.

Her facedown card lifted.

"I activate Rush Recklessly!" she shouted.

Dark Magician rose to an Attack Score of 3,200.

"Go!" shouted Yumi. "Destroy Dark Lucius!"

Dark Magician cast his spell again, firing directly at the imposing Fiend. Dark Lucius groaned before being blasted into shards.

"Looks like I'm going to have to knock some sense into you, Curran," said Yumi. "Sorceress, direct attack!"

Sorceress of Conflict cast her spell again, and Curran gasped as it hit her. She tumbled over on her behind.

"Curran, listen to me!" said Yumi. "My Rush Recklessly card… Doesn't that bring back a memory too?"

Curran slowly got up. She looked at Yumi.

"It was the final round of the Kaibaland Invitational…" said Yumi. "My opponent had Don Zaloog and Royal Decree set up. All I had was you, and this card facedown. But it was enough… It was enough to beat his Don Zaloog, and win the duel. You helped me take home the trophy that day…"

Curran turned her head with a sad look.

"Yumi…" she muttered. "We… We did have a lot of good times… So… Just why did you take me out of your deck?"

"Well, answer me this, Curran," replied Yumi. "Why did you put aside your Light Attribute Deck in favor of these Leveled Monsters?"

"Because…" said Curran. "Because I changed…"

"I thought so," said Yumi. "Just like I changed. My deck changed. I got more powerful cards, and I needed to make room for them…

"But Curran… If I had known that your card held a living Spirit inside it… Heck, if I had known that Spirits even truly existed at the time… I wouldn't have locked it in a deck case. Maybe I would have invested in some binders… The least I would have done was find a duelist who played a Burn Deck who would treat you better than I could."

Yumi sighed.

"I end my turn, and I use Sorceress's effect to burn off 700 of your Life Points."

The Sorceress put the black mask to her face, and Curran cringed a little as a red aura surrounded her.

**(Y: 2,700) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 1,400)**

Curran slowly drew a card.

"Another question…" she muttered. "Uhm…"

She paused.

"Need a question…" she mumbled. "Need a question…"

She paused again.

Then she thought of something.

"Is the Monster in your deck?" she asked.

Yumi hesitated. She didn't answer for a few seconds.

"No…" she finally said.

Curran's eyes opened wide.

"I know who it is!" she shouted. "I figured it out! It's…"

"Hold it, Curran!" interrupted Yumi. "Don't say another word!"

"Why?" asked Curran.

"We're playing Twenty Questions, remember?" replied Yumi. "Taking a guess at the answer counts as one of your questions, and you said you'd only make one question per turn. You already made it for this turn."

Curran made a pout.

"Okay, I guess you're right…" she said. "So I'll just make the most of this turn…"

She played a Spell Card.

"I play Level Modulation. Now, you get to draw two cards, but I get to bring back Dark Lucius LV6."

Yumi quickly drew two cards. She was surprised when she saw what one of them was.

The Level Six version of Dark Lucius appeared. (1,700/600)

"You're probably wondering why I brought back the Level Six version and not the Level Eight one. Well, a Monster that I summon with Level Modulation can't attack this round.

"But, if I play the Spell Card, Level Up!, then I can trade my Level Six Dark Lucius for another Level Eight one, and he can certainly attack."

She played the Spell Card, and Dark Lucius quickly morphed into the fully evolved form. (2,800/900)

"Of course, since I took a shortcut to summon him, he loses his effects. But he still has 2,800 Attack Points.

"Attack her Sorceress!"

Dark Lucius made a slash with his blade. Sorceress of Conflict screamed right before she was cut in half, and the remains shattered.

Curran sighed.

"I end my turn," she said.

**(Y: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 1,400)**

Yumi quickly made a draw.

"Sorry, Curran, but I have to end this now," she said.

"I play Magical Dimension! I'll sacrifice Dark Magician…"

Dark Magician vanished into grains of light.

"…to bring out Cosmo Queen!"

In an explosion of multicolored smoke, the powerful queen of Spellcasters appeared, seemingly towering over Curran. The Ebon Magician looked at her with a look of terror. (2,900/2,450)

"Empress…" she gasped.

"And via the other effect of Magical Dimension," said Yumi. "Dark Lucius is destroyed…"

Dark Lucius groaned, and then shattered into pixels.

"Cosmo Queen…" said Yumi.

Cosmo Queen looked at Curran. She held out her hands, preparing to cast her cosmic nova…

"NO!" screamed Curran.

She fell to her knees with tears in her eyes.

"Mercy, please!" she begged. "I give up!

"Just don't let her hurt me, Yumi, please…"

Yumi turned to Cosmo Queen.

"What do you think?" she asked.

Cosmo Queen slowly nodded. She crossed her arms.

**(Y: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 0)**

Yumi walked up to Curran.

"Curran, she won't hurt you," she said. "Calm down…"

"It was me, wasn't it?" asked Curran, still crying. "I was the Monster you were thinking of the whole time…"

"Yeah…" replied Yumi. "I figured that was one you'd have a hard time guessing, because it was so obvious. And it made the duel last long enough."

Curran sat down.

"So stupid of me…" she sobbed. "Cosmo Queen is in your deck… I can't go home again now… She'd have me locked up for all I've done…"

"Curran…" said Yumi. "It isn't too late… You know, it was a little bit my fault for what happened to you… Of course, attacking us and siding with Daala wasn't the right thing to do…

"But… You know… If you'd be willing to forgive, then so would I…"

She started to shuffle the cards in her deck.

"Curran… My deck has still changed a lot… I might be able to make room in it for another low-Level Monster… If you'd be interested again…"

Curran looked at Yumi with a look of shock.

The she slowly smiled…

She held out her hand, and Yumi reached for it.

Then, Curran slowly dissolved into grains of light. The next thing Yumi knew, she was holding a card in her hand. It was Ebon Magician Curran.

Yumi looked through her deck.

"Gonna have to figure out what to take out quickly," she thought. "There's no telling what…"

Then she paused.

She looked at a strange Equip Spell… One that was clearly not there before.

"How did this get in here?" she asked.

She read the card description. Her eyebrow lifted slightly.

The doorway out slowly opened. Yumi quickly removed Secret Village of the Spellcasters and added Curran's card.

"I'll figure it out later," she said, as she headed for the exit. "The others might need help."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the true Core, the deepest part of Xanadu, Joan was standing on a stone pedestal, her arms shackled by thick chains. Fortunately, the power in the Mask of the Accursed had long been spent, and Daala didn't have another one.

She watched as Daala watched five holographic screens, which were providing feedback of the five duels.

Joan smiled as she saw Colossal Fighter destroy Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon, and Fujita's Life Points tumble to zero. She smiled again as Toy Dragon's blast struck Watanabe, finishing her off.

She continued to watch. Gors struck Mulner, taking out the last of his Life Points. Then Chelsea delivered the final blow personally to Eikou.

Finally, when Curran's defeat was all but assured, she spoke up.

"You had a funny taste in choosing your inner circle, Daala," she said. "The only thing guiding all of them was a blind drive for revenge against Yumi and her allies. You didn't really expect them to win, did you?"

"No, frankly I didn't," replied Daala.

Joan looked at her with a look of confusion.

"I chose those five as members of my inner circle for one reason," explained Daala. "Information. Each of them could provide useful information on one member of Yumi's group, and was all too willing to give it to me.

"I never truly intended them to duel their 'victims' as I called them. They existed as symbolic opponents."

"So what changed?" asked Joan.

"Dark Necrofear," replied Daala. "When it became necessary for her to inflict your would-be saviors with the true gift of the Devil's Fruit, I needed to give Yumi and the others a little test-run, to see how powerful their new bodies were.

"Seems they're pretty powerful… Just as I'd hoped…"

"You… you…" gasped Joan. "Dark Necrofear transformed them on _your_ order? The no humans allowed rule…"

"…could have been bypassed easily if they had simply defeated Dark Necrofear," replied Daala. "Dark Necrofear isn't just a Fiend, Joan, she's a true demon. And rule number one about dealing with demons… Don't believe a word they say…"

"But why?" gasped Joan. "What benefit is it to you to turn Yumi and the others into Duel Spirits?"

"Well…" said Daala. "I think it would save a lot of time if I explained that when everyone was here… Which should happen very shortly…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi ran down the dark corridor.

She stopped short as she approached a nexus up ahead. A shadow was approaching.

Her Disk activated.

She leapt out to approach the enemy. Another Disk activated.

Then, Yumi and Sam breathed sighs of relief.

"It's only you…" sighed Yumi.

"Yeah," muttered Sam. "I was chasing a an old shark I used to know, but he seems to have given me the slip…"

They heard footsteps, running from the other direction. They quickly turned, and saw Ren, Chelsea, and Erik running towards them.

"ERIK!" shouted Sam.

"You guys are all right!" gasped Yumi.

"We had to fight off some buzzards," said Chelsea, "but we're okay, all things considered."

"People," said Erik, slowly, "I'm beginning to think that the Devil's Fruit is not the boon I originally thought it was."

"Don't worry," said Ren. "There's an antidote."

"What makes you so sure?" asked Chelsea.

"When villains have an evil formula," replied Erik, "there's always an antidote."

"This isn't a comic book Ren," said Sam. "How would it benefit whoever planted that stuff to keep an antidote for it?"

"There's a very good reason!" replied Ren. "What if he ate it, and got a result he didn't like? It would benefit him _greatly_ to have an antidote!

"Now where's the boss-lady?"

"Uh, guys?" replied Erik.

He pointed forward, and they looked at the large, stone doors that led to the arena, the true Core of Xanadu, with the marilith statue guarding it. A sense of dread crept into them as they looked upon the demonic carvings.

The statue's eyes glowed, and the doors slowly swung open.

"The end phase is behind those doors, people…" said Yumi.

"Get ready, Daala… There's no escape this time…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SORCERERSS OF CONFLICT (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Spellcaster/Fusion/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,400  
**DEF:** 2,400

**Card Description:** "Dark Magician Girl" plus "Dryad"

This card is also considered a LIGHT Monster. During your End Phase, choose and activate one of the following effects:

Increase your Life Points by 700.

Inflict 700 points of direct damage to your opponent.

_Note: "Sorceress of Conflict" first appeared in "The Mandate of Heaven"._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Yumi's Deck Lord: "Dark Magician Girl":** "Soul Circle": Once per duel, you may draw one card for each Monster in your Graveyard. You cannot draw more cards with this ability than the hand size limit allows. (Greater Power) "Chaos Shield": If a face-up Spellcaster-Type Monster is targeted by a Monster Effect, you may pay 500 Life Points to negate the effect. (Greater Power) "Chaos Life": Once per duel, during your turn, you may Special Summon one LIGHT or DARK Monster from either Graveyard. If the Special Summoned Monster is destroyed, it is removed from play. (Greater Power) "Martyr Shield": If a face-up Spellcaster-Type Monster you control is targeted by an attack, you can discard a Spellcaster-Type Monster from your hand that is a greater Level than the attack target to negate the attack. This effect may be used once per turn. (Intermediate Power) "Spellcaster Shuffle": Once per round, you can send one Spellcaster-Type Monster in your hand to your deck. Then, take a Spellcaster-Type Monster from your deck that is at least two Levels lower than the one you sent back to your deck, and add it to your hand. Then, shuffle your deck. (Minor Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Curran's Deck Lord:** "Dark Rankings": Once per round, you may change the Level of one face-up Monster to any Level you desire. This change in Level lasts until your opponent's next End Phase. (Extraordinary Power) "Override": If your opponent uses a Deck Lord power that targets a face-up Monster, and you have a face-up Monster that is a higher Level than the targeted Monster, negate that effect. (Greater Power)

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**Lords of Chaos**

**The Great Bull Demon; Baphomet**

As creatures of chaos and evil, demons represent the most base and despicable of human impulses. Is it any wonder then, that Baphomet, one of the most notorious of demon lords, is a proven thief in terms of his inspirations?

The legend of the Minotaur is well-known to every student of mythology. Before he ascended the throne of Crete, Minos struggled with his brothers for the right to rule. Minos prayed to Poseidon to send him a snow-white bull, as a sign of approval by the gods for his reign. He promised to sacrifice the bull as an offering, and as a symbol of subservience. A beautiful white bull rose from the sea, but when Minos saw it, he coveted it for himself.

Enraged, Poseidon punished Minos by making his wife fall madly in love with the bull. Minos still would not kill the bull, and would not even halt this strange relationship, and he finally realized the extent of his folly when his wife gave birth to the savage Minotaur. Minos didn't dare kill the Minotaur, for fear of angering Poseidon further, but because this monster only ate human flesh, Minos was forced to wage wars and force other countries into horrid treaties just to supply it with victims. This went on until the hero Theseus slew the beast.

That was the end of the first minotaur, but not the last. It isn't clear where Baphomet came from, but he seems to be young as far as demon lords go. Eventually, evil humans from uncivilized tribes were able to discover the secrets of barbaric rituals that could transform them into creatures that resembled the Cretan Minotaur. But Poseidon had nothing to do with these rituals. Baphomet had stolen this idea, and had chosen the monster's form as his own.

Since that time, Baphomet has ruled a realm of the Abyss called the Endless Maze (a reflection of the Labyrinth built by Daedalus to imprison the original Minotaur) and in history, barbaric tribes who have made bargains with him have received his savage gift. Heroes have fought these imitations on numerous occasions, just as they have all strange beasts that they come across. These minotaurs seem to lose what little intelligence they have upon being transformed, as Baphomet values strength and savagery, and little else.

The Wind Dukes of Aaqa think of Baphomet as an annoyance, and care little if he wants to copy Poseidon's work. (After all, Poseidon was the god of the sea, and was pretty chaotic himself.) They'd either ignore him or simply do away with him, but are cautious for one reason – he shares an unknown relationship with Pale Night, who shares his realm in the Abyss. Pale Night is far more powerful, and exactly what agreement the two demons have is unknown, as the two are never seen interacting with each other. However, anyone who attempts an assault on the stronghold of one of these two demon lords is likely going to have to face the forces of both of them.

Of course, _any_ demon that has _any_ sort of deal with Pale Night cannot be ignored. The Wind Dukes are trying to figure out just what the details are (not an easy task) to make certain Baphomet is not a bigger threat than he appears…

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**The five are now one again, and they confront Daala in the Core itself. Daala prepares her final stand, but something happens that no-one prepared for. What, you may ask? I'm not telling. "The Hand" is coming up next. Why is it called "The Hand"? Be here next time to find out.**_


	65. The Hand

_**When Daala compared Yumi and herself to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Yumi rebuked that theory, and Daala admitted she had never read the book. Well, I certainly have read Robert Louis Stevenson's **_**The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.**_** When you're an exile in a world that has access to the internet, there isn't much to do **_**but**_** read.**_

_**In the book, Dr. Jekyll sought to create a formula that would separate his good side from his darker impulses. But he was only partially successful. He did create a new personality, a creature devoid of conscious, one of pure evil whom he named Mr. Hyde. The problem was, the other identity was still his original one, and was definitely not pure good. **_

_**Dr. Jekyll foolishly let Hyde out whenever he felt the need to give in to his dark side. And he didn't realize the mistake he had made until Hyde brutally murdered an innocent man. Jekyll swore never to become Hyde again, but at that point, it was too late. Hyde was quickly becoming dominant, and Jekyll was changing into him against his will. Eventually, Jekyll ran out of an ingredient to make the formula, and wrote an account of his failed experiment, just before Hyde took over completely. Rather than be caught and hanged for murder, Hyde took his own life. **_

_**The Devil's Fruit accomplished for Phyllis Ting, by accident, a more successful version of Jekyll's experiment. It divided her into Daala, who is pure evil, and me, who is indeed pure good. Daala has already become dominant, forcing me into submission. But unlike the unfortunate Jekyll, I did not cease to exist, and I have not given up hope that the good side of Phyllis Ting can become just as powerful.**_

_**I'm taking one last gamble to try just that… If I fail, Phyllis Ting will suffer the same sad fate as Dr. Jekyll… I can't let it happen…**_

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**CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR**

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**The Hand**

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Joan grunted as she struggled against the chains holding her wrists.

"Give it up, Joan," said Daala. "Those chains can hold an Ultimate Obedient Fiend."

"Do you have that in writing?" asked Joan with a sneer.

"Oh, be quiet," replied Daala. "After all, you hardly have any reason to complain. All you have to do is watch the show."

They heard shouts coming from the entrance.

"And it's about to start…"

Yumi, Sam, Ren, Chelsea, and Erik rushed into the large arena.

"All right, Daala," demanded Yumi, "let Joan go NOW."

"And if I don't?" asked Daala, as she slowly shuffled a deck.

"Don't be ridiculous, Daala," said Sam. "You can clearly see that there are no other exits from this place… And we have you outnumbered five to one!"

"Yeah," said Chelsea. "I mean, you might be able to take out two of us, but all five?"

Daala loaded the deck into her Disk.

"I think I can," she said.

"Yeah," said a voice that Ren recognized. "And to mark this special occasion, we're going to record it!"

Everyone looked up, and saw a balcony above them, where the members of Daala's inner circle (except Curran) were watching. Fujita was holding a video camera.

"Take them out, milady!" shouted Watanabe.

"Get them good!" added Eikou.

"Lovely…" said Ren. "Daala brought her own cheering section…"

"So…" said Daala, with a cheery voice. "Who wants to duel first?"

"I believe that honor belongs to me," said a voice.

Everyone turned around. They watched, as Vita walked it.

"WHAT?" shouted Daala. "Who let a trash like you in?"

Vita tossed something at Daala's feet. It was the stone head of the marilith who had been guarding the entrance.

"Fine…" said Daala, closing her eyes. "Now I won't have to pay her when her contract is up…"

Vita glared at her counterpart for a second.

"Yumi," said Vita. "Dueling Daala here is very dangerous. She may indeed be able to defeat five opponents.

"You see, here, she is closest to the source of her power. In the Core, Daala can draw energy from the very land itself, and every Duel Spirit in Xanadu. She won't get tired. Even you five are unintentionally fueling her."

"You're kidding…" replied Erik.

"And just what are you going to do about it, you weakling?" asked Daala.

Vita stared at Daala again.

"I finally found out the true purpose of this," she said, pointing to the mask. "I've learned a lot since our first battle. It isn't simply to conceal my identity.

"You see, according to divine law, when a new dimension is formed, its rightful ruler is its creator, or whomever that entity designates as ruler.

"The creator of Xanadu was Dr. Edwin Ting. Now, by default more than anything, he gave rulership of Xanadu to his daughter, Phyllis Ting. He had the right to designate anyone he desired as ruler, including himself, and he likely wouldn't have given it to his daughter once he knew how evil she had become. But sadly, he was ignorant of the rules governing other dimensions, so he didn't give anyone else that title. By the time anyone would be able to tell him, it was too late. Phyllis Ting's authority over Xanadu was cemented. The only way that could change was via an agreement that she had been a part of."

"So what's your point?" asked Daala. "I _am_ Phyllis Ting."

"Not quite," replied Vita. "You forget, we both are. The Devil's Fruit split Phyllis in two, creating two separate entities who could claim to be Phyllis Ting. You and me.

"You had big plans for Xanadu back then. And you knew I would have been in the way. You wouldn't have been able to make any decision regarding its governing without my approval, because I would be as much its ruler as you were. You wouldn't have been able to make a deal with Shogarr, or do half the things you did or still plan to do.

"So you defeated me, and bonded this vile mask to my face… What it truly stands for is a symbol of inferiority. So long as it remained, you would be considered the superior half, and wouldn't need my permission for anything. I would be out of the way, so long as I couldn't prove I wasn't inferior."

A Duel Disk appeared on Vita's arm.

"So I'm going to duel you one last time… To prove I'm not inferior… And when I succeed, I'll be able to claim my half of the authority over Xanadu."

"She'll cut Daala's power in half…" gasped Chelsea. "Literally…"

"It will be a cold day in Hell before I share my power with garbage," sneered Daala. "What makes you think I'll agree?"

"Because I'm not the only one here wearing a mask," replied Vita. "I have one advantage remaining over you… If you refuse, I'll force you to show everyone here what's lying behind the false face you're wearing…"

Daala's eyes widened in fright. She looked at the four members of her inner circle.

"Something you want to tell us, milady?" asked Mulner.

"NO!" shouted Daala.

She took her deck out of her Disk, and placed it in a pouch on her belt. Then she took another deck out of another pouch.

"Changing your deck?" asked Vita.

"Garbage like you isn't worth the Dread Council's time," said Vita. "I'll crush you, and maybe I'll be able to find a way to hold you this time."

Vita slowly moved over to Yumi.

"Yumi…" she whispered. "I have one chance at this, and Daala will never give me another one… If it looks like I'm about to lose… Use the Spell Card I gave you… It might weaken her enough for you to gain the advantage."

Yumi sighed. She opened the pouch that held her side deck, and took out the Offerings to the Doomed card.

"Good luck, Vita…" she muttered.

"You know, Vita," said Daala. "This may actually be kind of fun… A little appetizer before I start on the main course might whet my appetite…"

Two Disks activated.

**(Daala: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Vita: 8,000)**

"Shall we?" asked Daala, making her first draw.

"I set one card facedown, and a Monster in Defense Mode…"

A hidden Monster, and a reversed card appeared.

"And I'll turn it over to you…"

"Fine," said Vita, drawing a card.

"I summon Seraphim Saber!"

In a burst of shining light, a female angel with feathered wings, wearing a long, white toga, and holding a long sword appeared. (1,600/1,500)

"When Seraphim Saber is summoned, I have to choose either Attack Score of Defense Score. Then, for as long as she's on the field, she gains 300 additional points to the chosen value for each additional Fairy on my side of the field. I choose Attack Score.

"Now… Attack her Monster!"

Seraphim Saber flew at the facedown Monster. Dark Mimic LV1 appeared on the card. The Fairy cut through it cleanly in half.

Daala smirked, and drew a card.

"And that will do it for now," said Vita.

Daala drew another card.

"Very well," she said. "I play my Pot of Greed…"

She played the card, and then drew twice.

"Hey, Yumi," she said. "You like Spellcasters? I have a Spellcaster that I guarantee you've never seen before…

"I summon Dark Archetype!"

She played the card, and an explosion of dark shadow appeared on her side of the field. An ugly, fiendish creature appeared, one that certainly didn't suggest a Spellcaster. It wasn't humanoid, standing on all fours, with thick, clawed limbs, a body covered with grey, slimy skin, and a mechanical collar of some sort around its neck with wires attached to it that were embedded in its torso. (1,400/400)

"Ugh!" gasped Yumi. "No, I haven't seen it… And I don't think I _wanted_ to…"

"Yeah, yeah," muttered Vita. "I know all about that thing… It doesn't scare me… Your facedown card is Zero Gazer, right?"

"Well…" said Daala. "Maybe it is, and maybe it isn't… I end my turn…"

A second reversed card appeared.

Vita made a draw.

"I summon… Seraphim Gunner!" she shouted.

She played a card, and in another burst of light, an angel appeared who resembled Seraphim Saber, except she carried a flintlock rifle. (1,800/1,200)

"Seraphim Gunner has the same effect as Seraphim Saber," continued Vita. "Once again, I'll choose Attack Score."

Seraphim Saber rose to an Attack Score of 1,900, while Gunner rose to 2,100.

"Seraphim Gunner, destroy Dark Archetype!"

Seraphim Gunner aimed her flintlock. She squeezed the trigger...

"I activate… Zero Gazer!" shouted Daala, as one of her facedown cards lifted. "This reduces my Monster's Attack Score to zero…"

Dark Archetype fell to zero Attack Points. Seraphim Gunner fired.

"And as soon as I take battle damage," continued Daala, "I get to draw one card."

She made a draw, just before the shell hit, and Dark Archetype burst into pixels.

**(D: 5,900) - - - - - - - - - - (V: 8,000)**

"That's nuts," said Ren. "There must be an easier way to draw cards…"

"Actually," said Daala. "The more Life Points I lose when Dark Archetype is destroyed, the better. I activate its effect…

"First, I select a Monster from my deck with an Attack Score equal to the amount of damage I took. Like my Lesser Fiend.

"Then, I discard Monsters from my hand whose combined Levels equal that of the Monster I selected. So I'll toss Airknight Parshath, who, like Lesser Fiend, is Level Five."

She discarded a card.

"Finally, I get to Special Summon the selected Monster…"

The four-armed, bare-chested Fiend appeared with a roar. (2,100/1,000)

"Seraphim Saber can't beat that…" muttered Vita. "Fine, I end my turn…"

Daala drew a card.

"I sacrifice Lesser Fiend…" she said.

Lesser Fiend dissolved into grains of light.

"…for Beast of Talwar!"

The orb formed into a far more diabolic-looking Fiend. It was tall and muscular, with green skin, blue, demonic wings, and carrying twin scimitars. (2,400/2,150)

_Oh, no…_ thought Joan. _Is she planning to use that accursed card?_

"That's crazy…" said Erik. "Beast of Talwar may have 300 more Attack Points, but Lesser Fiend is clearly a better Monster than some plain vanilla Normal one."

_I don't know…_ thought Yumi. _Daala is obviously up to something…_

"Attack Seraphim Gunner!" ordered Joan with a laugh. "Off with her head!"

Beast of Talwar growled, and flew at Seraphim Gunner, lopping off her head with one clean stroke of his sword. What was left of her shattered. Vita winced a little. Seraphim Saber fell to an Attack Score of 1,600.

"I end my turn," said Daala. "It's your move, trash."

**(D: 5,900) - - - - - - - - - - (V: 7,700)**

Vita glared at her for a second before drawing.

"I play Pot of Greed!" she shouted, playing the card.

She quickly drew two cards.

"All right, Daala," she said, "I play the Field Spell, Holy Sanctuary!"

She placed a card in her Field Slot, and the dark arena faded away. It was quickly replaced by a beautiful series of fields, with Grecian temples surrounding them. It looked like Nexus, only not in ruins.

"What the heck is this?" asked Watanabe.

"I'll tell you what it is," growled Mulner. "It's a Field Spell that weakens all Monsters except Fairies by 500 Attack Points. Beast of Talwar is in trouble…"

Sure enough, Beast of Talwar fell to an Attack Score of 1,900.

"Holy Sanctuary has another effect," added Vita. "While this card is in play, Fairies can be summoned with one less sacrifice than normal. That means I can summon a Level Seven Fairy with one sacrifice…"

Seraphim Saber vanished into grains of light.

"So, say hello to the diva of my deck… I summon… Athena!"

A glowing portal appeared, and a lovely, yet powerful-looking woman emerged from it. It clearly was the mythical goddess of wisdom, complete with her battle toga, breastplate, helmet, shield, and elaborate spear. She looked at Daala with eyes that glowed pure gold. (2,600/800)

"Athena…" growled Daala. "Phyllis Ting's favorite card…"

"Uh huh…" said Vita. "But you locked her away, and started using that Dragon deck. But I rescued her, knowing someday I would use her for this very duel…

"And I will… Destroy Beast of Talwar! Pride of Olympus!"

Athena shouted a war cry, and charged at Beast of Talwar, jabbing her spear into the Fiend's torso. Yumi and her friends cheered as the demon dropped his swords, and then exploded into pixels.

**(D: 5,200) - - - - - - - - - - (V: 7,700)**

"I set two cards facedown," said Vita, as two reversed cards appeared, "and I end my turn."

Daala frowned, and drew a card.

_Perfect…_ she thought, looking at it.

"I play Magical Stone Excavation," she said, playing a Spell Card. "So, I'll toss these two cards…"

She discarded Asura Priest and Banisher of the Radiance.

"…to get back my Pot of Greed."

The Pot of Greed slipped out of her discard slot.

"Now, I'll play Pot of Greed…"

She played the card, and drew twice.

_Something is wrong,_ thought Yumi. _Daala seems to be purposely discarding as many Monsters as she can…_

"Now…" said Daala. "I remove three Light Fairies… And one Dark Fiend in my Graveyard from play…"

Images of Asura Priest, Airknight Parshath, Banisher of the Radiance, and Dark Mimic LV1 appeared behind her, and vanished into nothing.

"I'm getting a serious case of déjà vu here," said Ren.

"Yeah…" said Chelsea. "Isn't that how Johnson summoned Norleras?"

"Not quite," replied Daala. "Norleras is summoned the opposite way, by removing three Dark Fiends and one Light Fairy. But there's more than one Sky Scourge… There are three total, all three of them heralds of the Dread Emperor, who represent minor aspects of Chaos. One represents Light, one represents Dark, and one is the intermediary between the two forces.

"I now summon Norleras's opposite…

"The powerful… _Sky Scourge Enrise_!"

In a blast of multicolored light, a new Monster appeared in front of her. It seemed to be a Fairy – technically, at least, due to its large, feathered wings. But it wore a metal blindfold over its eyes below long, pale, white hair, had clammy, white skin, and wore leather pants and gloves, and no shirt. Strange tattoos were on its neck and shoulders. (2,400/1,500)

"And since Enrise is a Fairy," continued Daala, "Holy Sanctuary doesn't hurt him."

"Yeah?" shouted Erik. "It's still weaker than Athena!"

Daala laughed.

"Enrise," she said. "Chaos elemental blast!"

Enrise formed a ball of multicolored light in his hands, and hurled it at Athena. The goddess gasped, and then vanished into nothing.

"What… just happened?" asked Chelsea. "How did Enrise win that battle?"

"It wasn't an attack," said Daala. "I didn't even enter my Battle Phase yet. Once per round, Enrise can remove one face-up Monster from play."

"Good grief…" said Sam. "And I thought Ruin was the worst bad apple among Fairies…"

"Of course," said Daala, "if it does that, it can't actually attack in the same round…"

She placed a card on her Disk.

"But since I haven't Normal Summoned yet, I'll summon someone who can. Like Dunames Dark Witch!"

In a burst of light, the pretty female Fairy in a red dress appeared. (1,800/1,050)

"Attack Vita directly!" shouted Daala. "Shadow flux!"

Dunames Dark Witch cast a ball of shimmering darkness at Vita.

"I activate… Magic Cylinder!" shouted Vita, as one of her facedown cards lifted.

"Not so fast!" laughed Daala.

She threw a card into her Disk.

"I activate the Quickplay Spell Card, Both Sides. This lets me sacrifice my Light Monster to summon a Dark one from my deck."

Dunames Dark Witch vanished. Then, with a loud grunt, Giant Orc appeared in her place. (2,200/0) –) (1,700/0)

"And since Magic Cylinder's target left the field, its effect fails."

The Trap Card shattered.

Vita didn't know what to say. She remembered how she had used Both Sides against Daala when she was disguised as Crystal Seer.

"Giant Orc," commanded Daala, "attack Vita directly!"

Giant Orc lifted its club, and charged at Vita.

"I hate to do this…" muttered Vita, "but I have to activate Divine Castle Gate!"

Her other facedown card lifted.

"I have to ditch my Field Spell to activate this," she said, "but the damage I take this turn is halved."

Holy Sanctuary vanished, returning them to the arena. Giant Orc rose back to an Attack Score of 2,200, just before it clobbered Vita with its club. Vita staggered backwards, her Trap Card buffering the attack.

**(D: 5,200) - - - - - - - - - - (V: 6,600)**

Giant Orc fell backwards on its behind, dizzy and confused.

"Make your move…" said Daala, with an evil grin.

"So now what?" asked Ren. "She lost her best card!"

Yumi looked at the Offerings to the Doomed card.

She slowly placed it in her Disk. She rested her finger on the trigger button…

Vita drew a card. She looked at it.

_Miraculous Descent!_ she thought. _I can use this to bring back Athena!_

_But… I have to do it during my own turn, or Daala will just use Enrise's effect on her again._

"I set a Monster, and then one facedown card," she said, as a hidden Monster and a reversed card appeared. "And I end my turn."

"You're smart," said Daala, drawing a card. "You realize that Enrise's effect doesn't work on set Monsters…

"I sacrifice Giant Orc…"

Giant Orc vanished into an orb of darkness.

"…to summon the third of the Sky Scourges… The intermediary between Light and Dark… Sky Scourge Invicil!"

The orb formed into another creepy-looking Fairy. This one was vaguely female, with small, feathered wings that seemed to be molting, a tight-fitting suit of black leather covered with straps, the same clammy, white skin, and pale, white hair in a style reminiscent of the Bride of Frankenstein. (2,200/1,600)

"And what does this one do?" gasped Sam.

"Invicil's effect depends on what I sacrifice to summon it," replied Daala. "If I had sacrificed a Light Fairy, it would be the same as Spell Canceller. But, since I sacrificed a Dark Fiend, its effect is the same as Jinzo."

Vita's eyes opened wide.

_It negates Traps?_ she thought. _My Miraculous Descent is worthless!_

"Next," continued Daala, "I play Coins From Heaven."

There was a flash of light, and coins fell from the ceiling. Daala quickly drew five cards, while Vita drew four.

Daala laughed with glee.

"Oh, Joan!" she laughed. "Seems I'm finally going to reveal your big secret!"

Joan glared at her captor.

"What secret?" asked Yumi, looking at Daala with an angry glare.

"The secret that Joan never told you…" said Daala. "You see, when Joan was first cast out of the Higher Plane in the form of Marie the Fallen One, it was for a crime more severe than most…

"When she was first brought before Voltanis, the great judge had his doubts as to whether giving her the possibility of a second chance was wise or not. So Voltanis consulted Shinato himself for advice.

"Shinato used powerful magic to look at future possibilities. He saw that the future of the criminal might take two paths, should the usual punishment be given.

"One path was the one that would become reality if the criminal embraced evil. She would become a powerful and incredibly wicked Fiend, and would forever be an enemy of the Higher Plane.

"But the other path showed that not only would she succeed in finding redemption, but she would become a crusader of Order and Good more powerful than any who had risen from such a state.

"The first possibility worried Shinato, but the second one convinced him to recommend that she be given the possibility of a second chance. So the criminal was cast out of the Higher Plane as Marie the Fallen One…"

"And she took the second path, and became Guardian Angel Joan!" interrupted Ren.

"Naturally…" said Daala, closing her eyes. "Too bad really… If that hadn't happened, it would have saved me a lot of trouble…"

She took a Spell Card from her hand.

"But just for fun… I'm going to show you what might have been… The choice she didn't take… This card was hard to make... Pegasus never approved it past the design stage, but fortunately, the designer's initial sketches and notes were never scrapped.

"I play Monster Reborn to bring back Beast of Talwar."

The golden ankh appeared, and Beast of Talwar appeared again. (2,400/2,150)

"Now, I play Polymerization… To fuse it with Marie the Fallen One…"

Marie the Fallen One appeared on the field. The two Fiends combined into a large, dark, shadowy mass…

"I summon Evil Marie!"

In a burst of dark energy, a diabolic form appeared next to Invicil. It looked like Marie the Fallen One at first glance, but far more evil. Instead of her fancy dress, she was wearing demonic armor, and her black feathered wings had been replaced by larger, bat-like ones. She had more pronounced horns on her forehead, pointed ears, and nastier claws.

She turned to Joan, and made an evil smile. (2,800/2,000)

"ENOUGH!" screamed Joan.

She pulled against the chains holding her, and this time, they could not hold her. She tore free of them with a loud snap.

"Ouch…" she grunted, holding her wrists.

"Impossible…" gasped Daala.

Joan quickly rushed to Yumi and the others.

"Welcome back, Joan," said Erik.

"You can't deny it, Joan!" laughed Daala. "This was tempting, wasn't it?"

"It was the easy way out!" shouted Joan. "Every time I slept, that… thing appeared in my dreams, whispering in my ear, trying to convince me to give in and accept it. She offered me great power if I simply rejected my past and embraced my dark side. But I never took the easy way out! And nothing made me happier than when I became powerful enough to drive her out forever!"

"So noble…" chuckled Daala. "Ah, well… Back to business…

"Invicil, attack the facedown Monster!"

Invicil lifted its hands, and fired a flash of pure light. Dunames Dark Witch appeared on the card, and was blown to pieces.

"Enrise, Marie… Attack directly!"

Enrise formed a ball of multicolored flames and hurled them at Vita. Vita let out a scream as an aura of colored fire surrounded her.

Then Evil Marie formed a sword of pure fire in her hands. She flew at Vita and slammed the sword into her, knocking her over.

**(D: 5,200) - - - - - - - - - - (V: 1,400)**

Yumi was about to hit the button…

_No…_ she thought. _I'll delay it as long as I can…_

Vita slowly got up. Sweat was forming from behind her mask.

"My… move…" she gasped.

She drew a card.

"I set a card facedown…" she said, as a reversed card appeared. "Then, I play Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen."

She played a Spell Card, and the scenery behind her changed, turning into a grand cathedral with a huge throne at the end.

"With this card in play, if I don't have any Monsters on the field, I can Special Summon a Fairy every round."

"So it's like Call of the Mummy for Fairies?" asked Chelsea.

"Basically, yes," replied Joan.

"I Special Summon Royal Knight in Defense Mode," said Vita.

A winged seraphim clad in metallic armor, holding a sword appeared. He knelt in Defense Mode. (1,300/800)

"Then I'll set a Monster, and end my turn."

A set Monster appeared beside Royal Knight.

Daala laughed as she drew a card.

"I first gain 200 Life Points from Marie being in my Graveyard…" she said.

"Now it's time to take out the trash. I summon a second Asura Priest!"

She played the card, and one of the most dreaded Monsters to call itself a Fairy appeared; the six-armed, three-faced Spirit Monster dressed in a red cloak. (1,700/1,200)

"All right!" shouted Watanabe. "Show her what it can do!"

"It can attack all your Monsters," said Daala, "and I'll start with your Knight!"

Asura Priest formed a dagger in each hand, and hurled them at Royal Knight, impaling the Fairy. Royal Knight shattered.

"Now, destroy her other Monster!"

Asura Priest threw another set of daggers at the facedown card. Winged Kuriboh appeared on the card, and shattered.

Vita smirked.

"Seems your other three Monsters can't hurt me this turn," she said.

"Evil Marie sure can," replied Daala. "She has two effects. See, if I sacrifice a Dark Fiend, her Attack Score increases by half that Fiend's Attack Score for one turn.

"But, if I sacrifice a Light Fairy, she inflicts damage to you equal to half that Fairy's Attack Score.

"So… I sacrifice Asura Priest to do so."

Asura Priest vanished, and Evil Marie fired a bolt of energy at Vita. Vita screamed and collapsed.

**(D: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (V: 550)**

"No…" gaped Erik. "Daala will win next turn… Enrise is also a Light Fairy… Daala can inflict 1,200 more points of damage by sacrificing it…"

"What do you expect from this worthless piece of trash?" asked Daala. "Yumi… Why don't you save her the embarrassment and use that Spell Card she gave you?"

"You know about it?" gasped Yumi.

"Of course I do…" chuckled Daala. "I may have never been able to find it, but it was hardly a secret. Do you really think it would bother me if my good side was killed? If anything, I'd _prefer_ not being constantly reminded of what I used to be.

"I wanted to kill her so many times… But I simply couldn't. Every time I tried to take an action towards doing so, some strange force inside me made me stop, making my body refuse to obey my mind. It was like a curse that was protecting my good side.

"So go ahead, Yumi… I'll enjoy seeing her dissolve into a pile of sand."

"Joan…" said Sam. "We have to help her… There's got to be something we can do…"

Joan closed her eyes. She put her hands together.

_Praying?_ thought Yumi.

"I end my turn," said Daala. "I doubt you have the strength to make yours… But I'll give you two minutes…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In Domino City, it had just turned four AM. But there had been no sleep for Dr. Edwin Ting this night. Insomnia had long been a problem for him.

In his elaborate house in the suburbs, he was sitting on a couch in his study, thinking hard and waiting for the sun to come up, with only the light of a single lamp to illuminate the room.

Words couldn't begin to describe the worry we was feeling right now. What had his daughter done now? What dark crimes had she committed?

He closed his eyes…

Then he opened them with a start.

Quickly, he got up, and crossed the room, walking over to his desk. He opened a drawer, and picked up a deck case.

His deck… The one he himself had used as a duelist on the Pro League… Dueling was never more than a hobby for him, one that he happened to be very good at, but he had never gotten rid of his deck.

He took out the deck, and looked at it. He knew what the top card was even before he looked at it.

He looked at the Monster on the card. The Spellcaster who looked more like an alien…

Mutant Mindmaster… His signature card…

The card started to glow with a soft light…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Vita's mind was a haze. She was hurt, and she was almost sure she was going to lose. Maybe she truly was inferior… Maybe Phyllis Ting had been evil before she ever touched that accursed Fruit.

But as she looked up, she saw a hand reaching for hers.

She looked up, and her eyes met those of the Duel Spirit. Most would be scared of such a monstrous creature, but Vita quickly recognized it.

"Mutant Mindmaster?" she whispered.

She paused.

"Father?"

"Vita…" said the Spellcaster. "You don't know how happy your very existence makes me…

"I had thought that my daughter was gone… That her soul had been claimed by evil… That no good in her remained…

"I was wrong… The good in her wasn't destroyed… It survived, in you. And that gives me hope… Hope that the true Phyllis can come back, at least in spirit.

"But before that can happen, you must do what you intended to do."

Vita slowly stood up.

"I don't know if I can…" she whispered. "I don't know if I even have the strength to draw a card…"

"Then I'll be your hand…" replied Mutant Mindmaster.

They looked at each other.

They both reached for Vita's deck at the same time…

Then, both of them drew a card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"My move!" shouted Vita.

She looked at the card she had drawn.

"And I play Pot of Avarice!"

The card appeared, and Seraphim Saber, Seraphim Gunner, Winged Kuriboh, and Dunames Dark Witch slipped out of her discard slot. She combined them with her deck, and made two draws.

"And I chain-activate Emergency Provisions!"

One of her facedown cards lifted up, and the Pot of Avarice and her facedown Miraculous Descent were consumed by light.

"Next, I play Swords of Revealing Light!"

She played the card, and a blizzard of swords shot from the card, forming a cage around Daala's three Monsters.

"Next, I use Valhalla's effect to Special Summon Hysteric Fairy in Defense Mode."

She placed the card on her Disk, and the fussy, bespectacled Fairy appeared. (1,800/500)

"Then, I play Double Spell. I'll toss one card…"

She discarded her Celestial Transformation.

"…to duplicate your Coins From Heaven!"

The arena lit up again, and coins fell from the ceiling again. Vita quickly drew five cards, while Daala drew three.

"Perfect…" she said, looking at her cards. "I set one Monster, and then play Future Fusion!"

A concealed Monster appeared. Then, she played another Spell Card. Then she looked through her deck, and took three cards from it.

"By sending these Monsters to my Graveyard," she said as she discarded them, "my Fusion Monster will appear in only two turns."

"If you last that long," growled Daala.

"I end my turn," said Vita.

**(D: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (V: 2,550)**

"I draw one card," said Daala. "And I gain 200 Life Points from Marie.

"Next, I summon a second Dunames Dark Witch…"

She played a card, and Dunames appeared again. (1,800/1,050)

"Then, I sacrifice her to use Evil Marie's effect."

Dunames vanished, and Evil Marie cast her bolt at Vita. Vita cringed again, but the Mindmaster braced her, unseen by anyone else.

"Now, I use Enrise's effect to remove Hysteric Fairy from play," said Daala.

Enrise cast its evil spell, and Hysteric Fairy vanished.

"I end my turn!"

**(D: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (V: 1,650)**

Vita took a deep breath.

"Hang in there!" shouted Yumi. "You can still finish this!"

"Our move!" said Vita and Mutant Mindmaster at once.

They both drew a card.

"I throw one card facedown, and set a Monster," said Vita, "and that will be all…"

Another hidden Monster and a reversed card appeared.

Daala angrily drew a card.

"I gain 200 more Life Points from Marie," she said.

"I'll set two cards facedown, and end my turn."

Two facedown cards appeared on her side of the field.

**(D: 5,600) - - - - - - - - - - (V: 1,650)**

Vita and Mindmaster reached for the deck. They paused, and then drew a card.

The card shone in the light…

The Future Fusion card glowed with energy.

"It's my second Standby Phase since I played Future Fusion," she said. "That means I can summon THIS guy!"

As she said this, a titanic form appeared behind her, the size of a small building. It looked like a giant, white cube, with stubby limbs, proportionately small wings, a question mark on its top, and a blank, expressionless face.

"MOKEY-MOKEY!" boomed the Mokey Mokey King. (300/100)

Everyone looked at the enormous Monster with a look of shock.

"Oh joy…" muttered Daala. "A giant marshmallow… I'll get some giant graham crackers and a truckload of chocolate, and we can make s'mores for a whole boy scout jamboree!"

"Don't underestimate my Monster," replied Vita, as a Spell Card appeared on her side of the field. "I play… Light of Redemption! Now, by paying 800 Life Points, I get to recover a Light-Attribute Monster that was removed from play…"

She held up her hand, and Athena's card appeared in it.

"Now, I sacrifice my two facedown Monsters to summon Athena again!"

The two facedown Monsters vanished, and the mighty goddess of wisdom appeared again. (2,600/800)

"Next, I play Mystical Space Typhoon. And I think I'll destroy… Future Fusion!"

She played the card, and the windstorm erupted on the field. The Spell Card shattered.

"But if she does that…" gasped Chelsea. "Mokey Mokey King goes too!"

Mokey Mokey King exploded into globules of light.

"That's the idea," said Ren. "I've seen this before… When the King goes, the three regular Mokey Mokeys come to take its place!"

Indeed, the three normal Mokey Mokeys appeared next to Athena. (300/100 x3)

"Mokey-Mokey," they said. "Mokey-Mokey, Mokey-Mokey, Mokey-Mokey…"

"This activates Athena's effect, by the way," continued Vita. "Whenever a Fairy is Special Summoned, you lose 600 Life Points. And I just Special Summoned three of them!"

Athena's eyes glowed fiercely. Daala screamed as she was struck by three bolts of lightning.

"Now…" said Vita, playing another card, "I play… Mokey Mokey Smackdown!"

The Spell Card appeared, showing a picture of a very angry Mokey Mokey with an exclamation point on its head instead of a question mark.

"Athena, attack Evil Marie!" commanded Vita.

Athena charged at Evil Marie.

"WHAT?" shouted Eikou. "She's nuts! Evil Marie is stronger."

"You big idiot!" shouted Mulner. "That's the idea! If a Fairy is destroyed, it will trigger the Smackdown!"

Evil Marie swung her sword, and Athena exploded into pixels…

**(D: 3,800) - - - - - - - - - - (V: 650)**

The results were dramatic. The three Mokey Mokeys freaked out. Within seconds, each one transformed into a Mokey Mokey resembling the one on the Spell Card, and their Attack Scores started to skyrocket… (3,000/100 x3)

"First Mokey Mokey," ordered Vita, "attack Evil Marie!"

The first Mokey Mokey screamed a blast of pure rage at the evil imposter. Evil Marie groaned, and then exploded into shards.

"Second one…" said Vita, "destroy Invicil!"

The second Mokey Mokey screamed, and the Sky Scourge cringed before exploding as well.

"Third time's the charm," said Vita. "Attack Sky Scourge Enrise with Infinite Anger Burst!"

The third Mokey Mokey let out its cry of anger. Enrise hollered, and exploded as well.

"ERGH!" grunted Daala.

**(D: 2,200) - - - - - - - - - - (V: 650)**

"You miserable little nobody!" screamed Daala. "I'll fix you good…"

One of her facedown cards lifted.

"I activate… Revenge Soul! This Trap Card returns the Monster that was just destroyed to my hand!"

Sky Scourge Enrise slipped out of her discard slot.

"You only have 650 Life Points left, and your Swords are only going to last one more round. Next turn, I'll summon it again, and once they are gone, I'll finish you off!"

"Sorry, Daala," said Vita, "but your next turn will never come…"

Vita's own facedown card lifted.

"I activate Call of the Haunted!"

Daala gasped as Athena appeared again. (2,600/800)

"Attack Daala directly!" shouted Vita. "Pride of Olympus!"

"NO!" yelled Watanabe. "Daala's gonna lose!"

Daala looked at Vita in hate as Athena charged at her…

"I won't let you beat me!" she screamed in rage.

Her last facedown card lifted.

"I activate Contagion of Madness!"

"HUH?" said Erik. "What does that do?"

"It won't stop the attack…" gasped Joan. "But Vita will take half of the damage that Daala takes!"

"But that means…" gasped Sam.

Athena stabbed her spear into Daala, and lightning flashed. Both Daala and Vita were thrown backwards.

**(D: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (V: 0)**

"I… I can't believe it…" muttered Ren. "It was… It was…"

"It was a draw…" gasped Chelsea.

Vita slowly got up.

"It sure was…" she said, taking a deep breath.

Daala looked at her.

Then Vita took hold of the mask, and slowly started to take it off.

"What are you doing?" shouted Daala. "You can't!"

Apparently, Vita could. She lifted the mask off her face, and tossed it aside. Underneath was a face whose resemblance to Daala's was uncanny.

"But… You didn't beat me…" gasped Daala.

"I didn't have to," replied Vita. "I had to prove I wasn't inferior, remember?

"The duel was a draw… That means we're equal."

"Aw, technicalities stink…" muttered Eikou.

"The mask is gone," said Vita. "So is your mark of inferiority. So I'm taking the power that's rightfully mine."

"I won't let you!" screamed Daala.

She leapt up.

And then she clutched her stomach.

"No…" she gasped. "The disguise…"

"What's happening to her?" shouted Yumi.

"Her disguise is slipping," said Vita. "As soon as the duel ended, half of Xanadu's power was transferred to me. Apparently, she can't maintain the veil with what she has now…"

Daala was indeed starting to change. Her clothes changed first, turning into a golden dress with a blue sash. Her hair grew longer, turning waist-length. Then, horns appeared on her temples, and black, feathered wings appeared on her back.

She took some deep breaths. She looked up with a look of rage.

"What are you looking at?" she sneered.

"Daala is… A Dark Witch?" asked Sam.

"For the love of…" said Ren. "And you had the nerve to call Vita worthless? You're a pretty worthless Monster yourself!"

Daala glared at them.

"You were expecting Silent Magician LV8?" she said, in a voice that was thick with bile. "Or maybe Infernalqueen? No… I took the form of Dark Witch on purpose, and became stuck with it…"

"But why?" asked Yumi.

"_Because_ it's so useless!" replied Daala.

"I still don't see why," replied Yumi.

"Uprisings," growled Daala. "When Xanadu was first forming, before Joan even came, I had problems with many minor rebellions. Several small groups had issues with the way I was governing the place."

"Not surprising," said Erik.

"In most Dimensions," continued Daala, "a Monster's status depends not only on power, but on how useful it is to a duelist. That's why I summoned Dark Necrofear. She was able to use her powers to transform humans who had eaten the Devil's Fruit into Duel Spirits. Of course, she demanded several privileges, such as immunity to all of Xanadu's laws. I agreed, and she transformed me into Dark Witch, a beautiful but rather useless Duel Spirit.

"In this guise, I could infiltrate every uprising undetected, and find out what I needed to know to crush them. Who would suspect a Dark Witch of being the Queen of Xanadu? Who would suspect a plain vanilla Level Five Monster with only 1,800 Attack Points? No-one, that's who…

"Unfortunately, when my hold on Xanadu was threatened by Joan, the first real serious uprising, it would no longer do. Disguises couldn't fool the security of Joan's temple. I told Dark Necrofear to reverse her spell and turn me into something more powerful. And she cruelly told me that her spell was irreversible."

"Irreversible?" gasped Sam.

"I would have locked her up in my dungeons forever," snarled Daala. "But she reminded me that she was immune to Xanadu's laws. I would have ripped up the contract and done it anyway, but then she told me that the contract had been notarized by the Court of Woe, and breaking it would cost me my soul.

"I could only cover this shame with a disguise from that point… Appear human to everyone who looked."

"Irreversible?" gasped Ren. "There's… no antidote?"

Daala laughed.

"That's right, Ren!" she laughed. "Dark Necrofear still works for me, and did it to you under my order. One of the cardinal rules of Duel Spirits is, they can't leave their home dimensions without permission from the ruler. I still have fifty percent authority, and I'll regain the other fifty percent soon… Unless you five get that permission from me, and you won't, you aren't leaving."

"Think again," said Vita.

She grabbed Daala's wrist.

"Your reign is ending right now, Daala. I think I may well be strong enough to undo the curse that split us in two in the first place. It's time to end this nightmare…"

She grabbed Daala's other wrist, and the two started to glow…

"Llymic!" screamed Daala. "HELP!"

Then, a blast of dark energy came out of nowhere, and knocked Vita off of Daala.

Vita fell at Yumi's feet, stunned and dizzy. Everyone looked, and saw Chaos Sorcerer standing behind Daala. It was at this point that everyone noticed the alcove behind Daala. Apparently, he had appeared in it somehow.

"Now, now…" he said. "That simply will not suffice… Fifty percent of the power of Xanadu isn't much compared to the might of the Abyss that is allotted to me, Vita…

"Of course, I'll be the first to admit that underestimating Phyllis's benign half was a dire mistake that I won't repeat… I guess my recommendation to stop wasting resources on bringing you in wasn't exactly the wisest one…"

Yumi glared at him.

"Look, pal," he said. "I want to know what the whole story is… Just who are you?

"Wait… You're another human who was transformed by the Fruit, aren't you?"

Chaos Sorcerer nodded.

"But while Chaos Sorcerer is now my true form," he said, "I have the power to assume my original form at any time…"

A dark shroud enveloped him, and he quickly transformed into the elderly man who had dueled Daala using the Sacred Beasts.

"Lucian T. Borough is the name…" he said. "But you can call me Llymic…

"Master of the dark arts, and since your defeat of Unus the Undying… Favored high priest of the cult of Shogarr the Dread Emperor…"

"I should have guessed," said Yumi. "Daala wasn't alone in this whole endeavor. There was a power behind the throne."

"So all the talk about being a Duel Spirit who was angry about his card being outlawed," said Ren. "It was a lie…"

"No…" said Llymic. "I just dramatized the truth…

"Let me tell you the whole story… It's quite interesting…"

"Why do they always make speeches?" groaned Erik.

"Quiet!" replied Yumi. "We may learn something…"

"Once I was simply a kid with a dream," started Llymic. "My parents took me to see the KC Grand Prix, and it was the high point of my young life. I saw Yugi Mouto, Joey Wheeler, and Seto Kaiba in action, and like most who picked up a Disk for the first time, I wanted to be like them.

"As fate would have it, I went to start my dream at your great-grandfather's card store, that small, unassuming shop in downtown Domino City. I was like a kid in a candy shop that day… So many cards, so many possibilities… What ones to chose?

"And who should walk in, but the great Yugi Mouto himself? I summoned the bravery to ask him for advice. He told me that sometimes the deck picks the duelist. Maybe I would have luck with a random shot.

"So did just that. I decided to buy one booster pack, and see what card fate would hand me. The first card in the pack I bought… Was Chaos Sorcerer.

"The card seemed to glow as I read the description. It was an omen… This card was calling to me.

"Despite the fact that Chaos Sorcerer was becoming more common with each passing month, I resolved to make a Chaos Sorcerer Deck that would surpass all others. And I succeeded, at least in my eyes. I built a deck that anyone using the card would envy, and used it in several duels. Time after time, the card brought me victory, even over others who used the same card.

"But one day, my life came crashing down around me… I learned that the card I had depended on for so long had been declared illegal.

"Broken, they said. Ruining the game, they said. Cookie cutter, apparently. I was crushed.

"I didn't stop dueling, but nothing could replace the card I had grown so close to…

"And then, from nowhere, someone approached me. He told me that it wasn't the Monster I was so enthralled with, but the very concept of Chaos.

"I didn't know at first that this person served the powers of the Abyss, but I did find out later. I didn't truly care. This person opened my eyes to Chaos. He showed me secrets that would scare most men to death. They excited me. Soon, I was learning how to manipulate Chaos on my own, using the primal power that flowed from the Abyss.

"I wasn't swayed in the least when my mentor was consumed in the wildfire created by one of his spells. I delved more, and as years went by, visions came to me. They became more and more vivid, until Shogarr himself appeared before me, and offered me more power in exchange for my services.

"I left my true name behind, and started calling myself Llymic, Lord of Anarchy, after another Elder Evil who was defeated and killed by Shogarr. He was a demonic being from an alien realm beyond the planes we know of who held power over the dark side of Chaos, and whose apocalyptic plan was to extinguish the sun and plunge the world into endless, frozen night. Shogarr opposed him, because this plan would leave nothing for him to reshape when it came time to enact his own plan. Come to think of it, most Elder Evils who are killed perished at the hands of other Elder Evils. They don't like each other. Anyway, naming myself after one of my master's enemies amused him, as he considered it proof positive of his superiority over Llymic.

"He instructed me to form a realm separate from the Outer Planes, the Twelve Dimensions, and the Prime Material. Not an easy feat, but I found a way to do it. I made a deal with a young girl who wanted to rule a dimension formed from her dreams. I combined my magic with her technology to form Xanadu…

"The Devil's Fruit was my idea. I knew what great power it held, and the demonic influence it had. After recruiting Dark Necrofear, I was able to take the form of the Monster I admired most. Sadly, Dark Necrofear only served us under several conditions, and we were not safe from her sadistic trickery. She didn't tell us that she couldn't reverse the effect, so Daala became trapped in the form of Dark Witch after she used it to crush the early uprisings. Fortunately, the magic she had gained, she didn't have to appear as such to her subjects."

"And I suppose you recruited the Big Five?" asked Sam.

"Yes," replied Llymic. "I found them, after I discovered Gozaburo Kaiba's greatest secret…

"During the Cold War, he, like most big weapons dealers, believed that nuclear war was imminent. So he had an elaborate, top-secret bunker built for himself in the Gobi Desert. Most of the construction was done by state-of-the-art automated robotic workers, and what few human workers he needed were driven to the sight in vehicles with blacked-out windows, driven by automated systems, and they were threatened with financial ruin if they breathed a word about its existence. The end result was a bomb shelter that could house a man comfortably for the rest of his life, with a moderately powerful supercomputer inside, equipped with a powerful wireless modem that would be used to contact anyone who survived the holocaust he imagined would occur.

"Noah's punishment for the Big Five was to imprison them in his Virtual World forever, but Gozaburo intervened, downloading them via this modem into a hard drive in the bunker's computer. His plan for them was to reprogram their minds, and turn them into loyal slaves once his current plan succeeded, the ultimate price for betraying him. As you may remember, he was planning to do the same thing to his stepson too, once he defeated him in a duel, but Kaiba defeated him. The bunker was going to be his last resort escape plan as well, but he didn't count on Noah destroying the Virtual World, and cutting off every escape route, including that one. So the Big Five were left in limbo, unable to escape, for decades…

"When I found them, and offered them a chance to work for us, they couldn't agree fast enough. Using the Devil's Fruit, I gave them what Noah couldn't – real bodies. And we made them governors of our new world, a much better offer than the slavery they were subjected to under Noah.

"And we started forming our master plan…"

"Master plan?" asked Yumi. "And are you going to tell us?"

"Indeed I am…" replied Llymic. "Behold…

"The Great Helm!"

Instinctively, everyone looked up. Lowering from the ceiling was a helmet the size of a tool shed. It was made of iron, and of ominous design, and radiated an aura of uncanny power…

…as well as a definite aura of Evil…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SERAPHIM GUNNER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fairy/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description:** When this card is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned, select either ATK or DEF. Increase the selected value of this card by 300 for every additional face-up Fairy-Type Monster on your side of the field.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SERAPHIM SABER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fairy/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,600  
**DEF:** 1,500

**Card Description:** When this card is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned, select either ATK or DEF. Increase the selected value of this card by 300 for every additional face-up Fairy-Type Monster on your side of the field.

Note: "Seraphim Gunner" and "Seraphim Saber" were first used by Yakou Tenma in the "Yu-Gi-Oh R" issue "Advent of the God of Fear!!" Creative credit goes to the writers.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HOLY SANCTUARY (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image:** A collection of Grecian temples on grassy hills.

**Card Description:** All Monsters on the field except Fairy-Type Monsters lose 500 Attack Points. The number of Tributes needed to Normal Summon Fairy-Type Monsters is decreased by one.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DIVINE CASTLE GATE (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A dragon breathing fire against an iron door inscribed with ancient symbols.

**Card Description:** Send one "Holy Sanctuary" on your side of the field to the Graveyard. Any damage done to your Life Points during this turn is halved.

_Note: "Holy Sanctuary", and "Divine Castle Gate" were first used by Reggie in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" Manga. (Not to be confused with the character named Reggie in the English version of the anime). Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK ARCHETYPE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Spellcaster/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,400  
**DEF:** 400

**Card Description:** This card's effect may be activated when it is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard as a result of battle. Select a Monster from your deck with an ATK equal to the amount of damage you received from the battle. Then, discard from your hand Monsters whose combined Levels total that of the selected Monster. Then, Special Summon the selected Monster from your deck.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ZERO GAZER (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** Panther Warrior in an inferno of flames, as two evil eyes lurk behind it.

Card Description: Activate this card when one of your Monsters in Attack Position is the target of an attack. Reduce the ATK of your Monster to zero. After damage calculation, draw one card.

_Note: "Dark Archetype" and "Zero Gazer" were first used by Mr. T in a fourth season episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CONTAGION OF MADNESS (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** A man screaming with a ruined city in the background.

**Card Description:** Activate when you are attacked directly. Inflict damage to your opponent equal to half the ATK of the attacking Monster.

_Note: "Contagion of Madness" was first used by the Alister in the original anime episode "Déjà Duel! (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**REVENGE SOUL (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A fiendish, glowing hand rising out of a stagnant lake.

Card Description: Activate when a Monster is destroyed as a result of battle and sent to the Graveyard. Return that Monster to its owner's hand.

_Note: "Revenge Soul" was first used by the Spirit of Brron in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Turning the Page (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**EVIL MARIE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Fusion/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,800  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description:** "_Marie the Fallen One" plus "Beast of Talwar"_

Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you may offer a Monster on your side of the field as a Tribute. Enact one of the following effects depending on the Type and Attribute of the Monster:

LIGHT Fairy: Inflict direct damage to your opponent equal the half the base ATK of the Tributed Monster.

DARK Fiend: Increase the ATK of this card by half the base ATK of the Tributed Monster until the End Phase of the turn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lords of Chaos**

**The Duke of Pain: Rahu the Tormentor**

As the Prince of Demons, Demogorgon has several portfolios for mortals who are depraved enough to worship him. One of them is torture. Thus, throughout history, evil mortals who engaged in this morally corrupt profession have often prayed to the Prince of Demons for aid in honing their skills. However, they were much more likely to respect his chief "surgeon", Rahu the Tormentor, for it is this demon who was far more visible to those who practiced the questionable trade.

Rahu is a demon who has served Demogorgon for as long as anyone can remember, and he has long been known to have an interest in human physiology and anatomy that is best described as obsessive. He grew tired of working under his tyrannical master long ago, wasting his talents on souls and other demons, and started making forays to the mortal world, where he could continue his grim work on his favored subjects. It is difficult for demons to come to Earth unless they are summoned, but Rahu has found many ways over the millennia, and if Demogorgon knows of his escapades (or cares about them) he doesn't show it.

Rahu's means of coming to the mortal world are many and varied. Oftentimes, evil human rulers would summon him to extract information from otherwise intractable enemies. Rahu would demand a price for this service, but it would be worth it – most of the time. When summoning any demon, one must be sure not to let his protective wards slip. This was especially true with Rahu, as several employers have found themselves on the receiving end of his screws and saws.

Rahu has found ways to come to the mortal world unsummoned, and is rumored to have been involved in many events where torture was commonplace. He was powerful during the days of Rome and medieval times, when torture was widespread. He may have even invented a few of the more notorious devices used for the profession, such as the thumbscrews and rack.

Sages believe that he was present during the Spanish Inquisition's most active years; while most victims of that tribunal were ultimately spared death, Rahu never really cared whether victims of torture died or not. The more pain he could cause, the more he believed he could learn towards his sadistic practice.

Rahu is not seen in the world of humans much these days. Numerous international laws severely punish any government that uses his craft, so it is not wise to attract him. In addition, with all the suffering he has caused, several bounties have been placed on his head by many organizations that would oppose the forces of the Abyss. The members of all such organizations have been carefully instructed on Rahu's appearance and MO, and know what to do should he ever show up. While in Demogorgon's realm, Rahu is safe from the Wind Dukes, but stepping outside it would be a great risk. Still, Rahu likely will not be able to resist the temptation for long, and in the near future, the Tormentor's days may be numbered.

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**We leave Yumi and the others for a while, as Sheena and her group rush to join them. But before they can, they have to get past Dark Necrofear. The demon is determined not to let anyone else pass, and an ancient prophesy says that defeating her may well be impossible. Can Sheena do the impossible and defeat this incredible evil? Revealing the name of the next chapter would give too much away. Stay tuned.**_


	66. The Dark Seed

_**As a common duelist, a Duelatopian Eliminator, and the CEO of KaibaCorp, I've faced a lot of spineless opponents…**_

_**I'm pretty sure my current opponent doesn't fit that category. I can see part of her spine in a place where her flesh doesn't cover, as well as a few of her ribs.**_

_**I'm not easy to scare. I was once trained in intimidation tactics, after all. This isn't the first time I've faced a creature from the dark depths of the netherworld. When Saurius invaded Duelatopia, I was taken by surprise, and my sister had to fight off one of his goons. She always was a trooper. **_

_**Of course, the one I'm facing right now is a far more infamous force of evil, one known to every duelist who's seen the final rounds of Battle City – in other words, all of them. Her mere presence is enough to instill fear in the five AI programs who are with me, and the ancient prophesy that she threatened us with seems very legit…**_

_**Most people would run for their lives. Most people would be far away from here…**_

_**If I did what most people did, I'd never have gotten as far as I have.**_

_**Duel…**_

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**CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE**

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**The Dark Seed**

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While Yumi and the others were making their way into the Core, the other half of their group, the group consisting of Zane, Aster, Mako, Jesse, Atticus, and Sheena, were making their way through the castle, doing their best to follow the same path that their allies took.

They followed the remains of fighting and forced-in entrances that Yumi and the others had left. Most remaining members of Daala's forces surrendered quickly, and those that didn't were subdued easily. Their biggest lead came when they encountered Daala's handmaidens – the group of Harpies – who were seriously reconsidering their alliances. The Harpies gave up, and were able to give them quick directions to Daala's throne room.

Once there, the stairway leading to the Core was still exposed, and they started to follow it down, six Disks ready.

Aster was trying to reach Yumi on his mobile, but having almost no success.

"Not even a small signal," he said. "Something's up…"

"We're in a demonic palace, Aster," said Zane. "I doubt our calling plan is good here…"

"I don't like this," said Mako. "I have the feeling I get right before the fiercest gale strikes. This stairway may well be a passage down to Hades."

"I don't like it either," said Atticus, "but my gut tells me that Yumi and the others went this way, and they might be in trouble. They could use our support, at least."

They all walked into the large chamber, where the portal to the Core stood.

Jesse looked at it, as the Spirits of Topaz Tiger and Sapphire Pegasus appeared next to him.

"What do you guys think?" he asked.

"There's no welcome mat in front of that door," replied Pegasus.

"There's evil in the air," added Tiger.

Then everyone was startled, as two glowing eyes surrounded by an aura of darkness appeared in front of them.

"I'm so sorry, everyone," said Dark Necrofear's sinister voice, "but I'm afraid this path leads to a dead end…"

The six of them stepped back in shock as the Fiend came fully into view.

"Is that…" gasped Aster.

"Oh, yeah…" said Zane.

"I'm afraid I can't let any of you go any further," said Dark Necrofear. "But I can't let you leave either… I suggest you simply surrender. I'll be merciful and quick."

"Like I'm going to believe that," replied Sheena.

"She can't beat all of us!" shouted Aster.

His Disk activated.

Dark Necrofear laughed a wicked laugh. She gestured, and the mannequin in her arms vanished.

"You want to duel me, fools?" she asked. "You think you can defeat me? You think I can be defeated?"

"Who says you can't?" asked Zane.

"Says one of the greatest prophets in the Abyss, that's who," replied Dark Necrofear.

She paused. She turned her back to them.

"My birth, so long ago," she started, "was a horrific event, even by demon standards. My father was a general of the Blood War, my mother one of his many concubines.

"When born, I tore myself free from my mother's womb, killing her, and then inflicting a grievous womb upon the midwife who conducted my delivery. My father was shocked by this creature he had sired, but took it as a divine sign. Certainly, the powers of Chaos had blessed him to provide him with a daughter with such power.

"His hunch was all but proven true, when only hours after my birth, a call was delivered from the watery domain ruled by great Dagon, the Sage of the Abyss. The ancient demon demanded that I be brought before him, and my father didn't dare disobey.

"When I faced the great Sage, the words he spoke to me were burned into my mind, and remain there to this day:

"'Child of Chaos, great is your power, greater is your potential. Wherever you choose to go in this world and beyond, Good will crumble, Order will erode. Destruction and death will follow where you walk. Whole kingdoms will shudder at the mention of your name, and when new kingdoms are built over the ashes of the ones you have destroyed, they will dread it for generations to come.

"'But walk with caution, Child of Chaos, for you are not invincible. One day, you will be challenged not by a legendary knight or a hero of renown power, but by an honest commoner, who was given the blessing of the celestial hosts. That day, Child of Chaos, is the day where you will finally be met with defeat.'"

Dark Necrofear chuckled as she turned back to face them.

"It's been a long road since then," she said, lifting her arms. "The blood of each fool who has challenged me has been sweeter than the last. No 'honest commoner' has ever attempted to raise a hand against me… In every city that I have destroyed, commoners flee for their lives!

"And only the ones who can run fast manage to live…"

"You monster…" growled Zane.

Dark Necrofear gestured, and a Duel Disk made from black iron appeared on her left arm.

"I've been called far worse things in the past, Truesdale," she said. "The choice is yours… Either surrender, or humiliate yourself by challenging me to a battle that you cannot win."

"I accept your challenge," replied Sheena.

Her five companions gasped as Sheena boldly stepped forward, a decidedly pissed look on her face.

"Prophesy, huh?" she asked. "Big deal… You know what I've come to know about prophesies? They're usually wrong. On my world, some people think that Nostradamus was a great prophet. The thing is, almost every event that he is believed to have correctly predicted was interpreted by modern researchers through hindsight. Likely, each time he was supposedly right, it was just a misinterpretation of his works."

"You dare compare the abilities of the Great Sage of the Abyss to those of some mortal soothsayer?" asked Dark Necrofear, with a hint of anger in her voice. "Dagon has never been wrong."

"First time for everything," said Sheena. "I accept your challenge."

"You are either very brave or very foolish, Ms. Arachne," replied the demon. "Or maybe a little of both. Either way, who am I to stop you? I'll duel you… And once I have crushed you… _I will eat your soul!_"

That last comment made Sheena flinch a little, but she quickly regained her composure.

"Uh, Sheena?" said Mako. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Never been surer," replied Sheena. "You folks might want to find a big, solid object and hide behind it. I have a feeling this duel is going to be a little intense…"

**(Sheena: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Dark Necrofear: 8,000)**

"I always give my victims the honor of the first move," said Dark Necrofear. "At least they can have that…"

Sheena made her first draw.

_All right!_ she thought. _I have Sakuretsu Armor and Shrink in my opening hand! I'm off to a great start…_

"I set two cards," she said, "and then summon my Insect Knight!"

Two reversed cards appeared, and then the tall mantis Warrior appeared, brandishing his sword. (1,900/1,500)

"And I end my turn…"

Sheena watched as her opponent drew a card.

_Go ahead…_ she thought. _Attack… Attack, I dare you._

Sheena watched as Dark Necrofear placed a card on her Disk, and a Monster appeared in Defense Mode.

"I end _my_ turn," she said.

"Huh?" said Jesse. "All of her threats and evil taunting, and she's _defending_?"

"Don't count her out yet," replied Zane. "Every duelist knows that several Monsters are dangerous in Defense Mode."

Sheena drew a card.

_That's true,_ she thought. _She's probably using Fiends. So it might be Night Assailant… Or Newdoria… Or Grave Squirmer…_

_If that's the case, and I have two Monsters on the field, she'll likely use its effect to destroy the one that didn't attack, so she won't be attacked directly… So, I have to attack it with my stronger Monster…_

"I summon Neo Bug!" she shouted.

In a burst of energy, the large, green, pincered Insect appeared. (1,800/1,700)

"Insect Knight, attack her Monster!"

Insect Knight flew at the facedown card…

To Sheena's surprise, the Monster that appeared on the card was not Night Assailant, Newdoria, OR Grave Squirmer… What it appeared to be was a large fruit with eyes and a fanged mouth. Insect Knight brought his sword down on it, causing it to burst into pulp and juice.

"HUH?" shouted Atticus. "That… That was no Fiend… It… It looked like a Plant…"

"That it was," replied Dark Necrofear. "A form of plant life grown in the soil of the Abyss called a Cursed Fig. And now that you have planted its seed in my Graveyard, it takes root, and its curse is unleashed!"

Sheena gasped, as a series of vines shot out of the ground. Then, they all looped around her two facedown cards, trying them to the ground.

"What happened?" she shouted.

Dark Necrofear laughed.

"By destroying my Cursed Fig," she replied, "it renders those two facedown cards worthless, until you manage to remove the Cursed Fig from my Graveyard. I may have given up my attack for last turn, but I've taken out two potential threats by not doing so."

"Oh, really?" asked Sheena. "Well, I'm not done with you! Neo Bug… Attack her directly!"

Neo Bug scurried up to Dark Necrofear and chomped on the demon's abdomen with its mandibles. Dark Necrofear hardly seemed to care. She simply pushed Neo Bug away with the palm of her hand.

**(S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 6,200)**

"It… doesn't hurt?" asked Aster.

"Of course it hurts, Phoenix," replied Dark Necrofear. "Can't you tell by my clothing that I welcome pain? This outfit was something my father forced his female slaves to wear, but I donned it willingly. Pain only invigorates me…"

"Guys… She's nuts!" gasped Jesse.

"I end my turn…" said Sheena, nervously.

Dark Necrofear drew a new card.

"I set a new Monster, and then a facedown card," she said.

Another concealed card appeared, and then a reversed card.

"That will be all."

_Still no attack,_ thought Sheena, drawing a card. _She's clearly up to something…_

"I'll set a Monster of my own," she said, as a facedown Monster appeared.

"Then, I'll attack with Insect Knight!"

Insect Knight lifted his sword.

"Not so fast!" exclaimed Dark Necrofear.

Her facedown card lifted.

"I activate Raigeki Break! This Trap Card lets me destroy any card on the field, so long as I discard one from my hand."

She quickly slipped a card into her discard slot, and lighting flashed. Insect Knight screamed, and was burned to ashes.

"Ooh, you're gonna pay for that," growled Sheena. "Neo Bug, attack her Monster!"

Neo Bug scurried towards the card. The creature that appeared kneeling on it was a slim, graceful, female figure, apparently clad in leaves. Then it became apparent that her body was actually _made_ of leaves, with a crown of pink petals around her head, and a pitcher plant-like growth hanging down the back of her head like a ponytail.

Neo Bug grabbed her, and she shattered.

"You just destroyed Botanical Girl," said Dark Necrofear, with a chuckle. "And when she goes from the field to my Graveyard, I get to take a Plant from my deck, so long as its Defense Score is 1,000 or less."

A card slipped out of her deck, and she took it.

"I'm kind of confused here," said Zane. "Why all the Plants? When did the ultimate evil in Duel Monsters get such a green thumb?"

"Since Shogarr the Dread Emperor put me in charge of the growth and distribution of Devil's Fruit!" laughed Dark Necrofear. "Even demons have hobbies, Truesdale… Over many millennia, I learned several things about the Abyss, and demonic horticulture was a hobby I picked up. When Shogarr learned that a demon of my power could make plants grow as well as I could, he couldn't enlist my services for that purpose quickly enough.

"I've worked with Devil's Fruit so long, raising it, experimenting with it and developing hybrids… Transplanting cuttings on other dimensions and the mortal world so that it could take root and grow, and fools could find it and try to benefit from its power. Oh, I just love working with it… So making a deck full of Plants just came second nature."

"It takes a lot to make something as beautiful and as natural as a flower evil," growled Sheena. "Insects eat plants, in case you didn't know…

"It's your turn, by the way…"

Dark Necrofear drew a card.

"I play Monster Reborn," she said. "I'll summon from my Graveyard the Monster I tossed with Raigeki Break's effect. Lonefire Blossom in Defense Mode."

The glowing ankh appeared, and a large flower appeared in front of her. Its stem was made of thick, twisting vines, it had leaves that looked like bronze ivy leaves, and its blossom looked like a spherical pod. (500/1,400)

"Next," she said. "I'll summon Gigantic Cephalotus."

She played the card, and a new Plant Monster appeared. "Gigantic" was a good description, as it was about seven feet tall, and five feet wide, and its body was almost entirely taken up by a toothy mouth with a long tongue, standing on two legs. (1,850/700)

"A big, man-eating plant?" asked Atticus. "Isn't that kind of a cliché?"

"I'm not done," replied Dark Necrofear. "I play the Spell Card, Seed of Deception."

The Spell Card appeared, a card showing the image of a Dark Plant, a very out-of-date Monster.

"This Spell lets me Special Summon a Plant from my hand, so long as it's Level Two or less. So, I Special Summon my Night Twist."

A new Plant Monster appeared. This one looked like a small, dead tree with a fiendish face carved into its trunk. It let out a sad moan. (800/900)

"Now," she continued. "I activate Lonefire Blossom's effect. By sacrificing a Plant on the field, I get to Special Summon any Plant I want from my deck…"

The Night Twist vanished.

"ANY Plant at all?" asked Mako.

"Well…" muttered Aster. "What's the worst she could summon? I mean, there aren't all that many strong Plants..."

"But the strong Plants that do exist can be _incredibly_ strong," replied Dark Necrofear. "And by the way, each time a Plant goes from the field to the Graveyard, my Cephalotus gains 200 Attack Points. Also, when Night Twist is sent to my Graveyard, I gain 1,000 Attack Points."

Gigantic Cephalotus grew to an Attack Score of 2,050.

Dark Necrofear's eyes glowed with evil light.

"Now…" she said. "Ms. Arachne… Meet a Monster much stronger than any Insect you're likely to summon… Her royal highness… _Tytannial, Princess of Camellias_!"

The Monster that appeared seemed to fit the description of a "Princess of Camellias" very well. It was a tall, very beautiful woman, clothed in an elaborate dress than seemed to be made of flowers and leaves. The upper part of the dress was all leaves, ivy, and pink roses, while the lower part seemed to be one huge, red rose. She wore a crown made from a smaller, but still large rose, set with a green gem in front. Aside from her dress, she seemed to be human, except for her hair, which appeared to be made of ivy leaves. (2,800/2,600)

"2,800 Attack Points?" shouted Mako. "She's just as strong as my Coelacanth!"

"Is THAT strong enough for you, Aster?" asked Zane.

"She not only has a very impressive Attack Score," replied Dark Necrofear, "but a powerful effect. If you activate a Spell, Trap, or Monster effect that targets another card, she can negate it if I sacrifice a Plant Monster.

"So, I'd like to proceed… Cephalotus, destroy her facedown Monster."

Gigantic Cephalotus roared, and charged at the facedown card. Skelengel appeared on it. Cephalotus snapped up the cherub and swallowed it whole.

"Eww…" muttered Sheena. "I get to draw one card…"

She made a draw.

"Tytannial… Attack with Petal Storm!" ordered Dark Necrofear.

Tytannial's eyes glowed, and she thrust her arms forward. A storm of razor-sharp rose petals shot at Neo Bug, and it was knocked over before it was blasted to pieces. Sheena shielded herself.

**(S: 7,000) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 7,200)**

As Sheena put her arm down, she noticed that it wasn't all there. Part of her arm, the part from her wrist to her elbow, was gone. Exactly what was holding her hand up, she didn't know.

"What happened to my arm?" she gasped. "What are you doing to me?"

"Remember what I said, Ms. Arachne?" asked Dark Necrofear. "As you lose Life Points, I'll consume your life force gradually…

"I've found that a delicacy like the human soul is similar to fine wine… It's best to savor it… Rather than take it all at once…"

"This…" stammered Sheena. "This is some sort of Shadow Game, isn't it?"

Dark Necrofear chuckled.

"I'm a demon from the Abyss, Ms. Arachne," she said. "Did you really expect otherwise?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Master plan?" asked Yumi.

"Why, yes," replied Llymic. "Although, it's changed a lot over the last few months.

"At first, we were going to pull you into Xanadu by sabotaging Ms. Arachne's silly online video game. But with Joan's rebellion and her dictum, which would have prevented us from making a quick capture, we decided to change tactics.

"We came up with the idea to use you to get the Key. Although, Joan was obviously too clever, and apparently hid it somewhere else. But that hardly matters now. Joan can no longer protect herself with her own dictum, and our plan to capture you has all but succeeded."

"Another plan by Shogarr to get rid of me," growled Yumi. "So his precious Grand Rebirth could go off without a hitch."

"Yes," said Llymic, "but now we came up with a way you can help us with that as well.

"You see, I discovered a way to increase the output of power from the Core of Xanadu… The epicenter of might that we're standing on…"

He pointed to the archway behind him.

"You weren't entirely right when you said there were no other exits from this place. That is the portal to the Abyss itself! I can make Xanadu's Core feed off the Chaos energies and generate great power…

"The way I would do this is by creating special Soulgems. They would act as generators, using the prisoners inside them as batteries. However, these special Soulgems could only hold Duel Spirits."

Everyone gasped.

"That's why you tricked us into…" stammered Sam.

"Doing THIS to ourselves!" screamed Chelsea.

Llymic nodded.

"Kill two birds with one stone, that was the reason," he said. "That was Daala's idea, actually. You'd not only be our prisoners and be out of Shogarr's way, you'd be giving us the energy we needed for our true goal – a mass invasion of Earth. Our first one was compromised, but with my plan, we'll have more than enough power to make more attempts… Far more powerful ones!"

"WHY?" shouted Yumi. "Why do you want to invade Earth?"

"To lure Jaden Yuki back to defend it!" replied Llymic. "Once he and his friends learn that their home planet is under siege by Duel Spirits, they'll come, which is just what we want…"

Yumi and the others gave him a strange look.

"What does Jaden have that you want?" asked Yumi.

"The very things that Shogarr needs to enact the Grand Rebirth," replied Llymic. "I'll explain…

"In his final duel with Yubel, Yubel sought to merge the Twelve Dimensions together, in a mad ritual which likely would have destroyed them, all to win back Jaden so she could rule with him at her side.

"So, she used the Super Polymerization card in an attempt to do this, attempting to fuse together twelve Monsters, of Levels One through Twelve, which would have, in turn, fused the Twelve Dimensions together.

"She almost succeeded. However, Jaden countered her Chain Material Trap Card with a Trap of his own called Spiritual Fusion, which let him choose what was fused with the Super Polymerization. Of course, if he had Neos Wiseman at the time, he could have fused Yubel's avatar with Neos and used it to win the duel. But apparently, he either didn't have it at the time or didn't choose to. What he chose to fuse was his soul with Yubel's. Thus, the universe was saved, and Jaden matured in the process, gaining a strong spirit guide.

"To perform the Grand Rebirth, we intend to conduct a similar ritual…"

Yumi gasped.

"Those eleven Monsters in that shrine!" she shouted.

Llymic nodded again.

"All we need," he said, "is a Level Twelve Monster, and a Super Polymerization card.

"Sadly, Level Twelve Monsters are hard to come by. Almost all of them are Fusion Monsters. We thought of using Daala's F.G.D., but as you know, we're going to have to use eleven slots in the deck already for the other Monsters. If we use more of them for Dragons and Dragon's Mirror cards, we can't count on the ritual being successful. With the Grand Rebirth, time is of the essence. It must be finished quickly, because no matter how secretive we are, the Wind Dukes and every other planar race that opposes it are certain to discover what is happening, and send legions of troops to try to stop it.

"Super Polymerization is even harder. We tried to get that information from Brron, but his Wicked Cannon Spell Card simply cannot be recreated. It seems that only Yubel herself has the knowledge to craft that card.

"But… Jaden has the two cards we need. He has Super Polymerization, and he has the card that represents Yubel's true form, Yubel – Das Extremer Traurig Drachen, a Level Twelve Monster that isn't a Fusion.

"We simply need to lure him to Earth, take him and his allies by surprise, overwhelm them, and take those two cards. Then, by combining the power of the duel with the power of the Great Helm, the ritual can be done, and Shogarr's ultimate plan can reach a glorious crescendo!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sheena was sweating hard. She looked at the four cards in her hand.

_I gotta think of something fast…_ she thought. _Man, to think of all the times I told Diane that veggies were good for her…_

She drew a card.

"I play Pot of Greed!" she shouted.

The wicked jar appeared with a laugh, and she made two draws.

"Perfect!" she said. "Time to toss this salad. I play Burden of the Mighty!"

She quickly threw the card into her Disk, and it appeared on her side of the field.

"Guess what?" she said. "Burden of the Mighty isn't a targeting effect! And that's bad luck for your three Monsters…"

Gigantic Cephalotus fell to an Attack Score of 1,650, Lonefire Blossom fell to 200, and Tytannial was hit the hardest, falling to 2,000.

"Then, I summon my Chainsaw Insect!"

With a blast of buzzing sound, the huge beetle with chainsaws for mandibles appeared. (2,400/0)

"I'll just keep on going," she said, "and play my own Monster Reborn!"

She played the card, and the ankh appeared on her own side of the field. Insect Knight appeared again. (1,900/1,500)

"Now, I'll, uh…"

She paused.

"Yes, Ms. Arachne?" asked Dark Necrofear.

"One second…" replied Sheena.

_Can't make a mistake here…_ thought Sheena. _I can only destroy two of her Monsters this round… Which one not to attack?_

_I have to destroy Lonefire Blossom, definitely. I can't risk her summoning a second copy of Tytannial with it… So should I attack Tytannial, or Cephalotus?_

_Wait… Cephalotus will gain 200 Attack Points each time a Plant goes to the Graveyard. If I leave it alone this round, it will go up to 2,050 Attack Points again. I could handle it next round…_

_Unless… Unless she destroys Burden of the Mighty, in which case it would go up to 2,450, and have the potential to become even stronger!_

_Better destroy it now…_

"Chainsaw Insect," she shouted, "destroy Gigantic Cephalotus!"

Chainsaw Insect's blades roared, and it scurried forward, slicing the Cephalotus in half like a ripe eggplant. The remains shattered.

"I get to draw one card due to that bug's effect," said Dark Necrofear with a chuckle.

She drew a card.

"And it seems you made a big mistake… One that will cost you dearly…"

"We'll see," said Sheena. "Insect Knight, destroy Lonefire Blossom with mandiblade!"

Insect Knight flew at the large flower, and loped off its large bulb with his sword. The rest of it was blown to pixels.

**(S: 7,000) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 6,450)**

"I end my turn," said Sheena. "And who says I made a mistake? I'll get her next turn."

"No you won't," replied Dark Necrofear.

She drew a card.

She turned the card on her Disk, and Tytannial knelt and shielded herself in Defense Mode.

"Oh no…" said Mako. "Sheena DID make a mistake. Tytannial's Defense Score is only 200 points lower than her Attack Score! Chainsaw Insect can't beat that!"

"Don't feel too bad," said Dark Necrofear. "You aren't the first of my opponents to make stupid mistakes. Of course the stupidest mistake you made was even making this challenge.

"I summon Mystic Tomato."

She played the card, and the large tomato with a silly face on it appeared. (1,400/1,100)

"Next, I play the Spell Card, Fragrance Storm."

She played the card, and the air around them became full of sweet-smelling potpourri.

"When I play this card, I have to destroy one Plant on the field."

Mystic Tomato shattered into pixels.

"Then I get to draw one card. And if that card is a Plant Monster…"

She made a draw.

"…and it is…"

She held the card forward. It was Botanical Lion.

"…I get to make an additional draw."

She drew a second time.

"I think I'll end my turn there."

Sheena sighed, and then drew a card.

She turned a card on her own Disk, and Insect Knight crouched in Defense Mode.

"Guess that's all I can do…" she muttered.

"Feeling despair?" asked Dark Necrofear. "Feeling hopeless?"

She drew.

"Good… When mortals give up the last traces of hope, they are at the peak of their flavor!

"I play the Spell Card, Tornado!"

The Spell Card appeared on her side of the field, and true to its name, a huge, glowing tornado started to form.

"You have three cards in your Spell Zone, which is exactly the amount I need to use this card and destroy one of them."

The windstorm crashed into Burden of the Mighty, blowing it to bits. Tytannial rose back to an Attack Score of 2,800.

Then she stood back up into Attack Mode.

"Now, appear before me, Botanical Lion."

A new plant sprouted, and formed into the shape of a lion – sort of. Its body seemed to be made completely out of wood, and it had a large rose for a mane. (1,600/2,000)

"And it gains 300 more Attack Points for each Plant I have on the field."

(2,200/2,000)

"Tytannial, wipe out her Chainsaw Insect! Petal Storm!"

Tytannial's eyes glowed again, and the storm of rose petals started again. Chainsaw Insect staggered against it, and then exploded.

Dark Necrofear drew another card.

Then Botanical Lion roared, and pounced, leaping on Insect Knight and crushing him flat.

**(S: 6,600) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 6,450)**

Sheena was shocked to see more of her arm slowly fade away.

"Ready to give up?" asked Dark Necrofear. "Or do you want more pain?"

"I'm not gonna give up, Dark Necrofear!" screamed Sheena. "I'll keep fighting until I can no longer stand!

"Draw!"

She drew a card.

_Hmm… I think I can use this…_ she thought.

"I play Giant Trunade!" she shouted.

She played the card, and a fierce wind ripped over the field. Her two facedown cards strained against the vines holding them down, until finally, the vines snapped. The Shrink and Sakuretsu Armor cards reappeared in Sheena's hand.

_Okay, let's see,_ she thought. _If I set them again, her Cursed Fig will have no further effect on them…_

_However, both of them are targeting effects, meaning Tytannial can negate them if Necrofear sacrifices a Plant Monster._

_So…_

She took a Spell Card from her hand.

"I play Magical Mallet!" she said. "I'll reshuffle two of the cards in my hand back to my deck, to draw two new ones."

She placed Shrink and Sakuretsu Armor back in her deck, then reshuffled. Then she made two draws.

_Now that's more like it!_ she thought.

She placed a card in her Disk.

"I play… Nightmare's Steelcage!"

The ground erupted in fire around Dark Necrofear and her two Monsters, and a solid steel domed cage formed around them. Dark Necrofear's eyes narrowed.

"All right!" shouted Jesse. "Now Sheena is safe from attacks for two turns."

"A mere annoyance," replied Dark Necrofear.

"I'll set this Monster," said Sheena, as a Defensive Monster appeared, "and that will be all."

Dark Necrofear drew a card.

She smirked a little. She placed it in her Disk.

"I activate a powerful Continuous Spell," she said. "Behold, the grand majesty of… _The World Tree_!"

As she played the card, the whole chamber seemed to break apart, and the largest, most majestic, most beautiful tree any of them had ever seen rose behind Dark Necrofear. It was an enormous, titanic plant the size of a skyscraper, with emerald leaves, a stout trunk, and ripe, sumptuous-looking fruit hanging from its branches. Birds sang in its thousand branches, and squirrels scurried up and down the great trunk.

"Behold, Ms. Arachne," said Dark Necrofear, "the glory of the mighty Yggdrasill, the fabled World Tree whose branches spanned the universe. Its upper boughs reached Heaven, its roots reached into Hell, and it cradled the world of mortals in its center. This great plant held power beyond imagining, that even the gods could not comprehend."

"Very dramatic," said Sheena. "What does your Spell Card do?"

"You'll see…" said Dark Necrofear. "Soon enough… I end my turn…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"So, my young friends," said Llymic, "now that you know the whole story, do you comprehend the great potential we are poised to unleash?"

"Uh, yeah…" said Erik, nervously. "So… When do the guys in the white coats come to take you to the happy hotel?"

"Who thought up this plan?" shouted Chelsea. "Lunatics Unlimited?!"

"This is Chaos at work," said Yumi. "It's _supposed_ to sound insane.

"What about you, Daala? What do you stand to gain in all of this?"

"I'll get what I always wanted once it's complete," replied Daala. "The world of mortals will become an empire where Duel Spirits and humans live as one society, with me as Shogarr's governor."

"A twisted version of Phyllis Ting's original dream," replied Vita.

"Be that as it may," said Llymic, "here is what I'm willing to offer, Yumi. If you are willing to duel both Daala and myself, you may make one final wager… If you win, you and your friends are free to go home, and Xanadu will never trouble the human world again.

"But if we win, you, your four companions, and those two…"

He pointed to Joan and Vita.

"…must surrender, unconditionally!"

There was dead silence for a few seconds.

"Two against one?" asked Yumi. "That's hardly fair…"

"Oh, you can have a partner," sighed Daala. "Choose anyone here you want. We don't care…"

Yumi paused again. She looked at her hands for a minute.

"Well?" asked Llymic.

"Give me a minute…" replied Yumi. "That's a pretty heavy wager, and I want to be sure I'm making the right decision when I answer…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sheena drew a card. She looked at it.

"All right, demon," she said. "I'm setting these…"

A reversed card, and a second defensive Monster appeared.

"And I end my turn."

"Very well," said Dark Necrofear, drawing a card.

She looked at the card, and then added it to her hand.

"I'll simply pass for this turn, and let your cage expire."

The metal bars started to smoke and rot, and the Steelcage dissolved into mist.

Sheena nervously made a draw.

_Okay, let's hope this works out,_ she thought, looking at it.

"I play… Graceful Charity!" she shouted playing it.

In a flourish of light, the lovely angel appeared once again. Her feathers fell on Sheena's deck, and she made three draws.

_Perfect!_ thought Sheena.

She quickly discarded her Insect Princess and Skull-Marked Ladybug.

"Next," she said, "I flip both my Monsters into Attack Mode. First, Pinch Hopper."

One of her facedown Monsters flipped up, and the large grasshopper appeared. (1,000/1,200)

"Next, my 4-Starred Ladybug of Doom!"

Her second Monster flipped face-up, revealing a large ladybug with four stars on its back. (800/1,200)

"Due to its effect, all your Level Four Monsters are destroyed!"

Botanical Lion roared, as glowing stars covered its woody hide. It burst into pixels.

Then, a large flower sprouted on the boughs of The World Tree.

_Okay…_ thought Sheena. _Don't… like that…_

She took another card from her hand. She opened her Field slot and placed it.

"I play Insect Garden!" she shouted.

A forest of giant grass and huge flowers started to sprout around them, still dwarfed the enormous World Tree, but only accenting the odd nature of the battle.

"By playing this card, all Insects on my side of the field that are Level Four or lower move to your side of the field. So go ahead, guys."

Pinch Hopper and 4-Starred Ladybug of Doom scurried across the field, positioning themselves on Dark Necrofear's side of the field.

"What's the point?" asked the demon.

"I'll show you," replied Sheena. "I activate Call of the Haunted!"

Her facedown card flipped up.

"I'll summon a princess of my own… Insect Princess!"

In a burst of energy, the royal Insect appeared; the delicate, four-armed, humanoid, female insect with antennae and butterfly wings. (1,900/1,200)

"Next, an Equip Spell," she said. "The Insect Pheromone!"

She played the card, and Insect Princess's wings started to glow with colored lights.

"Of course, you're free to use Tytannial's effect to stop me… But you'd have to sacrifice Tytannial herself…"

"I'm not afraid of your Equip Spell!" shouted Dark Necrofear.

"We'll see about that," said Sheena. "Insect Princess, attack 4-Starred Ladybug of Doom! Katydid kick!"

Insect Princess flew over the field, and then flew down, bringing her foot down on the Ladybug and squashing it. Dark Necrofear winced a little.

"Insect Princess gains 500 Attack Points for each Insect she stomps," continued Sheena, as Insect Princess rose to an Attack Score of 2,400. "What's more, due to her Insect Pheromone, whenever she does so, she can compel another Insect to attack her."

Insect Princess flapped her wings, and a cloud of dust covered the field. Pinch Hopper scurried towards her, and the Princess complied by smashing it flat. Dark Necrofear cringed, and Insect Princess rose to an Attack Score of 2,900.

"Insect Princess is stronger than Tytannial now!" shouted Atticus. "Sheena may have a chance!"

"You got that right," said Sheena, taking the last card in her hand. "I'll set this Monster, and end my turn."

Another defensive Monster appeared.

**(S: 6,600) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 3,950)**

Dark Necrofear made a draw.

"I set one card facedown, and move Tytannial to Defense Mode," she said.

A facedown card appeared, and Tytannial knelt and crossed her arms.

"That's my turn."

Sheena drew a card.

_Hmm, this might be useful,_ she thought.

She set it in her Disk, and it appeared facedown.

"Insect Princess, attack the Princess of Camellias!"

Insect Princess aimed a violent kick at the flower fairy, and everyone cheered as she burst into an explosion of rose petals.

Then, a second huge flower sprouted on The World Tree.

"Uh… What exactly do those do?" asked Sheena.

"I'll show you in a minute," said Dark Necrofear. "Is that your turn?"

Sheena nodded. Dark Necrofear drew a card.

"Each time a Plant Monster is destroyed," continued Dark Necrofear, "The World Tree gains a Flower. The World Tree has three different effects. Which one I use depends on whether I remove one, two, or three of them.

"By removing two of them, I can destroy any card on the field."

The two Flowers vanished, and The World Tree glowed with eldritch energy. Insect Princess screamed, and then shattered into shards.

"No…" gasped Sheena.

"Next," continued Dark Necrofear, "I summon the Tuner Monster, Night-Rose Knight!"

"Tuner Monster?!" shouted Sheena.

In a burst of energy, a new Monster leapt onto the field. This was not a Plant – he was clearly a Warrior. He looked like a young boy, only wearing dark knight armor and a cape, holding a sword. (1,000/1,000)

"A Tuner Monster…" gasped Zane. "That means a Synchro Monster isn't far behind…"

"Night-Rose Knight also has a powerful effect of his own," continued Dark Necrofear. "By summoning him, I get to Special Summon a Plant Monster from my hand, so long as it's Level Four or less… So I summon Rigorous Reaver."

Another Monster appeared on the field. It was a blocky construct made completely out of wood, with an ovoid head that seemed to be taken up completely by a toothy, vertical mouth. It carried a sharp scythe. (1,600/100)

"Reaver… Attack her Monster."

"Huh?" said Sheena.

Rigorous Reaver slashed with its scythe. A Morphing Jar appeared on the card, and was sliced into dark particles.

Sheena quickly made five draws. Dark Necrofear discarded the three cards in her hand and made five draws.

"Night-Rose Knight, attack Ms. Arachne directly! Night slash!"

Sheena grunted as the Warrior's sword struck her. She took a step backwards.

"I'm not done with you," said Dark Necrofear.

Her facedown card lifted.

"You were expecting a Synchro Summon? I activate Urgent Tuning. This Trap Card lets me do it in the middle of my Battle Phase."

"You gotta be kidding…" said Sheena.

"I never kid," replied the demon.

Night-Rose Knight and Rigorous Reaver leapt into the air, and then dissolved into six glowing stars.

"Planted in cursed ground…" chanted Dark Necrofear, "roots feeding on tainted soil, a sinister bramble blooms in the wilds of the Underworld! I Tune Night-Rose Knight and Rigorous Reaver! Clustering stars call a new force… Synchro Summon… Queen of Thorns!"

The ground burst open, and thorny vines sprouted out of the ground. A feminine creature rose from the spot, one that looked like Tytannial's evil twin. Her leaves were russet and serrated, thorny vines covered her foliage, and instead of hands, she had wicked-looking claws that resembled the mouths of a flytrap. (2,200/1,800)

"Like I said," continued Dark Necrofear, "my Battle Phase hasn't ended, meaning my Queen can attack you directly…"

Queen of Thorns reached for Sheena.

"NO! Don't!" pleaded Sheena, starting to panic.

Then she screamed as the Monster grabbed her with a claw and started to squeeze. The Queen of Thorns grinned evilly as Sheena collapsed on the floor.

**(S: 3,400) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 3,950)**

Dark Necrofear placed a card in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"While you're picking yourself up," she said, "it's only fair to warn you about Queen of Thorns' powerful effect. Summoning a Monster from your hand that isn't a Plant costs 1,000 Life Points so long as she's on the field."

Sheena got up and looked at herself. Half of her lower torso had faded away.

"I end my turn," said Dark Necrofear. "I can make the pain stop, Ms. Arachne… Any time you're willing to surrender."

Sheena paused. She shivered for a minute.

_Okay, so I panicked,_ she thought. _I didn't expect a Synchro Monster… I can still do this… I just have to take a few deep breaths…_

She drew a card.

"I play Pot of Avarice!" she shouted.

She played the card, and took Insect Knight, Neo Bug, Skull-Mark Ladybug, 4-Starred Ladybug of Doom, and Pinch Hopper from her discard slot. She shuffled her deck, and made two draws.

"Next, I play Premature Burial," she said, playing a card. "I'll bring Insect Princess back from my Graveyard."

She glowed with an aura of red energy, as the royal Insect appeared once again. (1,900/1,200)

"Next, my facedown card," she said, as her reversed card lifted. "Emergency Provisions. I'll send Premature Burial and my Field Spell to the Graveyard, to gain 2,000 Life Points."

The Insect Garden and the Equip Spell faded away, and she glowed with golden energy.

"Now, I play the Ritual Spell, Wrath of the Spider Queen!"

Lightning flashed, and the sinister spider altar appeared behind her.

"I'll sacrifice Insect Princess and Aztekipede the Worm Warrior," she said, "to summon The Spider Queen!"

Aztekipede appeared next to Insect Princess, and both Monsters vanished into bursts of violet flame. The altar burst, and the spider goddess with Sheena's face appeared, and glared at Dark Necrofear. (2,600/2,800)

"Don't forget," added Dark Necrofear, "it costs you 1,000 Life Points."

"I didn't forget," replied Sheena, as she glowed with the red aura again. "Now I'll…"

She paused.

_Aw, nuts…_ she thought. _I have to sacrifice a Monster to attack with her…_

She looked at her hand.

_And the only one I have left is Doom Dozer… I could summon it, but I don't like that facedown card she has… I'd better wait for now…_

"I… end my turn…" she said.

**(S: 3,600) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 3,950)**

"So," said Dark Necrofear, "my Queen of Thorns against your Spider Queen. We'll soon see who the better monarch is…"

She made a draw. She added it to her hand, and then gestured.

"I activate the Trap Card, Plant Food Chain," she said.

Her Trap Card lifted, showing a rather frightening image. It was a picture of Botanical Girl being devoured by Gigantic Cephalotus.

"I seem to remember you saying," said Necrofear, "that insects eat plants. On mortal worlds, that is indeed the case. Plants lie at the bottom of most food chains there. That isn't always the case in the Abyss, and this Trap Card helps bring them a few notches up the ladder. By activating it, I can Equip it to a Plant Monster like an Equip Spell, and increase that Monster's Attack Score by 500 points."

Queen of Thorns glowed with a sickly green aura, and rose to 2,700 Attack Points.

"Destroy her Spider Queen!" she shouted.

Queen of Thorns reached for The Spider Queen with her claw…

"Not so fast!" replied Sheena.

She quickly discarded her Insect Imitation.

"If I toss a card, The Spider Queen _can't_ be destroyed!"

The Spider Queen grunted as the claw slashed at her, but she remained standing.

Dark Necrofear took a card from her hand, and placed it in her Disk. Another facedown card appeared. She glared at Sheena.

"Uhm, I take it that means it's my turn…" muttered Sheena.

**(S: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 3,950)**

She drew a card.

_Huh?_ she thought, when she saw the card. _How did…_

Then she suddenly remembered. She had discovered this Trap Card just last week. It didn't truly require Insects to use, but it fit her theme, so she put it in her deck.

The problem was, she had never used it before.

_Oh, a Shadow Game where my life and soul depends on the outcome isn't exactly the best time for a test run!_ she thought.

She added it to her hand. Then she quickly took Chainsaw Insect and Aztekipede from her Graveyard, and pocketed them.

"I Special Summon Doom Dozer!" she shouted.

In an explosion of energy, the giant, demonic millipede appeared with a roar. Sheena groaned a little as Queen of Thorns glowed again, and her Life Points were sapped. (2,800/2,600)

"All right!" shouted Jesse. "Mulch that weed!"

"You heard him!" shouted Sheena. "Attack the Queen of Thorns!"

Queen of Thorns glared at Doom Dozer defiantly as it loomed over her…

"I activate… Mystical Space Typhoon," said Dark Necrofear, as her facedown card lifted.

"WHAT?" gasped Zane. "But… The only card you can destroy is your own Plant Food Chain!"

"That's the idea," replied Dark Necrofear.

The cyclone blasted across the field, and the Trap Card shattered. Queen of Thorns fell to 2,200 Attack Points again.

"Plant Food Chain has another effect," continued Dark Necrofear. "When it's destroyed by a card effect, even my own, I get to Special Summon a Plant from my Graveyard.

"Guess who it is…"

In an aura of energy, Tytannial appeared next to Queen of Thorns. (2,800/2,600) Doom Dozer paused.

"Keep going!" ordered Sheena.

Doom Dozer lunged, and swallowed Queen of Thorns in one gulp.

Another flower sprouted on The World Tree.

"And you lose the top card from your deck now," growled Sheena.

Dark Necrofear shrugged, and discarded a card.

**(S: 2,500) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 3,350)**

Sheena looked at the Trap Card she had drawn again.

_It's now or never…_ she thought.

She placed it in her Disk, and it appeared facedown.

"I end my turn…" she muttered.

Dark Necrofear grinned as she drew a card.

"I play the Spell Card, Trap Booster!" she exclaimed. "So, I toss one card…"

She discarded her Lord Poison.

"…and I get to activate a Trap Card directly from my hand. Like a second Plant Food Chain!"

She played the card, and Tytannial's Attack Score rose to 3,300.

Sheena grinned.

"That's just what I was hoping you'd do, Dark Necrofear," she said. "Now, I can activate THIS!"

Her own facedown card shot up.

"Spider Web Castle!"

In an instant, a dark shiro loomed behind Sheena, and then, her whole side of the field became shrouded in thick spider webs.

"What's going on?" shouted Dark Necrofear.

"Spider Web Castle is a Continuous Trap," replied Sheena, "that I can activate in response to you using a Trap Card. If your Princess attacks now, she'll get tangled in these webs, and her Attack Score will be cut in half."

Dark Necrofear's eyes narrowed in anger. She took a card from her hand.

"I play Premature Burial," she said, "to summon Lord Poison from my Graveyard."

She glowed with red energy, as the ugly creature made of algae appeared next to Tytannial. (1,500/1,000)

"Attack it if you think you have the strength," said Dark Necrofear. "I end my turn."

**(S: 2,500) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 2,550)**

"This is bad," said Jesse. "If she attacks Lord Poison, that tree will gain another Flower. Dark Necrofear will be able to tear down her Castle."

"And she'll be able to use Lord Poison's effect to bring Queen of Thorns back," said Atticus. "This is one big standoff."

"No it isn't," said Sheena, as she drew a card. "Watch and learn…"

She gestured, and the shiro and the mass of spider webs glowed with energy, and then faded away.

"What?" said Dark Necrofear. "You got rid of it? Why?"

"You'll see," said Sheena. "Now, I'll sacrifice Doom Dozer so that The Spider Queen can attack…"

The Spider Queen pointed her scepter at Doom Dozer, and drained its energy. Doom Dozer vanished, and the Queen glowed with eerie energy.

"First you get rid of your Castle, then your Doom Dozer?" asked Dark Necrofear. "Are you trying to lose on purpose?"

"Not quite," said Sheena. "I'm going to win.

"Your Monsters aren't what I'm aiming for. You see, Spider Web Castle has another effect. By sending it to the Graveyard, I get to attack directly with one of my own Monsters!"

Dark Necrofear's expression suddenly changed. A look was on the demon's face that they had not seen before – a clear expression of terror…

"Spider Queen…" ordered Sheena, "attack directly! Spider's Curse!"

The Spider Queen fired a blast of dark energy, and the demon screamed as she was hit by it. Dark Necrofear collapsed to her knees.

**(S: 2,500) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 0)**

The Monsters and The World Tree faded away. Sheena took some deep breaths. She felt herself, and her flesh had been restored.

She looked at Dark Necrofear, who was sprawled on the ground, with dark mist rising from her body.

"How?" she moaned. "The prophesy… How could Dagon have been wrong?"

"Actually, he wasn't," replied Sheena. "You see pal, before Siegfried found me, I was a poor orphan girl living in near poverty… But even then, one of the Archlords chose me to defend the Mandate of Heaven.

"So in a way, I was once a 'commoner who was given the blessing of the celestial hosts'. When you told us about that prophesy, I figured I might be the one who Dagon was talking about. A prophesy was stated, and it appears to have come to pass."

Dark Necrofear looked up at Sheena weakly. Smoke started to rise from her pores.

"The true thing about prophesies is," added Sheena, "you have to know how to interpret them right. Otherwise, you'll never know when they'll come calling."

Dark Necrofear let out an unholy scream. Then she collapsed, and melted into a pile of black, foul-smelling sludge.

"Whoa," said Mako.

"Whoa is right," said Zane.

They all looked at the portal.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Well?" asked Llymic.

"I guess I have no choice," replied Yumi.

She opened the pouch that contained her side deck, and slowly took a card out of it.

She looked at it. The card that Sheena had given her. The one that she said could defeat Daala for good.

_This had better do the job,_ she thought.

"Sam?" she said. "I'm gonna need your help again…"

"Not surprising," said Sam, with a smile. "You need my help with everything…"

Llymic gestured, and a dark aura surrounded him. He changed back into Chaos Sorcerer.

"So it will be two-on-two," he said. "One last time…"

"Why bother with the disguise?" asked Ren. "We know who you are now."

"I'm going to need this form in this duel," said Chaos Sorcerer. "It's my true form, after all…"

"And I think I'll keep this form too," replied Daala. "After all, now that the secret is out, I guess I'm going to have to learn to live with Dark Witch… Once I gain even greater power than I had before, my subjects will have no choice but to accept it…"

Then everyone heard shouting.

"What's going on?" shouted Eikou.

"You tell me," replied Fujita.

They watched as Sheena and her group rushed into the arena.

"Impossible!" shouted Daala. "Dark Necrofear…"

"Won't be joining us," said Zane.

He threw something into the middle of the arena. It was Dark Necrofear's mannequin.

"Who…" started Sam.

"Thank Sheena," said Jesse. "I never saw dueling like that."

"Mom?" asked Sam. "You beat Dark Necrofear?"

"Sam?" said Sheena, in shock. "Is that you?"

Sam realized that she was a Shadow Tamer, and her mother hadn't learned yet.

"Uh…" muttered Sam. "It's a _real_ long story, mom! But don't worry… I can still go to law school once this is over…"

"Enough!" shouted Llymic, in anger. "Seems we have a regular party here… Too bad I didn't have the sense to put out a shrimp platter…

"That's perfectly all right," said Eikou. "I have a terrible allergy to shellfish anyway…"

"QUIET!" shouted Llymic, raising his hand.

He chanted a quick incantation, and the doorway in became shrouded by a dark aura.

"Now, nobody comes in or out that way unless I allow it," he said. "This duel will commence without any more interruptions…"

_And when it does,_ he thought, _the final thing we need will be finished. I left out the fact the Great Helm still needs to be fully charged with the required energy before it can be used. And it will be given energy to spare… when the powers of the two Exemplars are finally unleashed!_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**NIGHT-ROSE KNIGHT (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Tuner/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 1,000  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description:** While this card is face-up on the field, your opponent cannot select a Plant-Type Monster as an attack target. When this card is Normal Summoned successfully, you may Special Summon one Level Four or lower Plant-Type Monster from your hand.

_Note: "Night-Rose Knight" will be released in the "Crimson Crisis" set, due out in Japan in mid-November (U.S. release date not yet known). It was used by Aki in an episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D"._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**NIGHT TWIST (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Plant/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 2  
**ATK:** 800  
**DEF:** 900

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Tributed for a Tribute Summon. When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, except when destroyed as a result of battle, its controller gains 1,000 Life Points.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**INSECT GARDEN (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image:** A garden of grass and flowers, as seen from the view of an insect.

**Card Description:** All Insect-Type Monsters on the side of the field of the controller of this card that are Level Four or less are transferred to the control of his/her opponent.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**INSECT PHEROMONE (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image:** Insect Princess's visage, with glowing wings.

**Card Description:** Equip only to "Insect Princess". When the Equipped Monster destroys an Insect-Type Monster as a result of battle, it may attack a second time in the same Battle Phase. The second attack must target a second Insect-Type Monster.

_Note: "Insect Garden" and "Insect Pheromone" were first used by Missy in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Sad But Truesdale". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SPIDER WEB CASTLE (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image:** A Japanese shiro covered with spider webs.

**Card Description:** Activate only when your opponent activates a Trap Card. When your opponent's Monster attacks, halve that Monster's ATK during damage calculation only. During your Main Phase 1, you may send this card to the Graveyard. If you do, one Monster you control can attack your opponent directly during the same turn's Battle Phase.

_Note: "Spider Web Castle" was first used by Bolt Tanner in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D" episode "The Facility (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lords of Chaos**

**Pale Night, The Mother of Demons**

What is the mystery behind the entity called Pale Night? Scholars in demonology have been trying to figure her out for centuries, but have come up with very little. Enigmatic and incredibly powerful, Pale Night may well be one whom demons can trace to their origins.

It is known that Pale Night is a member of the obyrith race; however, she was ancient even when her race was powerful and numerous. Regarded as a mother figure by many demons, several demon lords, including Graz'zt, Lupercio, and Vucarik of Chains claim to be her offspring. Unus the Undying claimed that Shogarr may have been the father of the modern demon race, and several sages claim that Pale Night is none other than the mother of the race, suggesting that the two may have once been lovers at one point. Pale Night rarely speaks, and does not confirm any rumor about herself.

It cannot be denied that Pale Night's power over Chaos is nearly unmatched. Those who view her see a soft, feminine form clad in a flowing white shroud. It is said, however, that like Shogarr, this is an illusion, and that Pale Night's true form is so hideous, reality refuses to accept it. It is believed that anyone who manages to see the Pale Night's true form – whether he attempts to do so, or if Pale Night willingly reveals herself – is struck dead by the overwhelming Chaos. If the spirits of these victims are later contacted using spiritual magic, they cannot remember what they saw. It defies description.

Pale Night doesn't seem to have many goals these days. She dwells in a grand palace on a plateau in the Endless Maze where Baphomet also makes his home, but she has dwelt there much longer than he has. Her palace, which she rarely leaves, resembles a large, grasping hand made of bones and guarded by bone constructs. Pale Night has little to do with the politics of the Abyss, and even less to do with the Blood War. Should anyone be bold enough to approach her castle, their fate usually depends on her whim. Some, she simply sends on their way. Others she adds to her collection of lost souls.

The Wind Dukes of Aaqa know that Pale Night may well be far too powerful to confront, but take comfort knowing that she seems to be "retired" as far as demon lords go. Now and then, they confront her rare cultists, mad groups who make attempts to spawn half-demons and other monsters in the mortal world. They research the Mother of Demons as much as they can, knowing that an obyrith with this much power would be a dire threat if she ever decided to come out of retirement.

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**It's a two-on-two extravaganza! The heirs of Yugi Mouto and Seto Kaiba take on both Daala and Llymic in a fight to the finish. But the job may be difficult, because the two villains have the two most powerful servants of Shogarr in their decks, two mighty titans who hold the power needed to provide the energy for the Great Helm! The war against Chaos has reached its most crucial point. "Rise of the Exemplars" is coming up next.**_


	67. Rise of the Exemplars

_**It seems I've come to the end of the road, and what I've found here isn't what I expected. **_

_**I expected one final showdown with Daala, her against me. But fate has proven a rascal. Her mentor, this follower of Shogarr who calls himself Llymic, has demanded a team duel, with him and Daala on one side, and Sam and myself on the other.**_

_**So far, I've defeated Daala once before, but only with help from Joan. Ren and Erik have defeated Llymic, but both times, he wasn't using his true deck. Daala is now using the deck which I assume she used to defeat Joan, while I assume Llymic is also using a far more powerful deck. And since Llymic was Daala's teacher, they likely know how to work together better than Sam and I can. I have no idea what's in either of their decks.**_

_**On the other hand, there's likely only one card in my deck that they don't know about. The card that Sheena gave me that hides a virus with the ability to delete Daala forever. This card once made a difference long ago, and I'm hoping it will now…**_

_**Can Sam and I pass the ultimate test and win this twisted video game? Or will it be Game Over for both of us?**_

_**Only time will tell…**_

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**CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX**

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**Rise of the Exemplars**

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Yumi and Sam faced Daala and Llymic, Dark Magician Girl and Shadow Tamer facing Dark Witch and Chaos Sorcerer, respectively.

Behind their two foes, the four members of Daala's inner circle stood, with Fujita still recording the action. Behind them were Yumi's three allies, along with Guardian Angel Joan, Vita, Sheena, and the five AI programs who were Joan's top generals. Yumi's forces may have had Daala's outnumbered in terms of actual numbers, but she knew that the portal to the Abyss behind her two foes, along with the giant, unholy relic hanging above called the Great Helm, made this arena a den of Evil, where Llymic's powers were likely amplified enormously. She had no choice but to accept Llymic's conditions.

"I'll explain the rules carefully, so there are no discrepancies," said Llymic.

"Yeah, right," said Mako. "People like him only want rules so they can break them!"

"I'll deal with you later," muttered Llymic. "Each team will share a total of 16,000 Life Points. When a team's Life Points hit zero, both members lose. We'll alternate turns, with Yumi going first, then myself, then Sam, then Daala, and then back to Yumi. No attacking until each player has had one Draw Phase."

"At least he's giving Yumi the first move," said Jesse.

"And giving Daala the first attack," added Zane.

"Now, we'll be using Deck Lords," continued Llymic, "but each team will share one. I'll personally be acting as our Deck Lord."

"No fair!" shouted Sam. "Chaos Sorcerer is an illegal card!"

"The rules of Xanadu clearly state," said Daala, "that an illegal card may be used as a Deck Lord, so long as the user does not summon it to the field."

"I'm afraid she's right," added Joan.

"I'll even tell you what my Deck Lord ability is beforehand," said Llymic, with a smile. "It's called Chaos Theory. During a player's Standby Phase, any Monsters that were removed from play since his or her last Standby Phase are sent to his or her Graveyard."

"That's pretty powerful!" gasped Sam.

"At least it affects all players," replied Yumi.

"As for you two," added Llymic, "choose Dark Magician Girl or Shadow Tamer, but be quick about it."

Yumi and Sam looked at each other.

"Yumi, I…" started Sam.

"Look Sam," interrupted Yumi. "Maybe I'd better do this… I didn't get a chance to tell you guys this, but I figured out how to…"

Then the pouch that held Yumi's side deck began to glow…

"What?" she said.

In an explosion of magical energy, Testament of the Arcane Lords appeared, and loomed over them. It was even taller than it had been when Yumi had spoke to it in the shrine, standing twenty feet tall at least.

"What is THAT?" shouted Daala.

"I… don't know…" replied Llymic.

Yumi turned to the huge Spirit. She listened as a telepathic voice spoke in her head.

"Really?" she asked. "Okay then… Yeah, that will do…"

She turned to her foes, as the Testament's smooth skin took on an orange hue.

"Testament of the Arcane Lords is our Deck Lord!" she exclaimed.

"I don't like this, Llymic," muttered Daala. "I've never even heard of this… thing. How could Yumi have changed Deck Lords without us knowing?"

"Its bark is clearly worse than its bite," replied Llymic. "You forget that Deck Lords need experience in Xanadu to gain any sort of formidable power. It may look intimidating, but it can't threaten us!"

Vita smirked.

_These two are in for a surprise,_ she thought.

"One final rule that applies to a certain spectator," added Daala. "If anyone gives Yumi and Sam any advice relating to the contents of my deck, they are disqualified!"

Joan sighed nervously. She knew that meant her. She remembered all too well the cards Daala had used against her.

"Enough beating around the bush!" shouted Daala. "It's time to finish this once… and… for… all!"

"Game on!" shouted all four of them at once.

**(Yumi and Sam: 16,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Daala and Llymic: 16,000)**

"As you said," said Yumi, making a draw, "I go first…

"And I'll start by playing Graceful Charity!"

She played the card, and the lovely angel appeared. Like so many times before, her feathers fell on her deck, and she drew three cards.

_Perfect,_ she thought, looking at her cards.

She quickly discarded Cosmo Queen and Dark Magician.

"I'll summon Blast Magician."

In a blast of fire, the red-robed mage appeared, holding his scythe-like staff. (1,400/1,700)

"I end my turn."

"That means it's my move," said Llymic, drawing a card.

He looked over his hand, and then chose one.

"I summon Arcana Force 0 – The Fool!"

_Huh?_ thought Yumi. _Did he say Arcana Force?_

In a burst of pure light, a weird Monster appeared. It was dressed in a purple and blue shirt and pantaloons with a swirl design, with a mask covering its face. It had snaky tendrils coming out of its head that suggested some sort of hair. (0/0)

"Zero Attack Points," said Sam. "I'm so scared."

"It may have no Attack Points," replied Llymic, "but it also can't be destroyed in battle. As for its other effect…"

He pointed, and the card he had used to summon The Fool appeared above its head. Then, it started to rotate, clockwise.

"The effect of this and every other Arcana Force Monster depends on whether its card lands upright or inverted," he said. "Simply state when you want the spinning card to stop."

"Stop that card!" shouted Sam.

The card came to a halt, and was upside-down.

"Inverted," said Llymic, with a smile, "that means The Fool is now immune to all targeting card effects coming from your side of the field. That means you can't use Blast Magician's effect to destroy it, Yumi."

He turned to Daala.

_Is it safe to just end my turn,_ he said in his mind, _or does The Fool need added protection?_

_Don't worry, Llymic,_ replied Daala, in her own telepathic voice. _If Yumi tries to attack it during her turn, I'll have something to stop her._

"I end my turn," said Llymic.

Sam drew a card. She looked at it.

"I summon The Bistro Butcher!" she shouted.

In an aura of darkness, the Fiend gourmet appeared with a laugh. (1,800/1,000)

"I end MY turn."

"And that means it comes to me!" laughed Daala, drawing a card.

She chuckled.

"First, I'm going to Special Summon a Monster, which I can do by discarding a high-Level Dark Monster, like my Regenerating Rose."

She took the card from her hand, and discarded it.

"Oh, Erik?" she said with a smile. "I'm sure you're going to like him… I Special Summon Dark Grepher!"

A creeping shadow appeared on the field, and an evil-looking Warrior appeared from out of it. It looked like Warrior Dai Grepher at first glance, but he had coal black skin, and eyes that burned like smoldering embers. (1,700/1,600)

"I don't like him at all!" shouted Erik. "He sickens me!"

"What's the matter, Erik?" asked Daala. "Afraid of the future?"

"That _thing_ is not my future!" screamed Erik. "I don't care what the first Grepher did! I'm not about to make the same stupid mistake!"

"Don't worry," said Daala, "we won't give you the chance to. Now, since that was a Special Summon, I'll Normal Summon my Shadowpriestess of Ohm."

She played the card, and in another dark shadow, a dark Spellcaster appeared. She wore a dark and sinister version of Elemental Mistress Doriado's outfit, altered into a halter top with a dark cape and long skirt, and carried two long switches. (1,700/1,600)

"Lovely…" muttered Joan. "This is just how she started when she dueled me…"

"Uh, uh, uh!" said Llymic, waving his finger. "Don't forget the rule, Joan… I'll let that one slide, however."

"That's okay…" chuckled Daala. "This is more fun, anyway… Shadowpriestess, attack Blast Magician with shadow magic!"

Shadowpriestess formed an orb of dark energy in her hands, and hurled it at Blast Magician. Blast Magician gasped as a dark aura surrounded him, and he burst into black particles.

"Grepher, attack Yumi directly!" ordered Daala. "Shadow sword!"

Dark Grepher grinned evilly, and leapt at Yumi, slashing at her with his weapon. Yumi gasped and fell on her behind.

"Sam…" she muttered. "We're off to a rocky start…"

"I'm not done…" said Daala, with a grin. "I activate Shadowpriestess's effect. By sacrificing a Dark Monster, she can inflict 800 more points of damage. So, so long Dark Grepher…"

Dark Grepher vanished, and Shadowpriestess fired another blast of dark energy, hitting Yumi in the chest. She groaned in pain.

"I'll set one more card, and end my turn," said Daala.

A reversed card appeared in front of her.

**(Y&S: 13,200) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 16,000)**

Yumi slowly got up.

"My move!" she shouted, drawing a card.

"I summon Skilled Dark Magician!"

She played the card, and the Dark Spellcaster in the bulky robe appeared. (1,900/1,700)

"Even if The Fool is invulnerable in battle," said Yumi, "you'll still lose Life Points when I attack it.

"Skilled Dark Magician, attack The Fool!"

The Spellcaster pointed his scepter at the strange creature.

"Not so fast," said Daala, as her facedown card lifted. "I activate… Zero Gravity. This changes the modes of all Monsters on the field."

A blast of energy struck the field, and everyone was lifted off their feet. Skilled Dark Magician, Shadowpriestess of Ohm, and The Bistro Butcher gave looks of shock, while The Fool simply looked down with a curious expression. The four duelists were more used to it happening, however. Eventually, everyone landed, and the four Monsters knelt and crouched in Defense Mode.

"Thank you, Daala!" laughed Llymic. "I wouldn't have been able to move it to Defense Mode otherwise!"

"Any time," replied Daala.

Yumi growled.

"I end my turn," she said.

"Then let's see what's next," said Llymic, drawing a card.

"I summon another Arcana Force Monster… Arcana Force VII – The Chariot!"

He played the card, and another weird thing appeared. It looked like a flying saucer of some sort, with eyes all around its circumference. On its top was a small dome with several hands connected to hoses, and on its bottom were two weapons resembling guns of some sort, also connected to hoses. (1,700/1,700)

_The Chariot,_ thought Yumi. _I've definitely seen THAT before…_

"Once again…" said Llymic.

The card appeared above The Chariot, and started to spin.

"Stop right there!" shouted Yumi.

The card stopped. It was right-side-up.

"Right-side-up!" said Sam, with a sigh of relief. "That's good, right?"

"Yes," said Llymic. "For me. You see, Sam, The Fool is the odd man out among the Arcana Force Monsters. Only it and one other have a positive effect when its card is inverted. With most of them, the effect that the controller wants is the upright effect.

"If The Chariot had landed inverted, you would have gained control of it. But since it is upright, I gain control of any Monster it destroys.

"So… Attack her Bistro Butcher! Master blast!"

The Chariot fired a beam of pure light from its hoses, blowing the Butcher to gibbets.

"Fortunately, he was in Defense Mode," said Sam.

Then the Butcher reappeared, next to The Chariot, and was clearly in Attack Mode.

"Not any more, he isn't," replied Llymic. "Butcher, attack Samantha directly!"

Sam screamed as the Butcher made a slash at her with its cleaver.

She gasped for breath.

"Bad idea…" she said. "I know my Monsters' effects by heart. Since I took damage from his attack, I get to draw two cards…"

She made two draws.

**(Y&S: 11,400) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 16,000)**

"Sam, we're in trouble," said Yumi. "I've seen these tarot card Monsters before. Cassandra used them against me."

"Yes, I know all about your duel with Cassandra," replied Llymic. "But the first duelist to use these cards was Sartorious, the pawn used by the Light of Ruin. It made these cards for him, and they represented its demonic servants.

"When Jaden defeated the Light of Ruin, Sartorious's cards lost their true power, and the Light of Ruin was sealed away. Cassandra is a mystic who was one of several, along with Siegfried, charged with protecting the Mandate. But, she also served a mysterious being who resided in the Astral Plane, and was given the task of watching the place where the Light of Ruin was locked away after its defeat. After many years of faithfully doing so, this being gave her more benign versions of Sartorious's cards.

"However… Few people knew that the Light of Ruin was a servant of a greater power…"

"So it's true…" muttered Yumi. "The Light of Ruin was working for Shogarr…"

Llymic nodded.

"And Shogarr has finally freed the Spirits of the Light's true servants, Yumi, and bestowed them upon me. The true Arcana Force Monsters are back… with a vengeance!"

"Yumi was right…" muttered Atticus. "They're in trouble…"

"I end my turn," said Llymic.

Sam made a draw. She looked at it for a second. Then she chose another card.

"I summon Archfiend Soldier!" she shouted.

In a burst of dark energy, the infernal troop appeared, holding aloft its blade. (1,900/1,500)

_Okay, let's see,_ thought Sam. _Attacking Shadowpriestess or The Fool would be pointless since they're in Defense Mode… The best thing to do would be to get rid of that robot or whatever the Hell it is, before it can steal another Monster…_

"Attack the Chariot!" she shouted.

Archfiend Soldier rushed at the contraption, and made a single slash, slicing The Chariot in half. It shuddered for a minute, and then exploded.

"Yeah!" shouted Aster.

"I set these facedown, and end my turn," said Sam, as two facedown cards appeared.

**(Y&S: 11,400) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 15,800)**

"Draw…" said Daala, drawing a card.

She looked at the three cards in her hand.

"Aw, pass," she said.

Yumi drew.

_Her first move used a lot of cards,_ thought Yumi. _Maybe it wasn't the wisest choice for her._

"I summon Magical Exemplar!" she shouted.

"Who?" asked Daala.

As Yumi played the card, a new Spellcaster appeared in a shower of sparkling motes. It was a young girl, with long, black, straight hair, dressed in an exotic, green robe embroidered with mystic runes. She looked like the typical princess from a fantasy RPG. (1,700/1,400)

"Okay…" muttered Daala. "That's certainly new…"

"Uh huh," said Yumi, as Skilled Dark Magician moved back to Attack Mode. "Exemplar… Destroy her Shadowpriestess! Moonlight blast!"

Magical Exemplar's eyes glowed with soft light, and she shot a blast of glowing light from her hands. Shadowpriestess of Ohm screamed as it hit her, and she was blown to bits.

"I've waited a long time for this, Daala!" shouted Yumi, as Skilled Dark Magician aimed his staff at Daala.

"Oh, I bet you have…" said Daala with a smirk.

Skilled Dark Magician cast his dark spell, and Daala grunted in pain as it hit her.

"I set one card facedown," said Yumi, as a reversed card appeared, "and then play Swords of Revealing Light."

She played the card, and a shower of swords fell on Daala and Llymic's side of the field. As she did, two sparking motes appeared next to Magical Exemplar, and started orbiting around her like small satellites.

"I end my turn."

**(Y&S: 11,400) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 13,900)**

As Llymic drew a card, Daala turned towards him.

_Keep them occupied for one more turn,_ she thought. _Next turn, I've got what I need to hit them hard…_

_You got it…_ replied Llymic.

"I play the Continuous Spell Card, Precious Cards From Beyond," he said, as a Spell Card appeared in front of him.

As it did, two more glowing motes appeared circling around Magical Exemplar.

"Hmm…" he muttered. "Anyway, with this Spell Card in play, any time I Normal Summon a Monster by sacrificing two others, I get to draw two cards."

"How many double-tribute Monsters can one deck have?" asked Atticus.

"More than you'd think," replied Aster. "You forget, the real Aster was sort of… close to Sartorious. If Llymic's deck is based on his, I'm pretty sure that I can recognize all his cards."

"If we may proceed…" replied Llymic. "I sacrifice The Fool and The Bistro Butcher…"

The two Monsters vanished into grains of light.

"…to summon Arcana Force XVII – The Star!"

In a blast of light, a very large Monster appeared. It looked like a huge, spherical eye, mounted on a pedestal, with five arms placed at its twelve, two, five, seven, and ten o'clock positions. (2,700/2,700)

"I was wrong…" muttered Aster. "I never saw that one before… And I don't like the look of it at all…"

The card appeared above The Star, and started to rotate…

"One, two, three…" said Yumi. "STOP!"

The card stopped, and was upside-down.

"HA!" laughed Sam. "You lost that toss!"

"So I did," sighed Llymic. "With The Star inverted, I'm not allowed to make direct attacks. But I still get to draw two cards due to my Spell Card…"

He made two draws, and looked at them.

"Seeing as I can't attack anyway with Yumi's Swords in play, I'll simply set two cards facedown, and that will be all…"

Two reversed cards appeared.

"My move…" said Sam.

She drew a card.

_Sweet…_ she thought, looking at it.

"I play Curse of the Masked Beast!" she shouted, as the Ritual Spell appeared on her side of the field.

The sinister altar appeared, and as it did, three more glowing motes appeared around Magical Exemplar, giving her a total of six.

"I'll sacrifice Belial, Marquis of Darkness from my hand," said Sam.

Belial appeared on the field, and then vanished in a burst of flame.

With a roar, the savage Masked Beast appeared, hefting its cudgel. (3,200/1,800)

"Chew on this Llymic!" shouted Sam. "Attack The Star!"

"Not so fast!" shouted Llymic. "I activate a Trap! I had hoped to use this on one of Yumi's best Monsters, but, oh well… Crystal Seal!"

His facedown card flipped up, and The Masked Beast roared, as a shimmering glow surrounded it. Then, a solid, purple gemstone surrounded it, sealing it inside.

"That Trap Card…" gasped Yumi, as her eyes opened wide. "It was the card that Raphael used to goad the Pharaoh until he used the Seal of Orichalcos!"

"Exactly…" chuckled Llymic. "A Trap Card that brought out the evil in his soul that even he didn't know was there. And perfect for use by me, wouldn't you say? The effect looks just like a Soulgem.

"Your Masked Beast can't attack me nor defend you, Samantha, nor can you even sacrifice it. It's helpless!"

"And so is Daala!" shouted Sam. "She's completely unguarded!

"Archfiend Soldier, attack Daala directly!"

Archfiend Soldier rushed at Daala…

Then he stopped short, as a strange Monster appeared to block the attack. It looked like a spectral, feminine form, with large, clawed arms and a fiendish face, wearing an orange dress.

"What was THAT?" shouted Sam, as it vanished.

"A Monster called Arcana Force XIV – Temperance," replied Llymic. "By discarding it, I reduced the damage from your attack to zero."

Daala grinned and gave him a thumbs up.

"Damn…" said Sam.

"Sam, listen to me," replied Yumi. "That Crystal Seal isn't as powerful as he'd like you to believe. It can be destroyed, if The Masked Beast's Attack Score changes. Any change at all will destroy that Trap."

She looked at the three cards left in her hand. Then she looked at the two cards she had facedown on the field.

"I have to end my turn," she said, slowly.

"Then it's time to start the fun!" laughed Daala, drawing a card. "It's time for the first of the Dread Council to make its appearance, and we're going to start things off with a bang…"

Phantom images of Dark Grepher, Shadowpriestess of Ohm, and Regenerating Rose appeared behind her.

"I have exactly three Dark Monsters in my Graveyard," she said. "When I have that many, no more, no less, the conditions are right for me to Special Summon this creature…

"Arise… Dark Armed Dragon!"

A literal explosion of dark energy erupted on the field in front of her, and a huge Dragon appeared from out of it. It looked like Armed Dragon at first glance, but with black scales, and glowing red eyes… Darker, and more evil. (2,800/1,000)

"Good lord…" said Yumi.

"Now I activate his effect," said Daala, with a grin. "For each Dark Monster in my Graveyard that I remove from play, I can destroy one card on the field… Any card at all…"

Yumi's eyes opened wide, as something quickly came back to her…

"_The behemoth comes, waiting to unleash its powers of destruction. Its arrival is heralded by three. Three must die before it can come. Any less, and it is too proud to appear. Any more, and the power of the hallowed ground forbids it from coming. But when it comes, it can consume the soul of one who has fallen to slay any foe or smash any barrier that would impede it. Beware, mortals, for this evil is not subtle in the least."_

"Sam!" shouted Yumi. "This is what the real Armed Dragon was trying to warn us about! Its warning was describing an evil version of itself!"

"A prophesy of doom, eh?" asked Daala. "Too bad you couldn't interpret it… I remove Shadowpriestess of Ohm from play to destroy your Swords!"

A card slipped out of her discard slot, and a volley of dark blades shot from the Dragon, shattering the Swords of Light.

"Now, I remove Dark Grepher, to take out that facedown card!"

Another card slipped out of her discard slot, and the blades flew at the facedown card. Yumi's Mirror Force shattered.

"Third time's the charm," laughed Daala, as Regenerating Rose slipped out of her discard slot. "I don't like your Magical Exemplar, so she's next!"

Magical Exemplar shuddered in fear as Dark Armed Dragon prepared to fire its blades again…

But when it did, the Testament reached down with its hand, shielding her from them. The blades bounced harmlessly off.

"HUH?" said Daala. "Your Deck Lord protected her?"

"That's right!" said Yumi, with a grin. "Seems I interpreted those prophesies of doom rather well after all.

"Let me explain how my Deck Lord's power works. It didn't need experience to gain an Extraordinary Power – it was given one by Boccob himself."

"Boccob?" gasped Llymic. "The god of magic?"

"The very one," replied Yumi. "He doesn't want Chaos eclipsing Order. Testament of the Arcane Lords has a power that I set at the beginning of the duel. I simply had to choose Spell, Trap, or Monster effect, and our Monsters _cannot_ be destroyed by that method. Your Dark Armed Dragon can't destroy our Monsters with its effect.

"And we can change the method during our Standby Phase if we chose, if we pay 1,000 Life Points."

Daala growled.

"So you have a powerful Deck Lord…" she sneered. "Big deal! I still have Dark Armed Dragon's normal attack!

"Dark Armed Dragon… Attack Magical Exemplar with dark serrated disks!"

"DAALA!" screamed Llymic. "WAIT!"

Dark Armed Dragon roared, and three disk of pure darkness shot from its abdomen.

"I activate… Shrink!" shouted Sam, as one of her facedown cards lifted. "This will cut your Dragon down to size!"

Dark Armed Dragon roared again, as its Attack Score fell to 1,400. Magical Exemplar concentrated, and a dome of energy surrounded her. The dark disks bounced back and stuck their owner. Dark Armed Dragon howled, and exploded in a burst of flaming hot metal.

**(Y&S: 11,400) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 13,600)**

"Sam…" said Yumi. "You… You… Why? You could have used that to destroy the Crystal Seal…"

Sam grinned.

"Lots of ways to destroy a Trap Card," she said. "Not many ways to destroy a Monster that powerful. I knew we had to win the duel, Yumi, so I saved it for when the big, scary Monster showed up. You have to have your partner's back in a team duel."

Yumi sighed.

"Thanks, Sam…" she said.

Daala was dumbstruck.

"Wha… what happened?" she finally gasped.

"I'll tell you what happened," growled Llymic, with a hint of annoyance. "You got angry, you got careless, you forgot that you were facing two opponents, and Yumi's partner managed to make a fool out of one of the most powerful members of the Dread Council!"

Everyone on Yumi's side started to cheer.

"So she did," muttered Daala. "Well, we won't make that mistake a second time…

"You two may have defeated one member of the Council, but there are others…"

She placed two cards in her Disk.

"I set one card, and then summon Vengeful Shinobi."

A facedown card appeared. Then, in a shadowy aura, a dark ninja armed with a dagger appeared on her side of the field. (400/800)

"It's your move, Yumi," she said.

Yumi quickly drew a card.

"Tell me," she said, "how good are you two at counting?"

"Huh?" asked Daala.

"Uh… oh…" said Llymic. "She's means Skilled Dark Magician's effect… More than three Spell Cards have been played since he was summoned."

"That's right," said Yumi. "Meaning I can sacrifice him to summon the real Dark Magician from my Graveyard."

Skilled Dark Magician vanished, and with a grand flourish, Dark Magician appeared. (2,500/2,100)

"That's not all," continued Yumi. "Each time a Spell Card was played, Magical Exemplar gained _two_ Spell Counters. She has eight of them now. And I can remove any number of them to Special Summon from my Graveyard a Spellcaster whose Level matches. So I'll remove all eight…"

The glowing motes around Magical Exemplar vanished, and she put her hands together and closed her eyes. In a blast of energy, Cosmo Queen appeared next to her. (2,900/2,450)

"Dark Magician, destroy Daala's Vengeful Shinobi!" ordered Yumi. "Dark Magic Attack!"

Dark Magician cast his dark spell, and Vengeful Shinobi groaned before shattering into shards. Daala cringed.

"When Vengeful Shinobi is attacked while in Attack Mode," grumbled Daala, "I get to draw one card."

She made a draw.

"Fine…" said Yumi. "Now to take out that thing. Cosmo Queen, attack The Star with Cosmic Nova!"

Cosmo Queen blasted her orb of energy, and Llymic covered his head as The Star erupted into a multicolored explosion.

"Trap Card, activate," he said, as the smoke started to clear. "Call of the Haunted!"

His facedown card lifted, and The Star reappeared. (2,700/2,700)

"Now let's try this again…" he said, as the card appeared above it and started to spin.

"Stop!" shouted Yumi.

The card stopped, and was upside-down again.

"HA!" laughed Mako. "This really isn't your day, is it?"

Yumi paused for a minute.

_I could make a direct attack on Daala,_ she thought. _But that may not be wise with such a powerful Monster on Llymic's side of the field. They know what Magical Exemplar can do, so she's likely going to be Llymic's next target…_

"I move Magical Exemplar to Defense Mode," she said.

Magical Exemplar knelt, and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Then I set a Monster, and two facedown cards," she said.

A set Monster and two reversed cards appeared.

"Make your move, Llymic…"

**(Y&S: 11,400) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 11,300)**

Llymic drew a card.

"The Monster I just drew is Level Six…" he said. "But, I can Normal Summon it with no sacrifice if I have an Arcana Force Monster on the field, which as you can see, I do.

"I summon Arcana Force XIII – The Reaper!"

In a burst of multicolored light, a Monster appeared that looked like a typical grim reaper, except that rather than wearing a black robe, its clothes were multicolored, in a patchwork, gaudy pattern. It naturally carried a scythe. (2,300/2,300)

Its card appeared above it, and then started to spin.

_Okay, this might make or break things…_ thought Yumi.

"STOP!" she shouted.

The card came to a halt. Everyone on Yumi's side groaned when they saw that it was right-side-up.

"So what does that mean?" asked Sam.

"Simple," replied Llymic. "The Reaper is the universal symbol of change. Thus, every round, I can use its upright effect to change the position of any Arcana Force Monster on the field, except itself.

"Therefore… I'll switch The Star from inverted to upright."

The Star's card appeared above it, and turned 180 degrees.

"I don't think I'm gonna like this…" muttered Sam.

"Indeed…" chuckled Llymic. "Upright, The Star is able to attack directly if I sacrifice two Monsters first."

"Hey, Llymic!" laughed Daala. "Need a couple of Monsters?"

Her facedown card lifted.

"I activate Fires of Doomsday, to summon two Doomsday Tokens!"

In two wisps of smoke, two small creatures seemingly made of smoke, each with a single eye, appeared in front of her.

"Thank you, Daala," said Llymic, with a sinister grin. "So, I'll sacrifice these two Tokens…"

The two Tokens vanished.

"Star… Attack Sam directly! Stellar blast!"

The Star's single eye glowed, and it blasted a bolt of pure light, covering Sam with an aura of burning energy. Sam screamed and fell to her knees.

"Reaper, destroy Magical Exemplar!"

The Reaper made a slash with its scythe, and Magical Exemplar shattered.

"I set one card," said Llymic, as a facedown card appeared, "and that's all for me…"

**(Y&S: 8,700) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 11,300)**

"You're gonna pay for that, Llymic," muttered Sam, drawing a card.

"Archfiend Soldier, attack The Star!"

"Say what?" said Llymic.

Archfiend Soldier charged at the huge Monster…

"And I activate… Bark of Dark Ruler!" shouted Sam, as her other facedown card lifted.

Dark Ruler Ha Des appeared behind her, in a cloud of black smoke. He gestured, and an aura of black energy appeared around the Star.

"I'll give up 2,700 Life Points to reduce the Attack Score of your Monster to zero!"

Archfiend Soldier made a slash with its sword, and The Star exploded in another fiery burst.

"ERGH!" grunted Llymic.

Sam looked at Yumi.

"Sorry…" she muttered. "I guess I should have asked first…"

"Don't worry about it," said Yumi. "You took out one of his best Monsters."

"I'll set one card," said Sam, as a reversed card appeared, "and that will end my turn."

**(Y&S: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 9,600)**

Daala quickly drew a card.

"During my Standby Phase, Llymic's power activates," she said, "and the Monsters that I removed from play last turn go back to my Graveyard."

Dark Grepher, Shadowpriestess of Ohm, and Regenerating Rose slipped back into her discard slot.

"There are now five Dark Monsters in my Graveyard," she said. "And since I also have no Monsters on my side of the field, the conditions are just right for me to summon another member of the Dread Council…"

"Uh… oh…" said Chelsea.

A shadow fell upon the arena, and thunder rumbled, followed by lightning flashing.

Suddenly something else came to Yumi…

"_Mortals, hear my cry, and prepare, for a beast stalks the night. It commands the power of lightning, but such gives no illumination, for it is the lightning of the dead. It cannot come unless all of its allies who came before are dead, and not unless those allies number five. But when it comes, it can consume the soul of one of those allies to give life to another. Beware the beast who causes death in order to give life!"_

"Sam, stay alert!" shouted Yumi. "This is what The Creator warned us about!"

"Indeed!" laughed Daala. "I summon The Dark Creator!"

In a burst of dark, flaming lightning, a huge form appeared. It was a titan in black armor, in the same general shape as The Creator, but in place of a rune-covered discus on its back, it had demonic, metal wings. (2,300/3,000)

"I'm sensing a trend here," said Sam. "The members of the Dread Council are all evil versions of more benign Monsters, right?"

"That's right," said Daala. "Created by the forces of Balance as an answer to the powerful Duel Spirits who fought on the side of Order. Of course, the Dread Council could care less about the intent of the beings that created them.

"And as you can probably figure out, the effects of the Dread Council are all dark versions of the effects possessed by their benign counterparts. Take The Dark Creator. Like his Light counterpart, he can raise a Monster from my Graveyard. But the Monster must be Dark, and I have to remove another Dark Monster from play first.

"But don't worry. Dark Armed Dragon is a NOMI, and is beyond the power of even this Monster to summon from my Graveyard. Since the number of Dark Monsters in my Graveyard likely won't decrease to three again, you won't be seeing him anymore."

Vengeful Shinobi slipped out of her discard slot. Then, Regenerating Rose appeared on the field, covering itself in Defense Mode with its tendrils. (0/1,500)

"Of course!" said Zane. "Most of the Dread Council's effects must require removing Monsters from play. That's why Llymic invested in that Deck Lord power. Daala will never run out of Monsters to remove from play so long as he uses it."

"It's Chaos at work," said Atticus. "The perfect type of powers for Spirits working for Shogarr."

"At least we can assume that all the members of this Council seem to be NOMIs," said Mako.

"I'll set two cards facedown, and then turn it over to you, Yumi," said Daala, as two facedown cards appeared.

Yumi quickly made a draw.

_Hmm…_ she thought.

"My facedown card activates," she said, "Call of the Haunted!"

One of her facedown cards lifted, and Magical Exemplar appeared again. (1,700/1,400)

"Now, I Flip-Summon my Morphing Jar!"

Her facedown Monster flipped, and the cackling, one-eyed creature in the jar appeared. (700/600)

Daala shrugged, and made five draws. Llymic and Yumi discarded the one card they each had left, and made five draws. Sam discarded three, and drew five.

"All right!" shouted Yumi, looking at them. "I sacrifice Morphing Jar…"

Morphing Jar dissolved into light.

"…to summon Chaos Command Magician!"

In a burst of light, the far more benign user of Chaos appeared next to Yumi's other Spellcasters. (2,400/1,900)

"Cosmo Queen… Attack the Dark Creator!"

Cosmo Queen powered up her Cosmic Nova…

"Not so fast, Yumi…" said Daala. "I activate a Quickplay…"

One of her facedown cards lifted.

"Dark Invigoration. Now, I just have to remove one of my Dark Monsters in my Graveyard from play, and one on the field gains a little boost. A 1,000-Attack Point boost, that is."

She held up the Dark Armed Dragon card.

"So Dark Armed Dragon has some use now after all…"

The Dark Creator rose to an Attack Score of 3,300. As Cosmo Queen blasted her bolt, it knocked the blast aside. Cosmo Queen shrieked, and was blown into pixels.

"Cosmo Queen…" gasped Erik. "Beaten?"

"I'm not done with you!" shouted Yumi. "Chaos Command Magician… Destroy the Reaper! Chaos magic!"

"Huh?" said Llymic.

Chaos Command Magician fired his blast of burning, multicolored lights, and The Reaper exploded into a pile of charred bones.

"Magical Exemplar, destroy Daala's Rose!" shouted Yumi.

Magical Exemplar shot her bolt of soft magic at Regenerating Rose, and the Plant burst into a shower of thorns.

"Thank you…" said Daala. "When Regenerating Rose is destroyed, I get to Special Summon two Rose Tokens."

Two small roses sprouted on Daala's side of the field. (1,200/1,200 x2)

"Well, I could attack one of them," said Yumi. "Or, I could attack Llymic directly! Dark Magician… Why don't you do that?"

Dark Magician flew at Llymic…

"Don't worry, Llymic," said Daala, as her other facedown card lifted, "I got your back this time. Draining Shield!"

A dome of energy formed around Llymic, and Dark Magician's blast was absorbed into it.

Yumi closed her eyes.

"Nice," she said. "It is true that in a team duel, you have to watch your partner's back… And I'm going to do just that…"

Her other facedown card lifted.

"I activate Double Spell. I'll toss this…"

She discarded Mausoleum of the Emperor.

"…and the card I'll take from your Graveyard, Daala, is Dark Invigoration! Now, I'll remove Skilled Dark Magician, who's a Dark Monster, from play…"

The card slipped out of her discard slot.

"And increase the Attack Score of The Masked Beast, who is also Dark, by 1,000 points."

"Why would you…" asked Daala.

"Oh, no…" gasped Llymic, as The Masked Beast rose to an Attack Score of 4,200. "That will destroy the Crystal Seal!"

It did indeed. The gem imprisoning the Fiend started to crack. Then, The Masked Beast roared with fury as it burst free of the stone.

"It's your move, Llymic…" said Yumi.

**(Y&S: 5,600) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 12,000)**

Llymic quickly drew a card.

"I play the Equip Spell, Reverse Reborn," he said, placing a card in his Disk. "This lets me revive an Arcana Force Monster from my Graveyard, so long as I Equip it with this card. The catch is, it automatically gets its inverted effect."

"I'll bet he's bringing back The Fool," said Erik.

"Well, true," replied Llymic.

The Fool appeared in a burst of light. (0/0)

"But it won't be staying. I sacrifice it…"

The Fool vanished into grains of light…

"I summon Arcana Force VIII – The Strength!"

In another burst of light, another weird Monster appeared. It looked like a cylindrical robot, with large, clawed arms, no legs, and a metal, mask-like face, hovering in the air. (1,800/1,800)

"Oh, great," said Aster. "I definitely remember that thing. It was one of the riskiest Monsters Sartorious had."

"Care to elaborate?" asked Chelsea, as the card appeared, and started to spin.

"Well, if it lands upright," explained Aster, "Llymic gets to take control of one opposing Monster. But if it lands inverted, Yumi and Sam get to take control of all Llymic's Monsters except that one."

"You heard Aster," said Llymic, with a grin.

"Well, we've been having pretty good luck so far," said Sam. "Stop that card!"

The card slowed… And then came to a stop right-side-up.

"DARN!" shouted Sam.

"Well, let's see…" said Llymic. "Should I take control of The Masked Beast?

"No… I think I'll take… Yumi's Dark Magician!"

A rippling wave of energy emitted from The Strength, and Dark Magician's eyes appeared glazed. He was pulled over to Llymic's side of the field.

"I always wanted to give this a try," chuckled Llymic. "Dark Magician… Attack Magical Exemplar with Dark Magic Attack!"

Dark Magician aimed his staff at the young sorceress.

"Not so fast!" shouted Sam, as her other facedown card lifted. "I have a Draining Shield of my own!"

Dark Magician fired his blast, and it was absorbed into an invisible shield.

"Ergh," muttered Llymic. "Good thing I _didn't_ choose to take The Masked Beast. Strength, you attack her. Crushing wave."

The same rippling field of energy shot at Magical Exemplar, and she screamed before bursting into pixels.

"That's all for now," said Llymic.

**(Y&S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 12,000)**

Sam quickly drew a card.

"First, I set one Monster," she said, as a hidden Monster appeared.

"Now, Masked Beast, destroy The Dark Creator!"

The Fiend rushed at the giant, and clobbered it with its cudgel. The Dark Creator groaned, and sparks flew from its armor in a display of electric pyrotechnics. Then, it burst into an explosion of burning lightning.

"So much for him," said Sam. "Now for the other one… Archfiend Soldier, rescue Dark Magician! Attack The Strength!"

Archfiend Soldier flew at the droid, holding aloft its sword.

"Not so fast…" said Llymic, as his facedown card lifted. "Ren should remember this Spell Card from his duel with Johnson. Class System."

Archfiend Soldier stopped short.

"Since Archfiend Soldier isn't a higher Level than The Strength, the battle is called off."

"Nuts…" muttered Sam. "Sorry, Yumi, I should have attacked it with The Masked Beast."

"Yeah?" asked Yumi. "If you had, Llymic might have saved that Spell Card to protect The Dark Creator, and it was the greater threat. We can still come back."

**(Y&S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 11,100)**

"We'll soon see, won't we?" asked Daala, drawing a card.

"It's my Standby Phase, so my Monsters that were removed from play since my last one go back to my Graveyard…"

Vengeful Shinobi and Dark Armed Dragon slipped back into her discard slot.

"So, Yumi… If Armed Dragon and The Creator spoke to you… I'm guessing maybe Horus did the same…"

Yumi stepped back in shock. She remembered Horus's words quite clearly…

"_Mortals, listen to what I say, commit it to memory, and hope that your minds make more sense of it than I could. Evil comes in the form of dark, armored flame, a presence that causes the sun to hide in fear. Be cautious in what powers you use to combat it, for it steals the energy from magics that are used against it to recruit its allies from the grave…"_

"From the look on your face," said Daala, "I'm guessing he did. And by the way, as for Mako's presumption that all members of the Dread Council are NOMIs?"

She chuckled. The two Rose Tokens vanished into grains of light.

"Wrong. I summon Dark Horus!"

An aura of black fire appeared on the field, and two glowing eyes appeared from out of it. A creature emerged from it that was just as big as the real Horus, and the same basic shape, but its armor was glossy black. (3,000/1,800)

"But I won't be using him right away," she said. "First, I'm going to prepare for the appearance of another member of the Dread Council, who will appear next turn."

"What do you mean?" asked Yumi.

"Simple," replied Daala, showing them a card in her hand. "Since I have at least three Dark Monsters in my Graveyard, if I remove two of them from play, I can send her there…"

Dark Armed Dragon and The Dark Creator slipped out of her discard slot. Then she discarded the card she had shown them.

"…and on my next turn, she'll appear in all her glory! But we'll get to that later…

"Dark Horus, incinerate Archfiend Soldier with solar darkfire!"

Dark Horus screeched, and blasted a bolt of black flames from its terrible jaws. Archfiend Soldier screamed, and was reduced to ashes.

"ERGH!" gasped Sam.

**(Y&S: 6,900) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 11,100)**

"That's all for now," said Daala, with a sweet smile.

Yumi drew a card. It was Pot of Greed.

"Due to Llymic's Deck Lord power, which doesn't play favorites," she said, "Skilled Dark Magician goes back to my Graveyard."

The card slipped back into her discard slot.

Yumi looked hard at the Pot of Greed. Normally, she would have played it at once. But she was thinking about the warning that Horus had given her.

"_Be cautious in what powers you use to combat it, for it steals the energy from magics that are used against it to recruit its allies from the grave…"_

She thought about that for a minute.

_Something will happen if I use a Spell Card,_ she thought. _It won't be the same as the true Horus's negating effect… Most likely, Dark Horus will be able to activate an effect that benefits Daala. Probably one that affects her Graveyard…_

She looked at the other cards in her hand.

_But with my Dark Magician being held hostage, and another member of the Dread Council slated to appear next turn, I don't think I have much choice._

"I play Pot of Greed!" she shouted, playing it.

She drew two cards.

"That means I can activate Dark Horus's effect," said Daala, as Dark Horus started to glow with dark energy.

"I knew it," said Yumi.

"Now I get to Special Summon a Dark Monster from my Graveyard," continued Daala.

Dark Grepher appeared, crouching in Defense Mode. (1,700/1,600)

Yumi looked at the two cards she had drawn.

_If I destroy The Strength,_ she thought, _I might get Dark Magician back… But can I be sure of it? I have no idea what may be coming in a few turns, and I can't leave myself a sitting duck…_

"I set a card facedown, and move Chaos Command Magician to Defense Mode," she said.

A reversed card appeared, and Chaos Command Magician knelt in defense.

"Then I set a Monster, and end my turn."

A hidden Monster appeared.

"My move," said Llymic, drawing a card.

"It was a lot of fun using your Monster, Yumi," he said. "But enough is enough…

"I sacrifice Dark Magician and The Strength…"

Dark Magician and The Strength faded into grains of light.

"To summon Arcana Force XVIII – The Moon!"

An eruption of pure light burst on Llymic's side of the field, and a huge… thing appeared. It looked like a giant mechanical device, that wasn't even humanoid. Rather, it looked like a large cryogenic chamber with an odd-looking alien being sleeping inside it. The whole apparatus had two oversized hands on metal tendril-like arms on its sides, and was mounted on a mass of metal tentacles. (2,800/2,800)

"The Moon is stronger than The Star?" asked Erik.

"Sartorious worked as a fortuneteller before the Light of Ruin possessed him," sighed Aster. "As a result, these creatures based themselves on the Major Arcana of the Tarot. The higher the number of the Tarot, the more powerful the Monster."

"Just how strong do these things get?" asked Jesse.

"Don't ask," replied Aster.

The card appeared above The Moon, and started to spin.

"Here we go again…" muttered Sam. "STOP!"

The card stopped, and was right-side-up.

"We'll get to what that does on my next turn," said Llymic, taking a card from his hand. "In the meantime, I get to draw twice due to Precious Cards From Beyond…"

He made two draws.

"Now… you'll be flattered by this next move, Yumi… I was inspired to put this card in my deck by your grandfather Joey."

"Please, he'd give you a hundred yen for the whole deck," replied Yumi. "He had much better gamble cards… And much less _ugly_ ones."

"Say what you will," replied Llymic. "I play Shield and Sword!"

The Spell Card appeared, and every Monster on the field started to glow.

"You see Yumi, this Spell has no affect on Arcana Force Monsters, since they always have equal Attack and Defense Scores. But it's a liability for any Monster with a high Attack Score, as Sam's Masked Beast would agree."

The changes were dramatic across the board. The Masked Beast turned to (1,800/3,200), Dark Grepher turned to (1,600/1,700), Dark Horus turned to (1,800/3,000), and Chaos Command Magician to (1,900/2,400).

"I must say that was clever," said Yumi, with a chuckle. "Too bad your brilliant plan is about to fall flat on its face…"

Her facedown card lifted.

"I activate Threatening Roar!"

A bellowing roar echoed across the field.

"Seems our strongest Monster is still safe," she said.

"For now…" growled Llymic. "It's your move, Samantha."

"Draw!" shouted Sam.

She drew a card.

"Go, Monster Reborn!" she shouted.

In a flash, Archfiend Soldier appeared again. (1,900/1,500)

"Remember," said Daala, "each time one of you plays a Spell Card, Dark Horus gets to use his effect."

Shadowpriestess of Ohm appeared next to Dark Grepher, crouching in Defense Mode. (1,700/1,600)

"Doesn't matter," said Sam. "I flip my Skull Knight #2 to Attack Mode."

Her facedown Monster flipped, and the skeletal Fiend appeared. (1,000/1,200)

"Then," she said, "I sacrifice him, to summon Dark Ruler Ha Des!"

Skull Knight vanished, and the mighty Dark Ruler appeared in a dark aura. (2,450/1,600)

"That means I get another Skull Knight!" continued Sam.

A second Skull Knight #2 appeared. (1,000/1,200)

"Next," said Sam, taking a card from her hand, "I Special Summon Dark Queen Per Sephone!"

In another burst of darkness, Per Sephone appeared. (2,200/1,200)

"Time to take out the trash," replied Sam. "Masked Beast, destroy Dark Horus!"

The Masked Beast charged at Dark Horus, and clubbed it hard. The Dragon screeched, and exploded in a cloud of black smoke.

"Persephone, Archfiend Soldier… Destroy Daala's other Monsters!"

The two Fiends flew at Dark Grepher and Shadowpriestess. Archfiend Soldier slashed at the Dark priestess with his sword, and she exploded into pixels. Per Sephone clawed at Grepher and he burst.

"Ha Des, attack Daala directly! Stygian blast!"

Ha Des threw a bolt of black fire at Daala, and she sweated and strained as the dark aura of fire covered her.

She gasped for breath. And then was knocked down as Skull Knight slashed at her with its sword.

Sam placed two cards in her Disk, and two facedown cards appeared.

**(Y&S: 6,500) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 7,650)**

"My… move…" grunted Daala, angrily.

She drew a card.

"Due to Llymic's effect, the two Monsters I removed from play last turn go back…"

Dark Armed Dragon and The Dark Creator slipped back into her discard slot.

It was at this point that Sam made the realization…

"_Mortals, take every step through this fiery wasteland with care. The destructive side of fire has been given life in the most horrible way. She cannot be born unless she first dies, and before she dies, three have to die first, and two of those must surrender their souls to her hunger. But when she is finally born, beware, for whatever barrier you erected to keep her back will not hold…"_

"Yumi!" shouted Sam. "The Monster she sent to the Graveyard last turn… It's the Sacred Phoenix's evil twin!"

"Correct, Sam!" laughed Daala. "You catch on fast. I call forth Dark Nephthys!"

In an explosion of dark fire, much like the one that heralded the arrival of Dark Horus, a dark parody of the Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys appeared. Like her good counterpart, she was an armored bird with flaming wings… But like the other members of the Dread Council, her armor was glossy black, and the flames were dark and emitted no light. (2,400/1,600)

"I could have just summoned her by sacrificing two Monsters," said Daala, "but by doing it this way, I can destroy one of your Spell or Trap Cards."

Dark Nephthys breathed a blast of dark flame, hitting Sam's Call of the Haunted, and it was burned to a crisp.

"Now, since you made me mad, your Archfiend Soldier is the next thing that's going up in flames…"

Dark Nephthys breathes another blast of fire, burning Archfiend Soldier to ashes.

Daala pouted as she placed a card on her Disk, and a set Monster appeared.

"I end my turn…"

**(Y&S: 6,300) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 7,650)**

_Llymic!_ she said in her telepathic voice. _We're in hot water… The card I drew that turn was the Lost Martyr… But because of their blasted Deck Lord, he's nearly worthless!_

_Don't worry, kid,_ replied Llymic, _I'll think of something…_

Yumi drew a card.

"I play Pot of Avarice!" she shouted.

She played the card, and Dark Magician, Magician Exemplar, Skilled Dark Magician, Morphing Jar, and Cosmo Queen slipped out of her discard slot. She shuffled them into her deck, and then made two draws.

_There it is!_ she thought, looking at one of them. _The card that Sheena gave me… The card that holds the key to Daala's final defeat!_

_Only problem is… I can't use it right now… It needs the exact right conditions for me to activate it… I'll just have to hope no-one forces me to discard it…_

"I flip Magician's Valkyria into Attack Mode," she said.

Her facedown card flipped up, and Valkyria appeared. (1,600/1,800)

"Then I move Chaos Command Magician to Attack Mode."

Chaos Command Magician stood up.

"Then, I play Rush Recklessly!"

She played the card, and Chaos Command Magician shot up to an Attack Score of 3,100.

"Time to do that old-fashioned trick that you do with a yo-yo," said Yumi. "You know…

"_Shoot The Moon!"_

Chaos Command Magician fired his burning blast, and The Moon exploded into a burst of flames and burning scrap metal.

Fujita burst out laughing.

"You find that funny?" shouted Watanabe.

"Well…" chuckled Fujita. "'Shoot The Moon'… Yeah, it was kinda funny…"

"It's not going to be very funny if we end up on the losing side of this, Fujita!" scolded Mulner.

"I'd say you four are in big trouble," said Yumi. "Valkyria, aim for Daala's facedown Monster! Magic illusion!"

Valkyria cast a blast of light at the facedown Monster…

And then, she gasped as a backlash knocked her over.

Crouching on the card was an odd creature that looked like a small dinosaur, sculpted out of polished, black rock. (800/2,100)

"That's my Obsidian Dragon," said Daala. "A bit too tough for you to crack."

"Then I end my turn," said Yumi.

**(Y&S: 5,800) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 7,350)**

Llymic drew a card.

"I play Cup of Ace!" he exclaimed, playing the card.

The Spell Card appeared above him, showing the image of a golden goblet. It started to spin.

"So this is the same as your Monsters?" asked Yumi.

"Exactly," said Llymic. "You know the drill…"

Yumi looked at the card.

"Stop… now!" she said.

The Cup of Ace came to a halt right-side-up.

"That means I get to draw two cards," said Llymic, as he made two draws.

"Well, well, well…" he said. "What do you know… I just drew a very powerful Spell Card… Wonder if I should use it…"

"What are you talking about?" said Yumi.

"I'm pondering my choices," said Llymic. "This Spell Card can be very powerful, but very, very risky…"

He showed it to them. Daala gasped.

"LLYMIC!" she shouted. "You said you took that dangerous thing out of your deck!"

"Oh, Daala," said Llymic. "I say a lot of things I don't mean… Such as 'No strudel for me this morning', or 'I'll go easy on the brandy this evening'."

"Stop making jokes, Llymic!" shouted Daala.

Yumi looked at the card.

"Suit of Sword X?" she asked.

"A deadly but unpredictable Spell Card," said Llymic. "Once I play it, it spins just as my Cup of Ace did, and if it turns upright, all of your Monsters will be destroyed. But, if it lands inverted, all of ours will be destroyed. It's truly a game-deciding risk.

"What do you say, Daala? Should we give it a try?"

"Llymic…" growled Daala. "If we lose because of that thing, I'll never talk to you again…

"_But I'll sure yell at you a lot!"_

"Looks like these two are falling victim to the Lumis and Umbra syndrome," said Ren with a chuckle.

"Yep," said Chelsea.

"Mmm, Ren makes a good point," said Llymic. "Better not use it, at least not yet…"

He added it to his hand, and chose another.

"Instead, I'll first summon Arcana Force I – The Magician."

He played the card, and another odd creature appeared in a beam of light. It was man-sized, resembling an exotic harlequin, with a bald, faceless head with no features except two beady eyes. It wore black shoulder pads, a vertical striped shirt and pantaloons, and long, red, pointed shoes. (1,100/1,100)

Its card appeared above it, and it started to spin.

"This is getting tedious…" muttered Sam. "Stop right there!"

The card stopped, and everyone on Yumi's side of the field cheered when they saw it was upside-down.

"How fortunate of you," muttered Llymic, as his eyes narrowed. "With the Magician inverted, the two of you will gain 500 Life Points each time a Spell Card is played.

"So I'd best make the most of it… Attack Skull Knight #2! Spheroid stream!"

The Magician shot a globe of pure light at the skeletal Fiend, and it exploded into steam.

"Now, I play my own Swords of Revealing Light…"

He played the Spell Card, and the swarm of Swords shot at Yumi and Sam, forming a cage around them. But they were relieved as the Magician glowed with energy, and their Life Points went up.

"I end my turn…" he said.

**(Y&S: 6,700) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 7,350)**

Sam drew a card, and grinned at Llymic.

"I activate MY Pot of Avarice," she said.

She played the card, and both Skull Knights, Belial, The Bistro Butcher, and Gaap the Divine Soldier slipped out of her discard slot. She shuffled her deck, and made two draws.

"You made a big mistake not trying to use that Spell Card, Llymic," she said. "You forgot about our Deck Lord.

"I pay 1,000 Life Points to change the Testament's setting from Monster effects to Spell Cards."

Testament of the Arcane Lords glowed, and then changed color, turning from orange, to green.

"Your Suit of Sword can't hurt our Monsters now," she said. "Next, I'll play Premature Burial to summon Archfiend Soldier again."

She played the card, and the Archfiend appeared again. (1,900/1,500)

"And I end my turn."

**(Y&S: 5,300) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 7,350)**

Daala looked at Llymic, and then smiled.

_Now do you see the purpose?_ asked Llymic.

_Oh yeah…_ replied Daala. _It went as smooth as a knife through flesh!_

Daala quickly drew a card.

"You fell for it, hook, line, and sinker!" laughed Daala. "That was your last mistake…

"The Monster I'm about to summon is Level Eight… But since I have at least four Dark Monsters in my Graveyard, I can summon him with only one sacrifice…"

_No!_ thought Joan, as a look of terror crossed her face. _This was exactly how she defeated me!_

Obsidian Dragon vanished into a dark shadow, and the whole chamber became shrouded in an eerie darkness. It was more than darkness. It was a cold, suffocating fog of sorts, clearly a living and very evil darkness.

"Before the Dark Exemplar came, this being was the leader of the Dread Council…" said Daala. "A being spoken only of in whispers in the Higher Plane…

"I present the long-lost and much-mourned dark brother of Archlord Zerato… The one who saved the Higher Plane from a mighty relic of Chaos, only to become a being of Chaos himself… Appear before me, Darklord Zerato!"

The dark fog turned into a windstorm, and a hulking form materialized in the center of it. Yumi and Sam stepped back in fear as they came face-to-face with the legendary martyr. This powerful seraphim was clearly no longer the crusader for order and goodness he had once been. He resembled his brother only in general outline. His skin was coal-black, his helmet bore diabolic horns, and where he once had feathered wings, he now had demonic bat-like ones. He clutched a huge, serrated sword that was an ugly parody of the one used by Archlord Zerato. (2,800/2,300)

"No fair…" gasped Sam. "We didn't get any warning about _this_ guy…"

"Archlord Zerato must not have known," replied Yumi. "Or his grief over losing his brother must have been too great to talk to anyone about it…"

"You're probably wondering about this guy's effect," said Daala, with a grin. "Well, just as Archlord Zerato can wipe out every opposing Monster if the controller discards a Light Monster, Darklord Zerato can do the same if I discard a Dark one.

"So, I'll toss my Dark Crusader, and let him do my dirty work…"

She discarded a card, and Darklord Zerato lifted his sword to the heavens. Lightning struck first to each side of him, then it started to strike on Yumi and Sam's side of the field. There were six separate screams, and all six of the Monsters on their side of the field were wiped out, leaving only the Testament.

"You tricked us…" snarled Yumi, pointing to Llymic. "You wanted Sam to change the setting on our Deck Lord… That was playing dirty, Llymic."

"You aren't going to be so clean either in a minute, Yumi," chuckled Daala. "Zerato… Pay Yumi a visit, would you?"

Darklord Zerato lifted his sword and flew at Yumi. Yumi closed her eyes and turned her head.

Then she paused. The sword didn't strike.

She opened her eyes, and saw Zerato tied up with a mass of chains.

She looked at Sam, who was grinning. Her facedown card had lifted.

"Shadow Spell?!" shouted Daala.

"That's right, Daala!" laughed Sam. "So what are you gonna do now?"

"Oh, I'll tell you what I'm gonna do now, you little brat," said Daala. "I was going to cut you some slack and attack Yumi twice. But since you pulled that stunt, Dark Nephthys is coming after you!"

"Bring it on!" shouted Sam, as Dark Nephthys inhaled.

Then she groaned, and staggered as the dark flames covered her.

Sam gasped, and panted for breath.

"SAM!" shouted Yumi. "You alright?"

"I think so…" gasped Sam.

"My turn is over…" muttered Daala.

Then, Darklord Zerato exploded into pixels.

"Uhm…" said Yumi. "Not that I'm sorry to see him go, but… Why did that happen?"

"An unfortunate side effect," muttered Daala. "If he uses his effect, he goes away at the end of my turn…"

Ren ran up to Joan.

"Joan!" he whispered. "Daala said that Darklord Zerato led the Dread Council until the Dark Exemplar came. What the heck else does Daala have in this deck?"

"I don't know!" whispered Joan back. "When I dueled Daala, I didn't get any farther than this!"

**(Y&S: 2,900) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 7,350)**

"My move…" muttered Yumi.

She drew a card.

Then she quickly set it on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"That's all I can do…" she muttered.

"Then it's my move," said Llymic, with a chuckle.

He drew a card.

"I play Pot of Greed," he said, playing a card.

He made two draws.

He smirked a little when he saw what one of them was.

_Can't use this now,_ he thought, adding it to his hand, _but it will be useful later…_

"To be safe," he said, "I'll move The Magician to Defense Mode…"

The Magician knelt and shielded himself with its arms.

"Then, I summon Arcana Force III – The Empress," he said.

He played the card, and a new Arcana Force Monster appeared next to The Magician. It looked like a female creature of alien origins, gaunt and lanky, wearing a blue outfit with a gossamer cape with a high, fancy collar. It had inhuman eyes and an enlarged cranium. (1,300/1,300)

"Ugh!" said Sam.

The card appeared above The Empress and started to spin. Sam sighed.

"STOP!" she shouted.

The card stopped, right side up again.

"Lucky me," replied Llymic. "Here's the deal… Each time one of you two Normal Summons or sets a Monster, I get to Special Summon one from my hand, so long as it has the words 'Arcana Force' in its name.

"In the meantime…"

The Empress put her hands together, and shot a blast of light, striking Sam in the chest.

"Ergh…" grunted Sam.

**(Y&S: 1,600) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 7,350)**

"Sorry, Yumi…" moaned Sam. "I'm sorry I fell for such an obvious trap…"

"Don't dwell on it, Sam," said Yumi. "Something is wrong here…

"Why did Llymic move The Magician to Defense Mode when he could have attacked you with that as well, and brought our Life Points down to 500? That Monster is a liability to them right now… And since they're in the lead, losing it from an attack wouldn't hurt them too much…

"Something is clearly wrong… Llymic and Daala are trying to prolong this duel on purpose…"

Daala looked at Llymic.

_They're on to us,_ she said, in her telepathic voice.

_Don't worry,_ said Llymic. _Too much is at stake for them to simply give up. They'll continue the duel… And we'll make it last long enough for the Exemplars to finally show their power…_

He looked up at the Great Helm.

"My move," said Sam, drawing a card. "I don't know what your game is, Llymic, but it's not gonna work…

"I activate Mystical Space Typhoon!"

She played the card, and the Swords of Light were blown away by the powerful wind.

"Then," she continued, "I play Silent Doom, to bring back Archfiend Soldier in Defense Mode."

She played the card, and the Archfiend appeared, kneeling in Defense. (1,900/1,500)

"Then," she said, taking the last card in her hand, "I set a Monster."

A facedown Monster appeared.

"And I use The Empress's effect," replied Llymic. "I summon Arcana Force VI – The Lovers."

In another burst of light, a new Monster appeared, and it wasn't what anyone (except maybe Aster) expected. It certainly did not suggest lovers, or even two creatures. It was a semi-humanoid creature with a torso that resembled a black dress covered with pink orbs. It had long arms that looked like tendrils, with oversized hands, and its head was a metal helmet with an alien face. (1,600/1,600)

The card appeared above it and started to spin.

"You know what?" muttered Sam. "Maybe you'd better do it Yumi…"

"Stop right there!" shouted Yumi.

The card stopped, and was right-side-up.

"These two can't catch a break!" said Chelsea.

"With The Lovers in an upright position," said Llymic, it can count as two sacrifices, if I sacrifice it to summon an Arcana Force Monster."

**(Y&S: 2,100) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 7,350)**

"Since you have no more cards," said Daala, "I believe it's my move…"

She drew a card.

_Hmm…_ she thought. _Not the Monster I wanted… But he'll help me draw it quicker._

"If I were to compare the Dread Council to the Beatles," she said, "the member I'm about to summon would be the Quiet One. But let's face it… George Harrison was a great artist, and what I'm about to summon is no slouch.

"I sacrifice Dark Nephthys…"

The dark firebird vanished…

"To summon Darknight Parshath!"

The Monster that appeared was smaller than Dark Nephthys, but no less evil-looking. It looked like Airknight Parshath at first glance, but his armor, skin, fur, and feathers were pitch black. He carried a nasty sword and shield that were a mirror image of the armaments of his good counterpart. (1,900/1,400)

"Now why did she do that?" asked Erik. "Dark Nephthys is stronger than that guy…"

"Only to start," replied Daala. "Darknight Parshath gains 100 Attack Points for every Dark Monster in my Graveyard…"

She grinned, and a menagerie of specters appeared behind her – Dark Grepher, Shadowpriestess of Ohm, Regenerating Rose, Dark Armed Dragon, The Dark Creator, Dark Horus, Dark Crusader, Vengeful Shinobi, Obsidian Dragon, Darklord Zerato, and Dark Nephthys.

"As you can see, I have eleven," she said, as they vanished. "That gives Darknight quite a boost…"

Darknight Parshath glowed with a black shadow… (3,000/1,400)

"Destroy Sam's facedown Monster!" shouted Daala.

Darknight Parshath galloped at the Fiend, and Gil Garth appeared on the card. The Dark Fairy made a slice down the middle, cutting it in half.

"Darknight has another effect," said Daala. "Whenever he slays a Monster, I can remove one Dark Monster in my Graveyard from play, to draw one card."

Dark Armed Dragon slipped out of her discard slot, and she made a draw. Darknight Parshath's Attack Score fell to 2,900.

She frowned.

"Disappointed?" asked Yumi, with a scowl.

"Just move…" replied Daala.

Yumi quickly drew a card.

_This will be a big risk,_ she thought, _but I have to destroy The Empress before Llymic uses its effect to Special Summon something worse…_

"I summon Skilled Dark Magician again!" she exclaimed.

She played the card, and with a flourish, Skilled Dark Magician appeared a second time. (1,900/1,700)

"Sadly," said Llymic, "I have no Arcana Force Monsters to Special Summon…"

"Destroy The Empress!" commanded Yumi.

Skilled Dark Magician fired his bolt, and The Empress cracked and chipped before shattering into shards. Llymic grinned slightly.

**(Y&S: 2,100) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 6,350)**

"It's your move, Llymic," said Yumi, nervously.

"Indeed it is," said Llymic, drawing a card.

"And I play my own Pot of Avarice," he said.

He played the card, and The Star, The Empress, Temperance, The Chariot, and The Moon all slipped out of his discard slot. He shuffled the five Monsters back into his deck, and drew two cards.

Then he smiled even broader.

"A noble attempt, Yumi," he chuckled, "But I still have The Lovers, and I can still use it.

"I'm sure Aster will remember the beating he got from this Monster, even those the memories truly belong to the real Aster…

"I sacrifice The Lovers…"

The Lovers vanished, and a practical volcano of light erupted on Llymic's side of the field…

"I summon forth… Arcana Force XXI…

"_The World!"_

Everyone stepped back in fear, as a twenty-foot-tall titan rose on Llymic's side of the field. It looked like a giant, armored robot made of blue metal, with clawed arms and a conical spire in place of legs. Over its head was a metal arch engraved with mystic runes, and the head itself was blank and featureless. (3,100/3,100)

"Three-thousand-one-hundred?" gasped Chelsea.

"Aster!" shouted Ren. "What does this thing do?"

"If it lands upright," gulped Aster, "and Llymic sacrifices two Monsters, he can force Sam to skip her next turn…"

"And Llymic and Daala already _have_ two other Monsters!" gasped Erik. "The Magician and Darknight!"

The card appeared above The World, and started to spin.

_This is it,_ thought Yumi. _The whole duel rests on this spin…_

"Stop right there!" she shouted.

The card slowly stopped.

Then everyone on Yumi's side cheered. It was upside-down.

"WHAT?" shouted Llymic.

"HA!" laughed Sam. "All that work, and you got bad luck!"

"Fine," said Llymic, closing his eyes. "When The World is inverted, then during your Standby Phases, the two of you get to recover the top card from your Graveyard.

"But The World still has 3,100 Attack Points, and I intend to use them.

"I'll move The Magician to Attack Mode as well…"

The Magician stood up.

"Arcana Force XXI… Demolish Skilled Dark Magician with Light Catastrophe!"

A storm of burning energy erupted around The World, and it hurled the destructive bolts at the Spellcaster. Yumi screamed as her Monster was blown to dust.

"Magician, attack Yumi's facedown Monster!" commanded Llymic.

The Magician shot its sphere at the facedown card. Apprentice Magician appeared crouching on the card, and was blown away.

A card slipped out of Yumi's deck. She quickly placed it on her Disk, and a new facedown Monster appeared.

Llymic set two cards in his Disk, and two facedown cards appeared.

"Your move, Samantha…" he said. "Make the best of it…"

**(Y&S: 1,500) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 6,350)**

Sam's hand shook as she drew a card.

"Due to The World," she said, "I get to recover Gil Garth…"

Gil Garth slipped out of her discard slot.

"Now I play Pot of Greed!"

The evil jar appeared, and she made two draws.

"I'll set a Monster, and end my turn."

A facedown Monster appeared.

**(Y&S: 2,000) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 6,350)**

Daala drew a card. She frowned again.

"During my Standby Phase, Dark Armed Dragon goes back to my Graveyard…"

Darknight Parshath rose back to an Attack Score of 3,000.

"Now, I attack Archfiend Soldier!"

Darknight Parshath made a slash with his sword, cutting the Archfiend down.

"Now, I'll remove Dark Armed Dragon from play again to draw one card again."

She made a draw.

"Darn it…" she muttered, under her breath. "Where the Hell is it…

"Just make your move, Yumi…"

Yumi quickly drew a card.

She started to smile when she saw what it was.

"Due to The World, I get Apprentice Magician back," she said, taking the card from her discard slot.

"Next, I flip Crystal Seer into Attack Mode."

Her facedown Monster flipped up, and Crystal Seer appeared. (100/100)

"Now, I use her effect."

She took two cards off her deck and looked at them. They were Monster Reborn and Cosmo Queen.

She slid Cosmo Queen under her deck, and took Monster Reborn.

"First," she said, "I play Monster Reborn to summon Magician's Valkyria in Defense Mode."

The holy ankh appeared, and Valkyria appeared, kneeling and shielding herself. (1,600/1,800)

"Then," she continued, "I sacrifice Crystal Seer to summon Dark Magician Girl!"

Crystal Seer vanished, and an exact duplicate of Yumi appeared in front of her. (2,000/1,700)

"Two for the price of one," laughed Llymic.

"You won't be laughing in a minute…" said Yumi. "I play… Hand Control!"

"What?" said Llymic, as the Spell Card appeared.

"I name any Spell Card I can think of," said Yumi, and if it's in either of your hands, it is activated."

"That's crazy," said Llymic. "How can that help…"

Then he saw the card in his hand, and realized what Yumi's intention was.

"The card I name," said Yumi, "is Suit of Sword X."

Both Llymic and Daala gasped, as the Spell Card appeared on their side of the field, and started to spin.

"Need I remind you," said Yumi, with a grin, "our Deck Lord is still set to Spell Cards, so there's no risk us. You two, on the other hand, might be in big trouble…

"Stop that card!"

Everyone looked up as the card started to slow.

For the first time, a look of fright appeared on Llymic's face, as it stopped upside-down.

There was a burst of light above the two of them, and a deadly shower of swords rained down upon Darknight Parshath, The Magician, and The World. The Magician shattered into pieces instantly. Then Darknight let out a scream as he was impaled, and then blown to shards. The World's armor was pierced in several places, and explosions burst through its thick shell, until the whole thing erupted in flames from the inside, and then blew into slag.

Llymic looked at the smoking debris where his mighty Monster had been. He was speechless.

"YEAH!" shouted Ren. "They wiped out Daala and Llymic's whole side! They're gonna win!"

"Dark Magician Girl…" ordered Yumi. "Attack Llymic directly! Dark Burning Attack!"

Yumi's twin flew up to Llymic and cast her dark spell. He screamed as it burned his skin.

**(Y&S: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 4,350)**

"It's your move, Llymic," said Yumi. "This duel is just about over…"

Llymic scowled, and drew a card.

Then he laughed out loud.

"Indeed it is, Yumi!" he laughed. "They say what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger! I'm not dead yet, and I'm about to become stronger than ever!"

Three phantoms appeared behind him. They were The Magician, The Strength, and The World.

"Since I now have a low-Level, mid-Level, and high-Level Arcana Force Monster in my Graveyard," he said, as they faded away, "I can unleash my most devastating combo!"

His first facedown card lifted.

"I activate The Material Road!"

Then his other facedown card lifted.

"Then I activate The Spiritual Road!"

He took a card from his hand.

"And from my hand, I activate The Heaven's Road!"

A Spell Card appeared.

"It can't be…" gasped Aster.

"I sacrifice my three metaphysical pillars to bring out the Light side of Chaos!" shouted Llymic.

The three cards vanished.

"I summon… Arcana Force EX – The Light Ruler!"

A huge, hulking form rose behind Llymic. It was even taller than The World, and wider than it was tall. Hunched over and hulking, it was armored with an alien design, had an expressionless face, and two thick, clawed, mechanical-looking arms. As it glared at Yumi and Sam with inhuman eyes, two large, mechanical dragons unfolded from its back. (4,000/4,000)

"I take it back…" said Ren, with a shudder. "They aren't gonna win…"

"Aster…" gasped Atticus. "Do you remember this… thing?"

"I'd never forget it," muttered Aster. "When the real Aster dueled Sartorious, he summoned Bloo-D and used its effect to absorb The World. He thought he had won, thinking The World was Sartorious's strongest Monster…

"But Sartorious proved him wrong by summoning this… The avatar of the Light of Ruin itself! It took out Bloo-D, and Aster along with it!"

"Correct," chuckled Llymic. "But no-one knew at the time that the Light of Ruin was one of two servants of Shogarr, the Dread Emperor… One side of Chaos…

"People… I give you the Light Exemplar!"

Then The Light Ruler's card appeared above it, and started to spin.

_This could be the most important toss of the whole duel…_ thought Yumi.

"STOP!" she shouted.

Then the card stopped, very abruptly. It was right-side-up.

Llymic chuckled.

"It didn't really matter, Yumi," he said. "With the Light Ruler, both of its effects are beneficent to me…

"Attack!"

Streams of burning, flaming light shot out of the two dragon mouths. Yumi staggered backwards as Valkyria exploded.

"You were lucky that she was in Defense Mode," laughed Llymic. "And due to The Light Ruler's upright effect, whenever it crushes a Monster, I get to recover any card I desire from my Graveyard…"

A card slipped out of his discard slot.

"Since I haven't Normal Summoned yet, I think I'll summon it…"

He placed the card on his Disk, and The Lovers appeared again. (1,600/1,600)

The card appeared above it, and started to spin.

"You know," said Yumi, this time, I'm not even gonna bother…"

The card stopped, and was right-side-up.

"Figures…"

"I set two cards," said Llymic, as two facedown cards appeared in front of him, "and my turn is over…"

Sam quickly drew a card, and looked at it.

"No way, Llymic," she said. "I am NOT letting you bring out another two-Tribute terror!

"I flip Gil Garth into Attack Mode!"

Her facedown card flipped up, and Gil Garth appeared again. (1,800/1,200)

"Is Sam crazy?" shouted Jesse.

"Attack The Lovers!" ordered Sam.

Gil Garth charged, and made a slice with its blade, cleaving The Lovers in half.

"I set two cards facedown, and end my turn!" shouted Sam, as two reversed cards appeared. "Do your worst, Daala!"

**(Y&S: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 4,150)**

Daala laughed, as she drew a card.

"You think you're safe from The Light Ruler because it isn't Llymic's turn, huh?" she asked. "Wrong…

"I play Fiend's Sanctuary…"

She played the Spell Card, and the Metal Fiend Token appeared. (0/0)

"Next, I sacrifice it, to summon my Monster Tamer."

The Token vanished, and a rugged Warrior dressed in Arabian-style, red clothing, with a matching goatee, holding a whip appeared. (1,800/1,600)

"You're likely thinking that Monster Tamer is pretty pathetic for a Level Five Monster," she continued. "Well, he has a powerful ability that I can only use in a team duel.

"See, normally, I wouldn't be able to attack with one of Llymic's Monsters. But with Monster Tamer under my control, I can not only do so, I can give it 600 more Attack Points!"

Monster Tamer lashed his whip, and The Light Ruler rose to an Attack Score of 4,600.

"Time to finish you off!" shouted Daala. "Light Ruler… Destroy Yumi's Dark Magician Girl!"

The two dragon heads on The Light Ruler roared. Energy appeared in their jaws…

"You think I didn't expect that, Daala?" asked Sam. "I was counting on it! I figured you two were hiding a super-strong Monster for this duel, so I put something in my deck for just such an occasion..."

One of her facedown cards shot up.

"It's called Battle x2! Since The Light Ruler's Attack Score is at least twice that of Dark Magician Girl, her Attack Score is now doubled!"

Dark Magician Girl closed her eyes, and glowed with golden flames…. (4,000/1,700)

"It's still her last stand!" shouted Daala. "Finish her!"

Two burning beams of light shot at Dark Magician Girl.

"Not quite!" shouted Sam, as her second facedown card lifted. "Part two of my plan… The Trap Card, Covering Fire! Now, she gains an additional boost, equal to the Attack Score of Gil Garth!"

(5,800/1,700)

Dark Magician Girl leapt up, dodging the powerful blast, and shot a mighty Dark Burning Attack at the very center of the beast, blowing a hole right through it. The Light Ruler teetered for a second or two… Then it collapsed forward… And then burst, sending burnt metal and flaming debris across the whole arena. Llymic shielded himself from the burning wreckage.

**(Y&S: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 2,950)**

"You may have defeated the Light Exemplar," said Llymic, with bile in his voice, "but the Dark Exemplar will avenge it…"

One of his facedown cards lifted, showing a Trap they had never seen before. It showed the image of a relay racer passing a baton to another racer.

"It's a Trap called Baton Pass, and it's exclusive for team duels. Since my Monster was destroyed, my partner gets to take one with the same Level from her deck!"

"Another Level Ten Monster?" gasped Mako.

That's right!" laughed Daala, taking a card from her deck. "Next turn, the Dark Exemplar will appear, and will finish you off!

"I end my turn…"

Yumi slowly drew a card.

_Magician of Faith?_ she thought. _Oh, I was hoping for something stronger…_

_Llymic has no Monsters… If I attacked him and it went through, we'd come close to winning…_

_But the key words are, "if it goes through". He has another facedown card, and if it lets him dodge the attack, I'll be wide open for an attack from Daala's Dark Exemplar, whatever it is…_

_Better play it safe…_

"I set a Monster, and move Dark Magician Girl to Defense Mode."

Dark Magician Girl knelt in defense, and a set Monster appeared next to her.

"And that's all."

Llymic drew a card.

"I'll also set a Monster," he said, as a hidden Monster appeared. "And I end my turn…"

Sam quickly drew a card.

"I summon Opticlops!" she shouted.

With a roar, the cyclopsed, horned ogre appeared. (1,800/1,700)

"Attack Llymic's Monster!" she shouted.

Steam blew from Opticlops' nostrils. It charged, and Kaiser Sea Horse appeared on the card. Opticlops tackled it, and it was blown to pieces.

"Gil Garth, attack Llymic directly!"

Gil Garth lunged at Llymic.

"I activate… Scapegoat!" shouted Llymic.

His facedown card lifted, and four fluffy sheep appeared. Gil Garth paused, and the slashed with its sword, cutting one of them in half.

Sam looked at the last card in her hand.

"Fine…" she muttered. "I end my turn…."

Daala grinned wickedly, and drew a card.

"As you know," she said, "there are twelve Dark Monsters in my Graveyard right now…

"So… I remove from play _seven_ of them…"

An immense, dark shadow started to loom over her…

"…to call forth Shogarr's other servant. The Dark Exemplar… _Rainbow Dark Dragon_!"

It was hard to believe what had appeared. The titan looming over the field was a hundred feet long, and looked like an evil, blackened version of Jesse's legendary Dragon. Its gems sparkled with light, clashing with its glossy black hide, and its eyes glowed blood red. (4,000/0)

"Impossible…" gasped Jesse. "Rainbow Dark Dragon wasn't a separate Monster… It was the real Rainbow Dragon after Yubel put a curse on it…"

"True," said Daala, "but she couldn't do that alone. She recruited a powerful spirit from the very heart of Dark World to take possession of the Rainbow Dragon, offering it a body in exchange for its services. She didn't know that it was the Dark Exemplar and a being who served an Elder Evil… Nor would she have truly cared at the time in her madness.

"The Dark Exemplar corrupted Jesse's Crystal Beasts, and gained its powers from them. But when Jaden used the Super Polymerization to free Jesse from his prison within the Dragon, he also freed the Rainbow Dragon from the Dark Exemplar's control, forcibly driving it out.

"The Exemplar was wounded and weakened, and wandered through the void for a time. It was eventually attracted to Xanadu, a place where its master had influence. I was charged with finding it, because it was too weak to call out to any allies. It took me years of digging up the landscape, but I eventually found it, and the Dread Council healed it, and gave a new body… This one…

"So now you know…

"And I'm activating its new, more powerful effect! I'm removing from play all the Dark Monsters remaining in my Graveyard, and for each one, it gains 500 more Attack Points!"

Rainbow Dark Dragon glowed with unholy energy… (6,500/0)

"Sixty… five… thousand?" gulped Yumi.

"And that's not all," said Daala, taking a card from her hand. "I Equip Rainbow Dark Dragon with Zombie Lineage!"

"Meaning you can ditch that card to prevent it from being destroyed by a card effect," said Yumi.

"You got it…" said Daala, taking another card from her hand. "I could win by attacking Gil Garth… But I prefer a more symbolic victory…

"I play Enemy Controller! Dark Magician Girl… Stand up…"

Yumi's twin on the field tried to struggle, but the Spell forced her into Attack Mode.

"Rainbow Dark Dragon…" commanded Daala, "kill Dark Magician Girl! Dark Rainbow Refraction!"

Yumi shut her eyes tight.

_I tried my best, Joan…_ she thought, as a tear fell from one of them.

Rainbow Dragon roared, and a mighty blast of multicolored light shot from its jaws. Everyone screamed as Dark Magician Girl was vaporized.

Yumi didn't open her eyes. Why didn't it hurt? An attack that powerful should have thrown her across the room…

She slowly opened her eyes…

Then she saw that she and Sam were surrounded by a swarm of gently cooing Kuribohs, and Sam was grinning.

"Sam…" gasped Yumi. "The… the last card in your hand…"

Sam gave a thumb's up.

"How DARE you!" screamed Daala. "How dare you insult my God of Darkness with that puny Kuriboh?!"

"Hey," chuckled Sam. "It worked against Obelisk."

"I'm not done with you!" screamed Daala. "Monster Tamer, attack her other Monster!"

Monster Tamer lashed with his whip at the facedown Monster. Magician of Faith appeared and shattered.

"There!" said Daala with a scowl. "There goes your faith, your hope, and your chances."

Yumi frowned, and a card slipped out of her discard slot.

She looked at it. Monster Reborn.

"I'm getting tired of this," said Daala. "Make your move. Remember, due to my Zombie Lineage, unless you can summon something with more than 6,500 Attack Points, my Monster is invincible!"

Yumi looked at her deck. Then she looked at the cards in her hand.

_Only one card in my deck can do it…_ she thought. _Come on, deck…_

She drew a card. She held it to the light.

"So…" she said. "That Equip Spell makes your Dragon invulnerable huh? I think not… I'm going to topple your titan, Daala!"

"You and what army?" asked Daala.

"Funny you should ask," replied Yumi. "First, I play Monster Reborn!"

She played the card, and the holy ankh shined in the dim light. Dark Magician Girl appeared in front of Yumi again. (2,000/1,700)

"Next," she said, taking the card she had just drawn, "I play The Sage's Stone!"

She played the card, and Dark Magician materialized on the field next to Dark Magician Girl.

"With Dark Magician and his apprentice on the field at the same time," said Yumi, "I can use my ultimate weapon…"

She threw a card into her Disk.

"I activate the Spell Card whose name means the Twilight of the Gods… The almighty power of Ragnarok!"

The Spell Card appeared, and lightning flashed. A fierce wind started to blow in the arena.

"Ragnarok?" asked Atticus. "What isn't that…"

"The Spell Card that her grandfather used in the final round of Battle City…" replied Joan. "The one with whose might was strong enough to even destroy The Winged Dragon of Ra!"

"That's right," said Yumi. "Your Zombie Lineage is a poor defense against a power that can smite a God Card. But this Spell Card has a great cost… I have to remove from play every Monster in my hand, deck, AND Graveyard."

Several cards slipped out of Yumi's Graveyard, and she added them to one card from her hand, and every Monster remaining in her deck. Putting every Monster in her deck except for the two on the field aside, she turned to face Daala and Llymic as the windstorm increased.

And then, ghostly shapes started to appear around her, that then took solid form. First came Magician of Faith, then Old Vindictive Magician and two Apprentice Magicians. Curran appeared, and gave an angry look at Daala. Injection Fairy Lily joined them.

The specters kept coming. Two Magician's Valkyria, two Skilled Dark Magicians, Blast Magician, Magical Exemplar, Gemini Elf, Kycoo, Breaker, Goddess With the Third Eye. They all flew into position to face Daala's great beast. Then the most powerful Spellcasters appeared. Chaos Command Magician, Dark Magician of Chaos, and Cosmo Queen took the high ground.

Daala and Llymic slunk back in fear as Dark Magician Girl and Dark Magician pointed…

Then the attack started, and a multitude of spells shot towards their side of the field. The three Sheep Tokens were incinerated at once. Monster Tamer screamed in terror, and was blasted into oblivion.

The army of Spellcasters continued their onslaught. The Zombie Lineage card was blasted to pieces, and Rainbow Dark Dragon strained as magical energy glanced off its armor. Eventually, the blasts started to pierce its armor, and it roared in pain. Hunks of crystal were blasted off its hide, then large cracks appeared on it.

Finally, The Dark Exemplar let out a pitiful whine, and collapsed to the ground with a crash. The army of Spellcasters didn't let up, and finally, Rainbow Dark Dragon exploded into black shards.

"Now what?" screamed Daala.

"Don't give up!" shouted Llymic. "We aren't finished yet!"

"What do you mean?" asked Yumi. "I haven't even attacked yet."

Then the realization came to Daala and Llymic. Yumi had indeed not entered her Battle Phase yet. Neither of them had any Monsters on the field now, and no facedown cards…

"Dark Magician," said Yumi, "Dark Magician Girl… Double Dark Magic Attack!"

The two Spellcasters flew to the forefront of the army. Dark Magician aimed his blast at Llymic, and he screamed as it hit him. Dark Magician Girl aimed at Daala and she screamed even louder. She collapsed to her knees.

The army faded away.

It was over.

**(Y&S: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (D&L: 0)**

"They won…" said Joan.

"Now let's see if it works," said Sheena.

Daala didn't get up. She looked down, as if in shame.

Then she looked shocked. She was turning slightly translucent.

"What…" she stammered. "What's happening to me? I'm fading!"

Sheena stepped forward.

"Ragnarok was more than a Spell," she said. "It was a virus. You're being deleted, Daala. We're taking you out for good."

Daala put her hand over her heart, and her expression turned to panic, as she realized it was true.

"No…" she gasped. "Llymic… Llymic! Do something! Make an antivirus or something!"

Llymic looked at Daala. Then he looked at the Great Helm.

"Sorry, kid," he said. "But I lack what I need to do it here. And I can't leave the Great Helm, or they'll destroy it."

He backed away from Daala.

"But I'll tell Shogarr how much you helped."

"NO!" screamed Daala, as she started to fade even more. "No, no, no, no, no! Please, someone! I don't wanna die!"

Tears fell down her cheeks.

Then, Vita walked up to her.

"Then I'll give you an ultimatum, Daala," she said. "The virus will only harm Daala, not Phyllis Ting.

"So… Join back with me… Or cease to exist…"

Daala looked up at her good side. She held up her hand.

"Vita, wait," said Yumi. "Are you sure? You have a chance to live without your evil side…"

"I know, Yumi," said Vita, reaching for Daala. "But that isn't for the best. Can good truly exist without evil?

"I think not…"

Daala and Vita clasped hands. The two started to glow.

Everyone present watched. The two of them, Daala and Vita, turned into pure light. Llymic shielded his eyes. Then the light became blinding…

When everyone looked, a new young woman was standing where they had been. She resembled Daala, but not as attractive, wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Only the Crown of Xanadu remained around her head to indicate that she was the Queen of Xanadu.

"Daala?" asked Ren.

"Vita?" asked Chelsea.

"They're both gone," replied Yumi. "Only Phyllis Ting is left… We can only hope that Vita's influence is stronger."

Phyllis looked at Llymic, and then at Joan…

And then she started to weep. She sobbed. She walked up to Joan.

"Joan…" she cried. "I can't express how sorry I am… For all the things I put you and the whole population of this place through…

"I'll have to pay for what I've done. In the meantime…"

She lifted the flames off her head.

"I abdicate the Crown of Xanadu… And I bestow it upon you…"

"NO!" shouted Llymic. "I won't allow this!"

He started to cast a spell.

Then Phyllis quickly drew a card from what was left of her deck.

"You made me Queen of Xanadu, Llymic," she said. "Consider this my last order as such…"

The card glowed, and a Shadow Spell grabbed Llymic. He started to curse and struggle.

"You're under arrest."

She gestured, and the flames surrounded Joan's head, turning into flames of pure light.

Everyone on Yumi's side of the field breathed a sigh of relief…

Except Yumi herself. She knew that something was still missing…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ARCANA FORCE VIII – THE STRENGTH (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fairy/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 5  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,800

**Card Description:** When this card is Summoned, toss one coin. This card gains one of the following effects based on the result of the toss:

Heads: Take control of one of your opponent's Monsters. Control lasts until this card is no longer face-up on the field.

Tails: While this card remains face-up on the field, your opponent gains control of all of your face-up Monsters except this one.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**REVERSE REBORN (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image:** A metal mask on a background of grey and black shapes.

**Card Description:** Select one "Arcana Force" Monster in your Graveyard. Special Summon the selected Monster and Equip it with this card. When this card is removed from the field, destroy the Equipped Monster. The Monster Equipped with this card has its "Tails" effect automatically applied.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SUIT OF SWORD X (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image:** Ten swords stuck in the ground, under a crescent moon.

**Card Description:** Toss one coin. Depending on the result of the toss, enact one of the following effects:

Heads: Destroy all Monsters your opponent controls.

Tails: Destroy all Monsters you control.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**THE MATERIAL ROAD (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image:** Arcana Force I – The Magician, Arcana Force III – The Empress, and Arcana Force VII – The Chariot all floating in an ocean.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when you have at least one "Arcana Force" Monster in your Graveyard that is Level Four or less.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**THE SPIRITUAL ROAD (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image:** Arcana Force XII – The Hangman in a misty fog.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when you have at least one "Arcana Force" Monster in your Graveyard that is Level Five or Six.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**THE HEAVEN'S ROAD (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image:** Arcana Force XII – The World on a rocky mountain path.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when you have at least one "Arcana Force" Monster in your Graveyard that is Level Seven or Eight. Send this card along with a face-up "The Material Road" and a face-up "The Spiritual Road" to the Graveyard to Special Summon one "Arcana Force EX – The Light Ruler" from your hand, deck, or Graveyard, disregarding its summoning requirements.

_Note: The proceeding six cards were all used by Sartorious at various times in Season Two of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX". Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CRYSTAL SEAL (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image:** A large, violet prism, with a winged, humanoid form trapped inside.

**Card Description:** Target one Monster your opponent controls. The targeted Monster cannot attack, cannot be targeted for an attack, and cannot be Tributed. If the targeted Monster's ATK or DEF changes, destroy this card.

_Note: "Crystal Seal" was first used by Raphael in "Fate of the Pharaoh (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ARCANA FORCE XVII – THE STAR (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fairy/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,700  
**DEF:** 2,700

**Card Description:** When this card is Summoned, toss one coin. This card gains one of the following effects based on the result of the toss:

Heads: By Tributing two Monsters during your Main Phase 1, this card may attack directly during the Battle Phase of the same turn.

Tails: No Monsters on your side of the field may attack directly.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ARCANA FORCE XIII – THE REAPER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fairy/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 6  
**ATK:** 2,300  
**DEF:** 2,300

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card can be Normal Summoned with no Tribute if you control a face-up "Arcana Force" Monster. When this card is Summoned, toss one coin. This card gains one of the following effects based on the result of the toss:

Heads: You may switch the effect of one "Arcana Force" Monster (except this one) on your side of the field during your Main Phase. This effect may be used once per turn.

Tails: During each of your Standby Phases, switch the effects of all "Arcana Force" Monsters you control except this one.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BATON PASS (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A track runner passing a baton to another runner.

**Card Description:** This card can only be used in a duel where you have a partner. Activate this card when a Monster that you control is destroyed. If your partner has at least one Monster in his/her deck and/or Graveyard that is the same Level as the destroyed Monster, he/she selects one and adds it to his/her hand.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MONSTER TAMER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 5  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,600

**Card Description:** You may use the effect of this card in a duel where you have a partner. During your Battle Phase, you may declare attacks with your partner's Monsters as if they were your own, and increase their ATK by 600 until the end of your Battle Phase.

_Note: This is the anime version of "Monster Tamer" as it appeared in the original multi-part anime episode "Double Trouble Duel". The real Japanese card is a Normal Monster._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK INVIGORATION (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** Doom Shaman casting a spell, and ghostly phantoms flying towards him.

**Card Description:** Remove one DARK Monster in your Graveyard from play and target one face-up DARK Monster on the field. Increase the ATK of the targeted Monster by 1,000 until the End Phase of the current turn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BATTLE X2 (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** Two Penguin Soldiers, one of them holding a large feather.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card during the Battle Phase when your Monster battles a Monster with an ATK at least twice as high as your Monster's ATK. Double the ATK of your Monster.

_Note: "Battle x2" was first used by Jaden in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "What a Doll!". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**RAGNAROK (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image:** An elaborately painted picture of a group of villagers watching a group of huge deities fighting in the sky.

**Card Description:** You may activate this card when you have a combination of any two of the following Monsters face-up on your side of the field: "Dark Magician", "Dark Magician Girl", "Magician of Black Chaos", and "Dark Sage". Remove from play all Monsters in your hand, deck, and Graveyard. Destroy all Monsters on your opponent's side of the field, regardless of any conditions that would prevent their destruction.

_Note: "Ragnarok" was first used by the Pharaoh in the original anime episode "The Final Face-Off (Part Four)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Yumi and Sam's Deck Lord: "Testament of the Arcane Lords":** "Life Protection": At the beginning of the duel, choose Spell, Trap, or Monster effect. Your Monsters cannot be destroyed via the method chosen. You may switch your choice during your Standby Phase by paying 1,000 Life Points. (Extraordinary Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Daala and Llymic's Deck Lord: "Chaos Sorcerer":** "Chaos Theory": Any Monsters that are removed from play are sent to their owner's Graveyard during his/her next Standby Phase. This effect is not optional. (Extraordinary Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Lords of Chaos**

**He of Eternal Darkness; Tharizdun**

The name Tharizdun is legendary among all beings whose memories are long, and all mortals who battle evil. Joan believes that Azathoth is the greatest force of Chaos in the universe, but doubts that he exists. If the Blind Idiot Piper does exist, he is too stupid to plot his own schemes. Tharizdun is one of the mightiest forces of Chaos in the universe who actually posed a threat.

Tharizdun presumably came from the Far Realm, a plane of madness. A being of unheard of power, he sought the same goal as most Elder Evils – destruction of all he came across. He would overwhelm the universe in Chaos, and not just unmake it, but erase it. Possibly, he was the one who created the Dark Jewel that corrupted the brother of Archlord Zerato.

However, almost every other power in the universe witnessed the early stages of Tharizdun's plan, and realized he was going too far. He would destroy the universe, and literally nothing would be spared. Tharizdun himself would not even survive. No creature with any sanity could let this continue. Even the most evil of demon lords realized that Tharizdun's plans would leave no universe left to conquer.

Thus, a grand alliance was formed. Heaven allied itself with Hell, briefly, and a temporary truce was called in the Blood War. For a brief time, all powers, Good and Evil, Law and Chaos, all banded together to oppose Chaos. It is said in that time a powerful mortal became the god of justice who is now called St. Cuthbert.

The conglomerate army fought against Tharizdun's mad forces, and after a long struggle, the darkness was defeated. Tharizdun was imprisoned in a secure demiplane, and has not escaped since.

But he will not accept defeat so quietly.

From time to time since that ancient battle, Tharizdun has reached out from his prison. Some mad cultists venerate his name, worshiping him as a god. Worshippers of Tharizdun strive for their god's release, usually believing (wrongly) that they will be spared when his plan for annihilation begins again.

Perhaps Tharizdun's greatest plan was The Temple of Elemental Evil. Proving himself a master of the elemental forces by assuming the form of the Elder Elemental Eye, he formed not one cult, but four, fueled by power from the four elements. The Temple's goal was to bring the four Elemental Lords of Evil (beings rumored to be Tharizdun's spawn) to Earth so that a ritual could be cast to free Tharizdun, but the plan failed, and the Temple was destroyed.

Tharizdun's plans seem likely to fail again and again. The mere mention of his name is enough to raise an army of crusaders, not to mention the Wind Dukes, to quell whatever new plot is in the works by whatever new cult has formed. But they must be ever wary, because Chaos on this scale holds might enough to unmake all of creation.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Has Yumi achieved victory? It sure seems that way. But all is not as it seems.**_

_**The final battle of "Soul of Silicon" is coming. And it will, after an Interlude, that is coming next.**_


	68. Interlude

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**INTERLUDE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi looked at the situation, as she stood at Joan's side.

It certainly looked like they had achieved victory. Daala was no more, and the young woman who had taken her place had surrendered. Llymic was in chains, and the members of Daala's inner circle were on their knees, as Joan's five generals took them into custody as well. Best of all, Joan wore the Crown of Xanadu now.

Chelsea walked up to Joan.

"I remember Daala saying that permission from the ruler of Xanadu was needed for us to go home," she said. "Well, since you rule Xanadu now, can we go home?"

"As soon as you like, Chelsea," said Joan, with a smile.

Then Llymic laughed.

"Oh, sure, Chelsea!" he mocked. "You're going to be a hit at your senior prom with green skin and fangs!"

"You be quiet!" ordered Zane, who was watching him.

Chelsea's face fell.

"He makes a point thought," said Ren. "Look at us… We've become Duel Spirits… What would we be going home to?"

"It's not reversible!" shouted Mako.

"What do you mean?" asked Sam. "They said…"

"Look at Phyllis!" shouted Mako. "She isn't Dark Witch any more! She turned back when her curse was lifted! There has to be a way…"

Everyone looked at Phyllis in shock. Mako was right. It took the uneducated fisherman to figure it out.

Yumi looked at Joan.

"Dark Necrofear was a liar…" she said. "She likely lied to everyone, including Daala… At every turn…"

They looked at Phyllis.

Phyllis sighed.

"Shogarr knew the secrets of the Devil's Fruit," she said. "And she shared them only with his most trusted followers. The leaders of his cults…"

Joan looked at Llymic. Her eyes glowed with anger. She walked over to him, grabbed him by the collar, and stared into his eyes.

"Listen, Llymic," she said, sternly. "You stand accused of aiding an Elder Evil in an apocalyptic plan. That was bad enough. And to make matters worse, as part of the plan, these five youngsters were tricked into surrendering their human forms, a malicious and wicked act.

"If you ask me, St. Cuthbert may well insist on prosecuting your case. Can you even imagine facing him on the witness stand? Most defense attorneys in history have given up trying to defend their clients and have entered guilty pleas without making any plea bargains, rather than oppose him.

"If you want Voltanis to have _any_ reason to be merciful, you'll tell us the whole story behind that stuff…"

Llymic sighed.

"Very well…" he muttered.

Joan let go.

"But you won't like my answer," replied Llymic.

He cleared his throat.

"Phyllis isn't Dark Witch any more because Daala received that transformation, not Phyllis. The gift of the Devil's Fruit was granted to Daala, not Phyllis, by Shogarr's will. He is the true master of the Fruit. When Daala stopped being Daala, the spell was thus broken.

"The story I told you a while ago about Tyrexxus left a few things out. I'll give you the full story now. Tyrexxus and Shogarr were mortal enemies in many Blood War campaigns. Their rivalry stretched back to a time before most devils could remember. They hated each other with a passion, and each spent countless hours plotting to undo the other. Time and again, the armies of these two beings fought, but none of them ever reached a satisfactory conclusion.

"In what would be the final battle between their forces, their armies met on the Field of Nettles, the legendary battlefield that was the halfway point between Hell and the Abyss. Each of them pushed their troops cruelly, until none could stand except the two lords themselves. And still, neither would yield. They fought each other, devil lord against demon lord, in a fight of swords that lasted days. Even then, the battle ended in a stalemate. But before it ended, Shogarr managed to inflict a wound upon his foe that poisoned Tyrexxus with a deadly curse of Chaos, which would forever link the two enemies together.

"Tyrexxus went home, angered and restless. It was at this point that Levistus's forces, knowing that Tyrexxus was weakest, decided to rebel. Unable to effectively fight back due to the curse infecting his system, Tyrexxus was overthrown, and he fled.

"Tyrexxus wandered into the Grey Waste, with Shogarr's voice haunting his ears and mocking him. With every step, he grew wearier and wearier. Finally, when he reached the Field of Nettles where the battle had occurred, the full effects of Shogarr's curse overcame him, and he collapsed into a deep sleep, which he would never awaken from.

"But even Shogarr could not predict a side effect of the curse. The Devil's Fruit grew from Tyrexxus's entombed form, fueled by the being of Law cursed by Chaos. Shogarr took notice, however. Rather than destroy these plants, he experimented with them, and found them adequate tools. He knew that their power would extend his influence, so long as his curse continued to link him to his old enemy. Although the Fruit was as much a product of demons as they were of devils, the name Devil's Fruit stuck, as its roots came from the slumbering Lord of Stygia.

"The only way the Fruit will ever completely lose its power is if the curse is broken. And that will only happen if Shogarr allows it, or if the curse is forcefully broken by his defeat."

Llymic chuckled.

"So what will you do, Yumi?" he asked. "Travel to the Abyss and ask him nicely to undo his curse on Tyrexxus? Or go there and challenge him to a battle to the death?"

Yumi paused.

Then she looked at the portal to the Abyss.

"No…" she said, slowly. "I don't… think that will be necessary…"

"What is it, Yumi?" asked Sam.

Yumi paused again.

"A feeling…" she said. "I've never felt it before… But somehow, I know what it is…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In Tzimisce Woods, Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest sat on a large stump, chewing on a piece of bark.

He looked up, and watched the clouds of early morning float by.

He shivered. Something strange was happening.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the Sea of Infinite Tears, The Legendary Fisherman walked ashore of a small island, while his mount waited in the surf.

He looked up at the sky, and rubbed his chin. Something was coming, and it was no storm he was used to. It was something worse. Something very, very bad…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the Burnt Paradise, Horus the Black Flame Dragon perched upon a rocky slope. He surveyed the desert, as the sun slowly rose.

The wind started to pick up. Things were uneasy. A cloud covered the sun, making him uneasy as well. What was happening?

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

From a balcony near the summit of the Cathedral of Mechanicles in Darkspire, Emes the Infinity looked over the city. The sun couldn't reach through the smog here, but he figured it was likely almost up. He looked into the smoggy sky…

Somehow, a sense of dread crept into his circuits… He likened it to what an organic creature felt when he said it felt like someone just crawled over his grave.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the Flaming Peaks, the Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys perched on the rim of a volcano. She surveyed her fiery domain, and looked up into the soot-filled sky.

Strangely, she felt a chill, something that a being of fire rarely ever felt. Something bad was coming.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the Frozen Wastes, The Creator stood alone on an icy plateau, looking towards a herd of Sonic Ducks. It stood stoically, waiting for the right moment to do its task, even if the right moment didn't come for years.

Then something broke its concentration. And it knew that only great Chaos could break the concentration of a being like itself that was so dedicated to Law…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Everyone looked at the portal to the Abyss, as a mass of dark flames started to form in it… Something was definitely about to come out of it…

As everyone watched, a figure that stood seven feet tall strode out of the portal. Yumi and her four friends recognized him instantly – Unus had summoned his avatar when she had dueled him. A tall figure in golden, knight-like, plate armor, with no flesh exposed whatsoever, with a purple, velvet cape. A knight that held no weapon. A dark aura of energy surrounded him.

"Shogarr…" whispered Yumi.

Joan's five generals quickly backed away from their prisoners.

The infamous demon lord put his hands on his hips and looked around. Clearly, even though his face was hidden, it was clear he was not pleased.

"You're not just saving me," started Llymic, "you're…"

Then Shogarr gripped him by the face and shoved him over.

"Quiet!" ordered the Dread Emperor, in a deep, commanding voice. "I'll deal with you later…"

"About time you showed up," said Yumi. "All you've done in this whole sleigh ride is sit in your castle and watch."

Shogarr gave Yumi a dirty look (at least he seemed to) and then walked up to Joan.

"No more games, angel," he said. "I'm assuming control of Xanadu personally, now. Surrender the Crown."

"And if I don't?" asked Joan.

"You didn't really think this whole rebellion thing through, did you?" asked Shogarr. "What did you expect would happen if you actually succeeded? Did you actually think I would sit back and allow the Higher Plane to assume control of my lands?

"Well, I'll tell you right now, I never intended to, and I won't. It was with my good graces that Xanadu was built… I will control it, or I will destroy it."

"You can't!" shouted Zane. "Thousands of Duel Spirits will die!"

"So what?" asked Shogarr. "If a Blood War battle doesn't have at least fifty-thousand casualties, the general abandons the project, because it was clear that the goal wasn't important enough for the enemy to put up much of a defense. The population of Xanadu is nothing to me."

"What is Joan gonna do?" asked Jesse.

"I don't know…" replied Aster. "Shogarr isn't playing around. All I know is, Xanadu will be far worse under Shogarr's rule than it ever was under Daala's…"

Joan closed her eyes. She took a deep breath. She truly didn't know what to do. When she had accepted this mission from Shinato, the possibility that Daala was being supported by a higher power was not confirmed. And ever since it had been confirmed, dealing with him had been a weak part in her plans…

And then, everyone was startled, as a bright light appeared in mid-air.

The bright light expanded, turning into what looked like another portal. Images started to appear in it.

A young man appeared in the forefront of the portal, half-shown, as if he was sitting at a communications device…

"Jaden Yuki!" said Yumi, Ren, Chelsea, Sam, and Erik at once.

"In the flesh," said the young man.

"You…" said Shogarr, in an icy tone.

The portal became clearer, and everyone could make out three people standing behind Jaden – Chazz, Alexis, and Syrus.

"Shogarr," said Jaden, "before you try anything, this is a special one-way portal. You can't attack us from your side."

"What do you want, Yuki?" asked the demon lord, now clearly annoyed. "You've meddled in my affairs enough times over the years, and if you think I'm going to let you do it again…"

"But you meddled in mine, now," replied Jaden, "By trying to invade Neo-Space.

"Pollux, Phoebe, and Damocles have turned informant. At first, they were adamant about remaining loyal to their employer, and wouldn't tell us anything. But eventually, they realized the cold, hard truth of their situation. They were prisoners on an alien planet, light years away from Earth, and they likely would never have seen home again unless they cooperated with us.

"Maybe you should have realized that before your cult sent them here and then abandoned them, huh?

"Anyway, they told us your plans, all of them…

"And I believe _these_ are what you're after?"

He held up two cards. They were Super Polymerization and Yubel – Das Extremer Traurig Drachen.

Shogarr growled a little.

"Now, Shogarr..." he continued, "get it out of your head that you'll ever steal them from me... But, if you're willing to duel Yumi, I'm willing to ante them... If you ante the Great Helm against them."

"Why should I take such a gamble when I have the advantage now?" asked Shogarr.

"Well," said Jaden, as he put the Yubel card aside. "If you go ahead with your plan, and invade the Earth, you may get your wish... We may come back to defend it...

"But, if there was any chance that you'd get your slimy mits on the Super Polymerization card, I'd have no choice but to destroy it before we did. That would mean your whole plan for the Grand Rebirth would go back to the drawing board."

"You're bluffing, Yuki!" shouted Shogarr. "Everyone knows you love your cards too much to destroy one of them!"

"This one is an exception," said Jaden, looking at it. "You forget, this card was crafted using the suffering of innocents, including those of several friends who I was lucky to get back. It brought out my dark side, someone who was evil and merciless, like _you_. I was able to control that side of me, and I control it to this day... But you know, sometimes I wonder if I could banish the Supreme King from my psyche forever if I were to simply tear up this card..."

He held the card in two hands, as if to rip it.

"One minute to decide..."

Shogarr looked at him with a cold glare.

"You drive a hard bargain..." said the demon. "Fine, it's a bet. But I have a condition. In this duel, Yumi must leave the Testament behind, and use herself as her Deck Lord."

"Uh, I can do that," replied Yumi.

Shogarr turned to face Yumi.

"Oh, and one other thing..." said Shogarr.

He lifted his arms to the heavens, and cast a mighty command...

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In a cafe in a busy part of Domino City, near a big screen, Nicholas and Olga were having breakfast.

Then, a surge seemed to strike all of creation. The screen changed, and Shogarr's face appeared on it. Then the scene shifted to him confronting Yumi.

"I've taken control of every media device on Yumi's world," said Shogarr. "Every television, every internet connection... Everyone will be able to watch as the battle to decide the fate of the universe is fought!

"My dear Yumi... I hope you don't get stage fright..."

"I'm not afraid of you..." said Yumi, even though she looked visably afraid.

"You might be once you see my Deck Lord..." replied Shogarr.

A low roar sounded, and a huge creature rose behind him. It was unmistakenly a Dragon, but an exceptional one. It stood twenty feet tall. It had smooth, green flesh, covered with silver armor. It had large wings, and a long neck, with a silver mask covering its face above wicked jaws, and a mane of orange hair. It stood upright on its powerful hind legs, its long tail trailing behind it.

"That's Chaos Emperor Dragon – Envoy of the End!" yelled Sam.

"I should have guessed," muttered Erik. "Leave it to him to use the most broken card in history as his deck lord..."

Chaos Emperor Dragon seemed to hear this, and it hissed angrily...

"Not yet, my pet," said Shogarr, raising his hand.

"Yumi, be careful!" shouted Phyllis. "Shogarr created the whole Deck Lord system! That Dragon could have Deck Lord abilities that haven't even been documented!"

"Actually," replied Shogarr, "it has no Deck Lord abilities at all...

"But it will have some powerful ones, once I empower it with _these_!"

He held up six Monster cards. Phyllis gasped.

"Those are the Orichalcos Monsters that Kozaky made!" she gulped. "I locked them in my most secure vault... I never even knew what their ultimate purpose was..."

"I designed that vault," said Shogarr. "I'd be a pretty pathetic sorcerer if I couldn't bypass the magical wards on a vault I designed.

"As for the true purpose of these cards, Kozaky had no idea of it. Yumi... Your grandfather did me a great favor by vanquishing the Leviathan. If there's one thing I didn't want when I enacted my plan, it was competition!"

"Llymic was right," muttered Ren. "An Elder Evil's greatest enemy is another Elder Evil..."

"But the Spirits of these Monsters," said Shogarr, "the demonic servants of the Orichalcos, didn't realize that. Ever since their master's defeat, they've been hiding in remote corners of the universe, too weak to do anything but cower. By making these cards, I was able to contact them, and offer them a new purpose, by serving me...

"And they foolishly accepted. It's time for them to serve that purpose...

"Feed, my pet..."

He tossed the six cards upwards, and the huge Dragon snapped them up like six pieces of candy.

"GAH!" shouted Yumi. "Shogarr... What did you do?!"

Chaos Emperor Dragon started to glow with energy.

"By using those six fools as fuel," said Shogarr, "my Dragon will be the perfect weapon in this battle...

"A battle I hoped would never come... One I tried to prevent since a prophet predicted it five-thousand years ago...

"Yumi... Do you know how many times I tried to get rid of you since that time?"

"I believe this was the third," replied Yumi.

"Oh, please," replied Shogarr. "I made dozens of attempts. The one that your spiritual guide told you about wasn't even the first.

"You see, Yumi, most of the times I started a cult, it failed before it even got close to you...

"Sometimes I gave these cultists great powers... But they fell victim to greed, and decided to use the powers to steal wealth and valuable trinkets instead of concentrating on the goals I set for them. Even worse, more often than not, they ended up squabbling over their spoils, fighting amongst themselves, until the authorities found them and they were hanged as bandits.

"Other times, they disagreed on who should lead their group, their dreams of the rewards they would get upon success going to their heads. Jealousy over some relic that one member had led to murder, and the cult was destroyed from within.

"Time and again, each cult I started to take care of you failed, without you ever knowing you were in danger. Every time you were reborn into a new life..."

"What do you expect?" asked Yumi. "Groups devoted to Chaos aren't very organized. It's their nature."

"Ain't it the truth," said Chelsea.

"I guess my efforts were all wasted anyway," replied Shogarr. "My plans to get rid of you before now were doomed to failure. Prophesies are fickle things, and you simply cannot avoid them...

"But... The prophet that spoke five-thousand years ago merely said that you would oppose me... Who the victor would be, he did not say... So if I simply crush you now, I'll truly be unopposed..."

"I have three words to say to you, helmet-head..." replied Yumi.

Her Disk activated.

"Bring... it... on!"

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**END OF INTERLUDE**

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_**Coming up next:**_

_**With the whole world watching, Yumi fights her greatest enemy in the final battle to decide the fate of creation. The conclusion to Soul of Silicon is at hand, and you all will have front-row seats. "Ritual" is next. Be here.**_


	69. Ritual

_**Attention:**_

_**Now would be the time where the heroine would make a monologue to introduce the chapter. But Yumi isn't going to do that, because she doesn't want to.**_

_**You see, she's facing a foe who has made her life and the lives of her friends a living Hell for a very long time. From what she has learned, this enemy has been after her not only all her life, but for countless lives she has lived before now, for the past five-thousand years. For ages now, he has wished nothing less than to kill her and imprison her soul. She never volunteered for this, but she was never given a choice.**_

_**And now, at long last, after being reborn countless times, after surviving Daala's mad trap that was orchestrated by him, after giving up her very humanity because of the cursed Devil's Fruit, he's finally decided to show his face.**_

_**To say that Yumi is pissed at this moment would be the mother of all understatements. So let's leave it at this: She's too angry to say anything right now, and this age-old conflict is finally going to be settled.**_

_**But even if she loses, she'll likely take comfort in knowing that a long journey is finally at an end.**_

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**CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN**

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**Ritual**

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"Pardon me for stating the obvious," said Yumi. "But you don't even have a Disk…"

"I have no need of such trinkets…" replied Shogarr.

He gestured, and in five flashes of light, the images of five cards, about four feet tall by two feet wide, with their backs to Yumi, appeared in front of him.

"Modern technology bores me," he said. "I prefer far more elaborate methods."

"Humph," said Atticus. "He calls it elaborate… I call it showing off."

"This from a duelist who wears a Hawaiian shirt and plays a ukulele," said Shogarr, with a chuckle.

"Beat the chrome off him, Yumi!" shouted Sam. "This guy is getting on my nerves, and my patience is wearing thin…"

Then Shogarr actually laughed.

"_You're_ losing patience?" he asked. "Try waiting five millennia! I may be immortal, but this idiotic prophesy has grated on my nerves since the day I first heard it! I would have dismissed the prophet as a rambling lunatic if I didn't see the proof when Atropus spoke the same words in his dying breath."

"Who's Atropus?" asked Ren.

"An Elder Evil who was formed when the offspring of a god was delivered stillborn," replied Shogarr. "He was a colossal undead thing, who sought to drain the life from all that lived, and remake creation as a reality of walking dead."

"This is seriously creeping me out!" said Erik.

"But he held great secrets in his rotting form," continued Shogarr, "and when Orcus destroyed him, those secrets were exposed for all to hear. One of them confirmed the prophesy, giving me all the proof I needed that the mortal prophet who spoke it was not false."

Yumi glared at her enemy.

"Then no more talk…" she said. "It's just you against me…"

**(Yumi: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Shogarr: 8,000)**

"My move," snarled Yumi, drawing a card.

She looked over the six cards in her hand.

She placed two cards in her Disk, and a facedown card and a defensive Monster appeared.

"All right," she said, "let's see what you've got."

Shogarr gestured, and a sixth card materialized in front of him.

"I summon…" he said.

One of his cards spun around.

"…Stray Asmodian!"

The card burst into flame, and an ugly Monster appeared in its place. It was a limbless Fiend dressed in a black robe, with black, feathered wings on its back. Its head had three faces, colored red, blue, and green, and had a small smokestack on top. (1,300/1,700)

"Huh?" said Erik. "I kinda didn't expect a Fire Monster from the Lord of Chaos…"

Shogarr chuckled.

"You expected Light and Dark Monsters, right?" he asked. "Be prepared to be disappointed. My deck has only two Dark Monsters, other than my Deck Lord, and no Light ones. Light and Dark are not truly required for Chaos, despite what you may think…

"And speaking of which…"

Both Chaos Emperor Dragon and Stray Asmodian glowed with eerie energy, and Stray Asmodian rose to (1,600/2,000)

"What?" said Yumi.

"The First Circle of Chaos," said Shogarr. "The first of my Deck Lord's powers. My Monsters gain a 300-point boost for both attacking _and_ defending. I doubt you can do the same for yours.

"Attack!"

Stray Asmodian breathed a stream of flames at Yumi's facedown Monster. Old Vindictive Magician appeared on the card.

"Gotcha!" laughed Yumi. "Seems it's curtains for your Monster!"

"Or so you'd like to believe…" replied Shogarr.

A red aura surrounded him, and Chaos Emperor Dragon roared. Old Vindictive Magician screamed, and then burst into pixels.

Yumi looked up, and saw that Stray Asmodian was unharmed.

"How…" she said.

"That was the Third Circle of Chaos," replied Shogarr. "By paying 500 Life Points, I can negate any effect that targets one of my Monsters. To me, Old Vindictive Magician was nothing more than what he appeared to be… A feeble old man."

Two of his cards vanished, and reappeared behind Stray Asmodian.

"I'll end my turn with two facedown cards," he said. "You saw what the First and Third Circles of Chaos did… Care to find out what the Second does?"

**(Y: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 7,500)**

Yumi drew a card and looked at it.

"I've got a feeling I'll find out soon enough," she growled. "I summon Gemini Elf!"

The two elf sisters appeared in front of her, holding hands. (1,900/900)

"Attack his Stray Asmodian!" she shouted.

The two elves started to cast a spell…

"But before that happens," she continued, "my facedown card activates…"

Her Trap Card flipped up.

"Magician's Circle! Now, we must each Special Summon a Spellcaster with 2,000 Attack Points or less."

"I'd happily oblige," replied Shogarr, "if I had one, which I don't."

"Then I will summon…" continued Yumi, "Magician's Valkyria!"

In a blast of light, Valkyria appeared next to Gemini Elf. (1,600/1,800)

"All right!" cheered Jesse. "Yumi has him outnumbered!"

Shogarr chuckled again.

"And she did just what I wanted her to do," he replied. "Activate Spell Card…"

One of his facedown cards lifted up.

"Demise of the Land. Since you Special Summoned a Monster, I can now activate a Field Spell from my deck…

"All of you… Prepare for a trip to one of the greatest sanctuaries of Chaos ever built. A structure whose name is synonymous with one of the greatest forces ever to plot universal destruction. He has been locked away where his tendrils cannot threaten the world, but I tap his power now…

"Take us to… _The Temple of Elemental Evil_!"

A dark shadow enveloped the field, and the whole arena changed, transforming into a sinister temple theme. It was dominated by a large altar made of black stone, covered with pulsating veins, surrounded by flaming braziers, incense burners, and large water basins.

"Where are we?" asked Ren, ominously.

"The grandest temple of the mad god Tharizdun," replied Shogarr, "known as the Temple of Elemental Evil. Home to four separate religions, each one worshipping the destructive side of one of the four basic elements, but each ultimately answering to him. It was here that a ritual of unspeakable evil was attempted, which had it been successful, would have freed Tharizdun from his prison to begin his plan of annihilation anew."

Yumi glared at him.

"I believe Gemini Elf was about to clean your Stray Asmodian's clock…" she said.

Gemini Elf blasted two bolts of lightning, and Stray Asmodian exploded into a cloud of fiery smoke.

"When Stray Asmodian falls in battle," said Shogarr, "both players gain 800 Life Points. Fire is a weapon of destruction, but it is also a tool of renewal."

The two of them glowed with golden energy.

"I'll give you destruction," said Yumi. "Valkyria, attack Shogarr directly!"

Valkyria flew at Shogarr.

"Not the wisest choice," he replied.

Then Chaos Emperor Dragon exhaled a blast of black fire at Valkyria. She didn't even have a chance to scream before she was reduced to ashes.

"WHAT?" shouted Yumi. "How…"

"You've discovered the Second Circle of Chaos," replied Shogarr. "I can pay 500 Life Points to strike down any of your Monsters who dares come near me."

"No… way…" replied Yumi.

She looked at her hand.

"I… have to end my turn…"

**(Y: 8,800) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 7,500)**

Sam went beside Joan.

"I think I see the common thread here," she said.

"Yes," said Joan, nodding. "And it isn't good. Chaos Emperor Dragon's powers came from consuming the six Duel Spirits that served Dartz. And as a result, it gained three powers that are more or less watered down versions of the three layers of the Orichalcos."

"That makes Yumi's usual strategy pretty worthless," replied Erik.

"Shogarr probably planned this all along!" shouted Chelsea. "He knew that Yumi's deck was beatdown!"

Shogarr gestured, and a new card appeared beside him.

"And is that a crime?" he asked. "You forget that I've been commanding troops in the Blood War for eons. Studying your enemy is the sign of a good commander.

"Those foolish devils think that just because we're chaotic, we can't plan. They think that demons can't think up any plan more complicated than 'scream and charge'. Well, if that was true, we'd have lost the War millennia ago…

"I set a Monster, and then play the Spell Card, Field Barrier."

A defensive Monster appeared, and then the Continuous Spell Card appeared.

"With Field Barrier in place, my Temple cannot be destroyed, and you cannot play new Field Spells. And with that, I end my turn…"

Yumi drew a card.

_Why do I get the feeling that this Temple is an essential part of his strategy?_ she thought.

"I play… Graceful Charity," she said.

She played, the card, but no angel appeared this time. Perhaps she was afraid to come to this desecrated area. Nonetheless, Yumi quickly made three draws.

She thought for a minute, and then discarded Hand Control and Chaos Command Magician.

"I'll throw a card facedown," she said, as a facedown card appeared.

"Then I'll attack!"

Gemini Elf blasted their lightning bolts again…

Then they gasped, and they were thrown backwards by the backlash. Earthbound Spirit appeared on the card, shielding itself. (500/2,000) –) (800/2,300)

_Weird,_ thought Yumi. _I kind of expected more from this guy… All I've seen so far is this creepy Temple and a few second-rate Monsters… All he's doing so far is putting up a defense for some reason…_

"I end my turn," she said.

**(Y: 8,400) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 7,500)**

Shogarr willed another card to his hand.

"I summon Avatar of the Pot," he said.

In a burst of light, the rocky genie with a head like the Pot of Greed appeared in front of him. (1,200/1,300)

Yumi gave it a look. Her eyes narrowed.

"Now," continued Shogarr, "I activate its effect."

A card in front of him turned around, revealing Pot of Greed.

"I send this to the Graveyard," he said, as it vanished, "to draw three times."

He waved his hand, and three more cards appeared in front of him.

"And that will be all…"

_Why didn't Avatar of the Pot gain more points?_ thought Yumi.

She drew a card.

"I set a Monster," she said, as a Defensive Monster appeared.

"Then I attack Avatar of the Pot!"

Gemini Elf's lightning flashed, and the Avatar exploded into pebbles.

**(Y: 8,400) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 6,800)**

"All right!" shouted Ren. "Yumi's winning!"

"Don't jinx it!" said Chelsea, giving him a shove.

"Your move, buster," said Yumi. "I'm curious as to just what you intend to accomplish with this thing."

"Ever hear what curiosity did to the cat, Yumi?" asked Shogarr, as another card appeared in front of him.

"I play the Spell Card, Precious Cards from Beyond."

Yumi looked with shock as the Spell Card appeared.

_Llymic used that,_ she thought. _If Shogarr has it too…_

Another card in Shogarr's hand revealed itself.

"Now, I play Monster Reborn," he said.

The ankh appeared, burning with fire, and Stray Asmodian appeared again. (1,300/1,700) –) (1,600/2,000)

"Then, I sacrifice both my Monsters…"

Stray Asmodian and Earthbound Spirit vanished, and the braziers in the Temple started to burn more fiercely. Then a bonfire appeared in the center of the field.

"I summon… Imix, Evil Elemental Lord of Fire!"

The flames took shape, into a form that was twenty feet tall. It looked like a man perfectly sculpted out of fire, towering over the whole field, and holding a flaming, two-handed sword. He let out a laugh that sounded like the roar of a forest fire. (2,500/2,000) –) (2,800/2,300)

"I knew you were up to something!" shouted Yumi.

"Something indeed," chuckled Shogarr. "I now get to draw twice due to Precious Cards from Beyond…"

Two more cards appeared in front of him.

"And as the spawn of Tharizdun and the uncontested ruler of all evil creatures with power over Fire, Imix has the ability to call his subjects to his aid. By simply discarding one card, I can summon two Fire Monsters from my deck that are Level Four or less.

"So I'll discard this…"

A card in his hand spun around (it was an Abyss Soldier) and it vanished.

"…and I'll call forth two Abaki."

In two bursts of fire, two nasty, horned demons with red skin and horns, holding spiked clubs appeared to either side of Imix. (1,700/1,100 x2) –) (2,000/1,400 x2)

"Ho boy…" muttered Yumi.

"Of course…" said Shogarr, "the effects of Monsters summoned this way are negated… But that hardly matters…

"First Abaki, destroy Gemini Elf!"

The first Abaki swung its club, and the elves screamed before they shattered into shards.

"Second Abaki, the facedown Monster!"

The second one swung its club at the hidden Monster. Crystal Seer appeared kneeling on the card, and was crushed.

"Hold it," said Yumi. "You activated her effect…"

She took two cards off the top of her deck. She quickly chose one, and put the other at the bottom.

"If you've made up your mind," continued Shogarr, "Imix… Attack directly with flaming ruin!"

Imix's huge sword blazed furiously…

_Okay, decision time!_ thought Yumi. _If I trigger my Trap, I'll block a direct attack… But I'd probably give up my only chance to take down this thing…_

She grit her teeth as the sword swung down at her…

And then she screamed as the burning blade seemed to slash right through her.

**(Y: 5,500) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 6,800)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"_Yumi!"_ screamed Nicholas.

He got up with a start when he saw Yumi take the powerful hit. A large crowd had gathered around the big screen. The worst part was, most of them didn't understand what was happening, or how grave the stakes of this duel were. They saw someone in knight's armor, who wasn't using a Disk, dueling Dark Magician Girl. It was pretty bizarre to the average onlooker.

"She's hurt!" gasped Nicholas.

"Sit down!" urged Olga. "I know you're worried, but we can't help her!"

"We gotta do something, Olga!" screamed Nicholas. "She's in big trouble!"

"Nicholas…" replied Olga, "not to drive a point home, but if she can't turn it around, _everyone_ is in big trouble…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"That's it, Yumi, on your knees," gloated Shogarr. "You aren't the first, and you won't be the last…"

Yumi slowly got up.

"Get used to disappointments, you bastard," she hissed. "It's my move…"

She drew a card.

"I activate Call of the Haunted!" she shouted.

Her facedown card flipped up, and a coffin appeared on her side of the field. It opened, and Chaos Command Magician stepped out. (2,400/1,900)

"Yeah, that's right…" she said. "I'm using someone who uses Chaos against you… You don't like it, do you?"

Shogarr didn't answer…

Yumi played a card from her hand.

"I play Rush Recklessly!" she shouted.

Chaos Command Magician glowed with energy, and rose to an Attack Score of 3,100.

"Time to put out this fire!" she shouted. "Attack Imix! Chaos Magic!"

Chaos Command Magician twirled his staff, and shot a blast of multicolored energy directly at the heart of the fiery titan. Imix groaned and fell on one knee, and then exploded into an eruption of soot and embers.

Everyone on Yumi's side of the field cheered.

Yumi placed another card on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

"Not bad," said Shogarr, "but can you deal with this?"

His facedown card lifted.

"The Trap Card, Shattered Axe! This will cause your Monster to lose 500 Attack Points during each of my Standby Phases.

"In other words, when it's my turn, he'll be weaker than Abaki…"

Yumi growled.

"I end my turn…" she muttered.

**(Y: 5,500) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 6,500)**

Shogarr gestured, and a new card appeared in front of him. The Shattered Axe card glowed with red energy, and Chaos Command Magician groaned as his Attack Score fell down to 1,900.

"Attack, my Abaki," he commanded.

One of the Abaki clobbered Chaos Command Magician with its axe, and he shattered into shards. The Shattered Axe card vanished. The other smashed at the facedown card. Magician of Faith appeared on the card, and burst.

The Rush Recklessly card slipped out of Yumi's discard slot, and she took it.

"That's all for now," said Shogarr, again in his icy voice.

**(Y: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 6,500)**

Yumi quickly made a draw.

She looked at the five cards.

_Are there limits to that thing's powers?_ she thought, looking at the Dragon. _Time to find out…_

"I set two cards," she said, as two facedown cards appeared. "Then, I summon my second Valkyria."

In a burst of light, another Valkyria appeared. (1,600/1,800)

"Next," she said, "I play Monster Reborn to bring back my first one!"

The ankh appeared on her side of the field, and Valkyria's twin appeared next to her. (1,600/1,800)

"All right!" cheered Jesse. "It's Yumi's Valkyria Lock!"

"It won't last for long, I promise you," growled Shogarr.

"We'll soon see," said Yumi. "I end my turn."

Shogarr willed another card in front of him. Despite the helmet covering his face, he was seemingly irked.

"Disappointed in your draw, Shogarr?" asked Yumi.

"What's it to you, Yumi?" he replied. "I move my two Monsters to Defense Mode, and then set another."

The two Abaki knelt and held their clubs in their laps, and then a facedown Monster appeared.

"It's your move," he said.

Yumi drew a card.

Her eyes opened when she saw who it was. She smiled, and then played it.

"I summon Ebon Magician Curran!" she shouted.

In a shower of shimmering motes, Curran appeared in front of her, now holding her trademark leather switch. (1,200/0)

"Hey, Yumi!" she beamed. "It's great to be working with you again! I feel so…"

Then she saw Shogarr.

"Oh… Then again…"

"Don't panic, Curran," said Yumi. "I need your help if I'm going to make any headway in this duel…"

Curran simply nodded. Shogarr growled.

"Valkyria!" ordered Yumi. "Destroy those two Abaki! Magic Illusion!"

The two Valkyria blasted their beams of pure light, and the two demons were blown into blasts of fire and soot.

"Good!" said Zane. "And since they were summoned using Imix's effect, Yumi doesn't lose any Life Points from destroying them!"

"I'll end my turn there, Shogarr," said Yumi. "Don't forget, my two Valkyria are protecting Curran just as much as they protect each other."

Shogarr gestured, and drew another card.

Two of his cards vanished, and a facedown Monster and a reversed card appeared on his side of the field.

"Not much to say, huh?" asked Yumi.

She drew a card.

_Yes!_ she thought.

"Curran," she said, "you know what to do…"

Curran pointed at Shogarr, and a bolt of dark energy blasted at him, striking him in the chest.

"Due to her effect, you lose 600 Life Points, 300 for each Monster you have."

Shogarr hissed.

"This was my own fault…" he cursed. "I thought it was a good plan at the time… Recruit someone who my enemy once trusted and turn her against her… I should have known she'd have second thoughts!"

"Isn't retrospect great?" asked Chelsea, sarcastically.

"You gave Curran lies," said Ren. "Yumi gave her the truth. That's why she had second thought. Honesty, Shogarr. It's a concept that morons like you might benefit to learn about."

Shogarr turned to them with an icy stare.

"Valkyria," started Yumi, "attack…"

"I activate Threatening Roar!" exclaimed Shogarr, as his facedown card shot up.

A loud bellow echoed over the field.

"Fine," said Yumi.

She took the card she had just drawn, and placed it on her Disk. A facedown Monster appeared.

"I end my turn…"

**(Y: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 5,900)**

"And I start mine," replied Shogarr, as another card appeared in front of him.

"I flip this facedown Monster into Attack Mode… The dreaded Jowls of Dark Demise."

His facedown card flipped up, and a horrid Monster appeared. It looked like a specter made of purple haze, shaped into a pair of bestial jaws, with a pair of eyes inside them. (200/100) –) (500/400)

One of Yumi's two Valkyria's eyes glazed over, and she looked hypnotized.

"My Jowls allows me to turn one of your Monsters into my servant," continued Shogarr.

Valkyria was pulled over to Shogarr's side of the field, and she turned to face Yumi.

"Oh, no…" said Aster. "He broke the lock…"

"Not only that," added Zane. "Jowls of Dark Demise gives the controlled Monster the ability to attack directly."

"Indeed," replied Shogarr. "Valkyria, attack Yumi directly!"

The captured Valkyria flew at Yumi.

"I activate Rush Recklessly!" shouted Yumi, as one of her facedown cards lifted.

"I'm attacking directly," said Shogarr. "That card is worthless if you use it on your Valkyria."

"I know," said Yumi. "I'm using it on yours."

"HUH?" shouted Atticus. "Is Yumi nuts?"

As Valkyria flew towards Yumi, her Attack Score rose to 2,300…

"Now, Draining Shield!" shouted Yumi.

Her other facedown card lifted, and Valkyria bounced off an invisible shield. Yumi stretched out, as energy flowed into her.

"I don't get it," said Ren. "Draining Shield is clearly a targeting effect. Why didn't Shogarr negate it?"

"Because, I found the limit of his Deck Lord's power," said Yumi. "His Avatar of the Pot wasn't affected by the First Circle of Chaos, and Valkyria wasn't either, so I assumed that only a certain variety of Monsters were. And I assumed that the same was true for the Third Circle."

"So you figured it out," replied Shogarr. "Yes, those two powers only work on Fiends, the Type of Monsters that the Orichalcos Monsters were.

"But my turn is far from over…

"I sacrifice my Jowls, and Valkyria…"

The two Monsters vanished in two bursts of dark flame. Then the altar of black rock started to glow, and then the ground in front of him burst open in an eruption of rocks and boulders.

"I summon… Ogremoch, Evil Elemental Lord of Earth!"

Another huge Monster rose on Shogarr's side of the field. It was just as big as Imix, but more hulking. It looked like an unfinished bipedal humanoid made of clay. Its eyes were deep, inset, and dark, its mouth was the same, and it had no apparent nose or ears. Its four limbs ended in unfinished hands and feet. It let out a massive bellow that sounded like an earthquake. (3,000/1,800) –) (3,300/2,100)

"Uh, Yumi…" said Curran, nervously. "In case you need to sacrifice a Monster… I volunteer…"

"Don't panic, Curran!" urged Yumi.

"I get to draw two cards, due to Precious Cards from Beyond," said Shogarr, as two cards appeared next to his others.

"Next, like his fiery brother, Ogremoch can summon his subjects to his side. Thus, I'll discard this card…"

One of his cards vanished.

"…and summon two Headless Knights."

Two Monsters rose out of the ground, two spectral knights in fancy armor, holding swords and shield, but naturally lacking heads. (1,450/1,700 x2) –) (1,750/2,000 x2)

"I'm finished…" he said.

**(Y: 7,700) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 5,900)**

"Well, Yumi's ahead on points," said Erik. "But I really don't like how this whole thing is going…"

Yumi made a draw.

"Thanks to Curran, you lose 1,200 Life Points this time!" she exclaimed.

Curran cast her spell, and Shogarr groaned.

"Next, I Flip-Summon my Morphing Jar!"

The Morphing Jar flipped up, and laughed at Shogarr.

Yumi discarded the one card in her hand, and drew five new ones. The three cards in front of Shogarr vanished, and five more appeared.

"Perfect!" said Yumi. "First, I summon Skilled Dark Magician!"

In a burst of darkness, Skilled Dark Magician appeared. (1,900/1,700)

A Spell Card appeared in front of her.

"Then, I play Magical Dimension! I'll sacrifice Morphing Jar, and summon Cosmo Queen to the field!"

Morphing Jar vanished into grains of light, and the mighty Cosmo Queen appeared. (2,900/2,450)

"Then, I'll use the second effect of Magical Dimension to destroy Ogremoch!"

The Evil Elemental Lord of Earth groaned, and then exploded into shards of rock.

"Yeah!" cheered Phyllis. "Two down, two to go!"

"You sure he has two more in his deck?" asked Ren.

"Well, I'm… kinda assuming…" replied Phyllis.

"Skilled Dark Magician," commanded Yumi. "Destroy one Headless Knight!"

Skilled Dark Magician blasted his scepter, and one Headless Knight groaned before being blasted into pixels.

"Cosmo Queen, Cosmic Nova!" she shouted.

Cosmo Queen blasted her mighty attack, and the second Headless Knight was blown into space dust. Shogarr shielded himself from the blast.

**(Y: 7,700) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 2,600)**

"I'll admit, Yumi…" growled the demon lord. "You are powerful… Much more so than I assumed when I first knew of your existence… But when you proved your resilience, I learned not to take anything for granted…"

"Do tell," said Yumi.

"Yes…" said Shogarr. "When you live as long as I have, you learn to be cautious. I knew that the Queen of Chaos's plan was likely a fool's game, so I refused to cooperate with it. What did her plan get her? Death for her, and near extinction for her whole race. When you come right down to it, there are really two types of demons… Smart ones, and dead ones.

"If you want to be a smart one, you have to plan for a long time, and take everything into consideration. I may have tried to avoid this confrontation, but that doesn't mean I got so full of myself that I made myself believe it would never happen."

"And now that it has?" asked Yumi.

"I must say it's rather… invigorating…" replied Shogarr. "Dueling you, I feel a thrill that I haven't felt since the days when the obyrith were a powerful race, and the Blood War was young…

"You know, once I had defeated you, I was going to lock you and the rest of your cohorts in soulgems… But maybe you all deserve a better fate…"

"Like what?" shouted Yumi.

"Don't know," replied Shogarr. "The Devil's Fruit is still inside you, and I still have the power to manipulate it. I can do so better than Dark Necrofear could… It can transform creatures into demons as well as Duel Spirits."

Chelsea started to cry. She held onto Ren and shivered.

Yumi stared at him. She had felt sorry for Daala… Maybe she had even felt a little sorry for Llymic, seeing as her grandfather had given him advice that had ultimately gone sour…

But this beast in front of her… He wasn't just her opponent. He was an enemy of man and everything decent that her race represented. He was a demonic being who wished to destroy existence. And he was mocking them while he did it. He didn't care in the least what his vile curse had done to them, and was threatening to make it worse.

He was different than Marik and Dartz and even Gozaburo in one big way: he had been _born_ evil. All she felt towards this monster was hatred. There was nothing else to feel.

"Curran, move to Defense Mode," she said.

Curran knelt, and crossed her arms.

"It's your move, pal," she said.

Shogarr gestured, and drew a sixth card.

"I use the effect of my Field Spell," he said.

"Huh?" said Yumi. "I was wondering what it did…"

"Since I now have at least five Monsters in my Graveyard whose Attributes are not Light or Dark," continued Shogarr, "I can take five of them, and send them back to my deck…"

Images of five cards – both Abaki, one Headless Knight, and Abyss Soldier – appeared in front of him, and then vanished.

"Then, I also send my entire hand back to my deck…"

The six cards in front of him vanished.

"Then, I reshuffle…"

A deck appeared in front of him, and shuffled itself before vanishing again.

"Then, I draw cards equal to the number my hand consisted of, plus two!"

He waved his hand, and eight cards appeared in front of him in flashes of light.

"Good grief!" gasped Ren. "That's Pot of Avarice and Reload combined into one!"

Shogarr chuckled.

"It's a Field Spell, Reginald," he said. "Yumi is free to use the effect if she wants…"

"You creep…" said Sam. "You knew damn well that almost all of Yumi's Monsters are Light and Dark."

"And who's fault is that?" asked Shogarr. "I summon Abyss Soldier."

In a blue aura, a new creature appeared. It was clearly aquatic, and looked like a humanoid manta ray, holding a trident. (1,800/1,300)

"Oh, no!" gasped Mako. "That thing is bad news… If Shogarr tosses a Water Monster, he can bounce a card back to Yumi's hand."

"Fortunately for her, I don't have one right now," replied Shogarr. "But I do have this…"

His facedown Monster flipped up, revealing a second Stray Asmodian. (1,300/1,700) –) (1,600/2,000)

"Abyss Soldier, attack her Valkyria!" he commanded.

Abyss Soldier charged, and speared Valkyria in the belly with his weapon. She gasped, and then shattered.

"Stray Asmodian, punish that traitor!"

Stray Asmodian breathed a blast of flames at Curran. She screamed before she exploded into a fiery burst.

"CURRAN!" screamed Yumi.

"Such is the fate of all who betray me," grumbled Shogarr. "And of those who fail me after accepting my power…"

He glanced at Llymic and the members of Daala's inner circle, who had all been too scared to even speak since he had first appeared.

One of the cards in his hand vanished, and appeared facedown behind his two Monsters.

"That's all for me for now, Yumi," he said. "I'm still far from finished…"

**(Y: 7,500) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 2,600)**

Yumi looked at him in hate as she drew a card.

"Cosmo Queen!" she commanded, "attack his Stray Asmodian!"

Cosmo Queen powered up her Cosmic Nova.

"Not so fast, Yumi," replied Shogarr. "I have my own Draining Shield."

His facedown card lifted up, and the blast was absorbed by an energy shield. Yumi grunted.

"Skilled Dark Magician, attack his Abyss Soldier!"

Skilled Dark Magician pointed his weapon at the Aqua. Abyss Soldier looked at him with an expression that seemed to say "Huh?"

Then a blast of dark energy blew it away.

**(Y: 7,500) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 5,400)**

"My draw…" said Shogarr.

A new card appeared.

"I play Soul Exchange!" he exclaimed, as a Spell Card appeared.

"You're going to sacrifice one of my Monsters!" shouted Yumi.

"One of yours, and one of mine, actually," replied Shogarr.

Cosmo Queen gasped, and then vanished into grains of light. Then, Stray Asmodian also vanished.

The water basins in the Temple started to bubble, and overflow. Then a waterspout appeared in the center.

"I summon… Olhydra, Evil Elemental Lord of Water!"

The waterspout took shape, sort of. It looked like a giant wave of water, just as big as the previous two Lords, with no discernable features, and two glowing, evil eyes in the center. It let out a laugh that sounded like the crash of a tsunami. (2,500/2,000) –) (2,800/2,300)

"Olhydra…" muttered Mako. "All men who travel the sea know her name and fear her… The most bloodthirsty of pirates and buccaneers revere her as the goddess of the ocean's savagery…"

"At least Shogarr can't attack this round," said Zane, "since he played Soul Exchange…"

"But I still draw twice due to Precious Cards from Beyond," replied Shogarr.

Two new cards appeared in front of him.

"And like her two siblings, I can use Olhydra's effect to summon two Water Monsters."

One of his cards vanished, and two more Abyss Soldiers appeared to either side of Olhydra. (1,800/1,300 x2)

"Draw!" shouted Yumi, drawing a card.

"I play Pot of Greed!"

The evil jar appeared, and she made two draws.

"With three Spell Cards played since I summoned Skilled Dark Magician," she said, "I can sacrifice him…"

Skilled Dark Magician vanished.

"I summon my Dark Magician!"

In a mighty aura, Dark Magician appeared. (2,500/2,100)

"Olhydra will drown him," replied Shogarr.

"He isn't staying," replied Yumi. "I play Polymerization! I fuse him together, with Goddess With the Third Eye…"

The Goddess appeared on the field, and then the two Monsters combined into an aura of light.

In an explosion of energy, Dark Paladin appeared. (2,900/2,400)

Shogarr just glared at the fused Spellcaster.

"Attack!" ordered Yumi. "Fierce slashing wave!"

Dark Paladin swung his mighty sword, and Olhydra burst in an explosion of liquid. Then, a rain of water fell upon the temple, extinguishing the flaming braziers.

**(Y: 7,500) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 5,300)**

"All right!" cheered Jesse. "Not only did Yumi deep-six Olhydra, but now she can negate Shogarr's Spell Cards!"

"My move…" replied Shogarr.

He made a draw.

One of his cards vanished, and a facedown Monster appeared next to his Abyss Soldiers. Then, both Abyss Soldiers knelt in Defense Mode.

He growled again.

"Run out of insults?" asked Yumi, drawing a card.

"I set this," she said, as a facedown Monster appeared.

"Then my Paladin attacks!"

Dark Paladin fired his fierce slashing wave, and one of the Abyss Soldiers exploded.

"Fine…" muttered Shogarr. "My Life Points are untouched…"

"Just move…" said Yumi.

Another card appeared in front of Shogarr.

Then it vanished, and another facedown Monster appeared.

_He's stalling…_ thought Yumi. _I have to wipe out his side before he draws the fourth Elemental Lord…._

_He needs two sacrifices to summon it, and I can negate another Soul Exchange. I just have to wipe out his Monsters…_

She drew a card.

"I summon my second Skilled Dark Magician!" she shouted.

Another Skilled Dark Magician appeared. (1,900/1,700)

"Dark Paladin, destroy the facedown Monster on the left!"

Dark Paladin cast his mighty spell again. Earthbound Spirit appeared on the card, and was blown into an explosion of dirt.

"Skilled Dark Magician, take out the other facedown Monster!"

Skilled Dark Magician fired at the other facedown card…

Then, Spirit Reaper appeared on the card, and the blast glanced off. (300/200)

"I told you my deck had two Dark Monsters in it," said Shogarr. "This is one of them."

Yumi sighed.

"All right…" she said. "I have to end my turn…"

Shogarr gestured, and another card appeared.

He chuckled.

"I think he got a good draw…" said Aster.

"I sacrifice both my Monsters…" said Shogarr.

"Here it comes…" muttered Atticus.

Spirit Reaper and Abyss Soldier vanished. The incense burners started to emit thick smoke, and wind started to blow through the temple.

"I summon Yan-C-Bin, Evil Elemental Lord of Wind!" laughed Shogarr.

The wind started to take form, turning into a giant whirlwind with a huge, gaping mouth at its center. It laughed with a voice that sounded like the roar of a hurricane. (3,000/1,800) –) (3,300/2,100)

"Let me guess…" sighed Yumi. "You can discard one card to Special Summon two Wind Monsters."

Shogarr chuckled, and one of the cards in his hand vanished. Then, two Slate Warriors appeared to either side of Yan-C-Bin. (1,900/400) –) (2,200/700)

"Yan-C-Bin," he commanded, "blow Dark Paladin away!"

A more ferocious wind than ever before blew through the Temple, and Dark Paladin tried in vain to resist it. He finally shattered under the onslaught.

The two Slate Warriors aimed their staffs. One shot a blast of green energy at Skilled Dark Magician, and he shattered. The other fired a blast at Yumi's facedown card. Blast Magician appeared on the card and was blown to bits.

A card in Shogarr's hand vanished, and appeared facedown in front of him.

"It's your move, Yumi," he said. "The footsteps to your doom draw ever closer…"

**(Y: 6,800) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 5,300)**

Yumi quickly drew a card.

_Hey…_ she thought, looking at it. _I drew Mirror Force!_

_This card doesn't target… It might be able to turn this whole thing around…_

_But I don't even need it to take out that big windbag…_

"I toss down one facedown," she said, placing it in her Disk.

"Then, I summon Injection Fairy Lily!"

In a burst of stars and hearts, Lily appeared, holding her huge syringe. (400/1,500)

"Now, I'll drop 2,000 of my Life Points," she continued, "to boost her Attack Points by 3,000!"

Lily raised her weapon, and flew at Yan-C-Bin. Her Attack Score rose to 3,400, and she threw the huge needle straight into the heart of the storm. The monstrous cyclone groaned, and then dissipated.

**(Y: 4,800) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 5,200)**

Shogarr stared at Yumi, with a look that could best be described as disbelief.

"The great Yan-C-Bin…" he said, "whom the Sirens, Stormriders of Ryn, and fully half of all clans of Cloud Giants worship as a god was defeated by a mere nurse??

"You and your Spellcasters will pay for this indignity, Yumi!"

"Yeah, how?" asked Sam. "By my count, Shogarr, Yumi has taken out all four of your Elemental Lords!"

"And that was precisely what I wanted her to do…" said Shogarr, with a sinister tone.

"You see, you foolish mortals, the four Elemental Lords have a little condition attached to them. They cannot exist on the field unless my Field Spell is in play. And if they go to the Graveyard without being summoned to the field first, they are removed from play."

"He wanted those four Monsters in his Graveyard…" gasped Zane. "But the only way he could get them there was for Yumi to destroy them…"

"This has all been part of some bigger strategy…" added Aster.

"You know, it is kind of strange…" added Atticus. "Lord of Chaos? He hasn't played a single card yet that required removing anything from play…"

"My move…" replied Shogarr.

Another card appeared in front of him.

"I activate Reckless Greed," he said, as his facedown card flipped up. "I have to skip my next two Draw Phases, but I get two cards now…"

Two more cards appeared in front of him.

Then one of them spun around.

"I activate Giant Trunade."

A windstorm erupted over the field, and the Temple vanished, along with his Field Barrier and Precious Cards from Beyond. Yumi's Mirror Force appeared back in her hand.

_No…_ thought Yumi, starting to sweat. _If he summons his ace, I don't have enough Life Points to use Lily's effect three times…_

"I move my two Slate Warriors to Defense Mode," said Shogarr, as his two Monsters knelt. "Then I play my Field Spell again."

One of his cards vanished, and the evil Temple appeared once more.

"Now, I activate its effect once more."

Both Abyss Soldiers, Stray Asmodian, Headless Knight, and Jowls of Dark Demise appeared in front of him. Then they and the seven cards in his hand vanished. His deck appeared in front of him, and reshuffled, and then nine new cards appeared in front of him.

"Three cards go facedown," he said, as three cards appeared in front of him.

"Then, my turn is complete."

_Huh?_ thought Yumi.

She slowly drew a card.

"I summon Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer!" she shouted.

She played the card, and Kycoo appeared next to Lily. (1,800/700)

"Attack the Slate Warrior on the left!" she shouted. "Spell of banishment!"

Kycoo shot lightning at the Slate Warrior, and it exploded.

"Seems your Traps were just bluffs," she said. "I end my turn. Don't forget, you can't draw this turn due to Reckless Green."

Shogarr laughed out loud.

"Just bluffs?" he said. "Hardly! They are instrumental in my true plan…"

One of the cards in his hand spun around.

"I play Tribute to the Doomed, to destroy your Kycoo!"

Another of his cards vanished, and Kycoo screamed as energy hit him. He burst.

"Next," he said, as another card spun around, "I sacrifice my last Slate Warrior using Mystik Wok."

The Fiend vanished, and he glowed with energy.

"Now…" he said ominously, "I reveal the three heralds of He of Eternal Darkness, the one known as Tharizdun…"

One of his facedown cards lifted, revealing an image of a nuclear mushroom cloud exploding, while two evil-looking eyes loomed above.

"Doom…" he said.

Then the second one lifted, revealing the image of city being torn apart by a rampaging hurricane, while two evil-looking eyes loomed in the sky.

"Destruction…"

Then the third lifted, showing the image of a man rotting alive, collapsing to his knees, while two evil-looking eyes loomed above.

"And Decay.

"When all three of these Trap Cards are revealed, I can remove all four of my Evil Elemental Lords from play, to summon my ultimate beast!"

Then the whole Temple exploded in a blast that could best be compared to an erupting volcano. Lava spread quickly and all of reality seemed to come undone. Erik grabbed hold of Sam.

"Erik!" screamed Sam. "What are you doing?"

"The same thing you're doing!" shouted Erik. "Hanging on for dear life!"

A titanic form rose in the midst of the ruined Temple… It looked like a colossal giant, made of half-cooled magma, surrounded by clouds of thick smoke and scalding steam. (0/0)

"Meet the Elder Elemental Eye," said Shogarr. "The avatar of Tharizdun himself."

Yumi looked up at the titan, and took a step backwards…

"And I'm just starting," said Shogarr. "While it's on the field, I can activate the effect of one of my Trap Cards each round. For example, I can use the effect of Doom to destroy one Monster."

A blast of dark fire shot out of the Doom card. Lily screamed in agony, and exploded into shards.

"I know what you're thinking, Yumi… Zero Attack Points. Well, that's only when it isn't battling. When it battles a Monster, its Attack Score becomes 500 more than the Score of the Monster it's battling.

"Except when it attacks directly… Then it becomes 3,000.

"Attack directly."

The Elder Elemental Eye lifted its giant hand… Its Attack Score rose to 3,000…

"Activate… Mirror Force!" screamed Yumi, as her facedown card shot up.

And then she was shocked as it was blown to pieces.

And she was more shocked as the huge fist slammed into her.

**(Y: 1,800) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 7,100)**

"How?" groaned Yumi. "Why didn't it work?"

"It cannot be destroyed by card effects," said Shogarr, "so long as my three Trap Cards are on the field."

"This is not fair!" said Ren.

"I don't think playing fair was ever part of Shogarr's plan," said Chelsea.

"It's your move, Yumi…" said Shogarr.

Yumi slowly got up. She drew a card.

"I set a Monster," she said, as a hidden Monster appeared.

"Then, I play Double Spell. I'll toss this…"

She discarded Premature Burial.

"…so I can use your Monster Reborn."

The holy ankh appeared, and Valkyria appeared again, in Defense Mode. (1,600/1,800)

"That… That's all I can do…"

"Then it's my move," said Shogarr. "I still can't draw, but I think I'll activate the effect of Destruction this round, which lets my Monster attack twice."

The Eye lifted its hand, and its Attack Score rose to 2,300. It flattened Valkyria with a mighty smash.

Then it lifted it again, and Apprentice Magician appeared on the card. The Eye's Attack Score rose to 1,300, and it smashed her flat.

Yumi gestured, and another Monster appeared facedown.

"I end my turn," said Shogarr.

Yumi quickly drew a card.

"I play Pot of Avarice!" she shouted.

She played the card, and took Dark Magician, both Skilled Dark Magicians, and both Valkyria from her deck, and reshuffled.

She set another Monster, and then bowed her head.

Shogarr chuckled, as he drew another card.

"I use the effect of Destruction again," he said.

The Eye lunged forth, first destroying Apprentice Magician. Then it flattened Valkyria a second time.

"Why do you persist?" he said, as another facedown card appeared in front of him. "You cannot defeat the almighty power of Chaos!"

"Dunno," said Yumi. "Maybe I just want to go down fighting…"

She drew a card.

"HA!" she said with a laugh. "Say goodbye to your Trap Cards, Shogarr! I play Heavy Storm!"

She played the card, and a fierce wind blew through the fiery arena.

"Not so fast!" said Shogarr, in an angry tone.

His facedown card lifted.

"I activate Dark Bribe! Now, you draw once, but your Spell Card goes away…"

The wind quelled. Yumi bowed her head again, and drew a card.

Then she looked up, surprised, as she saw what it was.

It was that strange Equip Spell that had appeared in her deck after her duel with Curran.

_Maybe…_ she thought. _Just maybe… I can actually do this…_

"All right, Shogarr," she said, "First, I set one card facedown…"

A reversed card appeared.

"Then, I'm using my Deck Lord power…

"And as hard as it is to believe, I finally figured out how to gain an Extraordinary Power of my own!"

"Say what?" shouted Llymic.

"Since I arrived on Xanadu," continued Yumi, "I defeated three duelists who had Deck Lords who were empowered by the Core. The first was Daala's. The second was Slade's. And the third was Curran herself. We may have ended the encounter peacefully, but the rules of Xanadu still stood. Third time was the charm, because I learned how to achieve one.

"I simply had to give up all my previous Deck Lord powers, and invest in one powerful one…

"Invigorating Soul Circle!

"Now, I get to draw until I have six cards, and with each card I draw, I gain 500 Life Points."

She quickly drew five cards. She looked them over.

"And I end my turn…"

**(Y: 4,300) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 7,100)**

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh," laughed Shogarr. "What a waste. Five extra cards, and all of them dead draws.

"I use the effect of Decay this round. It inflicts 1,000 points of damage to you directly!"

Yumi screamed as the dark flames roasted at her flesh.

"Now, attack her directly!"

The Elder Elemental Eye lifted its paw…

"I activate, A Hero Emerges!" shouted Yumi.

Her facedown card lifted up.

"I've used this card so often," said Yumi, "and so many times it's saved my skin. So how about once more for old time's sake, eh?"

"Err," growled Shogarr. "The middle card…"

Yumi smiled. She threw a card on her Disk, and a twin of herself appeared in front of her in Defense Mode. (2,000/1,700)

The Eye's Attack Score fell to 2,200. It made a smash with its fist, and Yumi's double was crushed.

"You're stalling and it won't work," said Shogarr.

"We'll see," said Yumi. "It's my move!"

She drew a card.

**(Y: 3,300) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 7,100)**

"I pay 1,000 Life Points," she said. "To summon myself to the field!"

She took five steps forward. (2,000/1,700)

Shogarr laughed out loud.

"Did you forget about my Doom card?" he asked. "You can't defeat my Monster in battle, and next round, it will slay you!"

"No it won't," said Yumi, holding up a Spell Card. "I play The Sage's Stone, to summon Dark Magician!"

The Spell Card appeared, and so did Dark Magician. (2,500/2,100)

"Next, I play Magical Stone Excavation. I toss two cards…"

She played the card, and discarded Dark Magician of Chaos and Dedication Through Light and Darkness.

"…and I get back my Monster Reborn."

The card slipped out of her discard slot.

"Now, I play it!"

The holy ankh appeared, and Cosmo Queen appeared again. (2,900/2,450)

"So what?" asked Shogarr. "How are you going to defeat me?"

"With this!" replied Yumi. "An Equip Spell!

"And in order to Equip it to myself, I have to take seven Spell Cards from my Graveyard, and send them to the bottom of my deck."

"What are you talking about?" asked Shogarr. "There's no such Equip Spell."

Yumi ignored him. Seven Spell Cards – Graceful Charity, Heavy Storm, Pot of Greed, Monster Reborn, Premature Burial, Hand Control, and Rush Recklessly – fell out of her discard slot, and she placed them underneath her deck.

Then, seven motes of light appeared above her. Each mote turned into a short rod…

Then, the short rods combined into a long, ornate rod. It lowered itself into Yumi's hands.

"It can't be…" gasped Shogarr.

Then he shouted in anger.

"You don't fool me, Yumi!" he screamed. "Every race on the planes has been searching for the Rod of Seven Parts for thousands of years, and they have yet to find even one piece! That thing you're holding is nothing but a replica!"

"Then why are you so scared?" asked Yumi. "Replica or not, this Equip Spell has a powerful effect that affects the whole field. All Chaos Monsters lose their effects."

"Chaos Monsters?" asked Jesse. "How do you define a 'Chaos Monster'?"

"It's defined as any Monster that involves removing cards from play as part of its cost or effect," replied Yumi. "And since your Elder Elemental Eye was summoned by removing four specific Monsters from play…"

"It's Attack Score will stay at zero when Yumi attacks it!" cheered Chelsea.

"You got it!" shouted Yumi.

"No…" gasped Shogarr.

"Dark Magician…" ordered Yumi. "Dark… Magic… Attack!"

Dark Magician twirled his scepter, and fired a mighty blast at the flaming goliath. The Elder Elemental Eye groaned as magical energy burned at its impure flesh, and then it collapsed on its knees. Then, it crumbled into shards of volcanic stone.

"ERGH!" screamed Shogarr.

**(Y: 3,300) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 4,600)**

"I'm not through yet, Yumi!" cursed Shogarr. "You still can't attack me directly, and…"

"Yes I can," interrupted Yumi. "ALL Chaos Monsters are affected, even Deck Lords."

Shogarr slowly looked at Chaos Emperor Dragon, who was clutching its chest in pain, and moaning.

"This can't be…" gasped Shogarr.

Then he screamed, as Cosmo Queen's Cosmic Nova struck him, blowing a hole in his breastplate.

Yumi leapt up, holding the Rod of Seven Parts over her head, and slammed it on the Dread Emperor's helmet, then on his shoulder, and then his chest, sending him falling to the ground.

He collapsed…

**(Y: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 0)**

"Ahem," said Jaden, speaking up for the first time. "Well, you lost Shogarr, and I believe we had a deal."

Shogarr looked at Jaden with a look of rage.

"No we didn't," he said. "I certainly don't remember making any deal.

"And this isn't over, Yuki… If I have to send my armies to Neo-Space, pull Yubel out of you, and force the secrets of those cards from her very soul…"

"I hate to interrupt an evil rant," said Jaden, "but you are _not_ weaseling out of this bet. You may not be able to attack us through this portal, but we can from this side."

Then, a majestic form flew out of the portal.

"Elemental Hero Neos!" cheered Jesse.

Neos flew straight for the Great Helm, and started striking it with his fists. The Helm started to shudder.

"Get away from there!" ordered Shogarr, getting up. "I won't…"

Then two other Monsters appeared and tackled him. Everyone saw that it was Cyber Angel Dakini and Dragonroid. Everyone looked at the portal, and saw Syrus and Alexis grinning.

Finally, Neos made one mighty blow, and Great Helm was smashed into bits of metal.

Shogarr screamed an inhuman scream. He fell to his knees, as a windstorm started to erupt in the Core…

"He's weakening!" shouted Jaden, turning his head. "Now's your chance…"

Then, everyone was startled as five figures appeared in the middle of the windstorm. It was three males, and two females. They were large beings, about seven feet tall, wearing scant clothing. Then had ebony skin, pure white hair, and huge, feathered wings.

They started to surround Shogarr.

"Are they angels?" asked Ren.

"No…" replied Joan. "Elemental beings… The Wind Dukes of Aaqa have arrived!"

Shogarr screamed as the Wind Dukes cast bolts of pure energy from their hands, and his armor started to crack. Yumi tried to watch, but her vision started to blur…

And then she passed out…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Yumi slowly came to.

She was lying in the center of the arena, and Sheena was holding her hand.

"Did I faint?" she asked.

"You all did," replied Sheena. "You are the last to wake up…"

Yumi looked up and saw Ren and Chelsea standing over her…

And they weren't Duel Spirits any more.

She gasped. She looked at herself, and she was Yumi again.

"We're cured!" she gasped.

"You can thank our friends for that," said Sam, who was standing nearby. "Apparently, Shogarr had been weakened enough for them to… well, obliterate him."

Yumi looked up, and saw only two of the Wind Dukes, one male and one female.

"Thanks…" she said.

The male spoke, in a deep tone.

"**It was our duty,"** he said. **"But we must know…**

"**The Rod of Seven Parts. Was it only a replica like he claimed? Or did it somehow come to life in your hands?"**

Yumi looked at her Disk. The Spell Card was gone.

"Who knows?" said Joan, walking up to them. "The Rod is the most powerful weapon of Law. Maybe it cannot exist unless a mighty force of Chaos exists for it to combat. Perhaps that is the only way it can ever be whole.

"Gods forbid, if someday, another force of Chaos that is just as powerful rears its head, I'm certain that the Rod will come to the hero who rises to oppose it… Perhaps in another form…"

Yumi got up.

"So, Yumi," said Joan. "Are you all ready to go home?"

Yumi looked around.

She saw Phyllis, who was being guarded by Zane and Atticus, with her hands restrained by handcuffs.

"Phyllis…" she said. "What will you do?"

Phyllis sighed.

"I don't know, Yumi," she said. "My human body is gone… But whatever punishment Voltanis gives me, I'm sure it won't last forever…

"The universe is a big place… I'm sure someday, I'll find my place in it…"

Joan sighed. She gestured, and a portal opened beside her.

"I'll e-mail you all soon," she said. "We have a lot of work to do, getting this place up and running with a decent government… But we will succeed."

Yumi nodded.

She leapt through the portal, and Ren, Chelsea, Sam, Erik, and Sheena followed.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As Yumi exited the portal in the VR lab in Kaibaland, Nicholas rushed up to her and hugged her tightly.

"Yumi!" he shouted, almost crying.

"Easy," said Yumi, as everyone else came out.

Olga appeared behind him.

"Your chauffer let us in the back way, Ms. Arachne," she said. "The outside is mobbed."

"Huh?" said Sheena.

She carefully opened the door.

A crowd had gathered outside, and they were cheering Yumi's name.

Yumi blushed, and unfortunately, that made it worse.

_I guess there might be a reward in all this after all,_ she thought.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

THE TEMPLE OF ELEMENTAL EVIL (Spell Card)

Field Spell

Image: A dark altar of black rock with blue veins on its surface, surrounded by demonic statues of all types, flanked by violet torches, water basins, and incense burners.

Card Description: When this card is removed from the field, remove from play all Monsters on the field with the words "Evil Elemental Lord" in their names. Once per turn, if a player has at least five FIRE, EARTH, WATER, and/or WIND Monsters in his/her Graveyard, he/she may send five such Monsters and every card in his hand back to his/her deck, reshuffle, and draw two cards plus the number that his/her hand consisted of before using this effect.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**IMIX, EVIL ELEMENTAL LORD OF FIRE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,500  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set unless "The Temple of Elemental Evil" is face-up on your side of the field. If this card is sent from a player's hand or deck to the Graveyard, remove it from play. Once per turn, you may discard one card from your hand to Special Summon two FIRE Monsters that are Level Four or less from your hand or deck. The effects of Monsters Special Summoned in this manner are negated.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**OGREMOCH, EVIL ELEMENTAL LORD OF EARTH (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 3,000  
**DEF:** 1,800

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set unless "The Temple of Elemental Evil" is face-up on your side of the field. If this card is sent from a player's hand or deck to the Graveyard, remove it from play. Once per turn, you may discard one card from your hand to Special Summon two EARTH Monsters that are Level Four or less from your hand or deck. The effects of Monsters Special Summoned in this manner are negated.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**OLHYDRA, EVIL ELEMENTAL LORD OF WATER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Water  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,500  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set unless "The Temple of Elemental Evil" is face-up on your side of the field. If this card is sent from a player's hand or deck to the Graveyard, remove it from play. Once per turn, you may discard one card from your hand to Special Summon two WATER Monsters that are Level Four or less from your hand or deck. The effects of Monsters Special Summoned in this manner are negated.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**YAN-C-BIN, EVIL ELEMENTAL LORD OF WIND (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 3,000  
**DEF:** 1,800

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set unless "The Temple of Elemental Evil" is face-up on your side of the field. If this card is sent from a player's hand or deck to the Graveyard, remove it from play. Once per turn, you may discard one card from your hand to Special Summon two WIND Monsters that are Level Four or less from your hand or deck. The effects of Monsters Special Summoned in this manner are negated.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DESTRUCTION (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image:** A city being torn apart by a rampaging hurricane, while two evil-looking eyes loom in the sky.

**Card Description:** You may not have more than one copy of this card face-up on the field at one time. You may use the effect of this card once per round, during your turn if "The Elder Elemental Eye" is face-up on your side of the field and "Decay" and "Doom" are active. You may not use the effect of this card during a round in which you use the effect of "Decay" or "Doom". "The Elder Elemental Eye" may attack twice during the Battle Phase of this round, so long as your opponent has Monsters on the field. If this card is destroyed, destroy "Decay" and "Doom".

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DECAY (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image:** A man rotting alive, collapsing to his knees, while two evil-looking eyes loom above.

**Card Description:** You may not have more than one copy of this card face-up on the field at one time. You may use the effect of this card once per round, during your turn if "The Elder Elemental Eye" is face-up on your side of the field and "Destruction" and "Doom" are active. You may not use the effect of this card during a round in which you use the effect of "Destruction" or "Doom". Inflict 1,000 points of direct damage to your opponent. If this card is destroyed, destroy "Destruction" and "Doom".

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DOOM (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image:** A nuclear mushroom cloud exploding, while two evil-looking eyes loom above.

**Card Description:** You may not have more than one copy of this card face-up on the field at one time. You may use the effect of this card once per round, during your turn if "The Elder Elemental Eye" is face-up on your side of the field and "Destruction" and "Decay" are active. You may not use the effect of this card during a round in which you use the effect of "Destruction" or "Decay". Destroy one face-up Monster your opponent controls. If this card is destroyed, destroy "Destruction" and "Decay".

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**THE ELDER ELEMENTAL EYE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 12  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card can only be Special Summoned if face-up "Destruction", "Decay", and "Doom" are the only cards on your side of the field, by removing four different Monsters with the words "Evil Elemental Lord" in your Graveyard from play. While this card is on the field, you cannot Normal Summon, set, or Special Summon. This card cannot be destroyed by card effects so long as "Destruction", "Decay", and "Doom" are face-up on your side of the field. If this card battles a Monster, its ATK becomes equal to that Monster's ATK (if the Monster is in Attack Position) or the Monster's DEF (if the target is in Defense Position) plus 500 during damage calculation only. If this card attacks directly, its ATK becomes 3,000.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**THE ROD OF SEVEN PARTS (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image:** Seven small, ornate, metal rods lying on the ground.

**Card Description:** Take seven Spell Cards from your Graveyard and place them at the bottom of your deck in any order to Equip a Monster with this card. This card cannot be Equipped to a Monster whose effects would be negated by this card's effect. While this card is Equipped to a Monster, all Monsters on the field and all Deck Lords that fit one or more of the following criteria have their effects (and Deck Lord powers) negated:

* Monsters who are summoned by removing cards from play as a cost.

* Monsters whose effects are dependent on cards that are removed from play.

* Monsters that remove cards from play as part of one or more of their effects.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Yumi's Deck Lord: "Dark Magician Girl":** "Invigorating Soul Circle": You may use this effect once per duel. Draw cards equal to the number of Monsters in your Graveyard, or until your hand consists of six cards. For each card drawn, increase your Life Points by 500. (Extraordinary Power)

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Shogarr's Deck Lord: "Chaos Emperor Dragon – Envoy of the End":** "First Circle of Chaos": All face-up Fiend-Type Monsters on your side of the field gain 300 ATK and DEF. (Greater Power) "Second Circle of Chaos": If you are attacked directly, you may pay 500 Life Points to negate the attack and destroy the attacking Monster. (Extraordinary Power) "Third Circle of Chaos": You may pay 500 Life Points to negate the effect of a card that specifically targets a Fiend-Type Monster you control and destroy it. (Extraordinary Power)

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**EPILOGUE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

It took a very long time for Yumi and her friends to manage to go home. The crowd of fans she had gathered all had a million questions, many wanted autographs, and almost all of them hoped she would turn back into Dark Magician Girl. Kaibaland's security held them back for the most part, and Yumi set up a brief press conference before she managed to get away. She knew that the story was likely too farfetched to be told truthfully on the news, but she took heart in knowing that for at least one morning, her duel was the highest-rated program in the world.

The odd duel was speculated about for days afterwards. Some accused I2 of holding it as a publicity stunt for a promotion, and asked when Shogarr's cards would be available for public release. Exactly how every media device in the world was hijacked could not be explained; federal investigators whose belief in the supernatural wasn't even as good as Seto Kaiba's originally was looked into the matter, concerned over the dozens of laws that had been broken. They were frustrated upon finding nothing that could trace them to any source of the broadcast or any possible perpetrators. Yumi was questioned casually, but anyone could see that the girl who was dueling in the broadcast was simply not her, even if her name had been used. No prosecutor who wanted to keep his job was going to accuse someone of disguising herself by using demonic curses. Eventually, the case was simply filed under Unsolved.

It took several days for any of their parents to leave them alone. With the exception of Erik, most of them were let off with the, "I can't blame you since I did the same thing when I was your age" routine, and Erik's parents were too glad that he was okay to do much to him. Still, after five days, after school had started again, Nicholas finally had Yumi alone at her parents' apartment again.

"I thought I had lost you forever," he said, hugging her. "If I could have come after you, I would have…"

"You did pretty well out here, from what I heard…" she replied.

Yumi sighed.

"Nicholas…" she said. "Will you go in the kitchen and get some sodas? I'll have a surprise for you when I get back…"

Nicholas was a little surprised. Was Yumi going to take this farther than usual?

He quickly went into the kitchen and got two sodas.

When he got back to the room, he almost dropped them in shock.

Yumi had become Dark Magician Girl again.

"How?" he gasped.

Yumi chuckled.

"We've been able to do it for about two days now," she sighed. "We don't really know how but… Apparently, Nicholas, it wasn't really the Devil's Fruit that did it…"

She stood up.

"I guess there's a Duel Spirit inside every duelist… We just needed a push to let ours come out.

"So… Want to hug Dark Magician Girl?"

Nicholas didn't need to answer. They embraced.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The next day, Yumi (now Yumi again) and her four friends walked into the main computer center of KaibaCorp, where Sheena was working at a screen.

"What's up, Ms. Arachne?" asked Erik. "News?"

"Big news," said Sheena. "I got that e-mail from Joan that she promised."

She typed up a command, and a long letter appeared on a screen.

_**My dear friends,**_

_**You'll be glad to know that our restoration of Xanadu is proceeding as scheduled. With Shogarr's influence gone, the land is growing lush and fertile. Daala's prisoners have been freed, and my forces are whole once again. The AI programs you worked with are the new governors of Xanadu, and the Duel Spirits who choose to remain are cooperating.**_

_**We searched the Tzimisce Woods from top to bottom. No trace of the Devil's Fruit remains. It likely was reduced to dust when Shogarr perished. This likely means that his curse upon Tyrexxus is lifted. Whether that means Tyrexxus will awaken, and what that might mean for the politics of Hell, I do not yet know.**_

_**The Wind Dukes have made an expedition into Shogarr's realm in the Abyss, which they expect to be in the middle of a power struggle. Their main goal now is to free the many prisoners he took over the ages so that they can finally rest in peace, and also hopefully to learn as much about the demonic armies that they can. Shogarr may be no more, but the realms of the Abyss are numerous, and Chaos will always be a threat.**_

_**Phyllis and Llymic, along with anyone who remained loyal to them, have been handed over to the courts of the Higher Plane. Take heart in knowing that this is far more than Shogarr would have ever offered you. I cannot say what their fates will be. I have done my job, and it is now out of my hands. I will say that I will make sure that the help Phyllis provided will be mentioned at her trial, and might make a difference.**_

_**This need not be the end of our interaction. In fact, I want to make an offer.**_

_**I know of KaibaCorp's virtual multiplayer online role playing game that you are about to test. I can offer to make it better. I can create portals that can link Xanadu to Dueltasia, making Xanadu an advanced level of your game that players can find if they desire. I have proposed the matter to my army, and they unanimously agree that it is a good idea. After all, they are no longer fighting, and need a reason to exist.**_

_**Whether you agree or not, know this… All of you will always be welcome in Xanadu and in all of the Twelve Dimensions.**_

_**Sincerely,**_

_**Guardian Angel Joan**_

Sheena looked at them.

"Ms. Arachne," said Yumi, "it sounds wonderful, but we gotta think about it first."

"Yeah," said Ren. "Why don't you get working on it. You have our numbers, eh?"

"See you at home, mom," said Sam.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The five of them walked through the park, walking away from KaibaCorp.

"I wonder if everything will ever be the same again," said Ren.

"Dunno," said Chelsea. "We've seen some pretty serious stuff…"

As they walked past a hedge wall, they changed, and Dark Magician Girl, Shadow Tamer, Mataza the Zapper, Vampire Lady, and Warrior Dai Grepher took their places.

"Shogarr put us through the ringer," muttered Erik.

"Eh…" said Sam. "Maybe this will look good on a resume someday… But I guess the important part is, we survived, and we came out better for the experience."

"Know what the funny part is?" asked Chelsea.

"There's a funny part?" asked Ren.

"Well, not ha-ha funny," said Chelsea. "But more ironic-funny. Listen… We actually benefited a great deal from Shogarr and his attacks."

Everyone looked at her strangely.

"Hear me out," said Chelsea. "If Shogarr hadn't messed with Yumi at Duelatopia, she might not have collected all of the Shadow Charms, and might not have been able to do the ritual duel. The Pharaoh may never have been released.

"And if we had never gone to Xanadu, we wouldn't have become more powerful, or become more in touch with the worlds of Spirits. We would have lived our lives as nothing but ordinary duelists."

"It makes sense in a crazy way," muttered Erik. "Like how Spider-Man wouldn't have become a hero if his poor uncle hadn't been murdered."

Yumi sighed.

"Well, people…" she said. "Whatever the future may hold… Whatever we choose to do with these powers… We'll all be there as a team…"

She held her hand out. They put their hands together, in a five-way handshake.

Then they looked towards the KaibaCorp building above them…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_And what did the future hold?_

_Yumi and her four friends never attempted to return to Xanadu. For some years, they lived peacefully. All five finished school, and then college as well. They only assumed Duel Spirit form in secret during this time, not wanting to turn into outcasts._

_Then, one by one, they each heard their calls. Their adventures were not over._

_Sam was spending time with Erik one night, when the Spirit of Gors appeared before them. He begged for help, saying that Ha Des was in danger. Sam and Erik grabbed their Disks and ran through the portal that he created, assuming the forms of Shadow Tamer and Warrior Dai Grepher in the process. _

_They arrived in the Underworld, only to find that they were too late. Ha Des had been slain, and a mysterious usurper was occupying his throne. Even worse, Gors could not protect Sam when a Beast of Talwar, clearly sent by the usurper, led a mob against her, claiming that the Shadow Tamer would try to dominate the populace. Sam boldly stood up to the Beast, and a duel started. The crowd was awed when she played Ha Des's card – apparently, his soul still lived in her deck. Sam defeated the Fiend, and the mob started to side with her._

_Then, a Zombie who called itself a Plaguespreader stepped forward. It claimed that another Plaguespreader had turned itself into a hideous beast called a Doomkaiser Dragon, and that it had slain Ha Des and assumed his throne. It also said it might know a way to restore Ha Des, if the Doomkaiser was first beaten. _

_Sam and Erik fought their way into Ha Des's palace. Along the way, Sam was confronted by an ally of the Doomkaiser – the real Zera the Mant. Sam defeated him, and with her powers growing, she stole his fiendish energy, and managed to evolve into a true version of Dark Queen Per Sephone, just as Ha Des said she might be able to. Sam took the Doomkaiser by surprise, and a lethal duel ensued. After a lengthy battle, the beast fell, defeated._

_The Plaguespreader was indeed able to bring Ha Des back to life, but Ha Des was different than he was before. No longer a Fiend, he was a Zombie himself, a Revived King Ha Des. He reasoned he wasn't fit to rule a nation of Fiends anymore, and decided to retire, offering Sam the position as his heir. Sam was shocked, but she accepted, and Ha Des left for his private lands, trusting the last remnants of his true self with Sam._

_As for Erik, he remained with Sam as her royal consort. Many of the population were worried for a while, remembering the choice that the first Warrior Dai Grepher had made. This concern was driven home when none other than Dark Lucius himself arrived to offer him the same choice, not willing to take no for an answer. Erik furiously rejected the Fiend, and a duel ensued. In one mighty blow, the Fiend that was once the first Warrior Dai Grepher was blasted out of existence._

_And in defeating him, Erik gained knowledge. He found the path to the other choice, the one that his predecessor had rejected. Following it, he took a path to a realm of Dragons, and came back to the Underworld having evolved into Ryu Senshi. _

_Chelsea and Ren found their place in the Dimensions at around the same time. They were called by the Vampire Genesis, who was in a panic, claiming that an undead sorcerer was ravaging the land where Zombies called home. Chelsea and Ren took their Duel Spirit forms, and followed him. _

_They found the Dimension of Zombies a virtual anarchy. The only apparent rule was this sorcerer, who was crushing anyone who dared stand against him. Chelsea and Ren made their way to a mausoleum of bone where this sorcerer supposedly resided, and along the way, Chelsea defeated the Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon, a necromantic creation of the sorcerer. As her own power had grown, Chelsea grew stronger still, and evolved into a far stronger vampire than her previous form._

_Chelsea confronted the sorcerer who turned out to be none other than Fushioh Richie, who had recently been freed from a long imprisonment. Chelsea dueled the powerful lich, and eventually defeated him, gaining even greater power._

_But then, the true power behind Fushioh Richie appeared. The last member of the Dread Council, Dark General Freed, had come to this Dimension, along with Shadowpriestess of Ohm, hoping to find enough power to somehow resurrect his master. _

_At this time, Burgundy finally gained enough power to reform his physical body. He suggested to Ren that they take the two villains together. Telling Chelsea to rest, Ren took up a Disk, and both he and Burgundy dueled the evil general and his henchman. Dark Freed was eventually defeated a second time, this time for good, and the Shadowpriestess was rendered powerless. Power flowed into Ren, and he found he was actually able to evolve into a new Dark General Freed, albeit one with no connection to Shogarr. _

_The Zombie populace of the Dimension bowed before Chelsea, and as she was the most powerful resident now, the energy of the land bonded itself to her. She was nervous at first, but she decided to accept the responsibility, becoming queen. Her first act was to cast the Shadowpriestess into the prison under the mausoleum, where she went defiantly. Ren remained with her, ruling by her side, while Burgundy stayed as well, reassuming his role as the General of Total Defense, only for a much bigger armed force._

_And what of Yumi?_

_After making a visit to the Underworld and the Dimension of Zombies to visit her friends, she heard her own call. Curran visited her, pleading with her for help. Nicholas and Olga insisted on coming this time, and followed Yumi and Curran to the Dimension where Spellcasters ruled._

_Yumi was not even able to get close to Cosmo Queen's palace, which had been taken over by a mysterious force. She dueled some minions of the mysterious usurpers, but found that she could not draw Cosmo Queen's card, no matter how hard she tried. _

_Curran finally suggested the Library Arcane. Yumi made a beeline for it, and then went straight to the Dark Archive. Maiden of Macabre stepped aside, not asking for a fee, which surprised Yumi a great deal._

_Yumi poured through the books in that private wing for a whole day, while Nicholas and Olga did the same. Olga found what she had wanted – the formula that would bestow Yumi's gift on her and Nicholas. They begged Yumi to cast it on them, wanting to have the same powers that she did. After checking and rechecking every possibility, Yumi did so, transforming Nicholas into Neo the Magic Swordsman, and Olga into Magician's Valkyria._

_Eventually, Yumi found what she needed to transport into the Heart of the Arcane, where the magical power of the Dimension was centered. She figured Cosmo Queen was there, and she was right – the Queen was in chains, being held prisoner by both Ruin and Demise. The two apocalyptic beings were going to inflict the most sadistic revenge upon the Queen, by banishing her to the most remote realm of Carceri, but not before stripping her of every trace of her power._

_With their powers enhanced by what they stole from Cosmo Queen, Ruin and Demise agreed to duel Yumi and her two allies two against three. Even so, the two Ritual Spirits held their own, but as the duel progressed, they spent more and more of their energy, and got weaker and weaker. Finally, Yumi defeated them in one mighty blow, banishing them to dimensional limbo._

_Cosmo Queen recovered, but so much of her energy had been stolen, and could not be recovered. Incapable of ruling, she decided to step down, and granted her crown to Yumi. Nicholas remained as Yumi's consort, and the Six Samurai took form, heading an army that strengthened the security of the land. Olga remained as well, her power over Fairies forming a bridge to the Higher Plane, enlightening the Spellcaster Dimension._

_With Yumi and her friends ruling these three Dimensions, and the three nations thus allied, a power triangle was formed. Soon, other Dimensions formed treaties, and a dimensional alliance was formed._

_And did they live happily ever after? Who knew? But in a universe of possibilities, there are never truly endings…_

_There are only new beginnings._

_**Finis**_

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_**I hope you have enjoyed "Yu-Gi-Oh! Soul of Silicon".**_

_**I'm going to be taking a break from YGO writing for a few weeks. I've certainly earned it.**_

_**But do not fear, I have decided to take my YGO writing into the Fifth Dimension!**_

_**Enjoy Thanksgiving, and then Christmas. And then, on New Year's Day, be here for the premier of "Yu-Gi-Oh! Shadowchasers", my 5D fic. I'm taking it into hyperdrive, and I want you all to be here.**_


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